Winter Wonderland

15th January 2019, 哈尔滨 Day 1: The Arrival 

IT'S HAPPENING. You could say this is an unexpected journey of mine. 

From the start I haven't thinking about going there, because people said its too cold, I couldn't survive there if I go, BUT HERE I AM NOW typing this in the hotel room.

So, how can this trip happened?

This trip happened because my classmate ask me if I want to go to Harbin with him, so I was thinking..... yep I actually DO want to go, but the Indonesians that I'm close with didn't want to. Even one day my father called me and asking me why I didn't go to the "Ice and Snow World" which located in Harbin, that's the biggest Ice Lantern festival in the world? that's what Wikipedia said tho, BUT yes that festival is totally beautiful. And one Indonesian traveler which I followed on Instagram just went there, I saw all her Instastory and I was like..... WOW, must be great to go to there, AND HERE I AM NOW.

Ok, so, the two of us, with so much help from his father, make this trip happened.

We went to Zhengding airport at 3.50 PM, yep we took a night flight. Once we landed, the plane didn't directly arrived on the terminal, we have to take a bus there, so once I stepped out of the plane..... SO THIS IS HOW COLD IS HARBIN, damn. And we have to take another taxi ride to the hotel, and I should say this hotel is decent, so good even. AND YES a kinda pricey for me, but it's ok, I RARELY have this kind of exPenSiVe trip, and I am happy.

We will start our adventure tomorrow morning, we already make an itinerary, hopefully we can full fill it!

16th January 2019, 哈尔滨 Day 2: Parks, River, & Parks!

Today I get up at 7.30 and lazying around until almost 8 AM then started to get ready for the day! First we went to the St.Sophia Cathedral, which got a Russian architecture, but first we went for a breakfast inside a... some kind of Tanah Abang or Mangga Dua in Indonesia, there's a food court there, I ate a bowl of noodle that I can't finished, so such a waste of 10元. After that we take some pictures in front of the cathedral and around that area.

Then we decide to directly go to Zhaolin Park which there have pretty ice sculptures!

And we think this must be more beautiful at night, so I told Santiago (here comes my travel partner!) can we wait until dark and see how is the sculptures looks like, as he said yes we went to the river first! we just need to take a walk for a few minutes and we arrived! It was amazing how the whole river is frozen.... And it was cold, really, but I still can handle it! maybe just sometimes my hands and toes freezing to death.

Santiago wants to play some game in the river so I went with him, me actually want to walk to the middle of the river near the bridge, but its too far, its REALLY cold, and I didn't want to risk anything because no one go there that time! But I think from where I am standing that time, I felt really grateful already.

The frozen Songhua River!

In front of the river there's Stalin Park, we went there too. After that we go back to the plaza near St.Sophia Cathedral to warming up with a glass of hot Chocolate in Coco. To kill the time we went to some shopping mall and a bookstore near Zhaolin Park until its dark outside and go back to Zhaolin Park!

Wrapped up like a burrito. 

After Zhaolin Park night view, we went back to our hotel to rest for a while, ordered Burger King for dinner, buy some snacks and bread for breakfast, watching movie while eating, and now I am typing this while having Korean sheet mask on my face.

But really, I am grateful and thankful that I can come here..... It was incredibly beautiful, and amazing, for me to finally experiencing this kind of winter holiday.

17th January 2019, 哈尔滨 Day 3: Another Park & Snow Sculpture Expo!

Today we go to 太阳岛公园, I THOUGHT that the 门票 only 30元, because that's the internet says, BUT turns out that the 门票 for winter is.... 330元 wow, because there's a snow exhibition, and some free games that we can try, and the park is beautiful too.... frozen and beautiful.

She & snowy park.

The park is covered by snow, so... beautiful......

The most crowded part in the park only where the snow expo located, and near the frozen river where there's some free games that the visitors can try on. Other parts of the park like.... no people  visited there, because it's just a park. But for me, an empty, and covered by the white snow park give me this calm energy.... It's really peaceful, with the faint sounds of musics from afar, standing in the middle of empty park gave me this emotional feelings. So, the two of us also exploring other part of the parks.

These sculptures made by people from different county across the world!

This one made by the Indonesian's artist from Bali! #proud

Le baby travel mate feat a deer statue.

I cannot find another word for this... like I am so grateful, I would NEVER forget this experience.

18th January 2019, 哈尔滨 Day 4: The Highlight of The Trip!

As my travel mate said he is sleepy, we went to the 冰雪大世界 at 1 PM, the ticket price is 330元, expensive I know, with that price you can buy 高铁 tickets Shijiazhuang - Beijing, Beijing - Shijiazhuang. But well, it was WORTH IT. I really want to cry when I stepped into the ice world........ I am literally speechless.

Always, small 安娜. 

Stairways to heaven, perhaps.

Even the sky looks majestic here, I am out of words.

Since we went there when the sky still bright, it was not that cold, and we still can see how's the view in daylight. After walking around, we went to KFC to have a rest, ate some chickens & fries. Went out again to a room like a hall? we stay there until around 4 PM when the sun starts setting down, and they already turn on some of the lights. 

This was a touching moments for me, few years ago when I still struggling studying Chinese language, my text book have this text about 哈尔滨冰灯冰雕, and who knows, in 18 January 2019, I am standing here, seeing what I read years ago, it was...... an amazing feeling. Well, I always get emotional about things.

Your letter will go directly to Elsa and Olaf from here.

This one is my favorite Ice Sculpture Castle!

Well, this is actually the highlight of the trip. Tomorrow, early in the morning we're going back to Shijiazhuang, but in 3 days I will be flying again, to Shanghai.
So, this Harbin trip maybe such a last-minute-decision-trip, and a brave choice of course because the weather in here is SUPER cold. But then, I am having fun, and really really happy.

My biggest thanks goes to Santiago, who out of nowhere asking me if I want to go to Harbin with him. 

If he didn't ask, maybe I will never go to Harbin, and experiencing the REAL winter, a winter wonderland. 

So, thank you, very much.

Love, Nach.

A Self Reflection

Wow.

That's my first thought of 2018.

Yes, wow.

Looking back from the beginning of 2018 until now, so MANY things happened, like M A N Y.
As always, looking back to what happened before I always getting really emotional.

In the beginning of 2018, I still felt this anxiousness around me, about what should I do next since I graduate and still not feeling like want a job. I am still trying my luck to apply this scholarship. I went back and forth to campus again to get some papers and recommendation letters from my professors. At the same time did some medical check up WHICH is another shocking results that doctor said that my lungs are not healthy. But fuck that, I don't feels sick at all, but still I have to eat some healthy foods and vitamins to keep me fit. And applied the scholarship. I have to wait again for a few months, in the meantime I helped my baby sister moved to Yogyakarta because she will attend university there. And weeks after, suddenly the scholarship announcement came! which is such as a blessing.

See.

Now here I am, in the end of 2018, in my dorm room, doing some home works and studying for exams. But I am happy. Yes, genuinely happy.

See.

Dear self, you made it. Don't stop believing to something that you want. If its really your destiny, you will accomplish it. Someday, someways, somehow.

Dear my old self, thank you for believe in yourself, for not giving up.
Dear my future self, keep believing, don't forget to be happy and be thankful.

Happy New Year.

Hope you'll learn more and explore more in the following year.

Love, Nach.

New Year's Count Down!

15 December 2018.

Today I went to a mall with my favorite classmates, which has the mini Venice like in Macau inside the mall.

We went there to take a picture and then went to a pretty Cafe called Maan Cafe.

 It was great. We chatted a lot, talked about interesting stuffs. This is why I like being around people who come from different country more than with people from my own country. It's not that hate them, no of course not, because while I'm in here, why didn't I explore more about different point of view, to see more of the world. It's fun to heard their opinion about things, how they see this as a good or bad. They're all students, we are all intellectual, so, we all respecting each others opinion. It was fun. They're all fun!
The day is well spent.

16 December 2018.

Didn't sleep that well because I'm not really felt well and ended up waking up really early, even though last night I slept around 2 AM. Today we have a plan with my favorite Indon kids, le baby that celebrated birthday in 5th Dec will treat us foods! But first I have to pick up my packages lol BECAUSE MY NEW PHONE IS COMING! yes. I bought myself a Samsung S9. Probably the most expensive phone I've ever had. It's ok. I deserve it.

After picking all the packages, I get ready again to go to the new Mall in town, where I'll meet the rest of them. We rode bus today and its free! uw0 so happy. After the looooong ride, we finally arrived. The new Mall called Mixc, and got this Grand Indonesia vibe, or not, probably Kota Kasablanka vibe. This is the most Indonesian's Mall I've ever visited in China lol. After debating what should we eat, because is too much crowds, we ended up in a foodcourt. AND GUESS WHAT, WE FOUND THE MOST INDONESIAN TASTE BAKSO HERE! It's kinda pricey, one cup with 5 Bakso is 18元, but that's okay, that's love.

 my love is expensive.

17 December 2018.

Classes again. Yep. Suddenly we already in the edge of this term. 2 weeks again we will have 季末考试, and will have a loooooong holiday. Strangely, I didn't want to this semester to end.

18 December 2018.
Another school day, but I only have one class every Tuesday and it started at 10.20 AM, so, yeah. Lazy and sleepy as usual, at least I still came to class. And another day to pick up Christmas gifts for my classmates! can't wait for our Xmas lunch, or dinner.

19 December 2018.

Nothing much happened today, just school as usual, oh, I skipped class, for the first time in here lol. It was a 写作 class, so, well. And I finally went for a jog, with a friend lol. She's on a diet and she said she needs to do some sport, she said she wants to go to jogging, so I accompanied her. And I really want to too, so why not? Day 1, I completely tired, my body felt not much sore but I was really tired, and I got a good quality sleep.

20 December 2018.

Nothing special again, except day 2 exercise! Today we went a bit earlier than yesterday, because if we went late, the weather would be too much cold. It's winter guys, and we running outside.
But well, today I run more than yesterday, usually my tummy got sick if I run too much, but I think my body already 习惯 (wtf now I'm talking bilingual since I forgot how to say the word in English).

21 December 2018.

A short class today, because it's Friday! We planned to make tacos tomorrow, with our Peruvian classmates, so today we went to the grocery mart to buy the ingredients. I already bought the tacos skin from taobao earlier. After that we had a little bites in McDonald's. And after that I went to run again. Well basically thats all for today.

22 December 2018.

Woke up around 8 AM but stays in bed until.. 9 or 10 maybe? I tried to make an Instagram post for the PPIT but, I am currently not so creative because, suddenly I am being emotionally unstable, so, yeah. Then prepared to make some tacos!!!!!!!! This was actually my fist time trying Mexican tacos, Adel makes smashed potatoes & chicken as the filling, it was good! After that, we, still the same tacos team, went to run, except for Santiago, he plays soccer, alone, I know, sad.


23 December 2018.

Happy sunday y'all.
I woke up early because I have to do the laundry, and it's not in our dorm building, yep, and today was getting colder again. After finished the laundry, around 12, I starts to made lunch. After lunch, doing some homework and stuffs, and planned to go for a run again. But this time, the weather is getting colder and colder so we decided to go back, and when I check the weather, it says that it's -2 degree with real feel, -6 outside. Crazy.


25 December 2018.

Happy Xmas day!
Yep, I still went to class on Xmas day, because it was the last 阅读 class, so, as a good kid (some one making fun of me as I said I am a good 'kid') I went to class.

A cute Xmas gift in class 

At night, I went to my friend's room because we will exchange gifts! we watched Home Alone and Crazy Rich Asians that night, as if we didn't have class on the next day lol, but it was a fun Xmas tho. I am happy.

Gifts, movie, foods & friends!

27 December 2018.

It's snowing again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This time it was snowing since the night before, so in the morning the snow kinda pilled up.
They said this was the last snow this year, sad me is sad.
Today me and some classmates went to our late Christmas lunch, yap, another fun day.


28 December 2018.

LAST CLASS IN THIS TERM BEFORE EXAMS NEXT WEEK.
Sad.


29 December 2018.

This would be the last saturday night in 2018.
I don't really feel like going anywhere because when I woke up this morning my body feels really bad, I think I caught a flu. I think I almost slept for the rest of the morning. In the afternoon my Indonesian friends came to my room and we watch Indonesian horror movie, which is good actually, the movie is already bought by Netflix, I highly recomended it, "May The Devil Take You". Yep, sounds bada$$.
At night I had another movie night with my Peruvian friends~
So that's how my last saturday night in 2018 spent.


30 December 2018.

Doing laundry, cleaning room, cooks.
Thats how my last weekend spent.

Love, Nach.