Les Fleurs

'There ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them 

than to travel with them.'

- Mark Twain

I don't often feel the difference between spring and summer in this country part from the temperature rise. Normal weather - typical showers, occasional sunny spells before it's raining cats and dogs (do people still use this expression anyway?).

       

Visited Coventry again, seeing the familiar buildings, churches and streets, felt like a tourist this time. We don't tend to explore the beauty of the places we live in, do we? It reminds me of a recent conversation. Someone was puzzled: why do non-European students (Asians in particular) who study here travel to almost every single country in Europe? For us Europeans, the culture, architecture, history or even the languages are very similar so that we know what the way of life is like in Spain or Italy if we were French or German. But for non-Europeans, anything can be fascinating and the differences across the borders still strike them as everything is new and foreign. 

It's true. I love travelling, especially visiting art galleries and museums, learning about the different cultures. Unlike my friends who have been to more than half of the EU member states during their time studying in the UK, I have not travelled in the EU extensively these years due to budget constraints and work commitment. I loved every single country that I've visited. I've seen a lot of churches with beautifully decorated glass windows telling the Bible stories. Each one is different and unique to me in its own way and I can't wait to explore more of them. Thinking back, when was the last time that I visited the Great Wall or the Forbidden City in Beijing? Or museums, art galleries, places of interests to people who are not from Beijing? We're so used to everything there and know that if we wanted to, we could always visit and spend some relaxing time there. They're taken for granted. We know they're always there waiting for us whenever we want to. But sometimes perhaps the true beauty of where we come from is lost as time goes by.

Thesis is still moving on, slowly. The rich information on the internet can be SO DISTRACTING sometimes. Buttons linking you from one topic to another, videos, interview scripts, all relevant to my thesis theme which is marketing communications on sustainability and CSR...totally bombed by the wealth of info. Fingers crossed for nice weather for the rest of the week.