NEW YEAR!

It's New Year, 2014, everywhere, finally!

Happy New Year！ 新年快乐！

Dec. 31st 2013 (Texas, US), I called to my family in Nanjing and Erenhot to deliver my greetings for the New Year. They were going to spent their first morning in 2014. Hours later, I received group messages from my friends in Germany since they heard the sounds of fireworks to celebrate the New Year. They had just spent the last minute of 2013. Yesterday, Jan. 1st 2014 (Texas, US), we went out for diner together to celebrate the New Year. Then, Spend New Year's messages were no longer. 

This morning, it became quite cold here. When I opened the door, saw the mat on the front of the door was blown away by the strong wind yesterday night. Oh, yes, the New Year is always arrival on the occasion of the coldest (hottest). This reminds me of the pre-dawn darkness. Let the New Year start from the pre-dawn darkness, not a bad idea. 

Yesterday, a happy America guy came to our table, and asked, normally how to celebrate the New Year in China. We actually do not "really" celebrate the New Year of Jan. 1st, but Chinese New Year. It is also known as the Spring Festival since it generally falls on the day around Lichun (start of spring) when the most severe days of the year are already passed. It becomes warm again and plants start to grow faster. People lived in Sinosphere decide the New Year start from we have already see the dawn. 

This world is wonderful. We live in the same earth, but have the different start point of a year. 

Happy New Year !!!

Teachers' Day

September 10th is our Teachers' Day. Ten days have passed. But the flowers in my office are still in bloom, and perfume the air. It is quite special when you feel it from both sides.

In my mind, September is always an important and special month. As a rule, the new school year begins on September 1st. When I was a student, after a long summer vacation, I was always eager to meet my old friends (also new friends) and to see the new books for the new semester courses. I still remembered how happy when I wrote down my name on every book and covered it by the old calendars. Later, lots of parents began to buy the nice dust jacket for their children's books. I refuse to use those bought dust jacket, and feel a bit sad because I could no longer wrap my books by myself. Then I let my books be naked and had confidence in protecting them like new. Ten days later comes the Teachers' Day. During this time, we made all kinds of preparation, like painting on the wall (blackboard) newspaper, learning to sing a teacher's song and so on. If you have similar age as mine, could you still remember the saying: We are delicate flowers, the teachers are diligent gardener!

Now, I'm a professor in university, and I prepare nothing for the Teachers' Day. But I have deeper and more complicated feelings about it. More often, I completely forgot it, and then realized surprisly when I received blessings from my students. This Sep. 10th, I got hot-cold and felt bad, headache, runny nose, sore throat... in the afternoon, when I turned on all the devices and almost ready for my lecture, I raised my head and saw a bouquet of beautiful flowers bloom in frond of me, then heard "Happy Teachers' Day!". There are 75 students choose my course. The flowers come from half of them. Honestly, I felt a little bit shy when I saw almost all of them were looking at me and most of them with smile. Thanks a lots! I felt much better from my headache. ;-) We are not supposed to accept costly presents from our students. However, receiving flowers and other small things is not strictly prohibited. Sometimes, when I receive their greetings, I feel surprised as if I got an additional reward. Since I just do my own work and duty, and sometimes I'm even dissatisfied with myself. I'm still struggling to do better. Thanks for encouragment! 

It is discussed that the Teachers' Day might be moved to Sep. 28th which is the Confucius' birthday. I think this is a good idea. we also have World Teachers' Day, which held annually on October 5th since 1994. 

Farewell season III

What! already III ! Could you quietly leave tomorrow and do not bother us any more? This is the last one, I promise. The following are something memorable.

Prof. Scheid's office. For the last one year it has been my office since I spent most of time there by myself. I love his calendar. Could you see it? I'm sorry it is not very clear. I tell you it is a cartoon calendar produced by a company named WERNER, which actually is the name of Prof. Scheid. Now you can understand why he bought such a cartoon calender. A month, it tell you what a stupid man despised by a cat, because he speaks to a Katze (female cat) just like the Katze was a Kater (male cat).

Coffee room, this is the room I like most in the physics building. It is not a room you can only get coffee. Sometime, I ate breakfast here, actually this is not important. People discuss physics here, share cake and sweet here, copy file here, talk joke here, complain coffee machine here......This is the Living Area of the institute of theoretical physics! 

Could you look at the left picture more carefully? Yes, there are some Chinese tea in the two irregular containers. Thanks a lot to Ms. Elke Jung, she found these two containers for me.  A bit shame, these are neither my favorite tea, nor the best tea in my house. This partly because, once I brought my favorite tea to let others taste. I got the comment of "grass".  Then I decided to take some of the easily accepted varieties of tea. After I came back from Rila, where Workshop on Nuclear Theory IWNT32-2013 took place (see also O Rila), I found the small one was almost empty (Jasmine tea). I was happy. It means somebody like it. I filled it up again. Enjoy it!

This is the cafeterias (Cafeterua im IFZ) where I often had my lunch. There are three canteens and eight cafeterias in Uni-Giessen. Daily Recipes are here for all of them. I never checked, all the same to me, even I saw it, I still didn't know what is it. Sometimes I also went to Cafeterias Hochschulrechenzen when I wanted one more Muffin. They are neighbor building, both are near to the institute of physics. High stool along the windows is always my favorite seat. I experienced love, hate, love, hate in this cafeterias. Please forget I am a physicist for a while, and look at this formula: 50% love + 50% hate = 90% love. This is the formula I put forward for this cafeterias, and the conclusion is I love it and enjoy the time there (although not always enjoy the food).

My favorite coffee shop in Giessen. If you has been in Germany and you drink coffee, then you must know Tchibo. It is a shop where you can buy a cup of coffee and a piece of cake, a rain coat and a omelette pan, a lipstick and a paper-cut toys, a Cafissimo machine and a SIM card for your mobile ......  Wonderful! However, "my favorite coffee shop" here means exactly this shop in Seltersweg 26,  35390 Gießen.  There are several Tchibo in Giessen. As I know, only this one, they still use milk steamer to make Cappuccino, but not that automatic coffee machine. Chocolate cake with banana pieces is very tasty.

Mercedes-Benz bus 10, full of hate and love. I travelled between my house and office every week day by this bus, with my son together.  I guess the experiences related to this bus would have impressed my son too. Too many stories. I can not write here one by one. Let's see how long time it can keep in our mind.  

Guest house, full of nice memories. Thanks a lot to Prof. Scheid who booked it for me half a year ahead I arrived. Nice house, it is not easy to get it. Also many thanks to Frau. Will who is in charge of these two Guest houses at Rathenaustraße 24 A and B. However, the street name (Rathenaustraße) seems not so nice, I mean it always brings trouble to me. For example, when I booked a texi, every time, I could not explain clearly where we lived. The pronunciation of "R" in German is so difficult to me. No matter how many times I practiced, I still can not speak clearly, and at last I had to say "R-a-t-h-e-n-a-u-s-t-r..", then I could hear "Oh~!Rathenaustraße". OMG! It really depressed me. My poor language!  

The last one, my favorite beer!

Went back and checked, one is the working place (Office room), one is the living place (Guest house), one is the transportation between these two place (Bus 10), one is the eating place (Cafeterias), two are drinking places (Coffee room and Tchibo), one drinks.  Ah! my sister is right, I am the person who is foud of eats and drinks. Most memorable things, 4/7 are about food and drinks.

Farewell season II

 Last weekend in Giessen

 Saturday Morning

Every morning, if I needn't send my son to his kindergarten, I would get up later than him. A bit shame! This morning, he woke up me, and gave me a hug. Then he said: you have power now and you can get up. I was insatiable, asked for a bear hug. He put his stuffed teddy bear handed me.

Saturday evening

Received my husband's video call. It was not surprise, this is Saturday evening. "Wait. I have something to show you", first sentence, then he disappeared. Since he spoke first, I had to say "I have something to show you too". Webcam moved, moved slowly. At last, "Wow...". Actually, I knew he would show me some food (normally is food material). He cooks delicacies for himself almost every weekend, like Porterhouse steak, Fresh Shrimp, Huge crab, Razor fish and so on. I had to say he loves sea food. This time, dangdangdangdang, Huge Lobster, I really "Wow~". This guy spent more than $30 bought a 4 pounds Lobster for his Saturday lunch. Great! I will not tell what I showed to him. Although I spent more than 10 times money. But anyway, what I bought can be used for couple of years, not only for 20 minutes lunch.

Sunday evening

A few days ago, I was bothered with the submission of INPC2013 proceedings to arXiv. I have submitted it to the organizer earlier. But I can not submit it to arXiv. I decided try again. At the mean time, my Chinese friends were discussing about the goodbye party for me in QQ group. I kept glancing on their progress. It seems there would be a lot of nice food and drinks. After a while, some results came out. My status was: still thinking. I was not thinking actually. A special party for me! Anyway, I would be happy. However, I made a mistake. I sent a technical question of tex.bib. I got complain immediately:

        You are talking to her about party. She is talking to you about research.
        When you talk to her about research, guess what she will talk?

        (你和她谈聚餐，她和你谈科研，

         你和她谈科研，她和你谈什么？)
Dr. Hu wrote it in Chinese originally. He is good at Chinese poetry. Even a complaint can be rhyme! Hum! Anway, I feel really sorry ruined their mood to prepare a perfect party.

The party came in Sunday evening as it planned. In addition to their special personal cuisine, Dr. Liang brought cheese cake and ice cream. Sweet! I'm the girl addicted to sweets. The party went on as usual except we talked about who is the next one to leave, and the possible place we could meet again. Not very sad after I have experienced my son's farewell breakfast, and heard someone said "farewell" personally to me.   

Farewell season

Today is my son's last day in the kindergarten. I woke up before 6:00 to prepare the breakfast for all the kids in his group (20 kids), of course, also included his teachers. Before the breakfast, I stayed in the activity room with them. I had told RanRan about the last kindergarten day. Then he knew it. But I'm not sure whether he can understand it, or maybe, he even understand it better than me? He came to the activity room as usual, began to play with his best friend, Franz. When I looked at them playing and took picture at the meantime, I was touched. No naughty, no dishonest, no argue, no fight... and no sad ( this could be the last time they play together ), it is quiet, peaceful and serious. I heard they discussed about the rule of play, "Balabalabala, ok?" "O.K.!" Now, I understand why they are best friend.

 

Dingdong, dingdong~~~, it's time for breakfast (9:00 am). When they came out from the activity room, down the stairs. RanRan looked quite happy since he saw me still there. I did not seriously take pictures of the food since I do not want to disturb them eat. Honestly, it is not a hearty breakfast. But I was happy to see kids choose this one or that one. Erik, a little shy boy, sitting beside me, wanted me to peeled banana peel for him (for many times). But he feared I can not understand, then asked for his teacher how to say it in Chinese, and he wanted to learn Chinese.  Bennet, the boy at the left corner of the picture, wanted a grape. I'm so sorry I could not understand what he said. Anyway, I delivered him a grape at last. RanRan, sitting at another table next, delivered the seaweed to other kids at his table, asked me to give him the Shrimp Fried Rice for twice, then happily ate the same bread as Franz......

When I came out from the kindergarten. It was already 10:10am. On a sudden, I felt exhausted, and I began to realize I was so sad actually.  

 

 

 

 

似水流年！

 Train to Cologne, Aug. 2005

        最近整理计算机，发现了八年前在德国拍的部分照片。这次算是故地重游，不禁会有些感慨。Giessen小镇的变化不大，尤其在我们目睹了国内各大城市的日新月异之后，越发能够感觉到这里的平静祥和与不疾不徐。物理楼产于1966年的电梯仍旧在服役；楼前楼后奔跑的还是10路和13路的奔驰巴士，半小时一班的时刻点也没有变化；Toom超市一进门的货架摆设稍有不同；市中心的道路已经修好，唯一的天桥上种植的还是当年一样的花草；土耳其店的门口仍旧摆满了10kg大的西瓜，店里的玫瑰花大米比八年前贵了2欧；俄罗斯店的带骨五花肉仍旧是全市最低价：2.45欧/kg；Lidl超市新增加一小段冷藏柜，用来放肉；对了，经常去跑步的森林边上多出来若干栋新的居家小楼；火车站塔楼上的钟还在准确的记载着时间的流逝。。。八年的时间，我能够感受的变化其实就是新增的这几栋小楼和稍微浮高的物价。对于一个城市来讲，着实算不得什么变化。这也符合德国的风格。去年11月份，物理楼前的一级台阶缺了一尺长的一个角，工人们把整段的楼梯用栅栏围起来，昨天我发现那级台阶修好了。

      写到这里我是不是跑题跑得太远了？

      其实，我写这篇博文是因为我看到了上边的这张照片，拍于2005年8月，我目光望去的地方坐着赵老师和李老师，旁边为我拍照的是师兄王宁和贾飞，我们一起搭车去科隆。当年的我不施粉黛，却快乐自信。记得那时候赵老师的体力比我好，一天下来，他还有兴致到处拍照，看看这边再转转那边，而我早就累的找地方坐下，只等回家睡觉了。可是现在他由于疾病可能再也不会来德国了。李老师当年在Giessen摔坏了盆骨，住院治疗之后一个人坐了10个小时的飞机飞回国内，让人佩服。我不得不提的人还有Scheid教授，八年前，他还是理论所的所长，他把我当成一个学生，指导我的科研工作，带我去参加各种学术活动，在生活上帮助我，周末还会开车带我们参观附近的城堡古迹。这次，已经退休的他则常和我讲起他的学生时代，谈到他的女儿和外孙，科研工作上每逢讨论，他一定会强调，这仅是他个人的建议。他本人也由于健康原因不再自己开车，而且答应他的夫人，不再出访其他国家。我不得不说在我凝视着我的照片感叹青春流逝的同时，我更能够感受到，时间对于快要步入暮年的老人来说更加残酷。

      真所谓“物是人非”（宋•李清照《武陵春》词 —— 物是人非事事休，欲语泪先流。）

      Google或者Baidu一下：似水流年，首先出现的就是梅艳芳Anita Mui和哥哥张国荣Leslie Cheung 的《似水流年》，歌是好歌，可是对我来讲还是太凄婉了，再加之他们两个都已是天国的人，所以感觉王菲Faye Wong 的《致青春》更加贴近我的心境。

 似水流年（sì shuǐ liú nián）：流年：光阴。形容时间一去不复返。出自：明·汤显祖《牡丹亭·惊梦》：“则为你如花美眷，似水流年，是答儿闲寻遍，在幽闺自怜。”

Appear in the Uniforum

I appear in the Uniforum, local newspaper of Giessen. They explained to me that presentation of a person normally only occupy a small column. That's enough. I'm not an important person. However, it is too narrow to cut me only, so I hope Prof. Dr. Christian Hamm (new professor of Uni-Giessen and we never met) would not mind to appear in my blog.

I know little about Deutsch (text is Deutsch). However, I can guess (from my poor knowledge of Deutsch) it is a very brief introduction of me, my work and academic relations here. Prof. W. Scheid is quite happy. He said: I have many guests in the past 30 years, you are the first one appears in the newspaper. Several colleagues met me and asked: do you know you are in the newspaper? Yes, of course I know. They came to me and asked for some basic informations and one photo in my office.

It is recommended by someone in the International Office of Uni-Giessen, from where I have got lots of helps before and after I came to Giessen. Once a time, I sat in Ms. Silvia Boide's office (she already moves to other department now). She said to me: you are brave! Yes, she used the word "brave". I was very impressed. I knew she refered to the fact that I came Germany with my three-years-old son together alone. And then I knew, to other people, I was brave. Actually, to me, full of fear. I worried about almost everything at that time. One year later, it proves not bad. My son can speaks Deutsch, has several best friends and several favourite teachers in the kindergarten now. He is happy as I mentioned in the last post. I also spent a pleasant time here.