Tongji · Dominik Mayer · Products, Asia, Productivity

My troubling joints led me to Shanghai East International Medical Center in Pudong. I felt been well looked after although I had thought they’d x-ray or do a sonography. According to the doctor the problems might be caused by a virus and should vanish at most six weeks after they began. Let’s hope so.

On walking to one of the cafeterias we passed several booths. I was asked to take part in a survey. At least that’s what I understood. I thought why not, filled in my name, email address and telephone number and they promised to contact me. I asked what we’d do then and they said something about an interview and that they’d be happy if I’d join them. Join what? Seems to be some kind of student council. I’m not sure. But I have no intention to join.

We walked on and found more clubs in front of the cafeteria:

I left my number at a dance club. Thought that could be interesting.

Next day:

I really like it here. Why don’t we have a campus like that in Munich?

Someone said that there would be vegetarian food at the Muslim cafeteria so we tried to find it. Without success. The thing is that you can’t just ask someone because hardly anyone speaks English and our Chinese is horrible. I finally had to take rice with vinegar and pepper things… I’ve never eaten so little since being in China. The day before yesterday I bought a whole bunch of candy but it also doesn’t taste. Ah mei.

When we left the cafeteria we found out that the Muslim one was right next to it:

In order to take the extensive language course at the International School I had to resign at the School of Economics and Management. It’s not possible to be enrolled in both without paying extra.

Today I got my Chinese books and had to sign with my Chinese name: 马德. The first one means “horse”, the second one “kindness”, “morality” or “virtue” and is also used for German things: 德国 = Germany, 德国人 = German (person), …

I could only write the first sign so they painted both and I tried to imitate them. To make sure it’s readable they repeated “德” in brackets…

It’s a joke, and not a very good one. I don’t know how I should bring the most needed stuff if I am only allowed to take twenty kilograms. Why on earth did I decide to go to China? Why couldn’t I just stay here, keep the apartment, enjoy the semester break, …? Next week the lecture period will start at Tongji. The fun continues.

The website of Hongkou District knows:

The school name Tongji means “people are on the same boat and help each other” in Chinese.

No idea how they get that whole expression in only two signs… According to dict.cn the first one (同) means like, similar, with, together, same, alike, the second one (济) aid, ferry, frugal. Hm.

And with the boat in mind even the Tongji logo makes sense:

My calendar shows the next four weeks. That’s the time left, here in Germany:

Finally…

A Tongji representative wrote me an email telling me that she had found out I wanted to study at their university this spring semester. She wanted to know if I still intend to do it. In this case I should mail them the attached forms. There were no forms, and I already applied in December. The documents which I hope contain the admission haven’t arrived yet. How long can it take a letter to get from Munich to Freising?

The TUM International Office called before. They got my Chinese documents. The admission? Why didn’t I get it myself? And how can it be delivered in only three days including the weekend? I better wait and book the flight tomorrow.

I still don’t have the admission to Tongji. According to the friendly woman, they sent them out out on Friday so I should get mine in two or three days.