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I am back to Guilin now, unlike the whether when l first arrived here, it is so hot now, of course, no raining.

It is a scary experience for me to travel with train from Guangzhou, in fact to fly to Guilin is cheap, only RM240, l do not know why l chosed train that time, the train costs RM100, not much difference, l was regret after purchasing train ticket, and if l know what is going to happen to me, l would rather forfeit my train ticket and purchase flight ticket.

There are two train station in Guangzhou, l should go to Guangzhou Station but my friend has sent me to East station, there is 20 minutes drive from East station to Guangzhou station, when l realized l was in a wrong station, l thought l would have to stay in Guangzhou one more night. When l reached Guangzhou station, l almost wanted to give up. Have you seen any station which people have to queue to enter the place? There were so many people, seems like people are escaping from the war, l guess there were 6 rows at least and each row was long queue. After entering the station, l was totally lost, there was a big screen stated of destination and gates of entry, but there were just too many, l was panic that time as l have only 15 minutes left. I could not find the entrance and there was nobody for me to ask. I followed the crowd to a norrow door and there were many staircase to different gates, l did not know which one to Guilin thus l simply climbed up one of the staircase, the thing is, l have to climb up with two heavy lugages and the steps were long, my big luggage rolled down few times from my hand, l went to a wrong gate thus l quickily climbed down and climbed up to another one. My train's departure time is 7:47pm, when l managed to stand next to the train to Guilin, it was 7:47pm, l heard the train's whistle but the staff did not allow me to go up because my ticket has tear off to half when l rushed climbing up and down, luckily the other staff approached us and helped me to find the other half of my ticket which was on the handle of my luggage, she asked me to go up immediately and once l was in the train, the door closed, l was the last passenger.

I was totally wet when l stood in the train, l sweat like drown and have to breath strongly to relief the sigh, l could not believe l did it, l almost wanted to give up few times especially when the luggage rolled down from my hand, my two hands were very pain....

When l enterd the train, l heard the senior staff who helped me to find my ticket shouted to me : go inside girl, don't stand there, be careful....many passengers looked at me when l passed by the narrow veranda, they gave space for my luggages and keep telling me, don't be scared, you are already in the train, take your time....

I really feel warm that moment.

The train is clean but the bed is very narrow, three layers and my bed is the top one, l could not even sit on my bed because the ceiling is very low, l could only sleep on the bed. I slept well in the train as l was too tired. After 13 hours, l reached Guilin.

I do not know why l always have scary experience with train, it happend to me when l was in Egypt too. I will try to stay away from train in future. By the way, it is a good experience, now l know the situation in Guangzhou station- one of the busiest station in the world.

Thank God, finally the rain has stopped and the show Impression of Liu San Jie will be performed again from tomorrow, l supposed to take a night bus to Guangzhou tonight but has postponed to Thursday night, as l mentioned, it is a must for me to watch the show, and l am going to do it tomorrow, yeah!

Today l went to visit a silver cave Yin Zi Yan, l was truly amazed by the exotic nature here, it is the most beautiful cave l have visited, l could not tell you how exclamed l was in the cave !!!!!!!

I feel very peaceful here, l like travel because l can be myself when travelling, l don't have to do the things l hate or to face people that make me mad. Well, l still see a lot of ugly behavior here, Chinese style, sigh....but they are strangers, if l don't like to see, l could just turn to go, syiok! And just the same like everywhere, there are many nice people here too. It is ridiculors to sense culture shock here since l am also Chinese, but it does happen.....

Hmmm....more than a week of peaceful days l have still......

I did a drum solo choreography yesterday, hee hee, working while travelling, l will teach a workshop in Guangzhou this weekend, so excited to meet the ladies there. it has been many years l did not go to Guangzhou since l was trainned my Chinese Traditional Dance there. Guangzhou, l am back!

Before l flew to Guilin, l just told some of my workout students not to travel to a place in raining season, ha ha, it happens to me now, it is raining here, everyday, on and off.....

Well l still have fun, it is a beautiful place with amazing nature, one of the most beautiful mountains and lakes in the world l believe. I am in Yangshuo now, a small town in Guilin, too many tourists.....everyone stares at the lake and sigh, as many activities on the lake are cancelled because the water has rised up to almost dangerous level. Luckily l could still enjoy visiting the mountains in the rain......

I will fly to Guangzhou after two days, and will come back to Guilin again, hopefully the rain will stop, there is a must thing for me to do before l fly back - to watch the live grand show ' Liu San Jie 's impression' , the show involves in nearly thousand of actors and dancers, and many are the locals, the fishermen, amazing huh? It is one of the most famous live shows in China, the stage is the river Li Jiang and mountain, it is cancelled these few days due to the heavy rain and water..... Oh l am praying hard for the rain to stop, l don't want to miss the show! Please.......

All l could say is: She is incredible!

There is a huge question in our mind when watching her performance : How could she do that?

Seems like she does not need energy to master her moves, l know many ladies thought this is her talent, nobody can dance like that without a born talent. But if you know how she practised to become a professional, you know it is not only talent. That's why l salute her.

Before the show started, the mc told me he wants to interview Sadie after her first performance, l asked him to hold on, l need to get permission from Sadie, l was worry whether she likes this, surprisingly, she promised to cooperate with the mc at once, and she did. You know, some professionals restrict themselves from staying close with the audience, but Sadie is so friendly.

Some even asked her this question : Sadie why you travel alone? You should bring some bodyguards with you, or at least an assistant to help for your costume or make up, a world known dancer like you should not travel alone!

Both Sadie and l laughed when listening to this, and we both know why we laughed, do you know?

26 of us, wearing pink, yellow and green.....

Shee Loo, Zoe and l danced for the begining session with double veil, l learned this from Tamalyn in my life's first belly dance workshop with her four years ago, and my second experience of double veil is still with Tamalyn last year, hence, this choreography of mine is my tribute to Tamalyn Dallal, a world famous master in belly dancing.

And our 23 beautiful dancers surprising the audience of coming out from down stage, just next to them.

At the end of this opening dance, we all dancing on the stage to welcome all our guests from all over the world.

Please also watch our uploaded video of this opening dance on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHo6sGipwwM

I thought l will be alone as none of my students told me they are going, surprisingly, l met quite many of my students there, ha, that's good, l was worry l will feel lonely there.......

It was a small hafla which featuring on Percy's performance and two dances teaching by Pauline and Lisa. Percy did a very impressive opening dance, she is getting prettier and more feminine nowadays, l wonder Pauline will be worry of too many flies and bees following her daughter huh, ha!

Many ladies dress up like belly dancers in the party. Percy told me this is actually strange to those from other states, as the ladies usually wear formal to hafla. Hmm...l think ah, l am the one who started this, remember our first hafla in Penang at CoCo [now MoMo] ? I told all my students to wear like belly dancers, even those who are not doing belly dancing, they could wear costume to our hafla as well. Ever since that, most of the ladies that attending our hafla were sparkling in the events, this is wonderful right? Oh ya, those who open boutiques or selling belly dance stuffs should thank to me huh?

They have lucky draw in the party, and guess what? I won a RM50 voucher from Crocs, ha ha my lucky day!

Paola will conduct 4 workshops in Penang this weekend :

27th [Saturday], 11-1pm Egyptian Pop Technique, 2-4pm Egyptian Pop Choreography

28th [Sunday], 11-1pm Gypsy Style Technique, 2-4pm Gypsy Fusion Choreography

The fees is RM120 for each workshop, full package RM450.

If you are interested, please contact the organizer Jocelyn 012-4123420

Paola has over 20 years experience in belly dancing, she has just came back from a six-month North American tour having taught workshops and performed all over US and Canada.

I could only make it to Gypsy Style fusion, l have learned a little bit of Gypsy style before, would love to explore more on this. in fact l love Gypsy's costumes, the colours are just amazing like all minorities' costumes.

Penang's belly dancers are lucky nowadays, we can learn from many experts from all over the world in Penang itself, instead of spending more to learn in other places, at this point, we should have more good dancers from Penang huh. [ good in both dance and personality please, no gossip, no jealousy, no ruthless, no competition, no making fake story, we should leave Penang's belly dance a 'clean' and healthy environment, l wish....]

I read a story of a lady before, people asked her of the secret to be a happy person, her answer is : to appreciate....

From her childhood time, her mother trainned her to be a person with gratitude, every night before going to bed, her mom wanted her to list down three persons that she supposed to thank on that day......

Sadie told me she read of this too and she did practise on this before, this reminds me to also try it myself. But l am not able to do it everyday yet, trying alternate days and sometimes forget ha ha, but at least, l gave myself a kick start.

Usually, the first person l thank is - myself, thank you myself for taking good care of myself and working hard for the day.

Today, l have another two great persons to thank.

My private class student Ice has given me a big lovely gift, she designed and custom made a big poster for me, in the poster, she pasted the photos that we have taken together and wrote something very touching to me, l could not describe how happy l was when l received the gift, l just gave her a big hug. She told me she appreciates good teacher but she does not know how much l appreciate good students too. Ice is young but she has very mature thinking and steady attitude, she did not lose herself even she won first prize in one of the competition, instead, what l saw is she work harder to become a better dancer and teacher after the competition.  To me, to be a better dancer and teacher does not mean only in how strong technique she has, but also in her positive attitude and good personality, this is what l always share with her when we are having lesson. I am happy that she agrees with this and we will work hard for the harmony in dance together l believe.

Thank you Ice.

The third person l have to thank is a principal of a kindergarten, she called me today to ask for the kindergarten teachers' dance camp of this year, l supposed to teach the camp in this month but when l look at my schedule,l know it is impossible to have the camp this year. I apologized to her but she insists she wants me to choreograph few dances for her students because she only have confidence with me. In fact l seldom choreograph for little kids' dance nowadays except for Zero's kids jazz and belly dance classes, l am already tight up with adult dances' choreography, but l promised her will choreograph two dances for her students, l do not want to let her down. I have to thank her for the appreciation to my choreography, at least l know the kids really love my dance.

I am the person who always want to give more when people are good to me, as in my situation, l also hope people are good to me when l am good to them too, right?

I believe animals know the meaning of appreciation too, we are human, we should practise better than animals.

The workshop is organized by Celebrity Fitness, this is Pauline and Percy 's [from KL] first workshop in Penang, the details are as below;

Title : The secret of Ancient Egyptian Dance

Date : 21st June 09 [This Sunday]

Time : 2pm-4:30pm

Venue : Celebrity Fitness Penang

Fees : RM100

They also organise a dinner&dance on the same day and at same venue at 6:30pm, the title is Arabian Charity Night and the proceeds will go to Majlis Kebajikan Wanita Pulau Pinang, it is only RM20 for entrance ticket and Percy will perform in the party.

It is good to see more studios participating in charity work huh.

I supposed to update this in my blog here earlier but was really tight up, but if l don't do it today l will miss the date, hopefully it is still on time for more people to know. By the way l have posted all details in Zero much earlier, some of my students told me it is on Fathers' day they have to company their father, in fact they should bring their father to the party, l am sure he enjoys it ha ha.....

 If you are interested to the workshop and party, please contact Celebrity Fitness at 2228000.

Today l went to Children Protection Society to pay them the donation, this year we gave RM10,000 to them.

I thank their person in charge Suria for receiving the donation, she was shock when l thank her, she told me she is supposed to thank me, but to me, l thank all these people for their kindness and sacrificial to work for those underprivilledge, how many are willing to do that? It is definately not an easy job.

In the evening, three representatives from Sam Cheng Everloving Care Welfare visited Zero and receiving the donation from Zoe and l, we gave them RM23,543,11. Their person in charge told us they are going to have some new program for their children, and Zero is ready to help them in sponsoring free lessons to the poor children, again, l thank them for the charity work they do for the society, they are all volunteers, l am too selfish of spending all my time for myself comparing to them.......

To me, what l have done for charity is too little, but at least l did, l will surely do my best in the future.