Inspiration: China

I remember this summer in Shanghai I had this conversation with a Swedish guy about the styles of Chinese girls. When he told me that he thought the styles of Chinese girls on the street of Shanghai would be an inspiration source to the West I didn't take him seriously. I was thinking God, you have to be kidding me? 90% of the street fashion here in Shanghai is actually horrible.

But I was so wrong! I realize now just after a half year how wrong I was. I have never seen so many things here in Sweden that resembles of what I have seen in the small shops for girls in Shanghai. 

Flounces are appearing everywhere here, so are the other small girly details on clothes. Before us Swedes only wore colours like dark blue, grey, black, even if those colours still dominate we are starting to wear more eye-popping clothes. Neon colours has never been more trendy, neither has those cute accessories that really appears everywhere.

I would like to think that this is a result from China's influence. :-)

My new Shirt

I would actually never try this t-shirt on if it wasn't on sale (75% off, what a bargain!!!), I just tried it out randomly and I fell in love with it. It's so different and so comfortable. 

For a long time I haven't enjoyed shopping at all, but now slowly I'm getting the feeling back. Just this week I have bought two pair of boots from Topshop, a new watch from Calvin Klein (have been looking at this one for such a long time but thought I can't afford it), a new Tshirt and another white loose tanktop. I got my first proper salary today ^_^

Ready for another week -_-

Mint is closed

:(

It was my definitely one of my favourite clubs in Shanghai; small and intimate close to Nanjing Xi Road. Every Wednesday I would go there with couple of friends, and I would always meet old and new friends there as well. I'm devastated. I hope it will get reborn til summer 08.

Career advices

Some Swedish universities are currently changing the system of the business-programmes (Bologna process). We can choose to get a Degree of Master in Science in Business and Economics, or we can choose to get a Master of Science in Business Administration and Economics. 

I have no idea what to choose. The second degree is more flexible meaning that I can choose more freely which courses to study, since I was 9 years old I always wanted to be a lawyer, I wouldnt want to be a lawyer now but I would love to be work with business/commercial law, so therefore if I choose the second degree I can study lots of business law courses. 
But at the same time I lose the important title of "civilekonom" education (the first degree I was talking about) in Sweden, as this title is very special, you can only get this degree at a few places in Sweden concerning theyonly  choose the best universities to have it. So if I choose the first degree I'm more focused in my education on business. I will only be study business courses and depending on what direction I choose (finance, accounting, management, marketing, etc) I will become an expert in that area. 

I'm confused, very confused... I want to make sure that I'm attractive on the job market after my graduation, I love business in general, and to be honest it doesn't matter what I choose, I would love it both. So the question is, what would my future employer prefer?

Preparing for Summer 08

Already now I'm starting to prepare for Summer 08 in Shanghai. I want to make sure I make the most out of it, so that is why I'm searching for an internship. I will make sure that I get the internship I want and not the best first one. If there are no good internship positions out there for me, I will not do one, then I will travel around China instead. But if there's a good internship for me I will take it and put my 100% effort in it. 

My dream internship position would be at this certain law-firm, focusing on business law, situated on Nanjing Xi Road, really love that street and the environment. Also it's easy for me to get there from my apartment. This company is really impressive and they are very successful in everything they do. I'm still in the applying process, so still not sure if I will get it. It's unfortunate that I'm in Sweden and are not able to do an interview and present myself. 

But I'm also searching for some other internships at other multinational companies. I Would like to work in the financial or management field. 

I know there is hard competition out there, more and more foreigners want to focus their eyes on China and are also searching for the best internships in Shanghai. But, I'm still going to give you some of my tips!

1, Search for the companies you really want to work for and NOT take the first best one, you won't feel any excitement or motivation if you take the first best one. Search for the companies that you personally are really interested in, go to their website and get an overview of the company profile. 

2, Write a kick-ass cover letter. Personally I find the cover letter super-important, it's the first impression the recruitment team will get from you. If your cover letter is not interesting enough they will not even bother to read your CV.

3, In the cover letter you should foremost tell them WHY you are applying for their company, be personal and genuine. Second most important is to tell them WHY they should hire you, tell them what you can contribute with. The last, don't use typical clichees, I hate clichees.

Best Valentine Gift

Today I finally got my Spotify invitation! Imagine your Itunes FILLED with (almost) ALL the songs on earth. Yep, that is what Spotify is. Best internet-tool ever. Not as slow as youtube, not as slow as radio, etc. Now I don't need to download songs for my computer, Spotify has everything I need. You can't just randomly download it as it's not for everyone but maybe you can write an email and ask for an invitation. I did so and told them how addicted I am to music, and after 3 weeks I got it ^_^

I absolutely love it. Best Valentine Gift ever!

Today's song: Teddybears STHLM - Little Stereo

The Asian Community in Sweden

A friend I met in Shanghai came and visit me this weekend, it was so much fun to see her again. On Saturday we met up with another girl we often partied together with in Shanghai, it felt like good old times in Shanghai except the fact that we had to take the public transportation here in Sweden rather than just grab a Dazhong taxi.

Anyhow, we decided to go to a Chinese New Years Party, it was organized by an organisation called Fried Rice, it's a "community" targeted for Asians in Sweden. Besides the fact that I think it is silly to organize parties just for asians (talking about just making the segregation situation even worse), the party was a big meatmarket (Almost as worse as Windows). I'm also in awe how so many asians in Stockholm are totally isolated within their group of friends, and are totally not aware of the remaining Swedish culture that exists. Even if they moved here in an early age they still speak Swedish with a strong Chinese accent and only hang out with other asians. I'm not saying it's wrong but for sure I do think it's rather surprising.

The place was FULL of tacky girls. I really couldn't see the difference between those girls compared to Tong Ren Road girls..... The music was t-a-c-k-y! Commercial hiphop on the dancefloor (Shake ya ass, come home with me tonight - this kind of shit) and the girls were so excited in their small polyester dresses to grab the older men's attention. Brrrrr, never want to see that again.

I don't think I want to go to another Fried Rice party again, not for a while. BUT, there was one positive thing about this party; for the first time I felt tall, although I was wearing high platform shoes, I did recognize that I was taller than many guys even, that was fun :)

Lust, Caution

I saw this movie yesterday night. I'm still not sure if I like it or not. I think it has been over-hyped because of the sex scenes.I don't really think the sex scenes were so special and unique as I imagined it to be, basically it was this traditional sex that is epicted in all other Chinese movies that the girl is in pain just to satisfy the male (which really screws up this image of the equality of women and men). Another thing that irritates me is that why on earth did they let Wang Lee Hong play that leader part of the studentgroup, he's totally clueless about the role! He's a singer, NOT an actor.

"A freshman girl at university meets fellow student Kuang Yu Min. Kuang has started a drama society to shore up patriotism. As the theater troupe's new leading lady, Wong realizes that she has found her calling, able to move and inspire audiences and Kuang. He convenes a core group of students to carry out a radical and ambitious plan to assassinate a top Japanese collaborator. This girl has to seduce this Japanese collaborator played by Tony Leung in order for her to get a chance to kill him..."

I still think the best movie made by Ang Lee is Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, that was one heck of an amazing movie. I can just watch it over and over again. Beautiful and subtle, just how I like it. But the movie Lust, Caution has for sure captured me, but I'm still unsure in what sense.

Anyhow, I just found out that Joan Chen was one of my grandfather's students, she was very smart and writes beautiful calligraphy (my mum has read her tests answers) and her dad was a doctor at Huashan hospital who really wanted to make his daughter famous by asking people for auditions, etc. Joan Chen then later went abroad to study in the US, and then she found Hollywood...

DISCUSS, what did you think of the movie?