Excel files can be downloaded HERE

As for Tibet , even the stories of my trip in October are based on precious slips of paper that allows me to (de) write details otherwise lost after some time. I have several on the waiting list. However, to start with something never done, I am responding indirectly to thousands of questions on the cost of traveling in China. During the trip, one thousand to avoid payment of common expenses and streamline the ones I made ​​from "cash" of the group, ending to record in detail all expenses of the day and then add up all night and recovered.

This is then attached a file with any minimum expenditure made ​​by me in the intense 10 days during which we visited 3 provinces, taken (by default) a 50 ina transport (record: Zhengzhou - Shanghai, Nightbus 16 hours), housed in 7 night accommodation and a variety of means, paid at least 14 tickets to visit various attractions. The data you can find them in detail and aggregated at the end of the document. However, total expenditure was less than 3600 RMB (5080 RMB The cost is calculated by eliminating the effects of shared housing and some means of transport).

To consider that the group was 3 persons sharing on optimal transport and accommodation (on the social dynamics at the next episode). The trip was budgeted, but we do not have (almost) never slept in huts or wet we abstained from a decent meal, a few soouvenir and so on. Often the reason to choose the bus as a transport medium-long distance was simply that during the national holiday in China is already so find those. For the same reason, despite the price of the hotel was not cheap, could be even more than ten days before or after the "Golden Week".

The easy exchange rate is 1 EUR = 10 RMB. But for picky you can use the irreplaceable Goggle with the string "number RMB to EURO" (yes, it works with all currencies). Fun.

PS For the sake of mere chronicle, the photo is taken on the barge crossing the Yang-Tze, an hour north of the Three Gorges Dam, on the bus Xiangxi - Maoping.

Last Thursday I went to a party organized in a local Italian named "Mao." The local party starting at 10.00 was like a little house, filled to 12.00. Surely recall the promise of B-movie trash (see Cummenda Zampetti in poster), spaghetti at midnight and free drinks / entrance upon presentation of the email invitation.

After spending a pleasant evening and talked with some of the local patron or Italian friends of friends of mine, I discovered on my return home thoughtfully. Basically I put together the following elements: the fact that I shot an email vivishanghai.com to my friends (translating) and writing of the warnings "Once in a while it's good to know what the hell my countrymates are doing in this city ". The conversation with Fabio, a friend of Winter Week arrived here recently: "I do not know many Italians in Shanghai, I tend to take it in small doses." He looks at me and says: "You know what? You are the third that you mention it tonight ... I mean, we just can not see. "

I then began to (re) think the Italians that since I met in China and in fact, unless you worked with compatriots-turned from time to time in the evenings mates, not that you would kill to look countrymen. Both in Beijing and Shanghai in the Italian community is very fragmented, or rather, beyond the events embassy every death-chamber of the Pope, or parties / gatherings like the one run on Thursday much to everyone for himself.

We are not alone, however: they look like other nationalities (often the Germans), others are the opposite (French, Korean Americans can live in minicomunità closed as if they were at home.). What are the reasons for this? I put it here in a list based on conversations with Italians abroad. Free to integrate or disintegrate at will:

Cultural dynamics
- If I travel for 7000 km and stay with the same people that I find at home, what's the point?
- But why do I still find myself with Truzzi and arrogant that I find at home?
Version politically correct is the navel of the world and it would be limiting, I want to be a cultural sponge and understand people from nations other than my own.

Dynamic torque equal
- The Italian women are stressful (original uncensored version), the nation-any other non-Western-they are friendly, they treat you with respect and not break the & / (& / (.
- Italian men are often arrogant assholes or, the - any other nation of the globe-that have something different.
Version politically correct to deal with people so different to the first approach stimulates curiosity, and an intercultural relationship makes you deal with small daily problems more tolerance.

Consequences of stereotype profittatrici / a
- (Man) You know, there's this stereotype of Italians (men, not pulp like a mandolin). I mean, for once I can take advantage of it, but why not?
- (Women) For telling me that (the men) are always seen the Italian hot, stylish and funny. And once you are positive things, leave him to believe!

Syndrome identification person-nation
- When we go out I'm (name), but they are also "Italy". I like and do not want to share the thrill / benefit or give meters of comparison.

Syndrome of relativity-person nation and equal opportunities
- There are so many amazing people around who do not see the simple fact of being a spy Italians as being interesting.

Syndrome rejection issues (of) Italian
- When we are too many Italians will be invariantemente end of: the Italian system in crisis, Berlusconi, Prodi and Beppe Grillo, Italy is back, the Italian believes he is smart and gets fooled, do not know the Italian system ; (navigated by expats) the average Italian who comes here has no idea what China fails and comes back saying that "the Chinese do not understand the bisniss" in Italy is worse in Italy people live better, but mozzarella, but the Nutella, but the good mother; ...

Cinesinizzazione / permanent emigrants Syndrome
The phrase I remember like it was yesterday: "In Italy I have always felt out of place here is different. Basically I went from being permanently alienated at home to alien abroad. "

Syndrome asceto-patriotic
- Work so hard to change the perception of Italy and Italians in my environment, then encounters characters unpresentable as Mr. X and I have to start over.

...

I recognize myself in some of these others do not. I accept the fact that the first part of the article is a partial view emerged from my point of view and I'm sure groups rehearsed many Italians are there. I am equally sure of not having ever seen.

There is a phase that occurs constantly since the first months of life here in China, are those moments where people with whom you shared a piece of road they go, taking with it the inevitable moments of reflection that always revolve around two opposing emotions .

Sadness. People go, and though now more than ever, you can keep in touch remote the chances of breeding are again becoming extremely scarce. Especially among those who have seen these many times, it is useless to be rhetorical: they are close to 1 bet with goodbyes | 1. It is often better to simply say bye, as every evening. Then, after yet another farewell party on a Saturday morning you wake up and you say that yes, the person with whom you spent tot time, maybe in a club having fun, doing a chat about life over coffee or drinking beer in front of the Bund is ... gone. And as the case maybe creating a little big void of habits, rituals, or feelings.

By the act of thinking to someone because you will naturally follow in the moments we spent together, often finding himself to smile, to feel good and feel happy and lucky to have them lived.
And always there whenever we return: to wonder if it's worth it. And as always, is a process where you try to put on a balance of these opposing emotions that almost by definition you can not weigh as tomatoes, or rice.

Do not I finish writing a prey to the syndrome Pollianna (all makes sense, everything is beautiful, named after the cartoon), the truth is that the emotion behind this is that it is so and we can not do anything and go forward. How true that long-term (less than those who are here more than six months) tend to create a shield more or less strong and more or less to those who wanted to know if they will go in two months. But I end by saying that for me to know people that leave you something and you enrich, or simply give you a moment you'll never forget in life, still weighs a lot. Even if the other side of the scale for a while 'seems to weigh more.