Went to Triffo Hall with Amir after the sensing class.

15:36 Special list

Dr. Wu

15:36 Sensing techniques and data analysis

Felt tough, due to unable focus on.

16:10 Can not concentrate

A singer sang some songs at university, his voice is very beautiful.

Lately, I’ve been struggling with insomnia—thinking about my visa, about Xiaohuanhuan, about family, about friends. I just can’t seem to control my mind.

02:35 Got Up to Cook Instant Noodles

Couldn’t sleep at all, so I thought about taking a melatonin pill. But I could clearly feel my stomach growling, and after watching Wu Banbao’s video, I decided to get up and cook a pack of instant noodles. Eating a bit more might help me sleep better anyway. Took the pill afterward and got ready to sleep.

10:08 Went to Bank of China for Business

Worried that CSC might fail to re-export my documents, I woke up early and rushed to Bank of China to update my personal information. After that, I activated the card issued by my undergrad school and also applied for a new BOC Global Elite Mastercard in Canadian dollars.

After finishing at the bank, I went to the supermarket and bought some beef and other vegetables. When I saw the sweet corn, I remembered the huge corn Xiaohuanhuan and I ate in Baiyun District, so I grabbed three more.

When I got back, I emailed CSC to ask them to re-export my documents, but it doesn’t seem to have made much difference.

17:07 Tidied Up My Room

Having lived here for a few months, I realized this little nest of mine has gotten messier and messier. It was so messy I couldn’t stand it anymore, so I spent some time cleaning up today. It’s slightly better now.

17:21 Optimized Obsidian Layout

Using the Commander plugin, I integrated frequently used commands into the sidebar and status bar. Now, adding notes or translating articles is much more convenient.

22:40 Overate

First time trying to cook beef with jumbo shrimp—it turned out incredibly delicious, so much so that I couldn’t stop eating. But there’s still room for improvement: the beef should have been lightly stir-fried at low heat first instead of being tossed directly into the wok after sautéing the aromatics.

I also had a big bowl of rice in the afternoon…

This morning, I connected with two friends on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book). One is a senior already studying at the University of Alberta, and the other is a fellow student preparing to enroll this year, just like me.

I clarified my thoughts about the visa process and spent the morning gathering more information on Xiaohongshu. I also took photos for my visa application and was quite satisfied with how they turned out. After that, I started looking into the various forms I need to fill out, and before I knew it, the morning was gone.

In the afternoon, I suddenly felt drowsy and took a short nap. After waking up, I decided to go to the police station to apply for an ID card. First, I went to the Huangtupo Police Station, but they said I didn’t meet the requirements. So, I rushed to the Dewu Police Station and told them I needed a replacement ID. The officer directed me to a self-service photo booth. When the officer asked for my household registration booklet, I handed over my driver’s license instead. After that, I scanned a QR code to fill in the delivery address and made the payment. The whole process took less than five minutes.

On my way back, I bought some plums and waxberries and also made photocopies of my passport.

In the evening, I continued preparing my documents. My mom called and said my second uncle had picked a lot of loquats and sent them over. She offered to share some with me. After cooking and eating a bowl of noodles, I headed out. My mom was also walking toward me, and after we met, I walked her back home. She suggested we sit on a bench by the roadside for a while. We had just eaten two loquats when it suddenly started pouring. I quickly urged her to go back, while I took shelter under a pedestrian bridge. I called Feige during the downpour—originally planning to ask him to play a game—but the rain stopped shortly after.

After reluctantly saying goodbye to Huanhuan, I hurried back to Shuicheng. Still feeling quite hungry upon returning, I quickly cooked some rice and stir-fried two dishes to eat.

It seems the mouse that had sneaked into the room earlier is no longer around.

In the afternoon, I started emailing Professor Liu and the staff at the University of Alberta’s funding center and international center, asking why I hadn’t received certain emails and where to obtain the provincial attestation letter (PAL), among other things.

In the evening, I received a reply and finally joined the official CSC newcomers’ group. I then began preparing to fill out the visa application information on the IRCC website.

I’m particularly nervous about dealing with work-related matters—all the procedures and approvals—but I have no choice but to face them.

I reached out to former colleagues, mentors, and people involved in the relevant processes, chatting with them for a while. I’m also hoping to find time tomorrow to have a meal with them if possible.

In the afternoon, the Emergency Management Bureau asked me to write a voluntary waiver statement and required me to sign it in person. Since I might not be in Shuicheng much longer, I didn’t want to delay their work, so I took a taxi to the bureau. Surprisingly, the people there didn’t blame me at all—instead, they expressed admiration and support. We chatted for a bit, and they even helped me print out some documents.

On the way back, I called my mom, who invited me over for dinner. It had been a long time since I last ate her cooking, and it still had that familiar taste. It wasn’t necessarily gourmet-level, but it was comforting and made me feel warm inside.

In the evening, I talked with Huanhuan until 1 a.m., so I hurried to bed—I need to wake up early tomorrow.

In the morning, the Emergency Management Bureau called me to ask some questions, marking the beginning of the investigation phase.

In the evening, I suddenly learned that my CSC application had been approved, which immediately triggered my anxiety.

So I wrote a letter to my advisor explaining my worries: letter_202506182210.

What wasn’t mentioned in the letter was my reluctance to part with Huanhuan. Long-distance separation brings more pain to those in love, but it can also forge stronger support.

Just saw someone on Xiaohongshu say that the results for the CSC (China Scholarship Council) program in the Americas region have been released. I nervously checked immediately, but nothing yet. I’m still quite anxious—worried about the Emergency Management Bureau’s upcoming inspection, concerned that the Gui’an announcement might drop soon and schedule a physical exam, and now also stressing over the CSC results.

14:19 Can’t Stop Thinking About the War

Ever since learning about the military actions between Iran and Israel, I can’t help but constantly refresh social media for updates during my free time. Maybe it’s a survival instinct, but as an individual, I can only be a bystander, which somehow deepens my anxiety.

14:40 Persistent Anxiety

The only outcome that could relieve my anxiety is if the CSC gives me a “not approved” result. Even if I pass, I’ll still face other difficulties and choices, keeping the anxiety alive.

17:13 Played Games with Feige All Afternoon

I couldn’t focus on tasks that required high concentration, so I ended up gaming with Feige for the entire afternoon.

21:32 Went Out for a Walk in the Afternoon

After dinner, I felt stifled indoors and went out for a stroll. Bought two carrots and four pounds of potatoes.

21:59 Watched a Video

From a Pure Philosophical Perspective: What Is the Underlying Logic of Foolish People?

Learned about the concepts and distinctions between signifier and signified. I also agree with the teacher’s point that attitude is more of an ability—for example, humility isn’t just an attitude but an ability, and being perceptive isn’t an attitude but an ability.