Wow, I had no idea it was September 11th until I looked at the date to write this entry. I’ve just finished my first week of classes and things are going pretty well so far. Yesterday was “Teacher’s Day” so I got a lot of messages from students and a gift from one of my classes. The international office is pretty nice to us- we got a huge bouquet of flowers and 200RMB as a gift. That evening, there was a presentation to teachers who were voted as being the best by students last year followed by a choral singing competition. Very elaborate and most of the songs had the word “red” in the song- as the highly anticipated 60 year anniversary of the PRC is coming at the end of this month.
This week, I also got the internet again (although it has been pretty intermittent for the past day.. L). This opens up the possibility of starting my job search for this coming spring. I’m hoping for a multinational company where my Chinese skills will be put to good use, but we’ll see what I find. I think for now my approach will be more a matter of applying to lots and lots of jobs and then seeing where I hear things back.
I am now the proud owner of a “Shanghai Forever” bicycle. It is black with a little basket in the front (sadly, no bell though). I think all the new foreign teachers also have a bicycle now too. We are going to start a biker gang this weekend cruising around Lin’an. Or at least looking for some black spray paint- I’m hoping to spruce up the railing on my porch.
The evenings are starting to get cooler, thankfully. It was actually cool enough in the evening that I had to *gasp* wear pants to bed. Morten and I have started a semi-vigorous exercise routine with weight lifting every other day in the teachers’ free gym and running at 6AM on the days we don’t lift. I think the exercise will help clear my head and make me feel better all around. Morten was also going to inquire about potential tai chi classes which I think would be an amazing way to start my morning. Because I am a traditional old Chinese man.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
September 6, 2009
Finally back in Lin’an after a week up in Beijing. The new couple is very friendly and Morten has a slightly more British accent than the last time I talked to him. Last night, Morten and I went to a little restaurant outside of campus. They are completely re-doing the street and apparently replacing the piles of trash that used to rim the school with new businesses to cater to the students. The waitress was so nice, and wrote us a little note in Chinese next to our bill welcoming us to China. The bill was 21RMB, but she refused to take the extra one yuan and said 20 was enough. Then on the way back, an old blue truck was driving up the tiny road that half of is currently a large trench was honking at students to get out of the way. Morten, seemingly, picked the wrong side of the road and afterwards a really annoying, loud boy kept making fun of Morten for not understanding what the driver was saying. As per usual, I came up with a mean comeback about an hour after the event.
The living conditions in my apartment have taken a turn for the better (except for the current lack of internet access). I now have (drum roll) my own water cooler! So I don’t need to buy bottles of water all the time/boil water to drink! It also has a hot water setting! So I can get hot water for tea right out of the tap in the morning. Additionally, with absolutely no notice ahead of time, a carpet man came in to cover my bare, concrete floor, with this linoleum cover that looks like a hard wood floor. Well, the pattern looks like wood, my floor looks like shiny linoleum with a wood design. It’s pretty corny, but it does look nice to have something covering the floor beside the rug I bought. It also inspired me to slightly rearrange my apartment- now my music stand is up so maybe I will be more inspired to practice the ol’ fiddle.
I’m pretty bummed about the lack of internet though- it makes me feel really cut off and disconnected. I keep having bad dreams- that I try to pet my dog but then realize I can’t because she is on the other side of a skype conversation. Or someone close to me has died but I can’t make it to the funeral because I’m so far away… I think all this would be better if I had internet/a way to contact the US at any time. Then I could also start applying for jobs for this spring.
It’s horribly hot here, but last night it was cool enough I didn’t need to run the a/c and there was a nice breeze going through the apartment. Tomorrow I am going bicycle shopping with my Chinese teacher. I think that would make my time here more enjoyable as I could be more independent and mobile. I proofread her thesis for her master degree and she was so grateful she said she would tutor me in Chinese this term, even if I can’t make it to the regular classes. I’m planning on taking the HSK (like the TOEFL- it’s a test that will show my proficiency in Chinese) at the end of the term.
The living conditions in my apartment have taken a turn for the better (except for the current lack of internet access). I now have (drum roll) my own water cooler! So I don’t need to buy bottles of water all the time/boil water to drink! It also has a hot water setting! So I can get hot water for tea right out of the tap in the morning. Additionally, with absolutely no notice ahead of time, a carpet man came in to cover my bare, concrete floor, with this linoleum cover that looks like a hard wood floor. Well, the pattern looks like wood, my floor looks like shiny linoleum with a wood design. It’s pretty corny, but it does look nice to have something covering the floor beside the rug I bought. It also inspired me to slightly rearrange my apartment- now my music stand is up so maybe I will be more inspired to practice the ol’ fiddle.
I’m pretty bummed about the lack of internet though- it makes me feel really cut off and disconnected. I keep having bad dreams- that I try to pet my dog but then realize I can’t because she is on the other side of a skype conversation. Or someone close to me has died but I can’t make it to the funeral because I’m so far away… I think all this would be better if I had internet/a way to contact the US at any time. Then I could also start applying for jobs for this spring.
It’s horribly hot here, but last night it was cool enough I didn’t need to run the a/c and there was a nice breeze going through the apartment. Tomorrow I am going bicycle shopping with my Chinese teacher. I think that would make my time here more enjoyable as I could be more independent and mobile. I proofread her thesis for her master degree and she was so grateful she said she would tutor me in Chinese this term, even if I can’t make it to the regular classes. I’m planning on taking the HSK (like the TOEFL- it’s a test that will show my proficiency in Chinese) at the end of the term.
August 24, 2009
I write this on my laptop at the Seattle-Tecoma International Airport. It’s been a bit of an adventure getting this far. My journey began around 10:15PM on the 23rd when I went with my mom to Madison to get dropped off at Brandon and Rachel’s so one of them could give me a ride to catch my bus to Chicago O’hare at 2:30AM this morning. Unfortunately, we did not make it to the union on time – and after trying to catch the bus at the park and ride on the southeast side of town, arrived right when the bus was pulling back on to the highway. Which meant we tailgated the bus all the way to Janesville where I was able to hop on! What a stressful start to my journey back to China!
The flight here was uneventful, sat next to a very friendly woman from Memphis who was involved in Hay sales. Napped a bit. Got a nice view of Rainer and took a few photos from the plane. Now just waiting a few hours for the flight to Beijing.
Yesterday, I went to the steam and gas show back in Baraboo and was considering buying an American flag for decoration back in my apartment in China. Now, I’ve been reading quite a bit about globalization and the economy since I’ve been back… I understand outsourcing and how this can be “beneficial” by giving consumer lower prices. I get it.. But I refuse to buy a Chinese made American flag. Especially when you are selling it at $8 at a flea market and refuse to lower the price to $5. C’mon. Not to mention that all the other flags were some variation of a confederate flag. I guess I just felt like these should be the people who cares about the American worker more than anyone. The whole thing just seemed coated in irony, and I’m glad I decided against buying it- I can make my own “American made” American flag out of paper if I am feeling especially patriotic.
Well, I’m surprisingly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the amount of sleep I got last night.. so perhaps I’ll read a bit, as long as I’m kicking.
The flight here was uneventful, sat next to a very friendly woman from Memphis who was involved in Hay sales. Napped a bit. Got a nice view of Rainer and took a few photos from the plane. Now just waiting a few hours for the flight to Beijing.
Yesterday, I went to the steam and gas show back in Baraboo and was considering buying an American flag for decoration back in my apartment in China. Now, I’ve been reading quite a bit about globalization and the economy since I’ve been back… I understand outsourcing and how this can be “beneficial” by giving consumer lower prices. I get it.. But I refuse to buy a Chinese made American flag. Especially when you are selling it at $8 at a flea market and refuse to lower the price to $5. C’mon. Not to mention that all the other flags were some variation of a confederate flag. I guess I just felt like these should be the people who cares about the American worker more than anyone. The whole thing just seemed coated in irony, and I’m glad I decided against buying it- I can make my own “American made” American flag out of paper if I am feeling especially patriotic.
Well, I’m surprisingly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the amount of sleep I got last night.. so perhaps I’ll read a bit, as long as I’m kicking.
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