My time here is almost complete. It is coming to a close in just a couple short weeks. I fully intend to make the most of my remaining days. I am so sad to be leaving soon.
Teaching has been so great. It's quite exhausting though because I am still the only foreign teacher. This means I have to teach every class whereas the natives switch off and only do like two or three a week. For the last few weeks, we've been rotating between three classes—teaching about Mexico, introducing the word "spider", and teaching about what sinks and what floats. I think it's going to be a minute before I want to make a burrito, do the Macarena, sing the "Incy Wincy Spider", or drop anything in water to see if it floats/sinks again. Saturdays and Sundays are the worst of it. Since school hasn't officially been started, we still are doing classes to peek the interest of students and their parents. Therefore, Saturdays and Sundays are our "selling" days, doing five classes both days. By the last class, I am so done with the day. Sometimes, we even do the same lesson for all five classes.... As much as I do love my time, I wish that I was able to be here when we actually have the school established. However, I know that that wouldn't even be possible if not for me. It's because of the excitement and enthusiasm from me and the other native teachers that breeds any results. Without that energy, parents and students alike would not want to register. So I guess I'm doing a good work!
For those who haven't experienced what life is like in China, let me give you a brief idea. The rice is sticky so that you can use your chopsticks. Forks don't really exist and spoons are only used for soup. People always wear face masks outside because of the unhealthy air quality. Car horns are constantly being honked. Pedestrians absolutely do NOT have the right of way. Get used to walking straight through traffic and cars not stopping for you. They pack like sardines (lines, elevators, you name it). The elevator "close door" button actually works and people always push it; you never wait for the door to close by itself. The base of trees are painted so that it would intoxicate the bugs so as not to have them climb and destroy the trees. To drink cold water is unusual. You know the texture of tissues? That's what is used for toilet paper, napkins, and tissues. Everyone smokes no matter where you are. I'm not sure if dentists/orthodontists are a thing here. In stores, the cart's wheels go all directions, which is very nice. All of the women's shoes have a slight heel/raise to them so they appear taller. When leaving a restaurant, regardless of the formality or informality, you leave your food/trash on the table. They have umbrella bags when you enter the mall for you to put your wet umbrella in. Tags are on the outside of clothes. All of this is just the surface of differences between here in China and back home in America.
This coming weekend, I will be traveling with my coworker, Coco, and her family to Qingdao. It is on the coast and we will be enjoying the beach for our days off. I am more than looking forward to the open air. At least, I hope it will be open and blue. We'll see. The next week, I will be taking an independent trip up to Beijing. Yes, you read that right. Independent. I will travel on my own via bus, stay in a hotel, and go on tours. I plan to visit The Great Wall (there is a hiking tour which I am stoked for), The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven. I wish that some of my coworkers could go with me, but they can't get the days off work. So I'll be on my own, but I know it'll still be great! Upon getting back to Zibo from Beijing, I then will fly to Hong Kong for a few days to go to the Hong Kong LDS Temple, Ocean Park, Victoria Peak, Tian Tan Buddha (the Buddha statue), Frontierland/Adventureland (just like at Disneyland), and hopefully visit some of the temples. I'm really excited to fully embrace becoming a true tourist for these last two weeks.
My next and final post will be about these travels and adventures! So, stay tuned! (Also, sorry for the lack of pictures this time, but be prepared for loads more in a couple weeks!)
You know how we often get asked by others to take a picture of them? I've now gotten used to others asking if they could take a picture WITH me. It still happens on the daily. They then post it on their "Instagram" (not really Instagram; it's called WeChat), after adding me as a friend, of course. I have so many Chinese names on my WeChat, I don't even know who is who. Luckily, all of my coworkers have English names, so that's been nice. Speaking of English names, I am given the enormous responsibility of giving the kids English names. It's kinda like receiving a sign name from a Deaf person (for those who are familiar), but I'm basically giving them the name that everyone will know them by, that may not be in favor of the parents. It's slightly a big deal. But sometimes fun! I've given a few names already. They like to stick with one or two syllable names. Even my name is a bit tough for them.
On my lonely nights after I'm off work, I tend to go to the town square. While there, I just kinda chill all by my lonesome and read or work on some word/number problems (yes, call me nerdy, I don't care). It's actually quite a nice time, until people come over to me and start speaking Chinese to me. That's when the chaos occurs. Everyone then decides to huddle around. Cameras out, mouths yapping. I most times don't know how to respond. There was one evening were a little 8yr old girl came and sat by me. I asked, "你会说英语吗" (Nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma or "Do you speak English")? She then responded saying NO! Why come and sit down, expecting a conversation, when clearly we couldn't speak each other's languages?! That was my initial thinking. But then, after an hour of conversing, which was all in 中文 (Zhōngwén or Chinese), I was very grateful for the blessed chance to be with her. Yes, we did big forth a little crowd, which I purposely ignored; it was just me and her in our own little world. I had my translate phrase app and would look at it, speak it, and then show her to have her correct me. She then responded, and I, naturally, had NO idea what she said. But it definitely was good practice! I went into work the next day and my coworkers were amazed with the random bits of Chinese that I threw out, thanks to the little girl.
It was my birthday the other week, and I got to celebrate it Chinese style! First off, my coworkers gave me a few gifts including lollipops, a bottle of yogurt, pop rocks (which yes, do still make me sick), some towels, cookies (except they weren't really cookies and were kinda gross....), a China tea set, and my own authentic pair of chopsticks with the Chinese flower on them. They then took me out to dinner. We went to a restaurant where we ordered about 7 different dishes. They bought me a cake, sang to me in Chinese, and I ate noodles because it's a tradition on your birthday symbolizing having a long, healthy life. I love my new friends here!
So, I did two things in China that I never imagined I would do. 1) I went to the salon and got my hair colored, and 2) I bought a dog. Why, you ask? Because it was more than half the cost as what it would be in America; it is dirt cheap. My impulsive nature won out, and I just did it. Do I regret it? No way! My puppy, Duke is the cutest thing, ever! He's a 3mts old little brown poodle (they call it a Teddy here). And my hair? It didn't turn out exactly how I wanted, but it's getting there! China is pretty dang great! Also, if you have a dog, you have INSTANT friends. Taking Duke to the town square has helped people actually have the courage to approach me, which has been everyone's desire, but now they have a true purpose. To say it's been a fun time would be an understatement. I'm absolutely loving it here!! I'm so happy that I still have 5 more weeks! I am planning to go to Qingdao for the beach, Beijing to check out the Great Wall, and Hong Kong to go to the temple. It'll be a grand remaining time!
The longer I am here, the more I realize that China is VERY different from America (by the way, that is what they call it, if they speak English; it's not the USA). I mean, there's the very obvious ways—the food, language, people. But even in more basic ways—the smell, the atmosphere, the ambiance, attitude.
I have NEVER seen any Asian smoking in America. Coming here, everyone and their mom smokes! I've been offered a cigarette on more than one occasion. There also are no "no smoking" signs posted anywhere. You're free to smoke wherever (and in-ever) you want. And believe me, they certainly do!
Growing up in Seattle, I become pretty accustomed to rain. Especially when moving to Hawaii. Rain just seems like a very normal thing to me, and there should be no reason to fret. The first time I experienced rainfall here, I was oh so very delighted. Why? Because I haven't felt warm rain since Hawaii and I've missed dancing in it and getting soaked. We had just finished a meeting and heading home. All the girls I work with were staying undercover and not even considering the idea of being out in the open. So, naturally, what did I then choose to do? I ran out and danced as I got soaked. I proceeded to then teach the song "Singin' in the Rain". The girls thought I was crazy. They pretty much viewed the rain as though it was toxic. And it could've been; I wouldn't have known. If you can recall, think back to after it rains. You smell the air, and it often smells fresh, clean, and has a flowery smell/taste, right? Not here. After the shower of rain, the city reeks with a horrid smell. Granted, it smells awful even without the rain, but it was definitely magnified. Sometimes as I am walking around, I have to hold my breath because it's just that bad.
I've been venturing out of my comfort zone and going to the random little food stands that are setup all along the sidewalks. The main reason I've been doing it is because it's literally 1/3 of the price. Regardless, I've been trying new foods! Most times, I don't even know what I'm eating, and I think I'd like to keep it that way! They also sell sliced up chunks of melon on a stick for like $.40, so that's been way nice. I've become pretty well known at these stands and they always perk up when they see me. Also, I am officially a regular at KFC and Starbucks —they know my order and have it ready upon my turn at the counter. I guess I do kind of stick out like a sore thumb, so it's kind of hard to forget me. Whenever rice is available, I still will always get it though because I know that it's a pretty safe bet. I now fully understand the purpose of sticky rice in China. If it weren't sticky, it would be pretty tough to eat it all up with chopsticks. The stickiness of it makes it much less difficult. Speaking of chopsticks, I pretty much have it down solid! Except I use them not entirely in the natural way that others do. I figured out a way that works for me and I'm sticking (ha-ha) with it! My co-workers still laugh at me whenever we go out to eat and try to teach me how to use them properly. It's not going to happen.
Work is so great! I'm just loving the girls more and more each day. I continue to be taught by them, as they learn more from me as I speak with them. It's a great exchange. We are getting closer and closer to the school actually being up and running! Next week, we officially open. We moved into our new office, which was a huge relief! The old one was very cluttered. I have my own desk and computer (which is completely in Chinese, so little good that will do me). It's quite exciting. Too bad I'll only be here for another 6wks. I don't even think they have a foreign teacher to replace me. I mean, I know I'm pretty much irreplaceable, but I hope they find someone! An English school without an English teacher isn't very beneficial.
Days here have gotten pretty monotonous and repetitive (especially since we do the same activities with a different group of kids multiple times each day). They all seem to run together. Another contribution to that could be the fact that I haven't really adjusted to the time change and so I'm on a reeeeally odd sleep schedule. Hopefully that will get regulated soon.... Bye bye for now!
