I was startled from sleep this morning by a series of very LOUD bangs - sounded like they were just outside the wall of the apartment (quite a feat since I'm 19 floors up). Believe me, it was intense! I looked outside and saw a bunch of men dressed up in suits standing below a window in the building opposite mine. It was apparently the groom's method of proposing. It also created a huge volume of smoke - guess when you're getting married adding to the air pollution is not a big concern! So then the group of men traipsed inside the building and I heard nothing until 20 minutes later when the series of explosions repeated - it was their exit and I suppose symbolized a successful mission...
We have had a terrible week of pollution, but it did clear up for Christmas. Unfortunately, we are back to heavy pollution today... I don't recall having so much of this last year...
So I went to see Han Hong in concert on Christmas night. She is a Chinese singer of Tibetan origin who has a beautiful voice and large fan following in China. I reckon I was the only foreigner in the audience. The hall she sang in was huge and cavernous - the seats we had were the 2nd row from the very back. The had a couple large screens up front to show close-ups and there was a large screen behind the stage. So the venue basically sucked (the chairs were like plastic patio chairs), but the sound was ok and I thought the screen graphics were impressive. About halfway through the concert they turned the heat off and it was as cold inside as it was outside by the end of the show (and it was cold outside!). I couldn't understand any of the music, but it sounded nice and it was enjoyable! I heard 6 English words the entire show - "One, two, three, four" and "If you". She apparently also sang a song in Korean, Tibetan, and in Shaanxi dialect.
Then the day after Christmas, I went to see a movie. Very American thing to do, right?? It was at the new mall - they just opened up some cinemas. Only Chinese movies were showing. We saw "Mr. Six" - I don't know the Chinese name but I can tell you it doesn't translate to Mr. Six. It was in Chinese with Chinese subtitles and English subtitles. Interestingly enough, they have Chinese subtitles for most Chinese movies here - even the Chinese have trouble understanding themselves sometimes! I really enjoyed the movie - I heard it has been released in the US - I recommend it if you see it showing near you. It gives a nice portrayal of changing times and cultures in China told with a good plot...
Speaking of the mall, I just returned from their with a Starbucks latte in hand. It's dangerous having one so close now! As I was sitting there sipping on the coffee, I was looking out a window at the mall entrance. Lo and behold, there was a young boy (2-3 yrs. old) doing his business right in front of the entrance doors - ably assisted by his father. They wear these pants with a split in the rear-end (no underwear) that makes it really easy for them. People just walking by paying no attention... Some say this practice is going away but I have seen it often...
This week we have an unprecedented 2nd 4 day week in a row! Friday is New Years Day and we are being given it off as well! Supposedly it is a national holiday and everyone gets it off - but they always seem to have ways around that it seems. No plans at this time - a few teachers are flying off to a spot not too far away for a quick 3 day weekend (a place that resembles the land in the movie Avatar) but I guess I'm getting too old for that because pulling that off is just too hectic!
I want to say for my final words in this blog for 2015 how fortunate I am to have the family and friends who have helped me during these times so far away. I have met many people over here who do not have anything to help hold them up, and frankly I don't know how they do it. Thank you, to those at home in the US, and to those I have met here in China, for helping me stumble along.
To a great 2016!!
Ggg
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Sheng dan kuai le (Merry Christmas)!!
Top picture - The Christmas tree out in front of the new mall.
The next 2 pictures - Christmas displays inside the mall.
Tomorrow or Tuesday (depending on your location) is Dong zhi - Winter Solstice. It's been dark in the morning when I walk to school and gets dark shortly after I get home, so it'll be nice to see the days getting longer again. If there was precipitation in the air, they would get a lot of snow in Xi'an. It's regularly in the 20's at night and will get into the upper 30's or low 40's in the day, but sometimes not making it above freezing. The air has been particularly stagnant so the air pollution has been bad - sometimes getting into the heavily polluted range. Beijing seems to get it really bad, and fortunately we haven't reached their level (yet).
Tomorrow night, after school, the foreign staff is being treated to a Christmas dinner by our company. I received the (un)fortunate task of arranging it... so I decided on going to a German restaurant that recently opened up that has a nice atmosphere. While Chinese don't celebrate Christmas, they do put up some decorations in some stores and restaurants. Some nice restaurants will serve a Christmas Eve buffet style dinner, but they double or triple their prices making you wonder if it's worth it. I wanted to make it a Xmas Eve dinner, but the prices were too much! The school is giving us foreign teachers Christmas Day (Friday) off, although the school will still be in session. The Chinese teachers will cover our classes for us...
The latest I've heard is that we will be getting Friday, Jan.1 off also, making for another 3-day weekend! It has not been confirmed yet, though, so in typical Chinese fashion you cannot make plans ahead of time because you never know what they may decide on (for instance, they may say we will have to work on Sunday to make up for the Friday we get off...). It has been confirmed when the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year) starts, however - that will be February 1 through the 22nd.
On Christmas Day I got tickets to see a well-known Chinese singer who is starting a tour of China in Xi'an. Her name is Han Hong but other than that I know little about her. Just thought it'd be something different and unique for Xmas.
I actually have a few Xmas decorations up in the apartment this year. I never got around to it last year. There's a little 1 ft. Xmas tree, a plastic wreath, some lights taped on the wall, a couple of little snowmen, and a couple glass containers for candy (the candy won't last long). It is nice to have up some decorations, but I was thinking that maybe it makes me a bit more melancholy...
Played a little mahjong last night - haven't done that much this year. It's a good social game requiring 4 players - I need to do that more often!
Well, I'll be thinking of everyone back home over the holidays and wishing you all the best!
As Linus aptly says, "Peace on Earth and good will to men"
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Guns, Guns, Guns
It's a song released in 1972 by a band called Guess Who. It speaks to the violence done against nature by guns. The violence we're experiencing now is a bit different - it's against ourselves. But if we can't respect nature, perhaps it goes hand in hand that we won't respect each other...
Guns, Guns, Guns by Guess Who
What is it like to hear of a mass shooting back home in the US while in China? It is heart-breaking.
It is difficult because you want details, and you want them now, and you want them from a reliable source. On the other hand, perhaps it's a relief, because you're not barraged with 24/7 coverage on the TV that you are glued to for no good reason - because things unfold slowly.
What do the Chinese think about it? It scares them to death. Students are questioning their decision to go to school in the US. I tell them how it is a rare occurrence, and the chances of something like that happening to them is infinitesimally small. And then it happens again... and again... and again. Some may say that fewer Chinese coming to the US is a good thing, so big deal! But you know what? One thing I've discovered over here is that Chinese teenagers are no different from their counterparts in the US. There's a lot of good kids here that want to go to school in the US because they like Western ideas and the way of living. Giving them a chance to study in the US allows them to come back to China and spread our 'revolutionary' ideas. We are in a global economy with no turning back. One of the best ways to insure our safety in this new world is through education. I hope we don't lose sight of that. It seems we could use a bit of education in our own country as well...
So I hear about this latest shooting in California, and the previous one in Oregon (has there been another one between these two? I can't even remember) and it literally brings tears to my eyes. What is happening to our country? I get covered with a deep sadness...
Most Chinese students will likely get over this and continue on, just as most Americans will. But it forms a lasting impression on them that Americans are a violent people. I don't know about your impression of China, but I have yet to see a gun here (even on policemen although I assume they must carry them somewhere). I certainly haven't seen any assault rifles. When I first got here, I would sometimes hear loud explosions outside my apartment window and imagined them to be guns or bombs. I quickly learned it was just fireworks (and let me tell you they blow off some LOUD ones!).
If you heard them in the US, you'd be running for cover! Here, they may signify the passing of a loved one or the opening of a new store to attract attention. But no one even flinches.
As the NYT so aptly put it, God will not fix this...
PS. You may or may not be aware, but there is a place where you can click and write comments to this blog. Please feel free anytime you like.
Guns, Guns, Guns by Guess Who
What is it like to hear of a mass shooting back home in the US while in China? It is heart-breaking.
It is difficult because you want details, and you want them now, and you want them from a reliable source. On the other hand, perhaps it's a relief, because you're not barraged with 24/7 coverage on the TV that you are glued to for no good reason - because things unfold slowly.
What do the Chinese think about it? It scares them to death. Students are questioning their decision to go to school in the US. I tell them how it is a rare occurrence, and the chances of something like that happening to them is infinitesimally small. And then it happens again... and again... and again. Some may say that fewer Chinese coming to the US is a good thing, so big deal! But you know what? One thing I've discovered over here is that Chinese teenagers are no different from their counterparts in the US. There's a lot of good kids here that want to go to school in the US because they like Western ideas and the way of living. Giving them a chance to study in the US allows them to come back to China and spread our 'revolutionary' ideas. We are in a global economy with no turning back. One of the best ways to insure our safety in this new world is through education. I hope we don't lose sight of that. It seems we could use a bit of education in our own country as well...
So I hear about this latest shooting in California, and the previous one in Oregon (has there been another one between these two? I can't even remember) and it literally brings tears to my eyes. What is happening to our country? I get covered with a deep sadness...
Most Chinese students will likely get over this and continue on, just as most Americans will. But it forms a lasting impression on them that Americans are a violent people. I don't know about your impression of China, but I have yet to see a gun here (even on policemen although I assume they must carry them somewhere). I certainly haven't seen any assault rifles. When I first got here, I would sometimes hear loud explosions outside my apartment window and imagined them to be guns or bombs. I quickly learned it was just fireworks (and let me tell you they blow off some LOUD ones!).
If you heard them in the US, you'd be running for cover! Here, they may signify the passing of a loved one or the opening of a new store to attract attention. But no one even flinches.
As the NYT so aptly put it, God will not fix this...
PS. You may or may not be aware, but there is a place where you can click and write comments to this blog. Please feel free anytime you like.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Nothing says Thanksgiving like Korean chicken...
So that's what we had! Very tasty for what it was. As Thanksgiving is on Thursday and we still had to teach all week, no one really felt like making the trek downtown on a weekday to find some real turkey. And even then (as last year attests), you're not guaranteed of getting the real thing!
Still haven't made it to the hot springs yet. Was going to go this weekend and it was all booked up. Popular spot, I guess. Instead, I went in for a foot massage. I swear they poke sharp needles in your arch to see if you can tolerate it. If you can't handle it, then they say there's something wrong with your liver and/or kidney (I can't remember which one). Whichever one it is, mine must be terribly messed up. However, I was able to walk out of there without limping and it did feel good at the end. They also like to beat on your legs and back, sometimes making it sound like there's a drum rehearsal going on. They didn't comment on my toe nail fungus or bunions, but instead preferred to wonder why Westerners have so much hair on their bodies...
The weather has been cool at night lately, maybe in the low 30's or 20's, warming up to the 40's or low 50's in the day. There's not been much wind, though, and with Xi'an located in a valley between mountains the air can get stagnant. Hence the severe pollution warning today. Wearing a mask is recommended. When you look outside, it just looks like a very foggy day and you never see the sun...
The new mall that opened up near us is a short 15 minute walk away. The crowds have been crazy, which I hope dies down after a while. We tried to go down to the lower level where they have a supermarket and it was so crowded you couldn't move. I became claustrophobic and had to get out of there. They also have some cinemas which haven't opened up yet. Supposed to be very nice (and expensive). There is a Starbucks with Western style prices and up. They're supposed to speak some English in there, but I went in and ordered a vanilla latte and the girl had no idea what I said. A manager came over and handled it...
I ate in a new restaurant there that serves Shanghai-style fried baozi. I love baozi, but had never had it fried (it is usually steamed). I bit in and had a big surprise - I got covered in hot soup all over my shirt and pants. Little did I know there is hot soup inside those dumplings! They are very tasty, however, so I shook it off. Found out you're supposed to bite off a small piece, suck out the soup, and then eat it...
My colleague from Denver got his new bike stolen at the new mall a couple days ago. The thieves here are fast and efficient. He had a cheap lock on it. Bad mistake. He lives a little further away then most of us and needs the bike. I offered up my electric scooter that I almost never ride and he was happy to take it. I can always rent one of the public bikes if I really need to go somewhere further. It's kind of crazy on the roads here and it's probably in my best interest to nix the electric scooter anyways.
The third member of the math department finally arrived last week. His name is George and he's from Kenya. Very nice man, a little hard to understand sometimes. He's catholic and has 3 or 4 kids I think (back in Kenya). I don't end up with any relief on the teaching schedule, however, as a bunch of changes were made and I actually teach 2 more a week now than I did before (I now teach 24 classes a week). It is rather hectic and I often feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water. The next break isn't until January 31 when the Spring festival starts (Lunar New Year)... Ugh!!
So I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and ate some real turkey. What I wouldn't give for some turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy right now!
Wan an,
Gregg
Still haven't made it to the hot springs yet. Was going to go this weekend and it was all booked up. Popular spot, I guess. Instead, I went in for a foot massage. I swear they poke sharp needles in your arch to see if you can tolerate it. If you can't handle it, then they say there's something wrong with your liver and/or kidney (I can't remember which one). Whichever one it is, mine must be terribly messed up. However, I was able to walk out of there without limping and it did feel good at the end. They also like to beat on your legs and back, sometimes making it sound like there's a drum rehearsal going on. They didn't comment on my toe nail fungus or bunions, but instead preferred to wonder why Westerners have so much hair on their bodies...
The weather has been cool at night lately, maybe in the low 30's or 20's, warming up to the 40's or low 50's in the day. There's not been much wind, though, and with Xi'an located in a valley between mountains the air can get stagnant. Hence the severe pollution warning today. Wearing a mask is recommended. When you look outside, it just looks like a very foggy day and you never see the sun...
The new mall that opened up near us is a short 15 minute walk away. The crowds have been crazy, which I hope dies down after a while. We tried to go down to the lower level where they have a supermarket and it was so crowded you couldn't move. I became claustrophobic and had to get out of there. They also have some cinemas which haven't opened up yet. Supposed to be very nice (and expensive). There is a Starbucks with Western style prices and up. They're supposed to speak some English in there, but I went in and ordered a vanilla latte and the girl had no idea what I said. A manager came over and handled it...
I ate in a new restaurant there that serves Shanghai-style fried baozi. I love baozi, but had never had it fried (it is usually steamed). I bit in and had a big surprise - I got covered in hot soup all over my shirt and pants. Little did I know there is hot soup inside those dumplings! They are very tasty, however, so I shook it off. Found out you're supposed to bite off a small piece, suck out the soup, and then eat it...
My colleague from Denver got his new bike stolen at the new mall a couple days ago. The thieves here are fast and efficient. He had a cheap lock on it. Bad mistake. He lives a little further away then most of us and needs the bike. I offered up my electric scooter that I almost never ride and he was happy to take it. I can always rent one of the public bikes if I really need to go somewhere further. It's kind of crazy on the roads here and it's probably in my best interest to nix the electric scooter anyways.
The third member of the math department finally arrived last week. His name is George and he's from Kenya. Very nice man, a little hard to understand sometimes. He's catholic and has 3 or 4 kids I think (back in Kenya). I don't end up with any relief on the teaching schedule, however, as a bunch of changes were made and I actually teach 2 more a week now than I did before (I now teach 24 classes a week). It is rather hectic and I often feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water. The next break isn't until January 31 when the Spring festival starts (Lunar New Year)... Ugh!!
So I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and ate some real turkey. What I wouldn't give for some turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy right now!
Wan an,
Gregg
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Qiu tian
Autumn. Not very many trees with colorful leaves here in Xian, but they do have gingko trees (at least that's what they call them) that have bright yellow leaves before they fall. Trees like maples that have orange or red leaves are pretty much non-existent.
Got the heat turned on yesterday (one day ahead of schedule!). It is now comfortable in the apartment and not necessary to wear a jacket. If it's like last year's apartment, it takes about a week before the heat seems to settle down. Heat is not cheap in China (especially by Chinese standards). You have to pay for your 4 months of heat up front (it's on until March 15) and they base your amount on the size of your apartment and other factors of which I have no idea. The heating fee for my apartment is over 2300 RMB, or over $360. You cannot control the heat once it's on - there are no thermostats - if it's still too cold you sweater up, if it's too hot you open the windows (and let in the pollution). Great system!
Well, I was hoping to get to some hot springs this weekend, but all the Chinese teachers had to go to school on Saturday and take a teaching test. They make them do this once a year to show they are qualified to be teachers. From what they all say, it's a huge joke but the Chinese like their routines. Anyways, these hot springs are in an area where there is absolutely no English-speaking going on, so without translators I wouldn't attempt it. So now we're shooting to go in 2 weeks. Keeping fingers crossed...
So on Saturday night some of us went to a new German style restaurant that just recently opened. It is nicely furnished and the waiters and waitresses wear german costumes that look interesting on a chinese person... I went for a bowl of goulash and some pork schnitzel. It was surprisingly good. I'd probably go back again but it's a good cab ride away and on the expensive side...
Tomorrow we start a new schedule at school. I will now teach 24 periods a week, up from 22. I'm not too excited. The new math teacher they were finally able to recruit is supposed to arrive by the end of the week. He won't offer any relief to us though because they've simply added several new classes that he'll be teaching. He's from Kenya - he'll be the only black guy in a 5-mile radius. Certainly a novelty for the students...
It's been a quiet day. Good way to usher in the 60's I suppose. I was surprised when I went to my computer this morning and there was Google wishing me a happy birthday:
Got the heat turned on yesterday (one day ahead of schedule!). It is now comfortable in the apartment and not necessary to wear a jacket. If it's like last year's apartment, it takes about a week before the heat seems to settle down. Heat is not cheap in China (especially by Chinese standards). You have to pay for your 4 months of heat up front (it's on until March 15) and they base your amount on the size of your apartment and other factors of which I have no idea. The heating fee for my apartment is over 2300 RMB, or over $360. You cannot control the heat once it's on - there are no thermostats - if it's still too cold you sweater up, if it's too hot you open the windows (and let in the pollution). Great system!
Well, I was hoping to get to some hot springs this weekend, but all the Chinese teachers had to go to school on Saturday and take a teaching test. They make them do this once a year to show they are qualified to be teachers. From what they all say, it's a huge joke but the Chinese like their routines. Anyways, these hot springs are in an area where there is absolutely no English-speaking going on, so without translators I wouldn't attempt it. So now we're shooting to go in 2 weeks. Keeping fingers crossed...
So on Saturday night some of us went to a new German style restaurant that just recently opened. It is nicely furnished and the waiters and waitresses wear german costumes that look interesting on a chinese person... I went for a bowl of goulash and some pork schnitzel. It was surprisingly good. I'd probably go back again but it's a good cab ride away and on the expensive side...
Tomorrow we start a new schedule at school. I will now teach 24 periods a week, up from 22. I'm not too excited. The new math teacher they were finally able to recruit is supposed to arrive by the end of the week. He won't offer any relief to us though because they've simply added several new classes that he'll be teaching. He's from Kenya - he'll be the only black guy in a 5-mile radius. Certainly a novelty for the students...
It's been a quiet day. Good way to usher in the 60's I suppose. I was surprised when I went to my computer this morning and there was Google wishing me a happy birthday:
We all get our 15 minutes of fame!
Sunday, November 8, 2015
leo shi
That's Chinese for 60. Don't ask!
Just like last week, Sunday has turned into the best day of the week. Very cold and rainy Friday and Saturday, sunny and clear skies (low pollution) today. Although still a bit cold! Next week the government turns on the heat (yay!) so it won't be so cool and damp in the apartment. It takes 2-3 days for the laundry to dry, and even then I'm not sure it's totally dry...
We gave mid-term exams this week at school so our schedule was topsy-turvy. I've just finished grading my share of the papers so what's left of the weekend is mine. Preparing the exams and scheduling them is a big deal here, although in the long run they are meaningless. The only things that matter to the students are the big test scores: SAT, AP subject tests and TOEFL (English proficiency test). We still have no idea how they come up with the students' GPA - I figure they just make something up and send it on... I don't think the universities look at China students' GPAs anyways (probably for that very reason), so it doesn't really matter. Good scores on their AP tests (they take from 4-7 of them) and a decent SAT are what get them in! Oh, and a fat wallet too!
On Nov.23 the final member of our math department is finally scheduled to arrive. He is a citizen of Kenya. He will probably be the only black person within a 1 mile radius of the school. It won't really make a big difference in our teaching schedules, though, because in the middle of November they ramp up some of the classes and we teach them more times a week. So right now I teach 22 classes a week, and following next week it'll be 24. (Our maximum is contractually 26). With the position Head of Department (HOD) that I have this year, I'm supposed to have a lighter schedule to handle other duties. But, in reality, what's happening due to circumstances beyond our control is I'll have more classes than anyone else in the math department plus extra stuff. I've told the principal I'm not too happy about that. They pay me a little more to be HOD, but honestly it is not worth it... I did not come over to China to work my butt off!
Last year, on my birthday, a bunch of us went to KTV (Chinese karaoke). While it was an interesting experience, I have no desire to do that again! I heard about some hot springs that are not too far from here so that's what I'm shooting for this year. Jake, from Colorado, shares my same birthday and I think he'll be up for it too. The only problem is transportation, but I think we can work something out.
I'm about to give up on my Chinese language attempts. I've been to the local shop here to buy baozi (Chinese dumplings) probably 5-7 times. I've practiced with Chinese friends to make sure I'm saying it right (I want to get vegetable or mushroom baozi - very tasty and safer than the meat ones). Only ONCE have they given me the correct kind! I get home and it's usually meat (pork). AAAHHHH! I then repeat what I said to my Chinese homies and they say I said it right. So what gives?? One explanation they posit is that the workers are surprised to hear Chinese coming out of a foreigner's mouth and hence don't understand it. What???? I tell you, the tones are so subtle sometimes that it can drive you crazy. Anyways, I've decided to give up on baozi unless a Chinese person is with me...
So, I'm hooked on Fargo. I'm watching American Horror Story even though I'm not enjoying but thinking there must be something good coming out of it somewhere. And then The Last Man on Earth. It's a little uneven but sometimes pretty funny. That's about it. I download the occasional movie and watch it. I thought The Martian was worth what I paid for it ($0.00). Mission Impossible Rogue Nation was also a bargain at $0.00. Somebody throw me a bone!!
Have a great week! Zai jian! (good-bye)
Just like last week, Sunday has turned into the best day of the week. Very cold and rainy Friday and Saturday, sunny and clear skies (low pollution) today. Although still a bit cold! Next week the government turns on the heat (yay!) so it won't be so cool and damp in the apartment. It takes 2-3 days for the laundry to dry, and even then I'm not sure it's totally dry...
We gave mid-term exams this week at school so our schedule was topsy-turvy. I've just finished grading my share of the papers so what's left of the weekend is mine. Preparing the exams and scheduling them is a big deal here, although in the long run they are meaningless. The only things that matter to the students are the big test scores: SAT, AP subject tests and TOEFL (English proficiency test). We still have no idea how they come up with the students' GPA - I figure they just make something up and send it on... I don't think the universities look at China students' GPAs anyways (probably for that very reason), so it doesn't really matter. Good scores on their AP tests (they take from 4-7 of them) and a decent SAT are what get them in! Oh, and a fat wallet too!
On Nov.23 the final member of our math department is finally scheduled to arrive. He is a citizen of Kenya. He will probably be the only black person within a 1 mile radius of the school. It won't really make a big difference in our teaching schedules, though, because in the middle of November they ramp up some of the classes and we teach them more times a week. So right now I teach 22 classes a week, and following next week it'll be 24. (Our maximum is contractually 26). With the position Head of Department (HOD) that I have this year, I'm supposed to have a lighter schedule to handle other duties. But, in reality, what's happening due to circumstances beyond our control is I'll have more classes than anyone else in the math department plus extra stuff. I've told the principal I'm not too happy about that. They pay me a little more to be HOD, but honestly it is not worth it... I did not come over to China to work my butt off!
Last year, on my birthday, a bunch of us went to KTV (Chinese karaoke). While it was an interesting experience, I have no desire to do that again! I heard about some hot springs that are not too far from here so that's what I'm shooting for this year. Jake, from Colorado, shares my same birthday and I think he'll be up for it too. The only problem is transportation, but I think we can work something out.
I'm about to give up on my Chinese language attempts. I've been to the local shop here to buy baozi (Chinese dumplings) probably 5-7 times. I've practiced with Chinese friends to make sure I'm saying it right (I want to get vegetable or mushroom baozi - very tasty and safer than the meat ones). Only ONCE have they given me the correct kind! I get home and it's usually meat (pork). AAAHHHH! I then repeat what I said to my Chinese homies and they say I said it right. So what gives?? One explanation they posit is that the workers are surprised to hear Chinese coming out of a foreigner's mouth and hence don't understand it. What???? I tell you, the tones are so subtle sometimes that it can drive you crazy. Anyways, I've decided to give up on baozi unless a Chinese person is with me...
So, I'm hooked on Fargo. I'm watching American Horror Story even though I'm not enjoying but thinking there must be something good coming out of it somewhere. And then The Last Man on Earth. It's a little uneven but sometimes pretty funny. That's about it. I download the occasional movie and watch it. I thought The Martian was worth what I paid for it ($0.00). Mission Impossible Rogue Nation was also a bargain at $0.00. Somebody throw me a bone!!
Have a great week! Zai jian! (good-bye)
Sunday, November 1, 2015
It's A Beautiful Day
How many of you remember that is the name of a rock band back in the late 60's? Their big hit was White Bird...
So today was a beautiful day and I went out and snapped some pics. Time to share...
As I think I've mentioned, my apartment this year looks out over a local park. It can be noisy at night as the sound seems to travel directly upwards. It is a definite place where people meet to play, have fun and exercise (they do those daily group exercises every morning and evening - weather permitting...)...
The old folk love to sit and play mahjong. All day long. You can hear the tiles hitting the tables from far away.
Ping pong, the national sport of China. I never see kids playing it at school, however. Only in the parks do I see it. There was a young girl playing today (8 yrs. old?) who was really good and would've beaten me easily.
They love to play badminton. But there are no badminton courts. So they just hit the birdie back and forth where they find an empty space.
A sand box area for the little kids. You can see where people are hanging up their bedding to dry in the background
What is a park without a pond? No fish or anything, the water is not clean...
A man playing an ancient Chinese musical instrument. Kind of like a violin? He'll be playing and then some woman will walk up and join in with him, singing in the "Shaanxi" opera style. Bring on the earplugs! It's annoying music to my ears (and most younger Chinese too) and often goes on until dark. Unfortunately, I can usually hear it up in my apartment...
A sculpture that kids climb on in the park. See the apartment building sticking up on the left? That's me on the 19th floor.
Dragon fruit. My new favorite. It's so easy to peel and eat. Tasty! I'm eating one right now!
And of course, yesterday was Halloween. Quite the costume, eh?
So today was a beautiful day and I went out and snapped some pics. Time to share...
As I think I've mentioned, my apartment this year looks out over a local park. It can be noisy at night as the sound seems to travel directly upwards. It is a definite place where people meet to play, have fun and exercise (they do those daily group exercises every morning and evening - weather permitting...)...
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Halloweenie
Sometimes the Chinese students pick strange English names. I just started co-teaching a class on Photography, and there is a girl who choose Weenie as her name. I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet to find out how that came about, but I will surely recommend that she change it!
So you didn't know that I was an expert in Photography, eh? Well, it so happens I'm not. But we started teaching these extra-curricular activities and I choose Frisbee - but it isn't being offered this term so I have to team up with someone else in their activity. Lukas, an Economics teacher from Poland, is an expert on photography and he's really teaching it - I'm just sort of tagging along and helping. So we've had a couple classes and it has been interesting so far - maybe I'll get a new hobby!
Halloween is next weekend. You do see a few things around that acknowledge it - usually in a store or mall. But it is not really celebrated here and the idea of trick or treating would never fly... But there will be a few parties around, mostly ex-pats I imagine. Many Chinese think that you must dress up in something scary and don't know that you can really be anything you want...
The weather has really taken a turn towards winter this weekend. It feels like we haven't had any significant rainfall in a few weeks at least, but this weekend it's been raining and cold the whole time. It helps clean out the air! In about 3 weeks they'll be turning on the heat, which hopefully will be about the time we need it. Until this weekend, the temps have really been nice and mild...
I spent last weekend in Guangzhou at an AP Conference. As usual, there really wasn't much time to go out and do some exploring. We did go to a restaurant that was recommended, but we had no Chinese people with us and we had no clue what to order. So what we ordered was not very good and I decided I would've been happier visiting the McDonalds next to the hotel. (I actually did go the 2nd night - the very first time I went to a McDonalds here in China - and I must admit it was tasty...) It does no good going to a good restaurant if you can't order the good stuff!! Guangzhou is a huge city (3rd largest in China I think) and is known as a place to go for work. There really isn't much touristy stuff there - there's a TV tower (which is 2nd highest in the world or China?) - but how much of an attraction is a tv tower - and there are some ferrys you can apparently take around the rivers through Guangzhou. Anyways, not on my top 10 list of places to visit again...
I'm trying to get my pictures sorted out - hopefully next time I'll have a few pics to throw in here!
Boo!
So you didn't know that I was an expert in Photography, eh? Well, it so happens I'm not. But we started teaching these extra-curricular activities and I choose Frisbee - but it isn't being offered this term so I have to team up with someone else in their activity. Lukas, an Economics teacher from Poland, is an expert on photography and he's really teaching it - I'm just sort of tagging along and helping. So we've had a couple classes and it has been interesting so far - maybe I'll get a new hobby!
Halloween is next weekend. You do see a few things around that acknowledge it - usually in a store or mall. But it is not really celebrated here and the idea of trick or treating would never fly... But there will be a few parties around, mostly ex-pats I imagine. Many Chinese think that you must dress up in something scary and don't know that you can really be anything you want...
The weather has really taken a turn towards winter this weekend. It feels like we haven't had any significant rainfall in a few weeks at least, but this weekend it's been raining and cold the whole time. It helps clean out the air! In about 3 weeks they'll be turning on the heat, which hopefully will be about the time we need it. Until this weekend, the temps have really been nice and mild...
I spent last weekend in Guangzhou at an AP Conference. As usual, there really wasn't much time to go out and do some exploring. We did go to a restaurant that was recommended, but we had no Chinese people with us and we had no clue what to order. So what we ordered was not very good and I decided I would've been happier visiting the McDonalds next to the hotel. (I actually did go the 2nd night - the very first time I went to a McDonalds here in China - and I must admit it was tasty...) It does no good going to a good restaurant if you can't order the good stuff!! Guangzhou is a huge city (3rd largest in China I think) and is known as a place to go for work. There really isn't much touristy stuff there - there's a TV tower (which is 2nd highest in the world or China?) - but how much of an attraction is a tv tower - and there are some ferrys you can apparently take around the rivers through Guangzhou. Anyways, not on my top 10 list of places to visit again...
I'm trying to get my pictures sorted out - hopefully next time I'll have a few pics to throw in here!
Boo!
Sunday, October 11, 2015
My cup runneth over...
A popular form of natural medicine here is "cupping." It involves placing empty jars on one's back and creating some type of suction to draw the skin and blood up. I'm not really sure what it's supposed to do, but I thought I'd give it a try:
This woman used fire in a jar and then placed it on the back. The fire would suck up the skin as the air sought oxygen. The feeling as this went on was not remarkable. The woman did say that she was afraid of setting the hair on my back on fire (she had never done a Westerner before). They leave the jars on for about 15 minutes and then break the vacuum seal and take them off. The dark circles remain on your back for about 2 weeks before they fade away. It felt like I had a heavy backpack on my back during that 15 minute period. It was an interesting experience but not one I'm likely to repeat as I can't determine any benefit from it!
This next video I took in a mall here. It's common for the employees or workers in a store or restaurant to all get out and do a dance once in a while to attract attention. I thought this one was interesting as it was all the chefs from the restaurant behind them. Locally, the hair salons do these dances often to attract attention to their store. I think they do it because they're bored to death because they have so many workers and they are often just standing around doing nothing:
I didn't do much during the week off for the national holiday. Sky took us to the local zoo one day. My expectations were pretty low, and for the most part they were met. Many of the animals were injured or maimed which was why they were in the zoo. I was impressed, however, with the circus. Yes, they have a circus performance at the zoo! This guy came out with 12 Siberian tigers and ran a routine with them. It was actually quite impressive and worth the price of admission (which was pretty steep - even more expensive than an American zoo). They also had a water show with dolphins, etc. but we couldn't make both of them...
We taught on Saturday (yesterday) to make up for one of the days we got off on the holiday. This upcoming week will be the first one in a while without interruptions. Next weekend I am off to Guangzhou for a 2-day AP workshop. I went to one last spring in Suzhou that was pretty good and this one should be too. They attract high quality speakers from the US to give the workshops. This one for Calculus next week has the head honcho for AP Calculus coming in. I am looking forward to it.
The next holiday that I'm aware of isn't until New Years Day. I think we get one day off. They also might give us Thanksgiving and/or Christmas Day off too, but that is at their discretion. The next significant holiday is at the end of January for the Chinese Lunar Festival that marks the beginning of the new lunar year. That vacation is usually 3 weeks long... But as usual, they won't firm up the dates for these things until about a week beforehand. Crazy way to run a school system I say!
Today reminds me of a nice, crisp autumn day. Sky and Jenny took me to see a movie, Inside Out, that is supposed to be good. It was advertised as being in English with Chinese subtitles, but when it started it was all in Chinese (dubbed) with no subtitles. So Sky said let's go... he tried to get a refund but they're just giving him the runaround so he doesn't think it'll happen. One thing I've noticed here in China is that once they have your money, your chances of a refund are slim to none...
I am waiting for this funk I am in to get over. It has not been much fun at the start of this school year, but it can only get better, right? : )
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Mid-Autumn Festival redux
Today, Sunday, Sept.27 is the mid-autumn festival holiday. It must go by the lunar calendar as I notice last year it was on Sept.8. It is a holiday, so there is no school - but then this is Sunday so there isn't any school anyways. They don't reschedule holidays to fit on a Monday and make 3-day weekends. Heck, they don't even have 2 day weekends!
I was looking back on last year's blog to see if I described the holiday. I did mention that families get together and sit outside and eat mooncakes and look up at the moon. No moon here today - it's cloudy. And mooncakes are sort of an acquired taste - they are a very dry and flaky pastry. The first bite is not very enticing, but it gets better. Why mooncakes? The legend has it that a long time ago there were 10 suns in the sky. A very talented archer shot down 9 of them, leaving only the one. The gods thanked him and gave him some medicine that would make him immortal, but he would live on the moon. He didn't want to take the medicine because then he would leave his wife behind and he loved her very much. Once, when he was away, some men came to steal the medicine because they wanted immortality. The wife, not wanting them to get it, saw the only way to prevent them from taking it was to drink it herself. So she became immortal and went up to the moon. The husband, then, would peer up at the moon to try to see his wife. And then the whole mooncake thing started. It is interesting to ask the Chinese about the legend because they all have a bit of a different take on it. I think it has morphed throughout the ages but I just gave you a down and dirty version...
This upcoming week at school is a short one - just Monday through Wednesday. Then the national holiday on Oct.1 - 7. What is this holiday about? It celebrates Oct.1, 1949 when the Communist party won over China. The losers went to Taiwan where they reside today. I don't think many of us foreigners are going anywhere distant over this time. I checked into some airfares and they were expensive, plus large crowds would be anticipated. So I took a pass...
We had our 3rd school performance in 3 weeks on Friday. The first was celebrating the 20th anniversary of the school (I had a short video clip of it in last week's blog), the second was the opening ceremony for the school (not the same as the anniversary), and the third was 2 days ago to celebrate the start of the soccer/basketball season. It seems crazy to have a school-wide assembly on sports seeing as how the school doesn't really emphasize sports at all, but President Xi has declared he wants China to become competitive in soccer and for the schools to do more to bring it up - so there you have it! Look out soccer world! All of these performances has created a crazy schedule of rehearsals and it has been near impossible to have any type of continuity in your classes. It was not unusual to be conducting a class and suddenly hear a whistle blowing outside your classroom signalling the students to go out for practice. Even David, our principal, said it was crazy even by Chinese standards. Well, after this October holiday, things should settle down...
I hear President Xi of China has been visiting Obama. I told Sky he was given a 21-gun salute and he said why would they do that? Guns are illegal in China and he didn't understand the symbolism behind the gesture at all... I don't know if anything about cyberattacks will come out of this meeting, but maybe some headway on pollution in China? If they want to know how to do it, just ask Volkswagen. That is exactly one of the problems in China - you can't trust any of their statistics because people will massage the numbers so they won't look so bad or get in trouble with their superiors. And everyone knows that is the way it is. Very difficult to change...
I will be one happy camper when this holiday is over. They have constant musical performances in the park outside my apartment window and it goes on all day until 10 at night. It'll drive you nuts.
And so it goes...
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Sometimes a Great Notion...
I don't know where I got it, but I had this strange idea that the 2nd year in China would be easier. I'd know the ropes a little better, know some people, and get around easier. (Notice speaking the language is not something I mention...) Well, it's been ok, but not the smooth ride I was hoping for...
Our foreign math department here is supposed to be made up of 3 math teachers. For whatever reason, they have had a hell of a time trying to recruit the 3rd one - and they look no closer to getting that person now then when the school year started 2 weeks ago. So we've been operating with a skeleton crew of 2 - and the only way to do that feasibly is to cut down on the number of courses we're offering/teaching. So we're not offering the Chinese students the amount of foreign instruction that we're supposed to, but there's little we can do until a 3rd teacher is hired. Then the other half of my department suddenly declared that there was an unequal division of labor in our department and he was going to quit immediately if it was not rectified. As we were both teaching the same relative number of classes and had the same number of preps, I was a bit flabbergasted. It put the principal in a tight spot - either appease him, or lose another math teacher and be down to one. So I got another class added to my load and he got one subtracted. Not really what I would call equal but at least he's still here and happier (so he says) and I'm not fending for myself... You can have leverage here that wouldn't work at all back in the USA. They'd have told him to pack up his stuff and git - then use subs until a permanent replacement was found. Well, no subs here and a replacement is probably at least 2 months (if that) out. So the first 2 weeks of school have contained a bit more excitement than I'd like.
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of Gaoxin High School in Xi'an. To celebrate, the students put on performances last Saturday that they'd been practicing all week. All sorts of dignitaries present and it was a huge deal. It made the first week of school difficult because the students were being excused all the time to practice. It's weird how the priorities of the school suddenly changed (the bosses feel obligated to put on a big show). I will insert a video production put together by a company that had drones flying all over the place. It's about 5 minutes long - hope it works:
Due to the performances (which we were obligated to attend) being on Saturday, that meant we started off the school year with 7 straight days of school (we started on Sunday). The school actually had meetings scheduled on the day after, Sunday, as well, but only made them mandatory for the Chinese teachers and not the foreign staff.
So the second week of school has been normal (Mon - Fri) for us. The October National holiday is coming up on Oct.1 - 7 and we are all looking forward to being able to do some relaxing during that time. Not really thinking of doing much traveling during that time as I learned last year you're competing with a billion other Chinese people for the tourist activities.
If you are able to watch the video, you may notice the blue skies! That is something that has been different this year - much cleaner air! I have been able to see the surrounding mountains many days and the pollution index has not been in the heavily polluted range. I don't know what's causing the difference this year, but let's hope it is better in the winter as well (winter tends to be more polluted). I noticed that during the World Games in Beijing they managed to bring the pollution levels down significantly - Beijing is usually one of the worst cities. It has been going up since the games have ended, however.
The internet filters in China seem to be more troublesome right now. We have had many times when it has been difficult to get a good connection. Or you finally get a good connection and then get dropped after a few minutes - very frustrating!! But I have managed to sneak around a little bit and get on Netflix once in a while. I became addicted to Longmire and have now watched all 4 seasons. Haven't decided what will be next... I'm reading a book called the 6th Extinction (or something like that - you never know what you're reading on a Kindle) that is very interesting but paints a very bleak picture of the future here on Earth. It looks like the rats may still be around though so not all is lost!
Well, I'm cutting loose on this one right now. The video is still uploading so I don't know if it will make the cut or not. I'd just put the link to it on our school website but I don't know that you'd be able to view it in the US...
Our foreign math department here is supposed to be made up of 3 math teachers. For whatever reason, they have had a hell of a time trying to recruit the 3rd one - and they look no closer to getting that person now then when the school year started 2 weeks ago. So we've been operating with a skeleton crew of 2 - and the only way to do that feasibly is to cut down on the number of courses we're offering/teaching. So we're not offering the Chinese students the amount of foreign instruction that we're supposed to, but there's little we can do until a 3rd teacher is hired. Then the other half of my department suddenly declared that there was an unequal division of labor in our department and he was going to quit immediately if it was not rectified. As we were both teaching the same relative number of classes and had the same number of preps, I was a bit flabbergasted. It put the principal in a tight spot - either appease him, or lose another math teacher and be down to one. So I got another class added to my load and he got one subtracted. Not really what I would call equal but at least he's still here and happier (so he says) and I'm not fending for myself... You can have leverage here that wouldn't work at all back in the USA. They'd have told him to pack up his stuff and git - then use subs until a permanent replacement was found. Well, no subs here and a replacement is probably at least 2 months (if that) out. So the first 2 weeks of school have contained a bit more excitement than I'd like.
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of Gaoxin High School in Xi'an. To celebrate, the students put on performances last Saturday that they'd been practicing all week. All sorts of dignitaries present and it was a huge deal. It made the first week of school difficult because the students were being excused all the time to practice. It's weird how the priorities of the school suddenly changed (the bosses feel obligated to put on a big show). I will insert a video production put together by a company that had drones flying all over the place. It's about 5 minutes long - hope it works:
So the second week of school has been normal (Mon - Fri) for us. The October National holiday is coming up on Oct.1 - 7 and we are all looking forward to being able to do some relaxing during that time. Not really thinking of doing much traveling during that time as I learned last year you're competing with a billion other Chinese people for the tourist activities.
If you are able to watch the video, you may notice the blue skies! That is something that has been different this year - much cleaner air! I have been able to see the surrounding mountains many days and the pollution index has not been in the heavily polluted range. I don't know what's causing the difference this year, but let's hope it is better in the winter as well (winter tends to be more polluted). I noticed that during the World Games in Beijing they managed to bring the pollution levels down significantly - Beijing is usually one of the worst cities. It has been going up since the games have ended, however.
The internet filters in China seem to be more troublesome right now. We have had many times when it has been difficult to get a good connection. Or you finally get a good connection and then get dropped after a few minutes - very frustrating!! But I have managed to sneak around a little bit and get on Netflix once in a while. I became addicted to Longmire and have now watched all 4 seasons. Haven't decided what will be next... I'm reading a book called the 6th Extinction (or something like that - you never know what you're reading on a Kindle) that is very interesting but paints a very bleak picture of the future here on Earth. It looks like the rats may still be around though so not all is lost!
Well, I'm cutting loose on this one right now. The video is still uploading so I don't know if it will make the cut or not. I'd just put the link to it on our school website but I don't know that you'd be able to view it in the US...
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Here we go again!
Well the summer literally flew by, and the first day of school here in China on Year 2 of the Dipont contract is right around the corner.
I arrived back in China on August 20 after fulfilling a very busy and productive summer. On the morning of August 21 I went out apartment hunting. I was able to find a good apartment - and it was only the 2nd one I looked at! I really wanted to stay in my old apartment, but the landlord sold it out from under me during the summer, so I had to move out as soon as possible (this was after several assurances from him that he was not going to sell the apartment and I could stay there as long as I wanted). I am now on the 19th floor of a 20 story apartment building (previously I was on the 11th),
and the complex is not quite as close as before, but definitely walkable (having said that, I have been riding my electric scooter in every day so far). It has wood floors, a bit unusual around here (and probably packed with formaldehyde), but has a much more homey feel. In typical fashion here, the bathroom and kitchen were incredibly dirty and I have spent a lot of time making them decent. So I moved into the apartment on the 22nd (took about 4 or 5 trips - accumulated some junk!), and then promptly had to fly out to Wuxi for the annual induction ceremony for Dipont (the company I work for). The workshops and meetings lasted for 2 days, but we spent 3 nights there. The hotel we stayed in was incredible - very large and literally a maze to get around. Rooms were huge and luxurious. The downside - it was in the middle of nowhere and to get into town involved a long taxi ride. Wuxi is not on my top ten list, so I just stayed in the hotel...
So we got back to Xi'an on the 26th and we were free until the 30th to get settled and sorted out. On the 31st, we started our 3 teacher prep days (Aug.31, Sept.1, Sept.2). So here I find myself on the 2nd no better prepared to start teaching than when I arrived! I've been helping the new teachers figure everything out (part of my new duties), get them computers (still not successful with this one) and generally get my head around everything. The internet has been very spotty with us so far and has led to a lot of frustration. Rumor has it that the Chinese government was cracking down on internet filters during the Beijing World Games that were going on - it is over now so maybe things will settle down...
It has been tough to get started on the prep because they haven't finalized our classes, teaching schedule, and many of our Chinese cohorts that we work with are not around yet due to various activities. And so it goes...
It is a late start this year due to a new national Chinese holiday - September 3 is the 70th celebration of the end of the Anti-Japanese war. And they are making a 3 day holiday out of it by extending it to the 4th and 5th as well. So that means the first day of school is Sept. 6. What? That's a Sunday? Who keeps track of these things?? We also have a meeting on the afternoon of the 5th (part of the "holiday") which is the first time that ALL of the teachers of our school (foreign and Chinese) will be there. So the afternoon before the first day of school is our first opportunity to talk with our Chinese colleagues about how we're going to divide up the teaching duties. Some things just don't seem to change....
Well, I had to get my feet wet and get started on the blog for this year. I don't know yet of any specific plans for us ex-pats for this holiday. I'll update on the new staff next time - we have 7 new teachers this year and it looks like a good crew - from all over the world.
The weather has been hot and muggy every day. In the 90's. The a/c in my new apartment works great in my bedroom, not so good in the living area. Looking forward to the cool down!!
The Chinese want to know, who is this Trump guy??
I arrived back in China on August 20 after fulfilling a very busy and productive summer. On the morning of August 21 I went out apartment hunting. I was able to find a good apartment - and it was only the 2nd one I looked at! I really wanted to stay in my old apartment, but the landlord sold it out from under me during the summer, so I had to move out as soon as possible (this was after several assurances from him that he was not going to sell the apartment and I could stay there as long as I wanted). I am now on the 19th floor of a 20 story apartment building (previously I was on the 11th),
and the complex is not quite as close as before, but definitely walkable (having said that, I have been riding my electric scooter in every day so far). It has wood floors, a bit unusual around here (and probably packed with formaldehyde), but has a much more homey feel. In typical fashion here, the bathroom and kitchen were incredibly dirty and I have spent a lot of time making them decent. So I moved into the apartment on the 22nd (took about 4 or 5 trips - accumulated some junk!), and then promptly had to fly out to Wuxi for the annual induction ceremony for Dipont (the company I work for). The workshops and meetings lasted for 2 days, but we spent 3 nights there. The hotel we stayed in was incredible - very large and literally a maze to get around. Rooms were huge and luxurious. The downside - it was in the middle of nowhere and to get into town involved a long taxi ride. Wuxi is not on my top ten list, so I just stayed in the hotel...
So we got back to Xi'an on the 26th and we were free until the 30th to get settled and sorted out. On the 31st, we started our 3 teacher prep days (Aug.31, Sept.1, Sept.2). So here I find myself on the 2nd no better prepared to start teaching than when I arrived! I've been helping the new teachers figure everything out (part of my new duties), get them computers (still not successful with this one) and generally get my head around everything. The internet has been very spotty with us so far and has led to a lot of frustration. Rumor has it that the Chinese government was cracking down on internet filters during the Beijing World Games that were going on - it is over now so maybe things will settle down...
It has been tough to get started on the prep because they haven't finalized our classes, teaching schedule, and many of our Chinese cohorts that we work with are not around yet due to various activities. And so it goes...
It is a late start this year due to a new national Chinese holiday - September 3 is the 70th celebration of the end of the Anti-Japanese war. And they are making a 3 day holiday out of it by extending it to the 4th and 5th as well. So that means the first day of school is Sept. 6. What? That's a Sunday? Who keeps track of these things?? We also have a meeting on the afternoon of the 5th (part of the "holiday") which is the first time that ALL of the teachers of our school (foreign and Chinese) will be there. So the afternoon before the first day of school is our first opportunity to talk with our Chinese colleagues about how we're going to divide up the teaching duties. Some things just don't seem to change....
Well, I had to get my feet wet and get started on the blog for this year. I don't know yet of any specific plans for us ex-pats for this holiday. I'll update on the new staff next time - we have 7 new teachers this year and it looks like a good crew - from all over the world.
The weather has been hot and muggy every day. In the 90's. The a/c in my new apartment works great in my bedroom, not so good in the living area. Looking forward to the cool down!!
The Chinese want to know, who is this Trump guy??
Monday, July 6, 2015
Summer Vacay
The bride and groom got a little bit teary (as did I), but it went through without a hitch. In typical Chinese fashion, they haven't decided yet where they will go for a "honeymoon."
My summer schedule looks like this:
I leave today, Tuesday the 7th, for Shangri-la in the Yunnan province in China. I will be there for 5 days, returning to Xián on the 12th.
On the 14th, I fly to Portland and the USA for the rest of the summer.
Early on the morning of the 18th, I fly to Phoenix to visit sister Lori in her new digs there. I return to Portland early on the 20th.
I then fly to Philadelphia to visit Dylan on the 23rd, returning to Portland on the 27th.
Then on the 3st I leave for Glacier National Park with Mom and meet up with Jan. We will get back to Portland around the 8th.
I then remain in Portland until the 19th when I fly back to Xián. How's that for a packed summer?!
Have a good one, everyone!!
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Yi, er, san ...
qiezi!
I heard a lot of that on graduation day. One, two, three ... eggplant! (for some reason they say eggplant instead of cheese - don't ask me...)
We had to arrive at 7:30 am for photos, the ceremony started at 9:00, and when I left at 12:30 (I snuck out a side door) it was still going strong. They didn't call the students up individually and hand them their diplomas (certificates here). They just got them all up there as a group, said something, and then everyone applauded. And of course they had to make their vows to the flag and put their fists up in the air several times. It seems a bit unnerving but the students tell me they don't really take much of it very seriously... The rest of the ceremony was taken up with the graduating classes putting on skits. The skits didn't seem to have any common thread or underlying messages - just a bunch of random stuff (and all in Chinese). And of course there were speeches by several big wigs. I don't think a short speech exists in China. Hence my early exit...
Last Monday was Dragon Boat Festival. Not much really happens here as there is no large body of water in Xián. The legend that it's based on goes back a couple thousand years. A short version: A famous Chinese poet/diplomat became distraught when his state was taken over by another (China was not unified at the time). He committed suicide by drowning in a lake or river. People raced out in boats (they all had dragons carved in the front) to try to save and/or collect his body before the fish ate it. They threw food into the water so the fish would eat it instead of eating his body, and also medicine to ward off the evil ghosts. They beat drums in the boats to scare off the spirits. That's the nutshell version that probably has many errors but if you ask a Chinese you'll get a different version from everyone. So anyways, we ate these rice cone things that symbolize what they threw in the water, and bought several scent bags that contain the smelly medicine to ward off the evil spirits. So that, in addition to having the day off from school, was the extent of our Dragon Boat Festival!
Tomorrow begins our last week of school before the school year ends. It has been very painful for me these last few weeks as the students have completed their last exams back in May. This time is used to get a head start on next year. All of this material will get covered again in September, but it seems there is a race with the Chinese teachers to get as much covered as possible by July 4 (the last day of school). But the students know that what they are doing now isn't really important (since they'll get it again), so the motivation on their side is extremely low. And I'm sitting here thinking this is all really insane... Not all of the international schools here in China operate like the one I'm at - and some have already called it a year, but I guess I got lucky and landed at one that likes to do it this crazy way!
Ah well...
Sky's wedding is July 6. He's asked me to say some words and give a little toast. Since most of my talk will be in English (it has to be!), it will be short (I don't think most of the guests will understand it, but a few will...). I think I pretty much have my speech ready...
Then on the 7th I leave for Shangri-la in Yunnan province for 4-5 days. It is somewhat close to Tibet and promises clean skies and breathable air... Then back to Xián to return to Portland on the 14th.
The big question - will the Trailblazers have their roster set by then??
The Chinese were excited how well their women's soccer team was doing - but Sky says they simply were no match for the big and strong American women...
And, being a math teacher, I can't leave without saying Happy Tau Day! (Tau is the Greek symbol for 2 times Pi). 6.28!!
I heard a lot of that on graduation day. One, two, three ... eggplant! (for some reason they say eggplant instead of cheese - don't ask me...)
We had to arrive at 7:30 am for photos, the ceremony started at 9:00, and when I left at 12:30 (I snuck out a side door) it was still going strong. They didn't call the students up individually and hand them their diplomas (certificates here). They just got them all up there as a group, said something, and then everyone applauded. And of course they had to make their vows to the flag and put their fists up in the air several times. It seems a bit unnerving but the students tell me they don't really take much of it very seriously... The rest of the ceremony was taken up with the graduating classes putting on skits. The skits didn't seem to have any common thread or underlying messages - just a bunch of random stuff (and all in Chinese). And of course there were speeches by several big wigs. I don't think a short speech exists in China. Hence my early exit...
Last Monday was Dragon Boat Festival. Not much really happens here as there is no large body of water in Xián. The legend that it's based on goes back a couple thousand years. A short version: A famous Chinese poet/diplomat became distraught when his state was taken over by another (China was not unified at the time). He committed suicide by drowning in a lake or river. People raced out in boats (they all had dragons carved in the front) to try to save and/or collect his body before the fish ate it. They threw food into the water so the fish would eat it instead of eating his body, and also medicine to ward off the evil ghosts. They beat drums in the boats to scare off the spirits. That's the nutshell version that probably has many errors but if you ask a Chinese you'll get a different version from everyone. So anyways, we ate these rice cone things that symbolize what they threw in the water, and bought several scent bags that contain the smelly medicine to ward off the evil spirits. So that, in addition to having the day off from school, was the extent of our Dragon Boat Festival!
Tomorrow begins our last week of school before the school year ends. It has been very painful for me these last few weeks as the students have completed their last exams back in May. This time is used to get a head start on next year. All of this material will get covered again in September, but it seems there is a race with the Chinese teachers to get as much covered as possible by July 4 (the last day of school). But the students know that what they are doing now isn't really important (since they'll get it again), so the motivation on their side is extremely low. And I'm sitting here thinking this is all really insane... Not all of the international schools here in China operate like the one I'm at - and some have already called it a year, but I guess I got lucky and landed at one that likes to do it this crazy way!
Ah well...
Sky's wedding is July 6. He's asked me to say some words and give a little toast. Since most of my talk will be in English (it has to be!), it will be short (I don't think most of the guests will understand it, but a few will...). I think I pretty much have my speech ready...
Then on the 7th I leave for Shangri-la in Yunnan province for 4-5 days. It is somewhat close to Tibet and promises clean skies and breathable air... Then back to Xián to return to Portland on the 14th.
The big question - will the Trailblazers have their roster set by then??
The Chinese were excited how well their women's soccer team was doing - but Sky says they simply were no match for the big and strong American women...
And, being a math teacher, I can't leave without saying Happy Tau Day! (Tau is the Greek symbol for 2 times Pi). 6.28!!
Saturday, June 6, 2015
One (school) year (almost)...
So it all began at the end of August last year. Now the first year is almost complete. The school year ends on July 4 (sort of ironic, no?). For my former colleagues back in the US, this is their last week of the year. Am I jealous? Hmmm...
This last month will go by quickly. I hope. It is crazy to still be in school when all the AP tests were completed in the first 2 weeks of May. But for the Chinese, there is always another test on the horizon. The one that they just finished studying for was this weekend - the SAT II subject matter tests. I don't think most US students bother with the SAT II (unless maybe the college they are going to requests them to take it). These tests are how the Chinese differentiate themselves, however. The high school transcripts here are subjective and pretty meaningless, so these international tests are their ticket. I never witnessed a student in the US studying for the SAT the way they do here- so it's really no wonder that their scores are so high... The next test they are studying for is the TOEFL - this one tests their English fluency and is undoubtedly their toughest one. If they would practice their English speaking in class it would be easier for them, but many are too shy or reticent. Typical teenage behavior I think. As far as the math classes go, we have already begun with next year's curriculum...
How have my Chinese language skills progressed, you ask? It's embarrassing. I keep waiting for it to 'click' with me, but it hasn't happened yet. I remember learning Spanish long ago, and in the beginning I didn't get it at all. And then suddenly it 'clicked.' Hasn't happened yet. Occasionally I will hear something that I think I understand, but my speaking is terrible. It's a tonal language and my ear hasn't adjusted to it yet. Take the word chou, for instance. It has one pronounciation, but depending on where you put the emphasis it can mean one of 3 things - a slap, ugly, or stinky. Using the wrong tone can result in embarrassment! I am not the only person that experiences this difficulty - the other english staff have trouble as well. This week, one guy who's been practicing profusely read a sentence in chinese to a chinese staff member and he couldn't understand a word he said. The only ones who seem to have a grasp of the language have been here 5 years or more. I don't see myself being here that long... so hopefully I can eventually go in and order a meal and buy some things in a store or on the street (where the real bargains are)... right now, I get by with nodding and shaking my head most of the time...
My plans for the summer are firming up. The Chinese are impressed. They rarely plan very far ahead - maybe 10 days at the most. After school gets out on the 4th, Sky's wedding is on the 6th (they haven't even sent out invitations yet).Then, the following day (7th), I fly to Shangri-la for a quick 5 day visit (I originally wanted to go to Tibet but that proved too difficult and expensive - Shangri-la is close anyways...). Then I get back to Xián on the 12th, and fly home to Portland on the 14th. The Portland stay will be interrupted from July 23-27 when I fly to Philly to visit Dylan and Jackie. And then from July 31- August 7 I'll be on a trip to Glacier National Park with Mom and Jan. I am looking forward to the clean air and blue skies of Montana! (Although I must say, the air in Xián has been good lately.) And, finally, returning to Xián on August 19. And then it starts again...
Being here is like being on a roller-coaster ride. It's got ups, downs, and loop-de-loops that will almost make you sick. But it has also been mind-opening. It is a very different culture that I think most people in the US don't understand. It is thousands of years old. I don't pretend to understand. I was on a bike ride with Jake yesterday and we were commenting on how you just learn to accept things. Like people riding down the lanes (both bikes and cars) in the wrong direction. It is very annoying. It is dangerous. But it's the way it is. You accept it or you go crazy fighting it. There are some english staff here who rant about it all the time - and they are miserable...
Friday night we went to an outdoor bbq area and had a leg of lamb. Some of the best meat I've had here. This afternoon a Chinese staff member invited us foreigners for a bbq at his place - I think he plans on having some western cuisine - could be interesting!
We've been having a lot of wet weather, which they say is a little unusual for this time of year. It's kept the temperatures down which I'm grateful for. This week is looking dry with temps in the 90's.
The cap-sizing of the boat on the Yangtze has been in the news a lot. The Chinese won't be travelling on that river for a while... after an incident like that they will be very reticent to be on the river. Much concern about the ghosts of the dead and other superstitions... Someone will have to take the blame for it and it will probably be the Captain of the ship - even if his decisions were following normal policy. The end result will probably be safer travel for future vacationers, however, so that will be a good thing.
That's it for now - zai jian
This last month will go by quickly. I hope. It is crazy to still be in school when all the AP tests were completed in the first 2 weeks of May. But for the Chinese, there is always another test on the horizon. The one that they just finished studying for was this weekend - the SAT II subject matter tests. I don't think most US students bother with the SAT II (unless maybe the college they are going to requests them to take it). These tests are how the Chinese differentiate themselves, however. The high school transcripts here are subjective and pretty meaningless, so these international tests are their ticket. I never witnessed a student in the US studying for the SAT the way they do here- so it's really no wonder that their scores are so high... The next test they are studying for is the TOEFL - this one tests their English fluency and is undoubtedly their toughest one. If they would practice their English speaking in class it would be easier for them, but many are too shy or reticent. Typical teenage behavior I think. As far as the math classes go, we have already begun with next year's curriculum...
How have my Chinese language skills progressed, you ask? It's embarrassing. I keep waiting for it to 'click' with me, but it hasn't happened yet. I remember learning Spanish long ago, and in the beginning I didn't get it at all. And then suddenly it 'clicked.' Hasn't happened yet. Occasionally I will hear something that I think I understand, but my speaking is terrible. It's a tonal language and my ear hasn't adjusted to it yet. Take the word chou, for instance. It has one pronounciation, but depending on where you put the emphasis it can mean one of 3 things - a slap, ugly, or stinky. Using the wrong tone can result in embarrassment! I am not the only person that experiences this difficulty - the other english staff have trouble as well. This week, one guy who's been practicing profusely read a sentence in chinese to a chinese staff member and he couldn't understand a word he said. The only ones who seem to have a grasp of the language have been here 5 years or more. I don't see myself being here that long... so hopefully I can eventually go in and order a meal and buy some things in a store or on the street (where the real bargains are)... right now, I get by with nodding and shaking my head most of the time...
My plans for the summer are firming up. The Chinese are impressed. They rarely plan very far ahead - maybe 10 days at the most. After school gets out on the 4th, Sky's wedding is on the 6th (they haven't even sent out invitations yet).Then, the following day (7th), I fly to Shangri-la for a quick 5 day visit (I originally wanted to go to Tibet but that proved too difficult and expensive - Shangri-la is close anyways...). Then I get back to Xián on the 12th, and fly home to Portland on the 14th. The Portland stay will be interrupted from July 23-27 when I fly to Philly to visit Dylan and Jackie. And then from July 31- August 7 I'll be on a trip to Glacier National Park with Mom and Jan. I am looking forward to the clean air and blue skies of Montana! (Although I must say, the air in Xián has been good lately.) And, finally, returning to Xián on August 19. And then it starts again...
Being here is like being on a roller-coaster ride. It's got ups, downs, and loop-de-loops that will almost make you sick. But it has also been mind-opening. It is a very different culture that I think most people in the US don't understand. It is thousands of years old. I don't pretend to understand. I was on a bike ride with Jake yesterday and we were commenting on how you just learn to accept things. Like people riding down the lanes (both bikes and cars) in the wrong direction. It is very annoying. It is dangerous. But it's the way it is. You accept it or you go crazy fighting it. There are some english staff here who rant about it all the time - and they are miserable...
Friday night we went to an outdoor bbq area and had a leg of lamb. Some of the best meat I've had here. This afternoon a Chinese staff member invited us foreigners for a bbq at his place - I think he plans on having some western cuisine - could be interesting!
We've been having a lot of wet weather, which they say is a little unusual for this time of year. It's kept the temperatures down which I'm grateful for. This week is looking dry with temps in the 90's.
The cap-sizing of the boat on the Yangtze has been in the news a lot. The Chinese won't be travelling on that river for a while... after an incident like that they will be very reticent to be on the river. Much concern about the ghosts of the dead and other superstitions... Someone will have to take the blame for it and it will probably be the Captain of the ship - even if his decisions were following normal policy. The end result will probably be safer travel for future vacationers, however, so that will be a good thing.
That's it for now - zai jian
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Strawberry Music Fest
The AP exams are now over for school, so the classes are in a state of "limbo" until the end of the school year on July 4. We start the next year's curriculum, so that when school re-starts in September, we've already covered a healthy chunk of the material. It makes things a bit difficult in terms of planning lessons and coordinating timelines, but that's the way they like to do it so that there is a huge amount of time left at the end of the school year to review before the AP tests. So these last few weeks will not be as laid-back as I had hoped...
We finally located a bowling alley here in Xián. There's a sports building that has 8 lanes on the 4th floor of a building. I don't know how a person would ever find it. The lanes are in good shape and do not appear to get much use (when we were there only 1 or 2 other lanes got occasional use). The lanes are well-polished, as well as the area up to the foul lines. It was so slippery, that I fell several times when releasing the ball. You would have to play there often to get used to it. After a miserable first game of 121, I somehow managed a 165 on the second game. That was enough, so we quit.
I was bummed out to discover my allergies came to life in spring here in China. I was pretty miserable with my eyes and nose being very irritated. It suddenly dawned on me (maybe at the music fest), that I had brought my nose spray with me here! I rummaged through my stuff, and sure enough, there was my savior! So after a couple days it brought me total relief and I don't think about it at all. I probably hadn't had allergies like that in quite a few years...
We are still trying to finalize our teaching schedules for the end of this school year. Things keep changing constantly - I am hoping that by the end of this week it will be settled down. Any hopes that I would know what I'll be teaching next year are pretty well dashed. Probably have to wait until our return in August. I'm sure to be teaching BC Calculus like I did this year, but may also have some Statistics and 10th grade math (sort of Pre-Calculus). I think the math department may be a little short next year which is not a good thing...
Our next (one-day) holiday is Dragon Boat Day on June 22. I'm still not sure what goes on that day, but I know I won't be climbing any mountains!
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
And the winner is...
All of my students have now completed the AP Calculus BC exam (it was done on Tuesday). They are now spending the rest of this week and next week taking their other subject exams (some of them are taking as many as 7 AP exams). How is it that the Chinese score so well on these exams? Well, let me tell you a story...
The NBA is now down to the finals for the world championship title. There are 2 teams left, Team Charlie and Team Uniform. They are worthy opponents, and as they have made it this far, they are definitely quality teams. What are their differences, you say?
Team Charlie is led by a very strict, disciplined coach. The team is constantly running drills and reviewing past films of the opposing team, studying every possible move that the other team has ever made. The team members are extremely talented (you have to be at this level), and they run perhaps the best pick-and-roll moves in the league. The coach wants the players to run scripted plays, and prefers the players not to run rogue on the floor, as any breakdowns of structure will lead to unknown results. He does not want to try anything new, since if it results in failure he will undoubtedly shoulder the responsibility. He cannot be blamed if he has prepared everything with tried and true methods.
Team Uniform is led by a coach who is a lover of the game. He revels in the challenges of somehow matching each player's abilities and strengths against the opposing team. He runs drills, but mainly to keep the players sharp, as he recognizes that at this level they are all extremely talented. He is not only willing to try new plays, but is also constantly on the lookout for anything innovative or unusual that might spark his team or players. Players will sometimes make mistakes, but they are human. He is willing to take calculated risks.
It can be said that at this level, both teams are winners. After all, they have made it to the finals!
They are both successful teams and will reap nice financial rewards. You have $1000 (your only savings) to place on one team. The odds are listed as even.
Which team do you place your money on, Charlie or Uniform?
The NBA is now down to the finals for the world championship title. There are 2 teams left, Team Charlie and Team Uniform. They are worthy opponents, and as they have made it this far, they are definitely quality teams. What are their differences, you say?
Team Charlie is led by a very strict, disciplined coach. The team is constantly running drills and reviewing past films of the opposing team, studying every possible move that the other team has ever made. The team members are extremely talented (you have to be at this level), and they run perhaps the best pick-and-roll moves in the league. The coach wants the players to run scripted plays, and prefers the players not to run rogue on the floor, as any breakdowns of structure will lead to unknown results. He does not want to try anything new, since if it results in failure he will undoubtedly shoulder the responsibility. He cannot be blamed if he has prepared everything with tried and true methods.
Team Uniform is led by a coach who is a lover of the game. He revels in the challenges of somehow matching each player's abilities and strengths against the opposing team. He runs drills, but mainly to keep the players sharp, as he recognizes that at this level they are all extremely talented. He is not only willing to try new plays, but is also constantly on the lookout for anything innovative or unusual that might spark his team or players. Players will sometimes make mistakes, but they are human. He is willing to take calculated risks.
It can be said that at this level, both teams are winners. After all, they have made it to the finals!
They are both successful teams and will reap nice financial rewards. You have $1000 (your only savings) to place on one team. The odds are listed as even.
Which team do you place your money on, Charlie or Uniform?
Sunday, April 19, 2015
We dug coal together
Oops, wrong country. Not in China. If you do get water, it's served warm (sometimes even hot). This here is noodle water - the water that they cooked their noodles in. It's served in a small fairly shallow dish. You drink right out of the dish. But hey, you say, the dish is chipped! Well, that's actually a good sign. It means the dish is old and has been around a long time. Who wants to get served in a new dish?? The theory behind drinking the warm water is that your body is warm - it's a shock to the body to drink cold water and hence not good for you... Who's to say?? Anyways, the noodles in this particular restaurant were good!
We've got 2 weeks left before the AP exams. I am counting the days. I can't wait until the seniors are gone (they leave right after the AP tests).
We had nice weather all week and then this weekend it rained. I used the opportunity to catch up on the series Justified. It's all over now... I really enjoyed it for the past 6 seasons... The title of this blog is a reference to one of the last lines said in the final episode - kind of an ode to the memories of experiences shared in younger days...
I must have at least 10 books lined up on my Kindle to read. Maybe when things slow down at school I'll make some headway on it.
My Chinese buddy Sky is getting married this summer. The date was originally at the end of July, but then he realized that none of his western friends would be able to make it. So he just moved it up to July 6 (our last school day is July 4). So I'll get my first experience at a Chinese wedding. It was a nice gesture to move the date up - I know his future in-laws weren't too excited about it!
Well, I've mopped the floors, did the laundry and dishes, and just came back from the grocery store. Time to break out the Kindle!
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
The Gaokao
Today's lesson is about the Chinese Gaokao. It is the big test that all seniors in high school in China take at the end of their senior year. Their scores will determine what university they go to - and there is very intense competition to get into the best schools.
The senior year in China consists of review only. They do not learn anything new. All they do all year is intensive review and study the past exams that have been given. They are in school 6 days a week, often until 10 pm. During this period in the students' lives, most parents relieve them of any duties they may have at home - no chores, no cooking, no cleaning (not that they may have been doing that anyways). They devote their lives to the Gaokao. The Chinese describe this period of their lives as horrible - and the day after the Gaokao is their release from hell. The importance of this test underlies much of the way their education system is run. The only thing that matters is the final score.
Here at Gaoxin International High School, the students do not take the Gaokao because they are planning on going to a foreign university (the Gaokao is used only for placement to Chinese universities). Replacing the Gaokao are the AP tests. Their scores on the AP tests, along with their SAT scores and English Proficiency test (Toefl) results, are used to gain entry into U.S., Canadian, and English universities. And, unlike the Gaokao, their emphasis is on the junior year, because they need these results during their senior year to apply for admissions (AP test results do not arrive until the middle of the summer). With the AP tests geared up to start in less than 4 weeks, they are in full-on review mode. Many of them are taking as many as 6 AP exams - and I wouldn't classify any of them as easy... Because the majority of their AP tests are taken the junior year, their senior year is one of kicking back. It is extremely hard to motivate them. They may still take a couple AP tests, but they will not be used to get admitted to a college. GPAs are not used here as there is no good way to calculate them (the classes are team-taught with Chinese teachers who have completely different philosophies). When a GPA is submitted to a university for a student, no one (including the student), has any idea how it is arrived at. But it always seems to be 90% or better! Because of all this, my 2 senior classes are among the worst I have ever taught. What we do until the end of the school year (which this year is July 4) after the AP exams is anybody's guess right now...
The weather has taken a turn for the good the last couple days. I have even seen the mountains in the distance from the window of my apartment. That is rare indeed. Today is supposed to climb up to 85. Time to break out the short sleeve shirts!
One of my colleagues here bought a mahjong table for his apartment. This has led to some late nights on the weekends. It is not a difficult game to play, but the pace is fast and chinese characters on the tiles make it challenging for me. My next challenge is to learn Chinese chess!!
The senior year in China consists of review only. They do not learn anything new. All they do all year is intensive review and study the past exams that have been given. They are in school 6 days a week, often until 10 pm. During this period in the students' lives, most parents relieve them of any duties they may have at home - no chores, no cooking, no cleaning (not that they may have been doing that anyways). They devote their lives to the Gaokao. The Chinese describe this period of their lives as horrible - and the day after the Gaokao is their release from hell. The importance of this test underlies much of the way their education system is run. The only thing that matters is the final score.
Here at Gaoxin International High School, the students do not take the Gaokao because they are planning on going to a foreign university (the Gaokao is used only for placement to Chinese universities). Replacing the Gaokao are the AP tests. Their scores on the AP tests, along with their SAT scores and English Proficiency test (Toefl) results, are used to gain entry into U.S., Canadian, and English universities. And, unlike the Gaokao, their emphasis is on the junior year, because they need these results during their senior year to apply for admissions (AP test results do not arrive until the middle of the summer). With the AP tests geared up to start in less than 4 weeks, they are in full-on review mode. Many of them are taking as many as 6 AP exams - and I wouldn't classify any of them as easy... Because the majority of their AP tests are taken the junior year, their senior year is one of kicking back. It is extremely hard to motivate them. They may still take a couple AP tests, but they will not be used to get admitted to a college. GPAs are not used here as there is no good way to calculate them (the classes are team-taught with Chinese teachers who have completely different philosophies). When a GPA is submitted to a university for a student, no one (including the student), has any idea how it is arrived at. But it always seems to be 90% or better! Because of all this, my 2 senior classes are among the worst I have ever taught. What we do until the end of the school year (which this year is July 4) after the AP exams is anybody's guess right now...
The weather has taken a turn for the good the last couple days. I have even seen the mountains in the distance from the window of my apartment. That is rare indeed. Today is supposed to climb up to 85. Time to break out the short sleeve shirts!
One of my colleagues here bought a mahjong table for his apartment. This has led to some late nights on the weekends. It is not a difficult game to play, but the pace is fast and chinese characters on the tiles make it challenging for me. My next challenge is to learn Chinese chess!!
Monday, March 30, 2015
Mahjong
Get 4 people together, throw 136 tiles on the table (similar in size to dominos), roll the dice and you've got a game of mahjong going. The closest thing I can compare it to is gin rummy with a bunch of variations thrown in. Add to that the fact that many of the tiles have only chinese characters on them for names and numbers and the complexity increases exponentially. A bunch of us have been getting together the last couple weekends and it's been good fun. A bit of money is involved too, but it is low enough to not put a dent in the good times. I got a set for the apartment here, but we went to a tea place this weekend that has a mahjong electronic mechanical table. Boy are they sweet! It saves an incredible amount of time in sorting and stacking the tiles. You can go to the parks when the weather is nice out and you'll see groups of people playing mahjong all over the place.
We took the public rental bikes and went on a small journey this weekend to the base of the nearby Qingling Mountains. I learned 2 things: one, those bikes are not made for long journeys (oh, my aching butt) and two, on a nice day there is a lot of traffic going to the mountains and being on a bike is not so much fun. The air was not real clean and there was a lot of dust blowing around. We made it back before dark (my main goal, although people here don't seem to mind riding bikes without helmets or lights of any kind). I think next time I'll just take the bus to the mountains and hike from there (I did it earlier this year with my principal Darryl).
Speaking of Darryl, he announced this week that he has accepted a transfer position to another school in Ningbo (just south of Shanghai a bit). They then moved the Head of Curriculum, David McConnell, to the principal position. He's a nice guy, from Scotland. His position was then open, and someone suggested that I go for it, so I threw my name in the hat. They haven't even decided yet if they're going to have that position next year, but if so, I think it would be a good move. You still teach classes (although hopefully not as many depending on staffing) and get a small pay raise. The Chinese government is supposedly coming out with some news next month regarding education which may affect all foreign schools here. We'll have to wait and see. The Chinese government is not known for being very quick about things (when you think about it, are any governments??).
Been following the NCAA basketball tourney vicariously, and was surprised to see Michigan State made it to the final four. I didn't pick any of my home teams to go anywhere this year, deciding not to play favorites. Next year it'll be home teams all the way!
We had some pretty cold weather last week, but the last couple of days it has been in the 70's. I want to put the winter jacket away, but not quite sure yet. The air hasn't been very clean unfortunately. People said it would clear up when the heating was turned off March 15, but that doesn't seem to really be the case.
Monday is a national holiday - Tomb Sweeping Day. Visit your ancestors and clean up their gravesites. No big plans here. That puts us a month away from the AP exams, and after that classes are supposedly pretty relaxed.
My phone was acting up and I decided I better get a new one before it just died on me. Oh, this new technology is time-consuming! I've spent hours trying to fine-tune it and it's still not there. This morning I woke up thinking it was a little late. The phone had died during the night (it is my alarm clock). I have no idea why. But my internal alarm clock was good enough to get me to school on time. Having all the instructions in Chinese is not helpful!
Go Spartans!!
We took the public rental bikes and went on a small journey this weekend to the base of the nearby Qingling Mountains. I learned 2 things: one, those bikes are not made for long journeys (oh, my aching butt) and two, on a nice day there is a lot of traffic going to the mountains and being on a bike is not so much fun. The air was not real clean and there was a lot of dust blowing around. We made it back before dark (my main goal, although people here don't seem to mind riding bikes without helmets or lights of any kind). I think next time I'll just take the bus to the mountains and hike from there (I did it earlier this year with my principal Darryl).
Speaking of Darryl, he announced this week that he has accepted a transfer position to another school in Ningbo (just south of Shanghai a bit). They then moved the Head of Curriculum, David McConnell, to the principal position. He's a nice guy, from Scotland. His position was then open, and someone suggested that I go for it, so I threw my name in the hat. They haven't even decided yet if they're going to have that position next year, but if so, I think it would be a good move. You still teach classes (although hopefully not as many depending on staffing) and get a small pay raise. The Chinese government is supposedly coming out with some news next month regarding education which may affect all foreign schools here. We'll have to wait and see. The Chinese government is not known for being very quick about things (when you think about it, are any governments??).
Been following the NCAA basketball tourney vicariously, and was surprised to see Michigan State made it to the final four. I didn't pick any of my home teams to go anywhere this year, deciding not to play favorites. Next year it'll be home teams all the way!
We had some pretty cold weather last week, but the last couple of days it has been in the 70's. I want to put the winter jacket away, but not quite sure yet. The air hasn't been very clean unfortunately. People said it would clear up when the heating was turned off March 15, but that doesn't seem to really be the case.
Monday is a national holiday - Tomb Sweeping Day. Visit your ancestors and clean up their gravesites. No big plans here. That puts us a month away from the AP exams, and after that classes are supposedly pretty relaxed.
My phone was acting up and I decided I better get a new one before it just died on me. Oh, this new technology is time-consuming! I've spent hours trying to fine-tune it and it's still not there. This morning I woke up thinking it was a little late. The phone had died during the night (it is my alarm clock). I have no idea why. But my internal alarm clock was good enough to get me to school on time. Having all the instructions in Chinese is not helpful!
Go Spartans!!
Saturday, March 14, 2015
And the heat goes off...
Today, March 15, is the official end of the heating season in China. Heat gets turned off after today across the country. Luckily, the weather has definitely gotten warmer the last few days, and if this continues, having no heat will not be an issue. If it does get cold, however, pile on the blankets and get the space heaters out...
I started back to school on Tuesday after being at an AP conference in Suzhou for 3 days (it's about a 2 hour flight from Xián and it is about a 60 minute taxi ride from Shanghai). Because of the location of the conference (a school in the southernmost part) and the long hours we were not able to get any sight-seeing in. They flew in all the instructors from the states - and one of them was the same one I had at a conference 3 years ago in Vancouver, Washington! But here's the real kicker - I was talking to a woman there and asked her where she came from. "Detroit." Really? Where'd you go to high school? "Groves." What are the chances? Where'd you go to college? "Michigan State." I don't think I've ever met anyone while in the States who went to my high school, and here I am in China and run across someone... She wasn't born until 1989, though, so her graduating class is nowhere near mine. Sounds like not a whole lot has changed, except there aren't as many students there as in 1973.
It has taken a while to get back into the school groove after the 3 weeks off for the lunar new year festival and then the AP conference. I asked the students if they enjoyed their vacation and the overwhelming consensus was "No." What'd you do over the holiday? "Study." And that's one of the reasons their test scores are so high. That's all they do. I wonder sometimes if they know how to have fun...
One of our Economics teachers had a bit of a meltdown this week. He only came in 1 day and called in sick the rest of the days. He was ready to quit and had booked a flight home. We took him out last night for a going-away party and in the process talked him into staying until the end of the school year. It would've really created a bind if he left - you can't find a teacher on such short notice to come over to China and teach for a couple months! He came here actually filling in for another teacher who had quit. His first day teaching here was Christmas day. Before getting this job, he didn't even have a passport and had never been out of the country. So the whole thing has been a huge shock to him. We told him the end of the school year would go by fast - I hope we weren't lying!
Our last day of school is July 4. Until then, we have 2 days off - creating 2 3-day weekends. One day off is April 6 (Tomb Sweeping Day) and the other is May 1 (Labor Day). The good news is there should be no more Saturday or Sunday teaching days for us! Of course, this is China, and that could change, but none are scheduled which is a good thing!
They have started up a free bicycle loan program this year in Xián. I went with a couple people yesterday to get registered for it. They have bike locations all around the city and you just go up and swipe a credit card to unlock the bike and take off! The registration process was insanely chaotic and inefficient, but now that we have that out of the way we've got a new way to get around. With the weather getting nicer, it should make it much more pleasant to get somewhere without having to ride on a super crowded bus or catch an elusive taxi. You do have to be alert, though, as the traffic signals here tend to just be suggestions for most drivers!
I see the States is back on daylight savings time. They don't do that in China, nor do they have time zones. The entire country is on one single time zone. It works out ok here in Xian because we're sort of in the middle of the country, but I would think in the far east or far west you would get some crazy sunrise and sunset times...
March Madness? We're going to have a pool in our staff room. No one knows anything about any of the teams this year - no college games are televised (you can catch some pro games or pro highlights on one of the chinese tv stations). Should be fun though!
Well that's it for now. I haven't been as diligent about making regular postings - time seems like it's flying by lately. I'll try to do better!
I started back to school on Tuesday after being at an AP conference in Suzhou for 3 days (it's about a 2 hour flight from Xián and it is about a 60 minute taxi ride from Shanghai). Because of the location of the conference (a school in the southernmost part) and the long hours we were not able to get any sight-seeing in. They flew in all the instructors from the states - and one of them was the same one I had at a conference 3 years ago in Vancouver, Washington! But here's the real kicker - I was talking to a woman there and asked her where she came from. "Detroit." Really? Where'd you go to high school? "Groves." What are the chances? Where'd you go to college? "Michigan State." I don't think I've ever met anyone while in the States who went to my high school, and here I am in China and run across someone... She wasn't born until 1989, though, so her graduating class is nowhere near mine. Sounds like not a whole lot has changed, except there aren't as many students there as in 1973.
It has taken a while to get back into the school groove after the 3 weeks off for the lunar new year festival and then the AP conference. I asked the students if they enjoyed their vacation and the overwhelming consensus was "No." What'd you do over the holiday? "Study." And that's one of the reasons their test scores are so high. That's all they do. I wonder sometimes if they know how to have fun...
One of our Economics teachers had a bit of a meltdown this week. He only came in 1 day and called in sick the rest of the days. He was ready to quit and had booked a flight home. We took him out last night for a going-away party and in the process talked him into staying until the end of the school year. It would've really created a bind if he left - you can't find a teacher on such short notice to come over to China and teach for a couple months! He came here actually filling in for another teacher who had quit. His first day teaching here was Christmas day. Before getting this job, he didn't even have a passport and had never been out of the country. So the whole thing has been a huge shock to him. We told him the end of the school year would go by fast - I hope we weren't lying!
Our last day of school is July 4. Until then, we have 2 days off - creating 2 3-day weekends. One day off is April 6 (Tomb Sweeping Day) and the other is May 1 (Labor Day). The good news is there should be no more Saturday or Sunday teaching days for us! Of course, this is China, and that could change, but none are scheduled which is a good thing!
They have started up a free bicycle loan program this year in Xián. I went with a couple people yesterday to get registered for it. They have bike locations all around the city and you just go up and swipe a credit card to unlock the bike and take off! The registration process was insanely chaotic and inefficient, but now that we have that out of the way we've got a new way to get around. With the weather getting nicer, it should make it much more pleasant to get somewhere without having to ride on a super crowded bus or catch an elusive taxi. You do have to be alert, though, as the traffic signals here tend to just be suggestions for most drivers!
I see the States is back on daylight savings time. They don't do that in China, nor do they have time zones. The entire country is on one single time zone. It works out ok here in Xian because we're sort of in the middle of the country, but I would think in the far east or far west you would get some crazy sunrise and sunset times...
March Madness? We're going to have a pool in our staff room. No one knows anything about any of the teams this year - no college games are televised (you can catch some pro games or pro highlights on one of the chinese tv stations). Should be fun though!
Well that's it for now. I haven't been as diligent about making regular postings - time seems like it's flying by lately. I'll try to do better!
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Nam Now
Vietnam is but a memory now. I flew into Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon and still called that by many) and from there directly to the island of Phu Quoc. All of my approximately 8 days were spent on the island - the only time I spent on the mainland was to catch a plane transfer at Ho Chi Minh City. First impression - warm and humid!! Ah, that felt nice! The water was unbelievably warm. I think it rained during the first night I was there, but otherwise no rain. Blue skies and occasional clouds! They were also celebrating the Lunar New Year, so many of the places were closed or only open during limited times. Definitely not crowded. Most of the people I met, who were not local Vietnamese, were Europeans. I only met 2 Americans the whole time - and they were from Oregon! (Ashland).
So I figure the best way to share the pics I took is through Google Picasa. I've uploaded the pics, presently without captions (I'll try to add some later) and they can be browsed at your leisure. I did go scuba diving, and one of the folders is from the underwater camera I took. I had a personal guide underwater, Jyri, from Finland. The water was warm (I could've gone without the wetsuit) but you have to wear one. There were many jellyfish in the water but I didn't see any around us during the dives. I was disappointed in the water visibility - it wasn't very good. We did 2 dives in one day at 2 different locations. Because of the visibility, I decided it was not worth it to do any more dives...
Here are the links to the pics:
https://plus.google.com/photos/102773079683555477704/albums/6119764212916831089
https://plus.google.com/photos/102773079683555477704/albums/6119763000572804753
https://plus.google.com/photos/102773079683555477704/albums/6119760641392656817
https://plus.google.com/photos/102773079683555477704/albums/6122209531031021745
There was one beach that was my favorite, Sao Beach, towards the south of the island.
I rented a motor scooter for 3 of the days. That's really how everyone gets around unless you take a taxi. Very few autos. Thousands of scooters! I was staying on the west coast of the island about in the middle of the island. You could spend an entire day just exploring the north, and then another day exploring the south. Pretty big island. Signage was poor to nonexistent but if you got lost you could just backtrack to a familiar place.
The vacation served its purpose - relaxation and mind clearing. And it's very cheap there too so you don't spend a ton of money. For a week, I was a millionaire ( 1,000,000 Vietnamese Dong = $46.82).
The Lunar New Year festival is winding down. On March 5 is Lantern Day which ends it. I have already sent a few lanterns up into the sky.
School resumes on March 7, but I will be going to an AP Conference in Suzhou March 6-9 so I miss a couple days of school. I'm looking forward to the conference and seeing Suzhou!
So I figure the best way to share the pics I took is through Google Picasa. I've uploaded the pics, presently without captions (I'll try to add some later) and they can be browsed at your leisure. I did go scuba diving, and one of the folders is from the underwater camera I took. I had a personal guide underwater, Jyri, from Finland. The water was warm (I could've gone without the wetsuit) but you have to wear one. There were many jellyfish in the water but I didn't see any around us during the dives. I was disappointed in the water visibility - it wasn't very good. We did 2 dives in one day at 2 different locations. Because of the visibility, I decided it was not worth it to do any more dives...
Here are the links to the pics:
https://plus.google.com/photos/102773079683555477704/albums/6119764212916831089
https://plus.google.com/photos/102773079683555477704/albums/6119763000572804753
https://plus.google.com/photos/102773079683555477704/albums/6119760641392656817
https://plus.google.com/photos/102773079683555477704/albums/6122209531031021745
There was one beach that was my favorite, Sao Beach, towards the south of the island.
I rented a motor scooter for 3 of the days. That's really how everyone gets around unless you take a taxi. Very few autos. Thousands of scooters! I was staying on the west coast of the island about in the middle of the island. You could spend an entire day just exploring the north, and then another day exploring the south. Pretty big island. Signage was poor to nonexistent but if you got lost you could just backtrack to a familiar place.
The vacation served its purpose - relaxation and mind clearing. And it's very cheap there too so you don't spend a ton of money. For a week, I was a millionaire ( 1,000,000 Vietnamese Dong = $46.82).
The Lunar New Year festival is winding down. On March 5 is Lantern Day which ends it. I have already sent a few lanterns up into the sky.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Couplets
Above is one security entrance to my apartment complex. Banners and lanterns put up!
There are decorations going up all over the place - red laterns, lights, banners and sheep statues (it is the year of the sheep - of which I am a proud member!). We were downtown last night near the Xian wall where they have put up many decorations and will have a big celebration on the 19th. The sheep statues are very beautiful but my phone wouldn't take decent pictures of them so maybe I'll go back again.
Since our holiday from school (which started on the 12th) the weather has been pretty nice. Fairly unpolluted skies and spring-like temperatures. The actual Chinese New Year is on the 19th, and as we get closer to that date the streets are getting quieter and less crowded as people go home, wherever that may be, to be with their families. I'm told it's one of the most peaceful times around here (however many shops are closed which makes it more challenging...). Well, peaceful if you don't mind the firecrackers. They are LOUD, and I'm told on the 19th it is almost continuous from sun-up on. But for right now, it is only the occasional burst of noise... But I am leaving early morning on the 19th for Vietnam (cheap flights on that date), and will be heading to an island off the coast called Phu Quoc. I will be there for 10 days before returning back here. A colleague at school told me about it, and it sounds like a great place to relax, swim (scuba dive) and read books. All, of course, accomplished while sitting in the sun or under a tropical tree. I've found a small little hotel near the beach and they speak English (or at least a little) so that should help. I've heard the food is great.
I'll be back in Xián on March 2nd in plenty of time before school starts up on the 7th (yes, a Saturday). But not to worry, I'm going to an AP conference in Suzhou from the 7th to the 9th so I get a small break there.
So somehow I have managed to survive the first half of the school year (well, actually, the new year this year is late so we have gone beyond the half-way point). My thoughts and emotions fluctuate on almost a daily basis as to what the future may bring. The one conclusion I have come to so far is that you don't want to try to predict what will happen in China. Because it will surely change. There are many things that are truly amazing here, and while many parts of the culture truly perplex me, I also find may things truly magical. I only wish the language were easier to learn - I feel like I still know next to nothing.
I am going to go out for a walk in the park now. And then later I am tutoring a student in English who is getting ready to take the English proficiency test they must pass to study in the US. Seeing a student outside of school has been a real eye-opener to their lives...
And so I wish you all: Chun jie kuai le.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
10,9,8,7,6,....
The Good News: The Chinese New Year holiday begins on February 12!
The Bad News: We have school for 10 straight days before the 12th! We just finished day 4, 6 to go!
I don't understand why they do it - it almost seems like a competition to see which school can keep their kids in the longest. I asked the students what's the longest period of days they've gone to school straight without a break and they said 14 days. They just accept it and don't question it at all. The parents don't mind because they really don't take an active role in raising their kids (the grandparents do most of it) and so it's fewer days they have to deal with them. Of course the teachers, both Chinese and ex-pats, don't like it but are powerless to do anything about it...
The new look: It's the snake fang mask:
I just paid my 2nd rent installment (you pay for 6 months in advance). It's quite a chunk but then at least you don't have to worry about it for a while...
This is the year of the Sheep. That happens to be what I am! If it's the year of your animal, you're supposed to wear red pants on the New Year (Feb. 19). Dang it! I'll be on a plane to Vietnam!
The Bad News: We have school for 10 straight days before the 12th! We just finished day 4, 6 to go!
I don't understand why they do it - it almost seems like a competition to see which school can keep their kids in the longest. I asked the students what's the longest period of days they've gone to school straight without a break and they said 14 days. They just accept it and don't question it at all. The parents don't mind because they really don't take an active role in raising their kids (the grandparents do most of it) and so it's fewer days they have to deal with them. Of course the teachers, both Chinese and ex-pats, don't like it but are powerless to do anything about it...
The new look: It's the snake fang mask:
We actually had a light snow last week - maybe .5 to 1 inch. It cleared the air for a while, but we have had a few days of moderate to heavy pollution. People did drive less, and were more cautious - a nice change of pace!
So my tentative plans for the New Year are to hang around Xián until the 19th (that's the actually New Year) and then fly out to Vietnam (the flights are really cheap on the new year day itself). From Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) I fly to an island called Pho Quoc. They are supposed to have some good snorkeling and scuba diving there so I hope to get some of that in. Other than that, my intention is not to travel around much but just relax, read and swim in some warm weather. I return back to Xián on March 2. School resumes on March 7 (I know, a Saturday!) but I will actually not have to be there as I am going to an AP conference in Suzhou that weekend (it's outside of Shanghai).
We ate at a really nice Indian restaurant on Saturday. I didn't take any pictures but I'm sure we'll go back there. It's in an incredible mall that has very elaborate decor. Sky commented that the meat didn't have any bones in it (Chinese meat is full of bones), and we informed him that that is the way that most people prefer it! He agreed that it was nice not to have to deal with picking out the bones...
We have been embroiled in school the last couple weeks with controversy over teaching hours, loads, evaluations and grading. It could get interesting. I'm refraining from making any predictions on what will happen as I've discovered the Chinese to be very unpredictable. We foreign teachers are feeling powerless and treated as though we are just window dressing. There is certainly an amount of truth
to that. The center in Xián is very unique for the company I'm working for - it is the only one where the Chinese and foreign teachers attempt to share classes. To say that's a challenge is an understatement!I just paid my 2nd rent installment (you pay for 6 months in advance). It's quite a chunk but then at least you don't have to worry about it for a while...
This is the year of the Sheep. That happens to be what I am! If it's the year of your animal, you're supposed to wear red pants on the New Year (Feb. 19). Dang it! I'll be on a plane to Vietnam!
Monday, January 26, 2015
And the heat goes on... (Nancy Sinatra does China)
So I noticed over the weekend that my apartment was getting cold. I felt the radiators and they were cold. Hmmm... so I went down to the manager's office (in another building about 300 meters away) to ask about it. When I walk in the door, the woman that works there almost immediately grabs the phone to call someone who can translate for me. I tell them my apartment is cold. She says, that's not a problem, all the heat is shut off for 6 hours a day (from Midnight - 3am and Noon - 3pm) and it will be back on shortly.(Never mind that it wasn't during those hours when I came in.) So it was cold all weekend and still cold this morning (I had my trusty little space heater at the foot of my bed to keep me warm) and I knew something was not right. When you buy heat here, it is like all utilities, the money you pay is loaded onto a credit card for that utility, which you insert into a meter designated for that utility at your apartment. The utility will last until your money is used up, then you go reload the card again (It's really annoying when your electricity suddenly goes out at 9pm and the office is closed so you can't buy more electricity until the next day). I had bought heat back in November around the time when they turned the heat on (November 15). There should have been plenty left. But I had never inserted my heating card anywhere because I saw any place to put it, so I figured in my illogical American mind that the heating is handled differently. Well, we found out, after much discussion and back-and-forth, that the money I had put on the card was still on the card, and apparently I had been using whatever money had been left on the heating meter when I moved into the apartment. So where is the heating meter to insert the card, you ask? Across the hall from my apartment door inside a locked room. Now why didn't I know that? So a technician came over to sort it all out and I now have heat. The purpose of this little discussion is just to give you a flavor of what it's like oftentimes to get something done here. You don't get the right story the first time, then they try to brush you off so they don't have to do any work, and you end up calling a technician to fix a problem that never should have been a problem...
One of the reasons I wanted to get the heat on quickly was that there is actually snow in the forecast for the first time since I've been here. I thought it might be nice to have a warm place to go to...
Whether or not the snow comes, we'll see - my students say never trust a chinese weather forecast.
We went and saw The Hobbit in 3-D on Saturday afternoon. The movie (in 3-D) was only $4.00. Not bad, eh? I stay away from the popcorn because they serve it with sugar (which is OK) but I still prefer the good old artery hardening salt and butter.
Our students take their semester exams the end of this week. They don't get too worked up over them because for them the tests don't really mean anything. The only thing they care about are the SAT, AP, and Toefl (english proficiency test). Last week 2 of my classes were gone on Thursday and Friday as they flew to Hong Kong to take the SAT (it is not given in mainland China). They are not satisfied unless they get scores of 750 or better (800 is the max on the subjects). The only time they will say that they did well is if they get a perfect score. It is crazy. They have absolutely no trouble with the math section, but spend countless hours studying the english and vocabulary. I would venture to say that they know more vocabulary than most American students. Using the words correctly in a sentence, however, is another story...
If you looked at the photos from the Terracota warriors adventure last weekend, you may have noticed how close we got to them. In fact, we were standing there with our arms around them. Sorry to say those were not the real warriors - those were some duplicates that you could pay $1 to get your picture taken with them.
It has been rather polluted lately - I went out and bought myself a comfortable mask today. The disposable ones I've been wearing are not comfortable at all:
One of the reasons I wanted to get the heat on quickly was that there is actually snow in the forecast for the first time since I've been here. I thought it might be nice to have a warm place to go to...
Whether or not the snow comes, we'll see - my students say never trust a chinese weather forecast.
We went and saw The Hobbit in 3-D on Saturday afternoon. The movie (in 3-D) was only $4.00. Not bad, eh? I stay away from the popcorn because they serve it with sugar (which is OK) but I still prefer the good old artery hardening salt and butter.
Our students take their semester exams the end of this week. They don't get too worked up over them because for them the tests don't really mean anything. The only thing they care about are the SAT, AP, and Toefl (english proficiency test). Last week 2 of my classes were gone on Thursday and Friday as they flew to Hong Kong to take the SAT (it is not given in mainland China). They are not satisfied unless they get scores of 750 or better (800 is the max on the subjects). The only time they will say that they did well is if they get a perfect score. It is crazy. They have absolutely no trouble with the math section, but spend countless hours studying the english and vocabulary. I would venture to say that they know more vocabulary than most American students. Using the words correctly in a sentence, however, is another story...
If you looked at the photos from the Terracota warriors adventure last weekend, you may have noticed how close we got to them. In fact, we were standing there with our arms around them. Sorry to say those were not the real warriors - those were some duplicates that you could pay $1 to get your picture taken with them.
It has been rather polluted lately - I went out and bought myself a comfortable mask today. The disposable ones I've been wearing are not comfortable at all:
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