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Published: January 31st 2007
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Chinese plumbing
My roommate, May, and I have one small problem in our apartment: a horrible stench that comes up through our bathroom drain. We've complained several times, but the solution that is offered is to flush it out with water every other day, or this gem: fill a plastic bag with water and leave it over the drain so as to block the smell. Chinese New Year is fast approaching! Also known as Spring Festival, the Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday celebration in China. The government condones a 3-day public holiday, but most businesses and schools are closed for at least one week. Real Life English, the language center I am employed by, will grant all teachers and staff a one-week holiday during the festivities. However, this one week is not given to us without cost. The government permits us to take a 3-day vacation; this is added to our 2 weekend days. However, that still leaves 2 days out of the 7 unaccounted for. In order to make up those 2 days, we must work for 7 days straight the week prior to Spring Festival (that means we must show up to work during our weekend days that week before the festival). It's a confusing system, but we are all looking forward to some much-needed time off.
Chinese New Year is a time when the entire country is traveling. This week off is an opportunity to go back to visit family in one's hometown, or as is the case with foreigners, to join the teeming masses of humanity and travel around
Mary Ma entryway
This is a huge picture of the company's namesake, Mary Ma. I've met her in person; she's quite intimidating. China without having to apply for leave from work. I intend to do just that. The first half of the New Year, I will remain in Beijing. I will likely journey to my host family's apartment for dinner and to make jiaozi , which are one of my favorite foods in China. The fireworks presentations are said to be phenomenal. In America, we are accustomed to going to a large outdoor park to watch a well-timed fireworks show that takes place with every safety precaution possible. This is not the case in China! Ordinary residents have access to these huge, booming beauties and will light them off right underneath their neighbor's window. I hear it's difficult to sleep for the first few nights of the New Year because the noise is so great. The apartment complex I live in, Fulicheng, is well-known for having massive fireworks displays that shoot off from all over the complex. Consequently, the number of people who die from malfunctioning fireworks is quite high. I think I will stay indoors during these demonstrations.
For the second half of the New Year celebration, I will be in Shanghai. Although I've been in China for over
Designer clothes
These mannequins are in the entryway of Mary Ma Fashion. The clothing changes weekly. 3 months now, I have not done much traveling. I have decided to take advantage of the time off to go traveling without using any of my precious vacation days. . Shanghai is one of the most modern cities in China. Everything is different there-- the architecture, the food, the fashion trends, even the language. A dialect is spoken on the streets, although most people who live in Shanghai speak Mandarin too. Shanghai is considered a Southern city, because it lies South of the Yangtze River. I've never been to what is considered 'the South' before; it will be an interesting cultural experience.
Work continues to go well for me. I found out yesterday that I will likely be given a third corporate client; this time, with a law firm. These types of clients are real resume builders; I feel lucky to be selected for these assignments. It's also nice to get out of the office; spending 8 hours a day in our tiny teachers' prep room is not my ideal day. When I first arrived in Beijing and began
My favorite class!
My students at Mary Ma Fashion House--
Levi, Sophia, Kelly, me, Katrina and Isabella
With the exception of Kelly, I had the privilege of giving them all English names! teaching English, I immediately felt positive that teaching was not a career for me. However, after spending the past 3 months teaching English, I've realized that I go home at the end of the day feeling good about myself and what I've contributed to the world, however small that contribution may be. I've said before that going home at the end of the workday and feeling as though I've made some sort of difference in someone's life is exactly what I'm looking for. Teaching may not be the answer for me, but I'm beginning to crack the surface of the mystery. I'm also beginning to break away from the pack in terms of my teaching style. I have not always had a go-with-the-flow type personality, but that attitude definitely embodies the way I conduct my classes. I welcome student questions and don't mind being interrupted if I'm in the middle of a lecture. I use Chinese more than I should in my classes, because that is my ultimate reason for returning to China-- to learn the language. I believe I am still an appropriate teacher, but I do not fine my students money for using Chinese during class as some
Student-Teacher lunch
Another teacher, Meghan, and I were taken out to lunch by some of our students. From left, Lillian, me, Meg, Nicole and Lisa.
They took us to fabulous restaurant, and even brought a bottle of wine for toasts and a cake for dessert. Our students are some of the most thoughtful people I have ever met. of the other teachers do; I welcome it. I'm also able to utilize my Spanish-speaking abilities to tutor one of my core class students. Her sister is married to a Spanish man and my student will be moving to Spain in a few months' time to help out with the 2 small children. During my help desk hours, I help this student to learn Spanish. It's great practice for me and enables me to prevent my Spanish from becoming rusty.
I continue to cherish my piano that I bought here. I feel so much calmer, so much more at peace now that I have the ability to play at any hour that I wish. Music was, and continues to be, a huge part of my life, and the piano is part of the essence of my soul. I would be lost without it. Even though my career as a world-famous concert pianist did not end up being realized, I am making a small dent in my dream via the circulation of the CDs that I recorded with Zeller Productions. They've even made the journey overseas to China, so you could say I am an international recording artist!
In
Me and Lisa
I'm Lisa's mentor at school...I never had her in class, but I would often sit down with her for any questions she had or just to gossip in English. closing, I'd like to include some humorous mistranslations seen around China:
As seen on signs, boxes and packages around China:
1.) No smorking
2.) "Beware of people"
3.) On a printer: "Color Loser 500"
4.) On cookie package: "Crack Sandwich"
5.) Food description on a menu: "Dumpling stuffed with the ovary and digestive glands of a crab". Mmmmm....
6.) In a park: "for the sake of everyone's enjoyment, please do pick the flowers"
7.) On a menu: "Fried crap with spicy sauce"
8.) Above a urinal: "Be graceful. Be civil"
9.) Near a trashcan: "Poisonous and evil rubbish"
10.) On a fireworks package: "Thunder crap"
11.) On a package of bolts for construction: "Screw Taiwan"
Thanks for reading.
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anonymous
non-member comment
awwwww!!!! missing china like crazy. mary ma's sounds like an amazing job!!!!