Part Two - Ala Turka Does ChopStiX

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BEIJING - PART TWO


Chinese Valentines Day & MY mobile phone number.

Happy fucking Valentines Day I say  Oh well… nothing like it is in Australia. In Beijing or China I had no idea it was even in China. But hey, I got notified by the students that it’s Valentines - some what a few days ago. What a day! Students asked me to go to this so called BALL that was going on… I got notified by students in my class - which I unwillingly stated I will attend. What an experience let me add. After hearing that it’s Valentines Day I asked one of my colleagues - who attended my going away party in Melbourne to come along with me - as my guest! She was thrilled to come along and see how this BALL was and how the Chinese youngsters enjoyed their time at a party. This is where all the excitement began I got a call from one of my students stating that the Valentines Day BALL was on - she asked me if I was going, I said I was thinking about going with the other teachers. I asked her where it was she said she doesn’t know but will find out - when I asked her if she was going she said NO! I’m thinking then why the fuck is this girl calling me to tell me there’s a ball on and not going. Fucking weirdo! That’s just to name a few incidents which I will get into later in MOBILE PHONE statement below.

Natasha and I went to this BALL which we eventually found out that it was held on the Basketball court on Campus, music that we could actually hear a mile away. Upon getting to the “entrance” we saw a swarm of students around the centre of the court, in circles either standing around or dancing. Now, I thought I was at a high school graduation ceremony, where people gather around doing jack shit. That’s from the outside perspective. I told Natasha that this seemed soo peculiar that people are standing around doing nothing. That’s until we went into the crowd and saw these Chinese girls on one side and males on the other side, in a circle. It actually reminded me of a massive Turkish wedding with people clapping in a circle while one person would be in the middle. In this case, it was one chick dancing like a complete hooker. I didn’t know that Asians could dance, because they can’t in Melbourne, although these girls didn’t need a pole. They were literally fucking the air. Natasha fell on the floor when I told her they should be pole dancers. Think of the idea, Beyonce shaking her arse like the worlds going to end. ONE WORD: SLUTINA.

The male students on the other hand can’t dance for shit. The girls were the visually entertaining ones. My hand was on my mouth from disbelief and Natasha was on the floor from the girls’ moves and grooves. After 30 mins of watching these hookers on the basketball court, we grabbed some popcorn and decided Nat and I should chat about how everything’s going in life. We had students come up to me and ask if we were a couple - I said no, she’s a friend from Melbourne - that made them hang around us, don’t ask me why! But eventually a few things happened which made the night a little more exciting. We left until it got out of hand…


Contact Details Exposed!!!!

I got my mobile number a few days ago and like an idiot carried it to the ball… When people saw the mobile phone in my hand - a group of girls, they asked me whether I had got my number as promised. That’s fine. I said I didn’t have my number on me, so I couldn’t give it out… they grabbed the phone off me excitedly, and said its fine we will call out phone and call and grab your number. FINE - just have it. Then I saw 4 of the other girls take their mobiles out and took my number off the girl.. Since that day I have refused to take my mobile on me in public places again. No shit, I have been copping messages left right an centre - and I mean ridiculous ones. Like - “do you remember me” UNKNOWN NUMBER… “I hope you enjoyed the ball” … “you know my name?”… HELLO how can I have your name!! It’s been the talk between office staff - like a daily joke, stating “have they messaged you today?” I mean, I feel privileged getting messages from strangers  (sarcastic tone)

Well, I’m being stalked by these people I don’t know who they are. I’ve been invited to dinner by this one girl ‘to kfc’ and I said I was busy, then someone else messaged me saying where I was, I said I was having dinner with a friend, the they ask me what time I’m getting home…. MY NUMBER is floating around the campus! Like seriously, I liked being stalked, but I was considering changing my number after 3 days. Ridiculous! I feel bad if I don’t answer back, I feel like an arsehole if I don’t - but I eventually do - and feel worse because I don’t know who I’m writing to. So I have been replying back to keep calm.

Some messages from students include the following:

1. “Would you like to join me for dinner?”
2. “Have you got classes tomorrow?”
3. “How would you describe - today is a mystery?”
4. “Do you agree with the food here?”
5. “How long will you be in china as the others are staying for a few months?”
6. “I am your student”. (Nothing else when I ask who they are…wtf)

That’s just to name a few sms’s I received from my students. I cop about 4-5 messages from students a day asking me questions. Phone calls are rare and have received about 4 from them so far, although they would rather message and shoot me with why someone would ask me these questions, who knows. I would love to take pictures of these students and send them to you in future - when I find out who they are. 








Friends

I have become really good friends with Natasha from Melbourne. God bless her. She was at my going away dinner, and I’ve clicked with her quite well. You can tell she’ll be a great friend to go out and have a drink with and chat for hours, full of life and heart of gold, hence her being Greek. Ela Re!

I have made good friends with Jenny - she’s Chinese and from San Francisco. I get along with her quite well. She remind me heaps of Lucy Lu from Charlie’s Angels. She is fun loving and loves parties and drink ups, and then again she’s American I guess, god love them! She finds our accents hilarious. Don’t ask me why, but she says it’s the most bizarre accent she has ever heard. Lol - bless.

There’s Grace (our princess ready to be queen, lol) she’s another Chinese girl, from Sydney. She’s great! An asset amongst friends. Her character is soo good as well. She’s into her brand names and loves her boyfriend who treats her like a royalty. Her bf’s from Beijing so he’s been around taking us places which is nice of him. Grace is just great to chat with, she makes me laugh at what she does and says - like - “I have to get a cleaner to do my room, I’ll pay them!” Mind you, I was on my hand and knees scrubbing my house down today for 3 hours”.. Grace needs someone else to do the dirty work…because she’s our princess. God bless her. 

There are 20 foreign teachers and there are plenty of more guys and girls I get along with. I won’t get into explicit details about any more for now. I have been getting along with all of them which is great. These were the main guys I hang out with every day.

I have made friends with the other Chinese teachers as well. Although this married Chinese teacher wanted to teach me Chinese - so she taught me - her first words were “I think you’re nice, I really like you”….. That was obviously my last lesson with her 


Student Names… Badly, Viciously, Religiously

Part One - Effie versus Soufflé (sui fei)

Effie was the name I really had to give someone as she really wanted me to give it to someone. That was my task for the week. I gave names to my students from friends in Australia; these have included JIM, MARC, MARTIN, MARY, SUE, ANGEL (Melek/Mel), although EFFIE no one wanted. I was talking to Effie on the phone and this chick student decided to call me and ask what name I would call her. I stated that EFFIE WAS A NICE NAME - meaning happiness in Greek. Effie was on one ear Siu Fe was on the other ear… I hear Effie in one ear saying - see give her my name… I told the girl - well you know, Effie is a nice name….etc… Sui Fe responds and says, umm.. OK… what about Soufflé …. Lol “I said ok, if that’s what you want I can call you soufflé. Mind you Effie was hearing this conversation and went ballistic, saying I should fail her…lol - Effie hoe you’re a crack up!


The Track


Every morning we have made a pact to go jogging which is great, wake up at 6:30am and go for a jog and go to work…. BUT the weird part about it is, every morning there are students studying while they are jogging around the track. There are students who wake up early to study between the trees and sitting around the track… YOU just have to see them… I will definitely send you pictures of them soon… just something which shows how dedicated these students are…

A Night out in Beijing

Beijing’s nightlife is abit vaster than what Melbourne does offer. Busy streets, late night shopping and people on the streets selling fake cigarettes. Yes, they make FAKE ciggies which looks VERY much the same thing. Bars fully lined up on the street and a great place to eat out. We went to a Thai Restaurant which was nice - really nice restaurant and got a few platters and drinks, costing us about 15 dollars each. That’s expensive for the locals. But for us, 15 bux gets you a Chinese take away meal… The clubs are packed out, I mean jam packed. The bars - are quite good, the one we went to was one where they are singing in Chinese - Pop style and in the middle of the singing a belly dancer came on… bizarre seeing a belly dancer here!

Milk Bar & Sign Language

On campus they don’t speak English nor do they in the district where I am located. My main conversation I can say is NI HAO MA? Which means hello how are you…? Apart from that try telling them what a toilet cleaner is… YES: I actually do the whole dramatization of it all… lol - you just have to be there. They speak Chinese I speak in English to them. Believe me its All quite funny, it made me remember a conversation I had with my mum about her when she first got to Australia in the 70’s.

Learning Chinese

After meeting a few foreigners out last weekend, It made me realize I really want to learn Chinese the more I’m here. So far I know about 8 words… about a word a day… I know my hello, “good bye”, how are you, yes, no, cheers, thank you and I like you, lol
We are starting officially to learn Chinese next week… that’s going to be an experience!


The Campus Cafeteria - (Food)

OK, hold on because I actually lived this myself and it affected everyone I told - and I want to share it with you.

I was in the Dining Room (Cafeteria) when I decided I do it on my own. I walked around and saw really nice food, I love the selection here. I saw this shop in particular and stood by the glass window and saw pork with veggies looking thing. I thought “yay”, I’ll order some of that with rice and some soup next to it. Deciding on the things I wanted, I waited in line to be served by the Chinese Staff. As I waited in line, a FAVOURITE female student of mine OLIVER said “Hey Ali, how are you, what are you eating…? I said “I’m going to order a meal, although can you actually find out what that is…?” while pointing at it. She said yeah “that’s cool”. After speaking with the attendant, she naturally said “its dog”…. I mean, seriously, if it wasn’t for her, I would have eaten DOG without knowing…

I told this story to one particular guy Sid who I work with - he looked on the floor and regrettably said “Man, I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten dog” - LOL - I died!

Final Words

I would like to hear from you… I’m enjoying hearing about what’s going on in Melbourne and whereabouts you’re in. And yes, I heard about Steve Irwin - I’m sorry to hear it, an icon has been laid to rest, RIP croco!



Pictures!

I’m waiting on pictures to send to you. So hang tight. That way you will see what I’m talking about abit of the time.

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