Internet access is very random in this city known as Yanji. And so updates of my life here will also be very random. In fact, every aspect of my life feels very random here. I am currently typing on a table that is teetering back and forth as I write, making it extremely difficult to type with much accuracy or speed.
Strange. Random. Mind-numbing. I find it very hard to write about what has been happening, as it blurs in my mind. My first day of work was on Christmas Day. Two teachers didn't come in, and so I taught their classes on one minute notice. It was okay though, and nice to be teaching and feeling useful once again. The head counselor took a few of us (a guy from Kyrgystan and a girl from the Phillipines, along with myself) out for Chinese BBQ (roasting meat on skewers over hot coals), and we ended in a KTV (Karaoke room) dancing it up.
After a week of scattered classes, I finally got some set classes. But even these set classes are subject to change. I never know when I will get a phone call late at night or early in the morning, informing me of a new change to the working schedule. Very random. I have a few moments of rage and the desire to head out of this place on the next plane, but somehow things resolve somewhat and I find myself heading down the cold street the next day, bundled to the nines in snowpants and a mask on my face. The mask protects me from the cold, as well as from the coal-dust saturated air.
I got really sick a few days before New Year's, along with a few of the other teachers. The other teachers went to the hospital for injections, but I just went home and rested. It was really lonely being sick and not leaving my box of a room, with nothing really to do. Some of the counselors came by with fruit and tea, and that was really nice. But then they made me sad with talk of how hard they work, and how they are lucky to get one day off a month. It's very funny here, because no matter how much I complain, everyone here thinks of me as really lucky, as I generally get weekends off.
New Year's Eve, I was determined to celebrate, despite having a sore throat and still having a bit of a fever. Apple, the head counselor, took a few of us out again for BBQ, and then Alex (Kyrgystan), Alma (Filipino), and myself went to a bar called OASIS. A Filipino band plays there, and they are really quite good. We met up with Cashmere (another teacher) and some others. The band stopped at 11:30pm, which surprised me because we didn't get there until 11:15pm. But alas, all things in Yanji close early.
We headed back to the band's apartment, but midnight fell along the way, so we all stopped, and a sparkler was shoved in my hand, as bangs and lights lit up the darkness. Fireworks and firecrackers: Yanji has an abundance of them, and they go off at all hours - even during the day! At first, I almost had a heart attack, thinking that guns were being shot off. Man!
We all hugged and cheered, and more fireworks lit up the night as we yelled, "Happy New Year!" into the cold, dark night. I was wearing my trusty snowpants, and I was still freezing. We got the apartment, and played games, ate food, and I won the beer drinking contest and got my only present this year: a cup! :D It's really cute. I find though, that no matter how much beer I drink here, I never get drunk, as the beer is so incredibly weak!!
The days since then have passed in a blur. I go to the gym and generally do a workout on the treadmill or the elliptical, as well as an aerobic dance class and a yoga class. I try to go everyday, because if I don't, I feel soooooooo tired. Yanji is a tiring place, not because of it's business, but because of its lack thereof. Apparently, it's good place to get to know yourself and to think on things. Hmmmm.
I'm teaching students who are all over the age of 16, and although they are fairly quiet, they are very interesting. There is never a time when I feel we have run out of things to talk about, but sometimes, the material the school wants me to cover is incredibly boring. I start teaching one man tonight who is preparing to go to Canada in a month, so he wishes to practice the interview. It's funny that in Yanji, I am going to learn all about the politics and geography of Canada, as we discuss all things Canadian. I am afraid his English level is fairly low, so we'll see how well complex issues can be discussed in class.
Last night, one of the singers in the band celebrated her birthday. She is dating the bassist, I think they've been together for 5 years, since the band first began, and he whipped out a bunch of roses on stage and sang to her; she cried. And then they sang a duet. It was beautiful! I guess she is a girl who worries a bit, so the boys played a prank on her and pretended to get arrested. We were at the house at this point, and she gets her jacket on and leaves with some others, looking worried. Playing along, I said, "You can't leave! It's your party!" "I'll be back," she said, attempting a smile. Poor girl. SO, so goes down the steps, and there the boys greet her with a giant cake and sing Happy Birthday to her. She says, "Fuck you!" And then she laughs. Oh, these crazy Filipinos! :D They sure do cook great food!
Yanji. Mmmm... It has a river, and they made a giant hill of snow on the river, so that we can go sledding!! It's good fun. Too bad Yanji is so cold that it's not really pleasant to be outside for long! Brrr!! Although everyone here is so used to it, and people go biking and hawking their wares on the streets, just the same as always.
Aight! Time to teach this man. I hope his English level is okay!!
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