winter's here...

---

Wow seems like an age since I've written.....that's mostly cos I've been too broke to do anything exciting, therefore not much to write about! But here goes.....

So, recently, or 'these days' as most Chinese say (incorrectly!) I've just been trying to create scintillating lessons for my kids, watching '24', studying Chinese and wearing more and more layers! No-one tells you this before you come, but the weather in Chengdu changes overnight. Literally. One day it was sunny, T-shirt weather. Next day, you could see your breath! and it's been like that for a week now.....which makes it definite coat weather, which is fine in the daytime but when you go home it's also coat weather as they have no heating in western China, so I'm using my hot water bottle every night! Never mind, I prefer being cold than sweating non-stop as I was doing a few months ago upon arriving here...

Last weekend my flatmate and I were wandering around our neighbourhood on the lookout for this temple thing we had passed in a taxi - however we got a bit lost and had no idea where it was! Luckily we wandered into a restaurant nearby and ran into a 'laowei', (Canadian actually) who we had met before who was with a few of his Senior 3 students, so we joined them for a (yummy, as usual) lunch, and afterward wandered around the Tibetan section which was cool. He also gave me some tips on where to look for another job should I wish to stay in China after my contract finishes in June 2007 (which I am seriously considering), so that was a good thing we ended up lost! The girls were also lovely and friendly so we hope to meet up with them again and hang out...always good to make more Chinese friends.

Meanwhile I'm getting quite into learning Chinese....I am miles behind some of my foreign friends at other schools in the city some of whom are having 2 hour lessons A DAY!! whereas we are only having 2 a week, but for some reason I don't find the pronunciation that hard anymore and find it easier to remember the characters and the words....touch wood anyway!

Anyway tomorrow night we are off to investigate a Scottish-themed bar! seeing as my flatmate is an Edinburgher and I am an honourary one.....so we shall see!

Less than 5 weeks to Christmas people....!!! I only get 1 day off, but hey, at least we can decorate our flat and sing cheesy Christmas songs and teach our kids 'We Wish You...', whether they like it or not!!!

Here are a few pics I took today of some hilarious 'English' signs, i.e. Chinglish signs.........who translates these? Who??!!

---

Photos

supermarket sign
sounds impressive!

restaurant sign
i can't even attempt to guess what it's supposed to mean in English...!?