Tifa - Black n China

One of the first black Americans in Jiangxi, which in a way makes me a pioneer, fitting for this particular province which prides itself on protecting communism. Most days I love it here, other days I'm annoyed, mainly at the food that tends to be spicy for no apparent reason..even in the morning! Nanchang is cool though, its a real city, but the country is not too far away. I'm an English teacher at a University, I have a lot of time off, they pay me well, my accomodations are better than anything I've paid for in the States, and my students are cool. I love China, because everyone treats me like a rockstar! and I'm so not....

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Joined on: August 26th 2009
Last Login: December 28th 2009

Blog Entries: 13
Photos: 85

TB Code: [blogger=133783]
Status: BLOGGER

Blogs & Travel Journals

by Tifa, order by Date newest first.

By Tifa
December 28th 2009

End of the Year update! Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang

school of hell

Hello All: It has been a while since my last entry. I have been meaning to post an update but always fail to do so. Anywho.. I have 2 weeks left before the end of the semester and I literally cannot wait. Since I started a few weeks later than all the teachers I am now left being the only teacher still teaching. The halls in my appartment in the morning are quiet as everyone has the luxury of sleeping in, while I fume my bitter self to class this morning. Even the school is serene because it appears I am [View Full Entry]

By Tifa
December 3rd 2009

Thanksgiving and CHEATERS! Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang

Hope all is well in your present world. I have recently gotten back into the habit of checking up on world affairs and I must say my optimism is once again depleting. However, I'm still in CHINA! so all the unfortunate mishaps befalling our world around us is the only reminder I need to actually count my blessings, and with that said, I'll continue my seemingly pretentious but unassuming role as a travel blogger. The last two weeks have been fairly busy. But only busy because I'm getting into another one of my old habits of procrastination. I gave my students [View Full Entry]

By Tifa
November 15th 2009

Just Around Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang

candied tomatoes

Hello So, I thought I would write a general analysis of my life here, as my near 3 month anniversary approaches. It has started to get a little cold so I have resorted to hibernating because I realize just how far my appartment is from everything else. It is a 15 minute walk to the cafeteria, 25 minute walk to the closest supermarket, and almost 30 minute walk to the gate to catch the bus. There are these little golf carts that take people around campus, but I had an altercation with one of the drivers a few weeks back (because [View Full Entry]

By Tifa
November 2nd 2009

Hangzhou, Lake Zhelin and Xi'hai Springs Asia » China » Jiangxi

All the teachers and staff

Hello all! It has been a while since my last addition. So far, there has always been a place to visit or people to meet or things to do for the past few weeks. 2 weeks ago I think I came down with swine flu, because I was the sickest I have been since I could remember. I stayed in bed for 4 days shivering and lived 3 of those 4 days on the toilet, if you know what I mean. Thank God for my friend James, he was very nice to me while I was sick and bought me some [View Full Entry]

By Tifa
October 13th 2009

Wu Yuan and Dog Meat Asia » China » Jiangxi

chickens

Greetings All: I'm back from my eight day Moon Festival vacation, and the calming scenery of the rural farming town WuYuan countryside really recharged my teaching battery. My classes have been running splendidly since I returned, and even the random new 30 students who have appeared in my classes throughout the week hasn't bothered me. WuYuan was amazing! I went with Shelly and one of her Chinese students Caroline, who is from the WuYuan area. The bus ride taking us north of Nanchang was quite scenic. Most of the way, we drove through small villages where the flat farmlands give way [View Full Entry]

By Tifa
September 29th 2009

Moon Pies and Chinese Men. Asia

alley in Nanchang

I'm slowly starting to run out of lesson plan ideas and I have resorted to showing episodes of LOST and telling them to write about the characters. However, its so funny watching their reactions to the show as many of the girls are so squeamish and cannot stand to view violence or mishap of any sort. When I want to see them commit suicide I'll be sure to show them one of the SAW movies, and I'm sure this will definitely get a few of them to jump out of the window. Then the other day, I burst out into a [View Full Entry]

By Tifa
September 24th 2009

NA-UH!!>><< Asia

Oh, so life continues here for me in Nanchang. I have just finished my second week of teaching and I have mixed feelings about it. The students are sometimes mostly very sweet, and discipline is hardly an issue in these parts. There have been times, like today where I seriously was dangerously close to homocide. However, I have noticed the tendency for the Chinese to be very...very passive aggressive. It often takes some time to recongnize that you have just been insulted. So there have been times where perhaps I was taking things the wrong way, but I got the impression [View Full Entry]

By Tifa
September 15th 2009

TEACHING..finally! Asia

Well, I officially started teaching this Monday. The night before my first class I was a night terror, sweat soaked hot mess! Nightmare scenarios replayed in my head time after time and getting any amount of peaceful sleep was not at all an option. So 8am approaches and I enter my first classroom which is my only Oral class that I have (all the rest are writing). One of my fears was that there would be an ungodly amount of students, but instead I was only subjected to the prying eyes of only 13 students. That was a relief. Then my [View Full Entry]

By Tifa
September 9th 2009

To teach or not to teach? Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang

Nihao All: I'm all smiles as I write this blog. China is HILARIOUS! I'm beginning to realize that there is nothing I could have done to prepare for any of this. Yesterday morning there was a guy driving a motorcycle in the cafeteria to unload bundles of cabbage! Then there are all the babies running around with no diapers on but just slits in their onesies for them to do their business where ever they please! There is also the crazy hacking and spitting everywhere and the poor car horns are still not given a break. I'm slowly getting adjusted to [View Full Entry]

By Tifa
September 6th 2009

Getting used to Home. Asia » China » Jiangxi » Nanchang

Hello All: I'm finally getting settled here in Nanchang, reality has set in, and now I know that I am actually in China! I am starting to miss family and friends back home, and am having the realization that easy access to people who know me very well does not exist here. However, these moments are all part of the travelers experience, and one cannot have the access of familiarity and uncertainty simutaneously. I finally got my teaching schedule from my head teacher named Sophie. She is a Nanchang local and appears very inviting and is an excellent resource. I will [View Full Entry]

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