found your blog randomly... just wanted to say hello~ i'm from chicago but staying in nanchang for the time being... and i don't remember chicago ever being this cold... mainly b/c at home i have 24/7 central heat... and restaurants are heated in america.... sigh.
cheating yes... ahh, the cheating. it's not just in China!! I miss you Latifa girl!! Wish you could be on FB more. what's the deal - do you have skype?
procrastinating turkey! Just think of how the turkey dinner in the wok would have been if Rene Had procrastinated:)) Glad to know that you are not looking like wilderbeast #3 now that you have your hair products:)) Your students seem to have no shame in their game regarding cheating:)) How blatant they are:)) Maybe to be more creative you should find out what it is they like and give some topics for the essays on these. Perhaps they will be more inclined to express with some topics like soft rock music, dancing etc...... Just a suggestion.. I noticed that you said they were into Karoke. The wedding sounds marvelouts, please try to take pictures. I 'm so looking forward to you coming home next month. Please take care and no more procrastinating... It brings on stress that you don't need. Create a identifiable, workable work-balance and home-balance. Love you and missing you
Mommy
great to hear from you Hi Latifa,
As always your blogs capture the culture and life so well. I love reading them.
Speaking of our world and yours, our Canadian prime minister Steven Harper is in China, his first visit there ever, even though he's been PM for a few years.
Take care. Sounds like work and play are both great!
Look forward to seeing you whenever you come thru our way.
love
sue
Black in China too...The Tailor My students felt so sorry for me last week, during the cold weather, that one of them took me to a tailor to get a coat made. For $340 Yuan, I'm getting a purple down jacket and a long, green down coat made. The tailor is in Xialoh (sp?) which is not far from my campus. I actually dragged 25 pounds of coffee beans from the states with me. Tonight, we're going to Metro to purchase a Thanksgiving turkey for a dinner I'm having this Saturday. Hollar back if you would like to join us.
Weird Sausages & Tomatoes Al Humdullilah you are well and have adjusted. I can't began to tell you have wonderful it was to chat with you on the phone. I've found out about Majic Jack and Insha Allah will be looking into it this week. How does the candied tomatoes taste? That is very different Do they candy them like candied apples... The sausages hanging on the lines is really strange.. What is the purpose of it. Is it to air the smell out or to dry them? That is really China... The sugar cane brings back memories for me as a little girl in B'ham, ALA sucking on the stalks. I used to love them:)) I derived from your list of what you missed about home, that China is now finally setting in with you. With your intelligent disposition and awesome attitude and adaptability, you will be fine.
If you dont' have one.Get a stainless steel wok, I've havethe flu( my dear the regular kind) for the past 4 days , achy, sniffy,coughy and didn't work but two days last week.. I'll send the care package on Tuesday with your products Insha Allah
I saw the picture of ALI ,but I didn't know he was in China with you LOL LOL. All jokes aside, are the Chinese allowed to spank their children in public or do they have laws against this?
Well my dear, I must close.....
Love ya and miss you
Mommy
Great!!! Your beginning to sound like you're at home girl. So its' been only three months? You've accomplished a lot in 3 months. It seems like you've been there much longer. You got to come up with something to get those golf cart drivers to stop and pick you up again besides plotting revenge :))) you need those golf cart rides girl. The Chinese are suckers for bribes and words of respect. You got to learn some suck up words in Chinese and shout it out to them. Ask some of your Chinese friends what you should do or say to get them to start picking you up again and they will tell you I'm sure :)
It sounds like you're getting comfortable and still having an exciting adventure. I am so happy to hear this. I am sure you're going to be just fine and that makes me feel really great.
Love ya,
Daddy
Hey Tifa Glad to see you've gotten over the flu! Your trips seem quite fun. Wish I was there with you I could use a message and a take a dip in the aromatherapy spring hot bath. Tranny island? How bizarre! How weird that monks are praying with the trannys!?! What is up with people taking your photo all the time. What are you to them Sasquash?! lol. Just kidding. They just aren't use to seeing african americans there I'm sure they don't mean anything. Well keep us updated hope to see you soon.
Love Kiya
Great stuff I am really glad I stumbled upon your blog! Looking forward to reading all about your experiences in China. Four thousand stairs, seriously? I got tired just *reading* that!
Anyway, please keep up the great stories.
Greg Gross, editor
http://galan05.wordpress.com
Thanks for your wonderful stories Hi Latifa,
I love reading about all your marvelous adventures. I think I'll make a list of your favourite places and we can put that together into a trip to China :)
So glad to hear you are feeling better. We are inundated with H1N1 news and updates on how much vaccine there is and when and for whom it will be available. The clients I work with are all at high risk should they get this flu, so they are receiving the vaccine before others.
You sound like you are happy and enjoying this grand adventure. We miss you. Has been gorgeous in Vancouver and we are still enjoying sunny walks around the seawall and beautiful colours in the trees.
Take care.
Love
sue
WOW !!! I am happy to hear you are over that flu bug. I am sure that was a real nuisance. Your adventures sound simply amazing. It is great reading them. It's been a while and I was beginning to wonder if the chores hadn't begun taking most of your time. I hope you consider stopping in Vancouver for a few days coming or going when you go home for vacation. Take care of yourself Sweetie and we hope to see you soon.
Love ya,
tranny island??? You sure someone didn't slip something in your food that morning??? hahaha From the picture of the view, I don't know that 4000 stairs would be worth it....
Dog seriously? Hey Tifa! Im so glad to hear you are doing well in China. It sounds like you and Shelly had a great time experiencing the more traditional aspects of Chinas culture in the little farming town of WuYuan. Wish I could have been there with you. However your account about eating dog meat (which was probably toxic due to that radiated lakewater in town) was probably not such a good idea. Dogs are filty animals and there is a Hadith in which the Prophet (SAW) said any animal with claws and that are carnivorous (dogs, cats, lions, bear) is forbidden to eat. Some Scholars however, say that eating carnivorous animals is Makrooh but others say its flat out forbidden. Not trying to come off as a sheik but always approach life with the self-awareness of a muslim. Glad to see you are doing well! Can wait to see you in January! Miss you loads XOXOXO Kiya
Guts made of iron Salaams Sweetie:
You have guts of iron to try the meat. I don't think I could have had that much audacity, but I suppose it varies from country to country what is considered domesticated and what is not. You and I both know that in the beginning to eat Camel was absurd, but eventually we tried it:)). A motherly reminder that it does not always hold true to do as THE ROMAN"S do for if it is something that goes against God's Will , his will supercedes it all:))) The pictures are simply amazing and I assume the 2,000 year old tree is the one with you in it. I replaced your picture in Nanchang as my desktop at work with the one of you in the Tree:))
What a wonderful experience for you sweetie and opportunity. I am so very proud of you and Allah will bless you, Keep in mind to treat everyone the way you would like to be treated. That goes a long way. You know how wild the driving can be in many foreign countries, and the uncouthness of various cultures leaves a lot to be desired, but the humanity and good nature of the simple people goes a long way in most cases. a question? Does binding the feet keep them from growing in length? I remember reading something pertaining to that. I noticed the wilderbeast. I didn't know that the big and little one were present in China, if you get my drift... You are so funny Latifa? You do get my drift? LOL LOL LOL YOU FINALLY SAW A REAL LIVE WILDERBEAST! What effect does the snake have on the booze? Is it similar to the worms in the Tequila? to eat or what?
By now, you are submerging yourself into learning some Chinese by intermingling outside the classroom. What a blessing and Experience. Loving you and missing you
Mommy
Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving Hi Latifa,
Thanks for your great blog. What an adventure you are having! The people sound amazing and such incredible experiences.
Can't say as I would be as brave as you to try dog's meat...ewwwwww!!
It was Thanksgiving today and we had a more traditional dinner...turkey. My son Chris and girlfriend Annie came over. Nice evening topped off with pumpkin pie.
Off to work tomorrow. After 4 days off, it is a bit of a drag.
Take good care of yourself. You are always in out thoughts.
Love
sue
So You Really Ate Dog Meat :)))) This sounds like an incredible adventure. It is great to hear about the fascinating events and all the places and people. I am sure you enjoyed it. You have depicted that trip quite beautifully Latifa. I am over whelmed with happiness for you. I am sure these adventures will be with you always. May Allah keep you safe and grant you success.
Love ya,
computers and firewalls My computer crashed as well but the Technology dept. was able to bring it back up. The viruses here in China are riduculous. I am using the computer supplied with my apt. as part of my contract. I would never put their snooping software on my laptop. Their spyware would leave my laptop permanently open to hackers. I also never access any sites wherein I have to input my social security number or passport number. Their computers are just not safe.
You are entitled to healthcare.... Do you have a resident assistant? If so, tell her that you need to see a doctor. As a foreign teacher, you are entitled to healthcare and they MUST cover it.
buy Mace! you should seriously consider investing in a can of pepper spray if you insist on interacting with drunk chinese people! Whether they're blocking your way out or stuffing unwanted moon pies down your throat you should have an exit strategy!
We all miss you and love you! Stay safe and on high ground as from what I've read lately you're still in typhoon season over there! A bientot!
Sarah
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latifa.... i have been loling about "dancing like babies" for 3 days now... thanks