Ni hao Hi Joe,
I'm thoroughly enjoying your blog entries - have you really only been gone a week? The back porch here is empty and getting colder. We sit out there for lunch but we miss the internet cafe. I'm sure being the resourceful type that butter is in your future. Let us know when you find it and how it compares to ours.
hui tou jian!
Betsy
This sounds like a pretty good gig, actually. Be glad you get the normal kids--I've taught the rich ones for six or so months, and it is indeed a burden. Discipline is hard coming, behavior is often just on this side of outrageous, and the parents are often complete nightmares. And this is the main impression I will have of China!!
Also glad to see you can reach out to them naturally, using humor. I'm the opposite, and it makes the job painful. Good for you!
There are tons of "real" teaching jobs available too that actually pay real money. Those ones are in the more desirable big cities, but you have to have the qualifications that you have and that I do not.
Ahhh - so all the teaching jobs have moved to China At least it's not because we are outsourcing. I guess I just need to be a little more geographically flexible. I love your post though, it sounds like fun. Keep 'em coming.
Actually, most chinese don't eat turtle, or something like that. but for some reason, when it's a wedding or other important event, they order those strange stuff, because they are expensive. If just put some beef, pork, fish or chicken, that will look too shabby.
It's very hard to find dairy products in china, especially in a small town like Yutai, so No butter, cheese ( small town chinese don't eat those things), but they do have milk, and yogurt.
backstory? Could you fill in the near-backstory? How did you decide in particular to go to china & Yutai to teach English? Were you afraid sexual slavery would be in your future?
Spiffy Joe Looking good Joe, all trimmed up and completely presentable. At first glance you standing at your place of employment made me think you were a hostage but I snapped out of that thought. When do you start teaching?
Thanks for the update, Joe! Nice to hear from you and see the photos! I look forward to regular updates with your adventure, your students, your teaching and your daily life.
I'm glad you landed. You'll eventually find butter, or not. My hat is off to you to teach KIDS. All the uncomfortable things in my travels have made the best copy, and pressed me to grow the most. Who knows, maybe by the time you get back, you won't be such a curmugeon about getting your picture taken!
PS -- I'm glad you didn't sample the turtle
wow!! what an adventure. a departure from previous kinds of travel to get so immersed, I would say. so who has Maggie? What kind of place are you living in? I will look forward to reading
Great adventure! Joe: I thought of you this morning when I went to the original Peet's and saw Mr. Tetlow reading his novel and me off to sell my damned stereos. It made me realize what a rut most of us are in-me even more than average! You're brave to take off like that. I even had a hard time moving to Oregon for a few years and getting out of my familiar surroundings. Keep in touch and have a great time.
Rich
Hello Seamallowance,
I am sorry I was unable to satisfactorily answer your questions prior to this--I at times have to be very careful about who is writing to me and why, and what I write in a public forum. Anyway, GLAD to see a fellow blogger is coming down to Jining (or the outskirts thereof).
Although I plan on leaving the city permanently sometime this month, I am subscribing to your blog to follow your progress. If you'd like to meet up in Jining at any time, that would be great too.
I guess you are on your way over about now. Have a good flight and a nice stay in China.
--Leeza
"How is it possible that none of us have ever heard of a city with nearly eight million people? "
in China, cities have different Level. Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjing, Chongqing are provincial Level. and Nanjing, Qingdao, Jinan and dozen others are sub-provincial level. A city like Jinin is Prefecture-level city, The prefecture-level city of Jining administers 12 county-level divisions, including 2 district, 3 county-level cities and 7 counties, and Yutai is one of the counties.
So, most of the 8 millions plus people in Jinin, live in countryside, not the city.
Confused middle-aged schlub, former hipster, goes to China in order to escape the US recession, teach good enunciation and eat mounds of pork dumplings.
Follow along as I embarrass myself in another language.
Parental caution advised.... full info
Cynthia
non-member comment
Keep on writing!
Hey Joe, I'm loving your blog. Keep it up, OK?