Flares, Shouting, War Drums...Just another Soccer match

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Bringing power to the millions

But I just want to play!

Its been another exciting week just living my life in China. Every day offers so many funny stories, that by the time Sunday rolls around I know I have forgotten a few gems. I knew as of Monday night I would have a lot of fun writing the blog this week.

Good Morning!

So Monday night Craig and I decided to go for dinner at "UBC Coffee", a restaurant attached to Hymall (the shopping mall). It serves coffee but is first and foremost a restaurant. We walked in and as usual there were 10-15 staff members lined up inside to greet us. They had obviously been practicing their English, and they were very excited to have two westerners walk in. They all began to chime "Good Morning! Good Morning!" Did I mention it was 6 o'clock at night?

They seated us and our waitress came over..."Good Morning!" she exclaimed. After my 20th "good morning" or so (I lost count), I thought I might try to explain the error to the waitress. "Zao Shang Hao" I said to the waitress "Good morning". I paused. "Wanshang Hao" "Good Evening", I looked expectantly at the waitress hoping she would understand. A big grin crossed her faced, "good morning!" she nodded, "good morning!" she repeated again. I smiled, and we went about ordering our meal. I had a lovely meal. It was a chicken and rice dish steamed inside a lotus leaf.

As we left, we were again wished many "good mornings", but it was when the bartender let out a really fast "See you later buddy!" (directed at Craig) that we couldn't help but return the many "good mornings" back to the staff. They were thrilled.

Marriage predictions based on Chopsticks?

We have taken to eating lunch in the staff room with the Chinese Staff. There is a chinese restaurant that will deliver us a lunch for 5 rmb. We don't really know what we will get, but there is always a pile of rice if we don't like it. I love eating with the chinese staff.

One of our TAs grew up in a town 2000 miles from Tianjin. They enjoy teaching me about Chinese culture. For instance, they were giggling at my chopstick technique (understandably), but mostly because I held the chopsticks half way down. Apparently the lower you hold the chopsticks, the closer to home you will marry. They said, you will marry a man very close to your home. When I informed them that Craig's parents live only 15 minutes from Dad, they giggled and said then I should hold them barely an inch from the bottom.

I come in with a list of questions each day. For instance Tuesday night Shelby and I went for a walk. Out on the sidewalk everywhere, people were burning paper. I found out that this day you purchase "fake money" to burn. You write a message to a family member who is dead on the paper and burn it to send it up to heaven. One TA explained that her father had forgotten to burn money for his mother, and had a terrible headache, when he realized what he had forgotten to do, he burnt the paper and the headache went away.

Head Massage

Thursday I ventured to the hair salon!!! Its very very hot and humid here. I had been growing my hair out (for no good reason) and it was awful. Its basically been in a bun since arrival. I arrived and managed to convey I wanted my hair cut and dyed. Craig was with me, and was going to leave and come back, but the reception staff insisted on taking him upstairs instead for a head massage. They washed his hair five times, gave him a complete upper body massage and cleaned his ears...all for 30 rmb (5 bucks).

Well, the hairdressers here are all men with female assistants. The TAs inform me the best hairdressers are men from Northern China, that is who the good salons hire. Apparently I was at a good salon!

First he cut my hair and thinned it with these crazy scissors. No I didn't ask for this, I think they found my hair pretty wild. I allowed him to chop it off to my shoulders. Then, he had two girls apply the dye to my hair. The girls worked diligently on either side painting the dye onto my hair with little brushes. The hairdresser stood over them most of the time pointing out areas they were missing. At one point, I had six members of staff around me chatting and pointing. Finally, one managed an english sentence "where you from?" he asked. "Canada" I responded. "AHHHH! CANADA!!!!" they chatted some more and finally my little entourage dispersed.

My favourite part was having the dye washed out of my hair as this involved a twenty minute head massage for me. Its not a relaxing massage like in Canada, it involves pressure points, and at one point slapping my head repeatedly. But I have to say, it felt fabulous.

I'm quite happy with my hair. Now the costs...Craig's massage 30 rmb, my hair cut...30 rmb, the dye for my hair... 480 rmb!!! I was a little surprised. I mean, in the end, both Craig's massage and my dye and cut cost less than having my hair done at home, but the price seemed out of whack. I was wondering if I was being gouged a westerner price. However, the chinese staff at school said dye is just really expensive, plus everything is more expensive in Teda. They import it from Europe. They said if you pay much less, it just washes out. A lot of them use the same salon, and said the price was right. I felt better.

Shine Home

This week I was out in the community researching volunteer opportunities for our students. I visited the children's wing of the Cardiovascular Hospital, and Shine Home. The Cardiovascular Hospital is barely a block from the school. A foundation has been set up to help orphans and poor children pay for their surgery. Our students help out in the play room, entertaining the children, reading to them, taking them for walks etc.

Shine Home is a group home for mentally and physically disabled children. Lets just say it was better than I had expected, but still needs a lot of help. The Volunteer Association in Teda heard about this home last spring, and helped purchase beds, and equipment for the home. Its in an area surrounded by busy streets so the kids stay inside pretty much all the time. I will be bringing students here every two weeks to help brighten their lives. We will be able to use our school bus to bring these kids to the pet market, to the park, or anywhere else. This home is a model, and with its success, hopefully more homes will open in China. I met the teachers and directors of the home. I am going to have to learn Mandarin quickly in order to do my job well.

Tai Gui Le

Saturday we had a tour of Tanggu arranged by the school. They took us back to Shopping Street (which is ok, its so big, there is still lots to see) and then to the Foreign Market. This was really fun. This is where you go to get your "Gucci Bag" for 20 bucks. Its all bartering and you have to be firm. "Tai Gui Le"! Its too expensive, we exclaimed over and over again. Its bustling and busy, but I preferred it to the market in Beijing. In Beijing they were aggressive even if you just walked by, let alone if you wanted to peek at what was in the stalls. Here, they would let you look, and they wouldn't start into anything until you asked the price. "Duo shao qian?" At this point the bartering moves to numbers being punched into a calculator and the fun of haggling begins. I am not very good at it. I managed to get 3 pumice stones reduced from 5 rmb each to 3 for 10 rmb. I guess the way I see it, once you get down to 10 rmb, I ask myself, whose life is 10 rmb going to make a difference in? It probably isn't mine.
We are planning on heading back next week after we have been paid. I thinks I needs a pair of Pumas for hoofin from home to school...

It was hot in the market so I bought what I thought was blueberry icecream. I have no idea what flavour it actually was. I think maybe sugar flavoured? I opted for blue, because the other flavours were more easily identified..."corn flavoured" "Green Pea Flavoured", and somehow it didn't appeal. 😊

How to smoke an entire pack without touching a cigarette

That night a bunch of us ventured out to the Soccer Game. Teda has its own team and stadium. Before the game there is a huge tailgate party outside. There are BBQs, vendors selling firecrackers and noisemakers, and of course, the ubiquitous McDonald's tent.

We found our section, ignored the seats assigned on our tickets (like everyone else) and sat down to enjoy our warm Pepsi Colas. (The only beverage you can purchase...no you can't bring your own, the police will stop you).

Where to start? It was the sporting event with the most potential for mass harm I have ever been to. Fortunately they keep a fire crew on hand. People wave flares and flags in dangerous proximity. They have these wands they burn to let off smoke (to celebrate a near goal) and then its hard to see anything for awhile. Mind you, considering most of the men are smoking cigarettes, it doesn't make much difference.

Instead of organ music, or clips of pop music, there is a section of war drums! When Teda had control, the war drums would start, as they got closer to the opposition net the drums would play more and more intensely. It kind of reminded me of a battle scene in the Lord of the Rings movies. It was really intense.

At half time, there is a really funny cheerleading squad. They started out all right, but by the end, they were completely out of sink. I think their favourite move was running on the spot. I certainly found the war drums more motivating. At half time, everyone gets up to change seats. Teda must be pretty good, because the play was always on the visiting team's side of the field. Therefore, to see anything you need to move to the end of the field at half time.

The match itself is just like anywhere else. Lots of faking injuries, people being thrown out, lots of cursing the ref for a bad call. Teda won 1 to 0. I don't actually know who they were playing, I think Craig might have known...I was just there for the fun.

Unfortunately, as much as I'm in China for the fun...I'm also required to work and should get to my marking.

FYI, you can communicate with me in two ways. If you want to share a comment with everyone, then click on "Add a public comment". These should be shorter and information for everybody. I do love hearing from home though! So if you want to send me a longer message, click on "send a private message". I haven't posted every comment received because some of them are a bit too long, and others I thought were meant to be more personal - in other words, I think sending it as a message was more appropriate.

Take Care Everyone, and keep in touch.

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Photos

Heh, I'm Happy, lets wave fire around!
Understandably, these flares aren't allowed at soccer matches in most countries. They create so much smoke, I think it must be hard for the soccer players sometimes.

Official Start to the Game
We stood, there was singing, they had big flags...very official.

War Drums
Equivalent to playing "The Good Ole Hockey Game" by Stompin'Tom in Canada, these war drums really get the crowd going.

Testing the flammability of flags
Its actually hard to believe the fire crew wasn't needed.

Shine Home
I met with directors of the volunteer association and Shine Home last Friday.

Foreign Market
This is one of 5 or 6 halls of kiosks. They sell everything from bags, to clothes and shoes, used power tools to electronics. Craig and Aaron bought a dart board for the staff room.

Cheerleaders
These guys started out ok, but were completely out of sync by the end. But heh, they try.

Burn Baby Burn
What better way to celebrate an unsuccessful shot on goal than by filling the air with so much smoke, we wont be able to see the next one?

Shots on Goal
Here is the Visiting Team's Goalie making a save. There were very few shots on goal against Teda, so I had to show the other goalie.

Just like any other match
Need I say more?

Comments

[Renz]

Heheheheh
Mmmmm... Head Slapping!!! Sounds like fun you guys! Take care! I'll write longer next time!