For being in a land that doesn't celebrate, I've been just as busy

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I'm realizing that I haven't really updated this except for a few things here and there for over 2 weeks! Sure, you're read about tea, Tibetan dancers, and a few holiday parties, but that's not all I've been up to! You'd think I was busy going to Xmas parties, shopping, and doing the general holiday mayhem for as busy I've been!
My life has taken on a life of its own, for better or for worse. Plus, I'm just trying to plan the next stage while finishing up the term here at school.

So this will be a brief (hahaha) "what I've been up to" entry, again.

Obviously, I've been teaching all of my classes every week. The students have final exams coming up so I'm trying to cram as much vocab into their minds as I can. We've played Jeapordy, where I give them the definition and they tell me the word (harder than it sounds), drawn on the board again (they had descriptives for vocab in one lesson), and played some more bulls-eye hangman. Planning some of these games takes as much work as something in the book, but they like it more and I get higher participation. And I'm not bored. Sounds win-win to me.
Luckily for me, almost all the kids last week asked to play the ever-beloved bulls-eye hangman and I've promised them that for this week. I have to plan nothing for this, just show up with a book and remember how to spell. It's like an off week where I get covered in chalk and spend a lot of time laughing. And I'm done teaching on Wed. There's a holiday Thurs and Friday and then next week is review, followed by exams the next week. Roy leaves for Australia on Thurs. I'm not going out of town quite that soon, for cost reasons. And I have theater tickets I am looking forward to!

I've been to the theatre 2 more times since the Tibetan Dancers. (Yep, that would be every weekend--such a rough life I lead.) Roy gave me tickets as a Christmas and New Year's present.
The first time I saw a group of Argentinian Tango dancers. It was one of those performances where they kept building the intensity and passion as the night went on. At first, I wasn't as impressed as I would have liked to have been. But then, the dancers decided to show us what they could really do. Oh, wow, I have never seen dancing like that. Amazingly fast, intricate foot and leg work from both the men and women. By the end I was gasping, astounded over and over again.

I also went last Saturday with my school. Well, I should say with the administration, a big-wig I didn't know and his wife, and a few teachers. The Party got us really great seats to hear the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra. They started out with a little Grieg, and then it was almost a full set of Tchaikovsky and Strauss. I felt like I was reliving my Vienesse Ball days of college--except that I wasn't the one performing waltz after waltz after waltz and wanting torte and a gin and tonic.
A female vocalist also performed and she was amazing. Her range, her expression, just breathtaking.
The conductor was also a wonderful entertainer. Not only was he a delight to watch conduct (I like watching conductors and seeing their passion flow through their batons), but he was also engaging as well. For some of the songs he wanted us to clap along. So he would cue us. And "tell" us if we should be quieter or louder. And if we didn't take the cue correctly, he'd give us a look. Tamara and I were laughing so hard by the end. We kept saying, "one more, one more!" and then he'd give us another piece and we'd cheer, clap, and laugh some more.

Otherwise, I've just been busy running around, getting ready for Xmas and for Spring Festival/Chinese New Year. Spring Festival here is a 3 week long celebration of the Chinese lunar new year. Everyone takes off of work and travels home to see their families. Think the entire poplulation of the US in transit and you'll understand why I'm leaving the country. The entire CTLC group is also leaving, and all my Chinese friends are leaving Shenzhen for elsewhere. I am off starting tomorrow until the first week of February. 5 weeks. That gives me time to rest up and prepare.

I took a day trip to Guangzhou with my friend Samuel to apply for our visas for Spring Festival. Originally our group had 5, then it was down to the two of us, now I think we have between 4 and 6 depending on the day. We have a rough itinerary set up for our 3 weeks, and we've looked at hostels--should cost me only about $5 a day for roof and a meal and a private bathroom (well, shared with 3 other people). Our visas were approved on Monday (this week) and he's going to back to Guangzhou to get them on Friday. They will mail them to you if you prefer (which is cheaper) but this just didn't seem like a good time to trust the postal system. So we split the cost of the round trip fare to ensure that we get them with no hassels.

And to answer the question that I'm sure is making it difficult for you to sleep at night:
I am going to the country with the second highest population in the world
I am going somewhere they speak English
I am traveling west (unlike most CTLCers)
and if you're still not sure, I will be seeing a place that rhymes with "Dodge Overhaul."
If you can't figure it out, I don't know you.

Off to Chinese class and then to celebrate the new year!

See you in 2009!!

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Comments

[Jo]

Happy New Year! Hugs :)

[sunketing]

The India adventure
Thanks! I talked to my Dr back in August before I left for China about what I need to do for traveling in India and have that under control.

[Gwen]

India!
What? You're going to India!! Awe-some. Happy New Year!!