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Published: January 13th 2008
After our Christmas celebrations were over, workers immediately began taking down all of the Christmas decorations around town. Literally. On the evening of the 25th as we were walking home from Christmas dinner we saw people taking down the decorations outside of the supermarket. I returned to school the next day only to discover that my students had not received any of the work that I had left for them the day before. On the 26th, the students (and the teachers) watched Home Alone and Elf and we played Christmas Cranium and sang Christmas carols.
On the 27th, the director of the Bond schools took us on a trip to Shanghai for the day. We spent part of the morning quickly touring around the different tourists locations (and by 'quickly' I mean we drove from location to location and got out of the car for 2 minutes at each stop). We couldn't really see anything anyway because the fog was so thick. We also went to a market that is basically a distributor for all kinds of smaller shops around Shanghai and the surrounding cities (including Nanjing). The first building, where we spent more of our time, was a total
bust. Every single piece of clothing was ruined by things like shoulder pads, ugly buttons, mix-matched colours or sequins. I would say the clothing was out of date, but I'm not even really sure I could match up the clothing that I saw with a specific time period in the past. It was just that bad. When we had about 10 minutes left to shop, we were informed that the really good deals were across the street. If only we would've spent the entire time there! All kinds of designer brands (and although they were likely knock-offs, they were good ones) for very, very cheap prices.
At around lunchtime we were taken to a school in a smaller city near Shanghai (kind of like Mississauga to Toronto). They are planning on setting up a program there with the school in Toronto and so we were asked to go there to speak with some of the students and parents. It was terrible. We were not exactly told what we were getting into...and when we walked into a big lecture hall filled with about 200 students and were told we had to sit on the stage behind a long red table
clothed table and talk to the students about the new program, my mouth must have hit the floor. First of all, we were not told very much about the program (it's different from in Nanjing) and secondly, what we were told we did not exactly agree with. Bonus for the day was when we took a side trip to visit the Shanghai Auto Museum. It was really neat and was set up really nicely so it was easy to follow everything in the museum. We were given these cell phone-like devices that translated the guide information for us for everything that was there. But at the end of the day, we were really glad to be back home.
For New Years, the Chinese people seem to celebrate it more than Canadians (although not quite in the same way). On December 30 (Sunday), the students were all at the school for special New Year celebrations. Each classroom was decorated with coloured streamers and balloons and each class had activities, games, and performances planned. The teachers were invited to join. So, thinking that I had just been invited as a spectator, I went to sit in the Senior 1 classroom. I
was greeted by all 33 of my students, some of their parents and their headmaster. They were just starting a game and invited me to join. The games they were playing were all the kind of games that would be appropriate for a grade 2 class in Canada, but the students seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. The first game included 4 people standing back-to-back and an action would be said by another person. Each of the 4 people would have to do an action that shows that action word. If someone else does the same action as you, then you are safe. If you are the only one to do a particular action, then you lose. We had just started, when Mr. V. (Tim) walked in the door. The students quickly convinced him to join the game as well. Well, guess what...he was the first to lose. HAHA....little did we know that the loser of a game was the next person to perform!! So, Tim had to quickly think of something to perform. The students decided that it would be entertaining enough just for him to say something in Chinese! The phrase that we had just heard a few
days prior came in handy here and so Tim said "a chi guo le" which means "Have you had your meal?" (literally translated)...similar to "How are you?" This is a phrase in the Nanjing dialect of Chinese...it is a little bit different from Mandarin. Well, the next game we played I lost. So, at the encouragement of all my students, I sang 'O Canada'. Liz and I have been teaching the students the words during choir practices and some of them are very good at it now, so they all joined in.
Over in the Senior 3 room, the students were busy making lots and lots of dumplings. We helped for a little while...and so I now know how to make dumplings (or at least...how to wrap dumplings). Each of the students had also brought in another dish of food...which we had to taste-test. Some of the dishes weren't too bad, but there wasn't really any that was spectacular.
When I went to check out the Senior 2 room, one of the students, Gus, was playing his violin. He is awesome at playing the violin. Again, we were asked to perform something in the Senior 2 room so
Liz, Tim and I sang 'O Canada'.
Lately, we have been using our bikes to get around the city more often than taxis. We have joined the thousands and thousands (and possibly millions) of Chinese cyclists that traverse the streets of Nanjing daily. It has been really helpful in learning some more of the directions and street names in the city because we need to figure out how to get to certain places. In some spots we have to pay to park our bikes (like by the Material Store and by Walmart and Papa Johns). Usually this is about equivalent to $0.02 CDN per person.
On January 5th, we went on an adventure with a crew of ten people: me, Tim, Liz, Mike and Debbie, along with another couple, Marilyn and Weston and the owners of a restaurant in Nanjing. We are now good friends with the owners of the restaurant because we eat there at least twice a week (Mike and Debbie are there almost every day). They invited us to go along with them to a place they call Glass City (Danyang). Apparently, 70% of all of the glasses in China come from this city, and
10% of all the glasses around the world come from here as well. After a half hour train ride, we got out of the train station only to see hundreds of glasses stores. Literally 90% of the stores in this city sold prescription glasses, reading glasses and sunglasses. And all of them were knockoffs of Gucci, Prada, and the like. Everyone got new glasses. I got "Gucci" sunglasses. While I was waiting for others to get prescription lenses made, I decided to try out the shoe shiners out on the street that were begging me to let them shine my shoes. Even though I was only wearing my crocs, I gave it a try. It cost me 4 yuan (about $0.50 CDN) and my crocs looked good as new! She even put polish on them and buffed them. I was quite impressed, but also thought it was hilarious at the same time.
When everyone's glasses were finished we piled into 3 taxis and headed off for a neighbouring city: Zhenjiang. This city is famous for vinegar, and so is also called Vinegar City. We had a great picnic lunch in the city square, made by the owner of Salsa
The store of a million mannequins
the even scarier part was walking through all of these staring eyes...restaurant. It was at this time that something caught Tim's eye: a stand with children's balloons. We checked it out and ended up purchasing a Doraemon balloon and a Pikachu balloon. Basically, we were just like 4 year olds. Debbie tied Tim's balloon to his backpack and mine to my ponytail and decided that now they wouldn't lose us: they would always be able to see the balloons. Not that they wouldn't have been able to find us before....there are not that many other white people around! We walked around for the rest of the day with the balloons attached to us. We had a couple hours to explore the city streets on our own....this included a few more 4-year-old-ish events. While posing for a picture, Tim knocked over a bike and a sheet that was hanging to dry. As soon as the shopkeeper started to walk over, Tim proceeded to boot it out of there. We also sat in the park and watched some people play badminton and play with tops...and yes these were not children playing with tops, but a grown man. There was also a group of young boys who were setting off firecrackers in one corner
of the park. This is a regular occurrence in Nanjing as well: 4-year-olds playing with firecrackers in the streets. The visit to the park would not have been complete without Tim deciding to ride a kiddy-ride outside one of the local shops. He sat down on it and put the money in the slot....nothing happened. So he stood up...and the machine started to move! He was just too big for it so it could not move while he was sitting on it! Well, if we ever want to gather a crowd of Chinese people quickly, this is definitely one way to do it. When Tim was finished riding, there was a crowd of at least 20 people watching.
In the evening, just around sunset, we were taken to see a temple on an island in Zhenjiang. It was beautiful to see the sunset there, because it didn't seem to be blocked by as much pollution in the air. We were only there long enough to snap a few pictures because the area closed at 5pm and we had to catch the ferry back. At this point, Tim and I found real 4-year-olds to give our balloons to so that
A China sunset
...minus the smog we wouldn't have to take them back on the train.
For dinner that day, we dined with another big shot. This man is the health inspector for the city and is destined to become the health inspector for the province. We had all kinds of dishes to eat (Mike counted a total of about 35 dishes...for 10 people)...including some new ones like goose legs. I was not able to work up the courage to eat this because it is basically just skin that you eat off the leg bone and I'm not convinced that it would taste any good at all. We also found out that one of the dishes that we have had before is actually jellyfish! I have had jellyfish on two occasions previously and didn't even know it!
Today, I was woken up by Tim calling me. I went to my balcony and looked out...and the ground was covered in snow!! It has not snowed in Nanjing for the past 3 years. So, we decided that it was a great day to spend outside. We have been wanting to go to the observatory on the top of the mountain for a while now, so we
decided to go there. When we arrived, we discovered that the gondola ride up the mountain (which would have provided some amazing views) was closed for the season. So, we started the trek up the mountain on foot. It was hilarious to see the peoples' reaction to the snow. Many of them were making tiny snowmen, which they proceeded to place on top of a pillar, or better yet: on top of their car! Many of them (especially the ladies) were not wearing any gloves and were wearing high heeled boots to climb up the mountain! It took about an hour to get to the top (or at least the top of where you could walk...the main section of the mountain goes up higher). At the top was a small space museum and several domed observatories with huge telescopes. We had a great view from the top, although it was kind of obscured by all the snow that was coming down at this point.
Other updates:
1. The front entrance of our apartment is now completely covered in mud. Not only that, the construction workers have now dug a small moat in front of our front doors and placed
My moat!
for good feng shui a small wooden bridge over the moat so that we can get to our door. The moat is only temporary since it is only so the workers can lay pipes, but for the time being it provides us with some great feng shui, since we also have several mounds of dirt and bricks accompanying the moat (mountains and water are supposedly both good for feng shui).
2. My students are currently working on final assignments and the scenario they are working with is that Wayne Gretzky is coming to their school and part of their assignment is that they have to come up with questions to ask him in an interview. The other day, one of my students approached me at the end of class and asked, "Is Wayne Gretzky died?" I had to control my laughter and answer, "No." The student proceeded to ask me then, " So then he is really coming to our school?" haha
3. I have ordered my new suit at the Material Store: pants and jacket and two dress shirts. They will be tailor made for me and I have to go back to try them on later in the week. I
am really excited about this.
4. Liz and I have introduced the choir students to NSync. They had never heard of this band, but we told them that, although they are still not really the "cool" music we would prefer they listen to, they are much better than Backstreet Boys, which most of them listen to a lot. The students have introduced us to their current favourite song. It's terrible. The lyrics go something like this:
doctor, actor, lawyer or singer
why not president, be a dreamer
you can be just the one you wanna be
policeman, firefighter or a postman
why not something like your old man
you can be just the one you wanna be
and the tune is even worse so I will not give you a link to the song because you really do not want to hear it. If you search for it and listen to it anyway, then don't say I didn't warn you.
Check out my pictures:
New Years Danyang and Zhenjiang Snowy in Nanjing Random China Pictures
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Kevin
non-member comment
Hey Christine, it sounds like you are having a really interesting experience in China, I've very happy for you! I spent some time catching up on your travels today it sounds like fun. I hope everything continues to go well!