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Published: April 25th 2007
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Pandas
I went to the Beijng Zoo. It was really really sad. I felt like the animals were in a prison. I am used to American Zoos where the animals ive in luxury. Welcome Uncle Dan and Aunt Linda I can't wait to see you!!
Its official after much agonizing I have decided that I can't leave China. I am just not finished here. I kept thinking about coming home and going back to school and I realized I really didn't want to. Why was I putting all this pressure on myself to leave when all I really wanted to do was stay? I miss my family and friends but I am so happy here I can't leave yet. Steven is looking for me a better job closer to town. So if you want to see me you better catch me in the summer 😊 I will be here when the Olympics are here which is going to be insane. I have resumed studying Chinese with new excitement because now I know I will use it for another year.
Shhh don't let the secret out but I never work. The may holiday begins on Monday which begins a weeklong break but first my Thursday and Friday classes had exams so I did not have to teach. But….. I do have to work Saturday like Monday. Faced with an unexpected two-day
Pandas
These guys were so cute. holiday I decided to go in search of something to write about. The week has been dead. I began thinking of all the places I could go and things I could do like take the subway as far north or East as possible or go see the Marco Polo Bridge. But all my ideas involved long bus rides. And faced with such a beautiful day I decided to spend the day exploring Fengtai. As I was walking around Fengtai I began wonder when did I become such creature of habit. When and why do I live my life in a five mile radius? There is the grocery store that I always go to the park that I always sit in and the same five streets I take to work every day. Great I moved to China and I am stuck in a rut. Yes, things around me are different but I am doing the same things. Is everyone like this? Do we all find our patterns, the places we like to eat the place we like to drink coffee, the way we go to school. Why do we choose certain places above others? I decided to use the day doing
Pandas
These guys were so cute. research by doing the same things I always do but in different places. First I took a different route to school even though I didn't have to go. This route was prettier and faster. But then I realized I didn't pass the group of really cute guards who always talk to me. Routine number two walks in the park. I walked to a different park. I walked around and found a really nice spot of sun and then suddenly TRISSSSSHAAAAAA! I suddenly remembered why I did not go to this park its near the school. My entire first grade class accosted me. And soon I was playing hopscotch and answering, "What's this" a million times. I knew of a different park so scurried away hoping it was quitier. I sat down again hoping to enjoy peace and quite when, "hello. Where are you from.”? A girl maybe fifteen or sixteen sat down next to me. I reluctantly said America. But then she started talking to me in English. Then I realized that there was not something right. She has some sort of mental problem. Wanting to escape I quickly said my goodbyes and left her there talking to herself. I
slow boat
I did not realize there was a really long canal in Beijing. We took the perverbial slow boat from the Zoo to the Summer Palace went back to my park sat on my bench and enjoyed my same view. Some patterns are so ingrained I don't want to change them like riding an hour to get a star bucks coffee every Saturday and sit and read and watch people go by or spending Friday and Saturday nights with Liba, checking my email every morning and night. Everything else in my life is the same because I am lazy. I will go to the nearest grocery store because I hate walking far with groceries and the I wont go the market because I am afraid of coming back with live chickens and two dozen bananas. I take the same buses because I know where they go. Maybe routine is not so bad. Maybe it’s actually a really good thing. Maybe I should stop fearing routine. Or maybe not.
Ahhhh children!! So I have to give all my students a test of the vocabulary. I hold up the Chinese or flashcard and they have to write the English. It’s not really fair because I told them we had test next week but who knows if they understood what I was saying. 35 words thirty children. I
slow boat
At the summer palace these man were swimming in the canal. Its warm but not that warm. notice the man smoking. gave out the half sheets of paper that they use here in China for everything. At word fifteen all the students began asking for more paper. So I handed out paper again. When I got home I and began grading them I started laughing. I had sixty blank half pieces of paper with numbers written in very large sloppy handwriting. Only four of the students knew the words. Most of them just wrote the numbers I called out and turned it in so proudly. Some of them obviously got bored and just started writing letters. I got words like xzdfu. Most of the children wrote their Chinese name and not their English name even after I repeated it and repeated it. Do I return blank numbered paper?
I am officially going on a diet. I love China but it takes a lot of self-confidence when all the women are pencils. But today was the last straw. Its spring and so I happily put away my woolen pants and bulky sweaters and jackets and pulled out my skirts and blouse. My student came up to me and with really big eyes said, " teacher you are very fat." Great. My
garbage
The ironic thing is this photo was taken five meters away from the golf course on the other side of the trees reply,” and you are very short." Some things are just genetic.
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/Cheryl
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So!!! You're staying? Wow! What freedom to just be able to make that decision. I am so happy for you even though I know some folks in S.C. that will be sad over this. Can't blame them either. I'm glad you're having fun;enjoying life. As for the rut- me too! I never get tired of doing the same thing over and over. Did you check out the camels at the zoo? There ought to be a law!