So, for Christmas I had my students learn a few Christmas carols. The videos are absolutely adorable. Please watch them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff-1dB6NICs Silent night
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOGVZn1XUlc SC Coming to Town
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDiXOjyi5_4 Deck the Halls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYRsC6LAmG8 Deck the Halls
Wednesday 23 December 2009
Tuesday 22 December 2009
There are no words to describe what is written below. Just read it.
Once again, my laziness has taken me away from nurturing An Untamed Life. Sorry. But, here I am again and since I’ve been away for quite a while I have a few things to discuss, which in this case, means write down for my own selfish needs and the entertainment of the 9 people who read my blog.
First, I’ll brush over a few highlights (some good, some bad) of the past couple of months and then I’ll go into a bit more detail.
1. Missing my flight to Hong Kong and paying for a new ticket
2. Going to Hong Kong for the 2nd time
3. Visiting with my friend, Kyle in Hong Kong
4. Losing Jon in Hong Kong
5. 5 am wake up call by Brendon…looking for Jon
6. Finding a Nine West in Hong Kong
7. Maxing out my credit card (damn you Nine West)
8. Asking an old Chinese woman for sex. (obviously on accident)
9. Finding out I have 3 student loans due next month (right, like I have the money…)
10. Eating dog (without knowledge)
11. Eating pig stomach (with knowledge)
12. A short conversation with a 14 year old girl: “Ying wants you to be his girlfriend. Yes?” ME: “I don’t speak Chinese and he doesn’t speak English.” HER: “But, he loves you.”
13. Getting a back massage by said Chinese man while being told about his feelings towards me.
14. Finding brie, cheddar, pepper jack and gouda cheese
15. Buying all 3 seasons of the Tutors
16. Watching all 3 seasons of the Tutors
17. Learning how to say far in Chinese
18. Teaching about Christmas and “the Christmas man”
19. Listening to my students sing Christmas carols
20. Going to my friend Tang’s restaurant
21. Learning the Happy Birthday song in Chinese (Sheng re kuai le) and singing it to Danny
22. THE BEST AND MOST IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHT: Meeting Wen. If you’ve seen Love Actually and remember Colin Firth’s story with the Portuguese girl…yeah, that’s basically Wen and me. And no, he doesn’t speak English. And yes, I use my students as translators. (See below for further information)
Interesting list, huh?!?!
I’ve haven’t written in a while because nothing too interesting has happened. I went to Hong Kong for Thanksgiving to meet my friend Kyle. It was amazing. Unfortunately, Kyle lives in Kuwait so drinking was at the top of his list. On the bright side, Hong Kong was decked out for Christmas and I bought a nice assortment of books. Two friends from WorldTeach were also in Hong Kong so we met up with them and as the above highlights tell, we lost Jon at one point and Brendon woke me up at 5 am looking for him (and telling me quite excitedly about a 50 year old woman he was making out with.)
First, I’ll brush over a few highlights (some good, some bad) of the past couple of months and then I’ll go into a bit more detail.
1. Missing my flight to Hong Kong and paying for a new ticket
2. Going to Hong Kong for the 2nd time
3. Visiting with my friend, Kyle in Hong Kong
4. Losing Jon in Hong Kong
5. 5 am wake up call by Brendon…looking for Jon
6. Finding a Nine West in Hong Kong
7. Maxing out my credit card (damn you Nine West)
8. Asking an old Chinese woman for sex. (obviously on accident)
9. Finding out I have 3 student loans due next month (right, like I have the money…)
10. Eating dog (without knowledge)
11. Eating pig stomach (with knowledge)
12. A short conversation with a 14 year old girl: “Ying wants you to be his girlfriend. Yes?” ME: “I don’t speak Chinese and he doesn’t speak English.” HER: “But, he loves you.”
13. Getting a back massage by said Chinese man while being told about his feelings towards me.
14. Finding brie, cheddar, pepper jack and gouda cheese
15. Buying all 3 seasons of the Tutors
16. Watching all 3 seasons of the Tutors
17. Learning how to say far in Chinese
18. Teaching about Christmas and “the Christmas man”
19. Listening to my students sing Christmas carols
20. Going to my friend Tang’s restaurant
21. Learning the Happy Birthday song in Chinese (Sheng re kuai le) and singing it to Danny
22. THE BEST AND MOST IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHT: Meeting Wen. If you’ve seen Love Actually and remember Colin Firth’s story with the Portuguese girl…yeah, that’s basically Wen and me. And no, he doesn’t speak English. And yes, I use my students as translators. (See below for further information)
Interesting list, huh?!?!
I’ve haven’t written in a while because nothing too interesting has happened. I went to Hong Kong for Thanksgiving to meet my friend Kyle. It was amazing. Unfortunately, Kyle lives in Kuwait so drinking was at the top of his list. On the bright side, Hong Kong was decked out for Christmas and I bought a nice assortment of books. Two friends from WorldTeach were also in Hong Kong so we met up with them and as the above highlights tell, we lost Jon at one point and Brendon woke me up at 5 am looking for him (and telling me quite excitedly about a 50 year old woman he was making out with.)
Upon arriving in China we were told that culture shock usually sets in about 3 or 4 months after arrival. I am very lucky to say I didn’t/haven’t experienced it as bad as some people. After Hong Kong I was a bit homesick but it only lasted a few days. Now, I’m back to my giddy self! I leave tomorrow for Sanya. Google it. It’s basically China’s Hawaii. Apparently there is a Monkey island and sometimes you actually have to peel monkeys off of your legs. That should be interesting. I’ll be spending Christmas at the beach…probably drunk…
Ok…So, here’s the story you’ve been dying to hear (I hope you aren’t literally dying though. That would be very very sad.) So, Wen Yong Ping. Where to start?? Joan and I went into a restaurant a couple of months ago and enjoyed a nice dinner. We met the boss, Tang, who speaks a little English. He is very very nice and we love the restaurant so we go there often. I noticed the first time we went in that the cooks are all young and very attractive. Well, then I saw in my opinion the most beautiful man in China. I never had the courage to talk to him so he and I was make eyes with each other. I’m sure you know what I mean when I say “make eyes.” I smile and give him my flirty face and he smiles back..blah blah blah.
Ok…So, here’s the story you’ve been dying to hear (I hope you aren’t literally dying though. That would be very very sad.) So, Wen Yong Ping. Where to start?? Joan and I went into a restaurant a couple of months ago and enjoyed a nice dinner. We met the boss, Tang, who speaks a little English. He is very very nice and we love the restaurant so we go there often. I noticed the first time we went in that the cooks are all young and very attractive. Well, then I saw in my opinion the most beautiful man in China. I never had the courage to talk to him so he and I was make eyes with each other. I’m sure you know what I mean when I say “make eyes.” I smile and give him my flirty face and he smiles back..blah blah blah.
So, we went in the restaurant last Friday and Tang came to sit with us. Joan and I told him we though the cooks were very cute and joan informed him that I liked one of the guys. Then, I told my friend Emma about him. She’s a student at another school and she was dying to see what he looked like. So, Sunday night we went into the restaurant after her classes. It was about 10 pm and because I was a bit nervous I got a little tipsy before we went. She started talking to one of the girls who works there and told her that I like the guy and I wanted to know how old he was. This simple question turned into the entire restaurant finding out that I was interested in the guy. When he walked over to our table this random man made us stand together because he was worried that I was taller. I am taller than most of the people here, but luckily Wen and I are about the same height. After a while he came and sat at the table with Tang and us. Emma had to translate almost everything we said to each other, but luckily I’ve learned how to flirt in Chinese. I can’t order a proper dinner in Chinese, but I can definitely flirt. Ni shuai dia le means something along the lines of you are so handsome, I’m dumbfounded. Yes….I said this to him. He responded (with Emma’s help) “you are beautiful.” And thus the evening continued.
Communication is difficult but we make it work. He texts me in broken English sometimes and I’ve learned how to type characters on my phone. Our conversations are obviously basic and usually consist of, “Hello. How are You?” “i’m fine thank you. And you? “ “I’m fine too.” This communication barrier may be a blessing in disguise. I'm now determined more than ever to learn Chinese and thus plan on spending at least 2 - 3 hours a day on Rosetta Stone. Wen is also determined to learn English. I’m leaving town for vacation, but when I come back we are supposed to go to KTV together. I’ll keep you posted as the relationship blossoms (or dies).
Until the next time....
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