Where do I begin? Well, I will start with a recent situation that was somewhat frustrating, but a situation that I am glad happened because I found the answer that I had been searching for. You may recall that I had mentioned in previous posts about the possibility of going to Beijing at some point to meet with the organization that wanted me to teach English to athletes here in Xi'an. Well, long story short, after skyping with the Director and one of the top professors on September 11, the decision was made for me to go to Beijing as soon as possible (sometime between September 14 - 27). So, I proceeded to book my plane ticket and get things in order to leave the night of Wednesday, September 23 and return the night of Sunday, September 27; only to find out 2 days later that this meeting may not happen for awhile since the athlete foundation has had to put the expansion of the program to other cities on hold. I was a little frustrated to say the least since I felt like the Director and Professor had really pushed the issue of me coming as soon as possible, to only turn around and say that this could wait for awhile. However, when I really stepped back from the situation and thought about it, I really had a peace about the whole situation. I have really been excited about this program all along, and still think it is an amazing opportunity, yet one thing that didn't feel right was that if I came into this program now, I was going to have to spend 2-4 months in Beijing for training before coming back to Xi'an to run the program here. While that doesn't sound like such a bad thing, it really wasn't the best option for me right now, especially with my situation with language school. This whole first semester is so crucial to my ability to get around and to be able to communicate with people that to stop in the middle would not be the best option. There was also the concern of what would happen if I missed that much school since I am on a student visa, and whether my visa would be compromised. I also thought about my favorite book and how so many pages are filled with lines about waiting. I wanted this opportunity to happen soon, but I realized that if this opportunity is meant to happen then it will happen at the right time, and I just have to wait and see what will transpire.
I want to follow that up with a story of accomplishment for the week. You remember that plane ticket I mentioned that I already bought to go to Beijing? Well, turns out that ticket I purchased for a really great price was non-changeable and non-refundable. The company I used is a reputable one that specializes in flights throughout Asia and Europe, and one that all my friends use, it was just that apparently I didn't read the fine print of the ticket I purchased since it was a web special. When I called the company I spoke with a lady who said that she couldn't help me, but that I could maybe call the airline and tell them what happened and they might be able to help me. I called the airline, and after telling the lady on the other end my situation, asked if I could possibly switch my ticket to use in December instead. After speaking with her supervisor she confirmed that I could switch my ticket for a fee, but since I did not have a Chinese credit card, I would have to go to a booking office to pay the fee in cash of 120rmb ($18) within 48 hours to confirm my new flight. I thanked the lady as well as Someone else that I knew had a hand in the situation. So, on Wednesday afternoon this week I ventured out on my own with the address that the airline had sent me written in Chinese, flagged down a taxi, and headed across town to the booking office to pay my $18. The taxi driver dropped me off at the door to the building and I was able to find the office once I entered the building. An attendant working in the office spoke English (my back-up plan was to call one of my friends and have them talk in Chinese to the attendant) and she took care of canceling my old ticket and issuing my new one. As I was leaving the building I spotted a Starbucks to my left, so I stopped in for a coffee and ran into my friend Matt M. Matt and his wife were the ones who took me out to dinner at a French restaurant a few weeks ago. Matt and I chatted for a few minutes before I headed out to flag down another taxi to head home. It was a really good day, as well as an exciting adventure to take care of something with help from Someone who I consider a dear Friend.
I also want to share with you about my weekly plans. I have decided that on Friday afternoons I am going to start going to a place called the Village Cafe (coffee shop / western food / hangout place) that is about 10 minutes from my apartment and that is also across the street from one of the bigger universities. The Village Cafe attracts many students young and old that are from all over the world. It is my hope to go each week to hang out for a few hours in hopes of meeting people and forming relationships that will hopefully lead to me being able to mentor some of these students. I did not really have a chance to meet anyone today, since some students are getting ready to go home or travel next week for the holiday, but I still feel like in time this is going to open up some doors of opportunity.
Speaking of the holiday, starting next week on Thursday, October 1, marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and everyone has been getting ready for the big event for the past week. Flags are now flying everywhere and minor cosmetic things have been taking place for the big event. I am looking forward to sharing with you what the events of a week of celebration for this holiday entail. In the meantime, I will leave you with just a few more insights into things here in China.
* When someone refers to their home, it means an apartment (it is very rare to find a stand alone home here)
* You really have to use the correct tone with your words since a word with a 2nd tone spelled the same way as a word with the 4th tone are two totally different meanings
* If you like to be adventurous, you can try chicken flavored toothpaste that is sold in stores everywhere
Until next time, I wish you all well. Looking forward to checking in again soon.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Say What?
I survived my second week of learning Mandarin! It was definitely a crazy, intense week, and included crying from laughing so much, but I have enjoyed it. I thought the "r" and "c" from last week were hard, but I discovered this week that there are several more that I am going to have to really practice to say correctly. Both of my teachers have said that I am improving from last week and doing well, so that is encouraging.
Speaking of Mandarin.....the last two times that I have gone into the little quick mart in our apartment complex the shop owners have taken an interest in helping me to be able to understand numbers spoken in Chinese, so it has been cool to experience that. Tonight when I went in, the husband typed the amount on the calculator and then the wife said it slowly for me to hear. I then repeated it back to her and she smiled. I won't be learning the numbers section of my book for a few more weeks, but I may know a few before we even get to that section.
So, I have officially been here for a month now and I can honestly say that I have already seen things here that break my heart. One thing has been in regards to jobs. China has done well in trying to create jobs for as many people as possible, but the people receive such a poor salary that I do not know how many families survive - their minimum wage is basically the equivalent of $1.50 an hour, and for work that they give 110% effort to. Many of the workers are from nearby villages and either take buses into town to work for the day, or workers who have moved to the city leaving their spouses and children behind, and whom they only see 1 month a year.
On another note, I have enjoyed talking to a few of you via Skype this week. If you are unaware of Skype, it is a free service that you download to your computer that allows you to call or video call anyone on Skype around the world. My mom especially loves it since as she says: "She gets to see my lovely face." (Ok, so I enjoy seeing her face too, but don't tell her I said that!) So, for those of you that would love to chat sometime via Skype please email me and I will send you my Skype name and tell you how to set up Skype if you are interested.
In closing I have included a few more cultural observations (you knew they had to be coming):
* China is working on becoming "green," so when going to the store, you need to either purchase an environmentally friendly bag there or bring your own - most stores do not have plastic bags, or if they do, you will be charged for each one you use
* If someone hands you something using both hands, then you are to accept it with both hands (sign of respect)
* Xi'an has lots of dust, so it is rare that you will ever see a blue sky (though we had a rare day Monday, so everyone was outside most of the day)
* Everything here receives a red stamp to make it official, including when you leave a store you have to get your receipt stamped
On a quick side note, I turned in my passport last week to get my new student visa put in, and I was able to pick it up today, so that is a huge relief. I will be checking in again within the week. Thank you to all of you who read my blogs each week - I really appreciate it and am touched by your support.
Speaking of Mandarin.....the last two times that I have gone into the little quick mart in our apartment complex the shop owners have taken an interest in helping me to be able to understand numbers spoken in Chinese, so it has been cool to experience that. Tonight when I went in, the husband typed the amount on the calculator and then the wife said it slowly for me to hear. I then repeated it back to her and she smiled. I won't be learning the numbers section of my book for a few more weeks, but I may know a few before we even get to that section.
So, I have officially been here for a month now and I can honestly say that I have already seen things here that break my heart. One thing has been in regards to jobs. China has done well in trying to create jobs for as many people as possible, but the people receive such a poor salary that I do not know how many families survive - their minimum wage is basically the equivalent of $1.50 an hour, and for work that they give 110% effort to. Many of the workers are from nearby villages and either take buses into town to work for the day, or workers who have moved to the city leaving their spouses and children behind, and whom they only see 1 month a year.
On another note, I have enjoyed talking to a few of you via Skype this week. If you are unaware of Skype, it is a free service that you download to your computer that allows you to call or video call anyone on Skype around the world. My mom especially loves it since as she says: "She gets to see my lovely face." (Ok, so I enjoy seeing her face too, but don't tell her I said that!) So, for those of you that would love to chat sometime via Skype please email me and I will send you my Skype name and tell you how to set up Skype if you are interested.
In closing I have included a few more cultural observations (you knew they had to be coming):
* China is working on becoming "green," so when going to the store, you need to either purchase an environmentally friendly bag there or bring your own - most stores do not have plastic bags, or if they do, you will be charged for each one you use
* If someone hands you something using both hands, then you are to accept it with both hands (sign of respect)
* Xi'an has lots of dust, so it is rare that you will ever see a blue sky (though we had a rare day Monday, so everyone was outside most of the day)
* Everything here receives a red stamp to make it official, including when you leave a store you have to get your receipt stamped
On a quick side note, I turned in my passport last week to get my new student visa put in, and I was able to pick it up today, so that is a huge relief. I will be checking in again within the week. Thank you to all of you who read my blogs each week - I really appreciate it and am touched by your support.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Class and Some Stories
Hey! Since it has been a week since my last post, this one may be a bit long.
As of today, I have had a week's worth of language classes, which I have enjoyed immensely. Mandarin can be a difficult language, but I have been told by my teachers that I am doing very well. During this first week we focused on the four tones as well as the pinyin. The pinyin is used for non-Chinese speakers in an effort to help you pronounce the word correctly, as well as to recognize which tone to use. Here is a brief description of the four tones, using a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest pitch of your voice:
1st tone - pitch is relatively high and is kept level (5 to 5)
2nd tone - rises from mid-pitch to high (3 to 5)
3rd tone - mid-low pitch drops down and then rises to a mid-high pitch (2 to 1 to 3.5)
4th tone - falls sharply from a high pitch to a low pitch quickly (5 to 1)
Our teacher has said that we will most likely be in the pronunciation portion of the book for another two weeks, which is good considering most people take five to six weeks with pronunciation. So far my biggest two struggles have been with the "c" and "r" consonants. The "c" is suppose to sound like the 'ts-h' in 'it's-hot.' And the "r" is suppose to sound like the 'z' in 'azure' or the 'j' in 'jaune.' And it has also been a little difficult when trying to read twenty words to remember the correct sound to use with the vowels. Meaning an "i" sounds like 'e' as in 'see,' an "ei" sounds like an 'a' as in 'weigh,' and an "ai" sounds like 'i' as in 'aisle.' So, it has been a little bit of a challenge so far, and will continue to be one I am sure, but I know that those challenges will only help to make me a better communicator in Chinese.
So, today I had the opportunity to go with two foreign families, whom I met a few weeks ago through mutual friends, to an international contemporary art show. The art show was free and was at this place that had several buildings all within one complex, and the art was displayed in forty different rooms. I enjoyed the exhibits and thought it was the perfect day to go since it was raining all day. Tonight after the art show I was invited out to dinner with one of the families and they took me to a wonderful French restaurant (the cook is actually French). I had an amazing ham and cheese omelet with hash browns for my meal, and then we all split creme brulee and hazelnut chocolate mousse for dessert. I picked up the business card for this restaurant so in the future I can show it to a cab driver to take me there again. I also learned how to say my neighborhood and apartment complex in Chinese tonight, since those are two important things to know when needing a cab (even if you cannot speak the language). The family I was with made sure the cab driver understood where I was going before we parted ways, and I just enjoyed the night scenery of the city on the drive home. And for those of you worried about me, it is very safe here to take a taxi at night. I have also added some pictures from today to the 'Pictures Around Town in China' photo album - check them out when you have a chance.
I wanted to share another quick story with you. There is a little quick mart at the west gate to my apartment complex that I occasionally stop at to pick up something I have forgotten at the store. A husband and wife run the store and know that I am new to Xi'an and that I cannot speak Chinese yet. So, the other day I went in to get a Lime flavored water and a Mandarin Orange flavored water. I looked for them on the shelf and when I couldn't find them, I figured they were sold out, so I was in the process of getting a plain water when I realized that the wife had run over to a stock of supplies that had just come in and came back with the Lime and Mandarin Orange waters. She looked at me and smiled and nodded waiting to make sure that was what I wanted. I nodded yes, paid, and walked out of the store with a smile on my face. I have only been here three weeks, and this woman has already taken an interest in knowing what I like and trying to make sure that she has it for me. It is also in moments like that when I realize that you can still communicate with people without having to speak their language.
Also, as promised from previous blogs, I am including a few more insights into things I have observed in this culture.
* When entering a home, you must remove your shoes. For a foreigner hosting a Chinese friend or vice versa, you are to have house slippers available for your guests to wear while in your home
* Dates on food containers include both a production date as well as an expiration date. If an item has only one date on it, then it is the production date
* Milk is only sold here in bags (pure milk from the cow) or boxes (what we know as shelf milk), and will not be found in the refrigerator, but on the shelves. The box milk is good for a year, but must be refrigerated once it has been opened
* Most of the Chinese people have really long fingernails, or at least one fingernail that is really long (longer than acrylic nails that women have put on)
Wishing you a wonderful and restful weekend - you will be hearing from me again next week.
As of today, I have had a week's worth of language classes, which I have enjoyed immensely. Mandarin can be a difficult language, but I have been told by my teachers that I am doing very well. During this first week we focused on the four tones as well as the pinyin. The pinyin is used for non-Chinese speakers in an effort to help you pronounce the word correctly, as well as to recognize which tone to use. Here is a brief description of the four tones, using a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest pitch of your voice:
1st tone - pitch is relatively high and is kept level (5 to 5)
2nd tone - rises from mid-pitch to high (3 to 5)
3rd tone - mid-low pitch drops down and then rises to a mid-high pitch (2 to 1 to 3.5)
4th tone - falls sharply from a high pitch to a low pitch quickly (5 to 1)
Our teacher has said that we will most likely be in the pronunciation portion of the book for another two weeks, which is good considering most people take five to six weeks with pronunciation. So far my biggest two struggles have been with the "c" and "r" consonants. The "c" is suppose to sound like the 'ts-h' in 'it's-hot.' And the "r" is suppose to sound like the 'z' in 'azure' or the 'j' in 'jaune.' And it has also been a little difficult when trying to read twenty words to remember the correct sound to use with the vowels. Meaning an "i" sounds like 'e' as in 'see,' an "ei" sounds like an 'a' as in 'weigh,' and an "ai" sounds like 'i' as in 'aisle.' So, it has been a little bit of a challenge so far, and will continue to be one I am sure, but I know that those challenges will only help to make me a better communicator in Chinese.
So, today I had the opportunity to go with two foreign families, whom I met a few weeks ago through mutual friends, to an international contemporary art show. The art show was free and was at this place that had several buildings all within one complex, and the art was displayed in forty different rooms. I enjoyed the exhibits and thought it was the perfect day to go since it was raining all day. Tonight after the art show I was invited out to dinner with one of the families and they took me to a wonderful French restaurant (the cook is actually French). I had an amazing ham and cheese omelet with hash browns for my meal, and then we all split creme brulee and hazelnut chocolate mousse for dessert. I picked up the business card for this restaurant so in the future I can show it to a cab driver to take me there again. I also learned how to say my neighborhood and apartment complex in Chinese tonight, since those are two important things to know when needing a cab (even if you cannot speak the language). The family I was with made sure the cab driver understood where I was going before we parted ways, and I just enjoyed the night scenery of the city on the drive home. And for those of you worried about me, it is very safe here to take a taxi at night. I have also added some pictures from today to the 'Pictures Around Town in China' photo album - check them out when you have a chance.
I wanted to share another quick story with you. There is a little quick mart at the west gate to my apartment complex that I occasionally stop at to pick up something I have forgotten at the store. A husband and wife run the store and know that I am new to Xi'an and that I cannot speak Chinese yet. So, the other day I went in to get a Lime flavored water and a Mandarin Orange flavored water. I looked for them on the shelf and when I couldn't find them, I figured they were sold out, so I was in the process of getting a plain water when I realized that the wife had run over to a stock of supplies that had just come in and came back with the Lime and Mandarin Orange waters. She looked at me and smiled and nodded waiting to make sure that was what I wanted. I nodded yes, paid, and walked out of the store with a smile on my face. I have only been here three weeks, and this woman has already taken an interest in knowing what I like and trying to make sure that she has it for me. It is also in moments like that when I realize that you can still communicate with people without having to speak their language.
Also, as promised from previous blogs, I am including a few more insights into things I have observed in this culture.
* When entering a home, you must remove your shoes. For a foreigner hosting a Chinese friend or vice versa, you are to have house slippers available for your guests to wear while in your home
* Dates on food containers include both a production date as well as an expiration date. If an item has only one date on it, then it is the production date
* Milk is only sold here in bags (pure milk from the cow) or boxes (what we know as shelf milk), and will not be found in the refrigerator, but on the shelves. The box milk is good for a year, but must be refrigerated once it has been opened
* Most of the Chinese people have really long fingernails, or at least one fingernail that is really long (longer than acrylic nails that women have put on)
Wishing you a wonderful and restful weekend - you will be hearing from me again next week.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The Writing is on the Wall...
...So that thought has been running through my head for the last little bit. I think it is such a great statement as to the life lessons I am being reminded of lately. The last few weeks I have had to be dependent on my friends here in China to be able to get things done and to even be able to get around town. I began to realize that I am an independent person, and am not afraid to fend for myself, so having to depend on others has been a humbling experience. Being independent is not a bad thing, but I was once again reminded that in this life I will always have Someone I can depend on; Someone who will let me be independent and make my mistakes, but who will always accept me when I come back. So, for me, this lesson is once again being written on the wall of my heart.
Okay, I want to update you on some other things going on in my life, as well as share some more observations about China. A few friends and I were to go to Beijing this week to talk with the Director about teaching English to athletes here in Xi'an, but that trip had to be postponed until sometime next month. We are hoping to start up that program after getting back from Beijing, but we are just waiting to see what the Director says - it may not start now until January. In the meantime there is another possibility of me helping teach English to students that range in age from 7 and up.
Classes start for me on Monday, and I am getting excited to start learning Chinese. I know Monday is Labor Day in the U.S., but here in China they celebrate Labor Day in May. I do get a day off in October though for the Chinese equivalent of Independence Day; coincidentally the same day as the opening of a Papa John's here too. Hey, you gotta have some semblance of home, right? As part of my preparations for school a friend and I had to have a medical exam yesterday. The school we will be attending set up the exam for us at an International Clinic in town and provided a translator who met us to assist as well. Our exam consisted of bloodwork, x-ray of our lungs, EKG for heart rate, blood pressure, and an ultrasound of our organs. The ultrasound test did seem a little weird, especially since guys had to do it too, but was totally fine (all my organs are in check!!). For the most part though things were similar to a clinic in the States.
Okay, a few more observations / insights about China:
* You do not flush toilet paper here, you throw it away; you will find western toilets in apartments, but in almost all restaurants / public places there are squatty potties and you better have your own toilet paper
* Any time there is a grand opening of a new building they shoot off fireworks
* When getting in a cab you can only get in on the passenger side - the back door on the driver side does not open
* The men always allow a woman or child to go first whether it is on or off the elevator, out a door, etc. The Chinese people also have high respect for their elders and it is seen in their actions of leading them across the street or helping carry the groceries
Well, I will close for now, but look for an update next week about my first few days of class.
Okay, I want to update you on some other things going on in my life, as well as share some more observations about China. A few friends and I were to go to Beijing this week to talk with the Director about teaching English to athletes here in Xi'an, but that trip had to be postponed until sometime next month. We are hoping to start up that program after getting back from Beijing, but we are just waiting to see what the Director says - it may not start now until January. In the meantime there is another possibility of me helping teach English to students that range in age from 7 and up.
Classes start for me on Monday, and I am getting excited to start learning Chinese. I know Monday is Labor Day in the U.S., but here in China they celebrate Labor Day in May. I do get a day off in October though for the Chinese equivalent of Independence Day; coincidentally the same day as the opening of a Papa John's here too. Hey, you gotta have some semblance of home, right? As part of my preparations for school a friend and I had to have a medical exam yesterday. The school we will be attending set up the exam for us at an International Clinic in town and provided a translator who met us to assist as well. Our exam consisted of bloodwork, x-ray of our lungs, EKG for heart rate, blood pressure, and an ultrasound of our organs. The ultrasound test did seem a little weird, especially since guys had to do it too, but was totally fine (all my organs are in check!!). For the most part though things were similar to a clinic in the States.
Okay, a few more observations / insights about China:
* You do not flush toilet paper here, you throw it away; you will find western toilets in apartments, but in almost all restaurants / public places there are squatty potties and you better have your own toilet paper
* Any time there is a grand opening of a new building they shoot off fireworks
* When getting in a cab you can only get in on the passenger side - the back door on the driver side does not open
* The men always allow a woman or child to go first whether it is on or off the elevator, out a door, etc. The Chinese people also have high respect for their elders and it is seen in their actions of leading them across the street or helping carry the groceries
Well, I will close for now, but look for an update next week about my first few days of class.
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