trip to town and shopping

buying groceries: 3 six packs of pepsi, 8 cartons of milk, at least 5 lbs of potatoes or more, 3 oranges, rolls, sweet rolls, zipper bags, 5 ears of corn, romaine lettice, green onions, two packs of soy beans, three chicken breasts, half kilo of beef, pork, 2 bottles of tomato juice, bottle of ketchup, jar of 1000 island dressing, bag of sugar, brown sugar, 10-12 tomatoes, 2 storage bowls, notebook, paperclips, jug of oil......all for $46 usd.

again.... a trip to town and shopping is ALWAYS an adventure!! You never know what is going to happen or what you will see and experience! Had another little helper at the grocery store today. She followed me upstairs and pushed my cart for me talking to me in Chinese the whole time. As long as I said yes or something once in a while, it did not seem to matter that we could not understand each other!!

Got my own taxi home too! since all the road work was changing the bus stops. One lady evidently figured out I was waiting on the bus and she explained to me that it was not coming there, I would have to go down the street because of the road work. Did not understand a word she said but got the meaning. Got a taxi.

Also added some information in the 'random information' section of the website too.

Added more pictures on my website and a couple of more video links.

Shopping in China

Went shopping at the new Bi Yi Bi today.  Shopping in China (without knowing any Chinese) is both a delight and a challenge.  I am not sure if the clerks are glad to see me because they think I am going to spend lots of money being a foreigner, or  glad to see me go so they can stop having to try to understand what I want to know from pointed-to-words in my phrase book and gestures.

While choosing food today, I picked up a little girl who was fascinated with me or seeing what I was buying, not sure which, maybe both.  She followed me all over the food section of the store, through check out, and out to the door where she watched me pack my stuff in the little rolling cart I bought in the store.  Don't have a clue where her parents were.  Got my camera out to take her picture and suddenly I have two little girls (the third one did not make it in time to get in the picture)! 

Like I said, a delight and a challenge.

THUNDER! LIGHTNING! AND FIREWORKS!

About a week ago, we were having a really bad thunder storm.  Lightning flashing, thunder booming, when I heard a boom that did not sound like thunder......  wait, that sounds like.......  Yes, really, they were still testing fireworks!  During the storm.

slideshow of school and surrounding area

I published a slide show of the school buildings and surrounding country side in the photo gallery on my web page.  Check it out!

Teaching

By this past Tuesday at 11am, I had taught ten different classes the same lesson plan.  During my 11th class, I find out that probably none of the other classes knew what I was talking about when I asked them to 'write' something down because I did not use the word 'copy' and these students did not know what the word 'assignment' meant so the other classes probably didn't know either!  I am not sure yet what the Chinese call it when they are assigned class work or homework but I will try and find out before this afternoon's class.

I teach 10 classes each week, total of 20 in a two week rotation, with 16 of them being different classes.  So, most of the classes I only see once every two weeks.  I will also be involved in the English corner when the students get it going and that is considered part of my teaching contract.  I have not set up office hours yet as I have been working on establishing a scheduled time for each student to visit with me three times during the year.  Now that I have developed, printed and posted that schedule, I need to find out from the students what other times they are free to visit and I will establish my office hours for that time.

These students really need more time to just talk in English than the few minutes available in a 40 minute class.  I am trying to come up with some sort of challenge that would make them want to participate in speaking English during their free time instead of Chinese.  If these students committed to speaking only English during their free time to each other, their English would really improve over the course of the year.  I am open to suggestions. 

11:20 am I have water!!!!

Yes!!!  I have water!   I am dancing a little jig and thanking The One who gave me what was needed to make my need known.  To Him from whom all language comes, grant me knowledge and understanding of the Chinese language.

Getting a water bottle

The last time I needed a water bottle I called my liaison and she called for the water.  When the man brought it, he took out his phone and motioned for a paper and pen so he could write down his phone number.  Okay...  I assumed that meant he wanted me to call him directly next time.  How's that going to go?  I don't really speak any Chinese and he does not speak English.

So here we are today.  I need water.  What to do?  Now I have been preaching to my students that if they don't try to speak English then they can not really learn English.  (don't you love it when something comes back to bite you on the _hum_?)
Therefore, I get out my Chinese notes and figure out how to say "I am the American teacher.  I want water."  Or at least I hope that is what I am saying!  I call him on the phone and say my part and he says, "Oh, hao hao hao."  Which in Chinese means "yes, okay."  It is 11am.  Let's see if I get the water!!  LOL!

Slide show

A slide show of some of the activities we participated in during orientation.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjk4MDUwNjgw.html

Schedule?

got my schedule around 8:30 this morning. My first class was at 10:20, AND I see the same class first period tomorrow! Yikes! That means a different lesson plan for in the morning! but Wait! My supernatural source is in control! Some kind of announcements/ceremony during the 10 mins between class so the class did not start on time. I only had 15 minutes to teach! What does that mean???? No new lesson plan needed! Will finish up the first one tomorrow! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

First trip to town on the bus and by myself

So, I went out to the bus stop (a house/store) to catch the bus to town, only one comes by, the number 7.  The owner of the store (most are family owned businesses) offered me a seat to wait, realized that she was sitting in front of the fan, immediately moved and offered me her seat. The bus came about 15 minutes later.  According to the last volunteer who was here, there is not a schedule, you just go to the bus stop and wait.  It could be 5 minutes or 45 minutes and the buses stop running at 6pm.  After that, I would have to get a taxi to come back to school.  That would mean getting them to understand where I want to go and negotiating a price in Chinese!  I am not there yet. (if ever)

I got off at the bank and withdrew some money and then crossed the street to the Bi Yi Bi supermarket.  There are two of these, old one and new one.  The one I was at is the old one.  Major stores, like chain stores, are more than one floor instead of being spread out like at home.  Since I was by myself, I felt free to just wonder around and look at everything.  Things here were a little bit cheaper than at the other supermarket I went to with Mrs. Zeng, my liaison.

Using my trusty Mandrin phrasebook where I can just point to words, I managed to make the store clerk understand that I wanted dish detergent and figured out they don't have paper towel like we have in the US, at least not that I have found and not at this store, and if I want foam to put on my bed, I will have to go to where they are actually building the beds because all they sell in the markets is bedding.  In the stores here there are clerks everywhere waiting to help you.  Of course, none of them speak English.  I feel this is a big opportunity for forward thinking people as more and more foreigners are coming to China.  They could draw even more business if they had a few people who could speak and comprehend English.  I certainly would go to their stores before others with no English help.  Now if I could just find a grocery that sells some western food items...

After purchasing several different things, I crossed the street to McDonald's and had a Big Mac meal for around $2.75.  From there, I walked down "walking street" (which is shops on both sides of a paved area only for walking, no cars, but larger than a regular side walk).  I was headed to the other supermarket which is at the last bus stop and easier to catch the bus from.  My mistake was trying to follow the same route Mrs. Zeng took instead of going down to the river street, which was within sight.  Of course, I got lost.  Not too lost; I knew I was close but did not know which way to go; so I had to call Mrs. Zeng for help.  She got a clerk from the mobile phone store to tell her where I was and point me to the river.  She then told me to turn right at the river.  And there I was, right where I wanted to be.  It is about 1:30 now and VERY hot.  I am worn out.  I go and sit on the bus waiting for the driver to decide to come and do a run.  After several other people get on, he comes out of the little building that must be an office, collects our money, and off we go.

I get back to the bus stop where I started this morning around 2pm.  Exhausted.  Hot.  Sweaty.  Mop bucket I bought full of things and the reusable grocery bag I took full of things.  With about a half mile hike still to my apartment.  I needed supernatural help to make it, so I went to the source to voice my need:  All the way to my apartment.  Since my source is Extremely reliable, I made it!