What I learned today

The Chinese word for "jeans" is 牛仔裤, which literally translates as "cowboy pants"

I don't know how I didn't know this before.  Yet another reason why I love learning Chinese so much. 

FMCL and MCLIG at the same time

Today was a great day for the following reasons:

1- I got paid.
2- I watched movies with my students all day.
3- I got not one, but TWO care packages!
4- I also received Matt's graduation announcement.

Mail crazy funtimes!

I have to say, I was just thinking last week about how much I missed Cheetos and actually screamed when I opened Kendra's box to find a bag of Cheetos Puffs and a huge box of Cheerios!  She also packed me some peanut butter, clif bars, and some nail polish.  The best part, though, is the magazines that I received from her and Sarah!  English magazines are hard to find here and once you get them, they tend to be really outdated and very expensive.

So thanks, ladies, for being some of my best friends and for staying closer than ever across the world from me! 

Goodbye, Tian Laoshi

Fifteen minutes before the end of my Chinese lesson on Friday, Tian laoshi asked me how long I had been his student.  I was pretty taken back by this question and answered, since November, so I guess about five or six months.  Then he told me he was leaving the school. 

That's right.  Leaving.  

I was in so much shock that I didn't believe him for a while and thought I had misheard him (which I didn't) or he actually meant he was going on vacation (he's not).  He's actually getting a job at a trade firm in downtown Qingdao because he's only 25 and still has time to pursue a career.  I don't blame him.  I mean, I'm not a teacher by training either, but enjoy it at the moment.  God bless those who teach as a career, though! 

I asked him when his last day was and he said it was this Thursday to do some paperwork, but I was actually his last student.  Now that was the real kicker.  We agreed that we'd be friends but he also joked that if he saw me in the future, my Chinese better be improving or else he'll be angry. 

So that's the end of Tian laoshi.  I guess I'll just be referring to him as Tian Jian from now on.

There is such a special bond between language teacher and student, partially because there needs to be a certain level of friendship in order for the language to be learned well and in a fun manner (bad relationship = miserable class, we've all been there).  The other half is that with a language teacher, you can talk about anything and it still counts as learning so the teacher learns all sorts of crazy stuff about the student and vice versa. 

I'll definitely miss him as my teacher and I know that my next instructor will have some metaphorically big shoes to fill (because I'm almost as tall as Tian). 

Labor Day Weekend... China style

I went out for pizza with Derek and Wes and drank my sorrows at losing yet another Chinese teacher.  Then we went to New York Bar, listened to a Filipino band play Beatles and Lady Gaga covers in Alice in Wonderland costumes and called it a night. 

I spent my Saturday and Sunday teaching my younger students at Joe's and tutored Helen at my place.  I lead an exciting life. 

Monday I headed out to Fu Shan (浮山) with Brian, Derek, and Wes to enjoy the first summery day of the season.  The hike was pretty nice and the view would have been great had it the city and sea not been covered with a thick layer of smog. 

We failed at finding the hidden tunnels underneath the mountain, but did have a pretty great time outside. 

This old guy BAMF was scaling rockwalls with only a wooden stick.  Seriously.

Then towards the end, the hacking began and I was unable to fully inhale without coughing up a storm.  When I got back to my apartment, I saw that the Air Pollution Index (API) for Qingdao was around 108... meaning that the air was "slightly polluted" but not really measuring exactly which cases were making it polluted that day. 

So thanks again China, for shortening my life.  Also for a memorable ending to my attempt at enjoying a seemingly wonderful summer day outside.  FMChinaL... My China life is great.

My not so 老 老师

I was really excited that 田老师 invited me to his apartment for a party and had a fleeting thought that it might be his birthday.  Turns out I was right!  I had a really fun Friday night but it was not without its own strange occurrences and funny stories. 

不好意思, Holy !#%@& I am embarrassed

I thought that I had 田健 (my teacher's name is Tian Jian)'s phone number because he had been texting me off and on over the past few months.  So yesterday afternoon I texted him to figure out how to get to his apartment and this is what happened (all in Chinese, this is a translation):

Me: How do I get to your apartment?  Which bus do I take?
田老师: What are you talking about?
(incoming phone call)
田老师: Eh, Wu Laoshi (my Chinese name as a teacher)?  Foreign Teacher?  Do you remember me?  Did you send me a text message incorrectly?
Me: Oh god.  I am so embarrassed.  I am sorry, I do not remember who you are!
(text messages)
田老师Haha, it's okay. 
Me: I am so embarrassed, my Chinese teacher's name is also 田老师!
田老师: Haha, no problem. Next time I can teach you Chinese. =)

At this point I am:
(1) laughing because so many Chinese people have the same last names,
(2) embarrassed because I had mixed up my own Chinese teacher with someone else who decided to text me and
(3) mortified because I have an unknown stalker of sorts. 

I know that this other mysterious Tian laoshi has to be a teacher on my campus somewhere and there are only a few that I've given my number to, so this narrows it down quite a bit.  The problem is that I don't remember what any of these teachers look like!  I try to keep my head down here on campus because I hate being asked to teach other people English.  My life is so awkward. 

Happy Birthday, 祝你生日快乐田健!

I finally got myself over to 田健 (Tian Jian, my Chinese teacher)'s apartment and was greeted by many of his students.  They were all Japanese except for myself and Anna, a Polish girl who also studies at the school but isn't technically Jian's student.  It was really nice getting to know other expats who are not from Western countries and their children were just too cute for words!

Tian Jian and his roommates cooked us a big dinner which was delicious and really made me want to learn how to cook Northern Chinese food.  They claimed it was simple, but I doubt it and I think it's also great that these men know how to cook up a storm!  We had some classic dishes including eggs and cucumbers, mushrooms and pork, and the local specialty, Qingdao gala (clams).  Tian Jian even cooked up 酸辣土豆丝 (vinegar chili shredded potatoes) which were really good, but I joked that if we got 拉肚子 ("pulled stomach" or indigestion) tomorrow it would be his fault. 

Then Tian Jian toasted to his 25th birthday, to his friend the chef, and to all of us his students.  He said that an important part of teaching is to actually like your students and to feel happy when going to teach class.  Not only is studying well important, but also a special friendship between teacher and student and that it is fate that we were all brought together. 

It was really touching, and as a teacher myself, I couldn't agree more!  To me it is also important to have a close relationship with my Chinese teacher and to feel comfortable asking questions about anything and to make stupid mistakes during class.  I could not be more appreciative that he feels the same way and I am so glad that I have him as a teacher. 

And, well, after this touching moment occurred, the debauchery broke out in the form of beer and sake.  We did a lot of 干杯 ("empty cup", cheers, or bottoms up!) and he had to go around and drink with everyone.  I also had to hold up my own honor and "face" as an American and drink a lot just because I am from the US of A, the land of binge drinking.  Thanks a lot, Hollywood. 

Then there was a birthday cake complete with birthday torch candle that played "Happy Birthday" over and over again.  Let me tell you, Chinese cakes are delicious.  They are made with real cream frosting and the cake is perfectly moist and spongy.  It's also great because they're not overly sweet and you don't feel like you're going to develop Type II diabetes after ever single bite. 

Plus, they come with a paper crown, which should really be a part of every birthday party.  The down side of birthday parties in China is that the Chinese have this strange idea that it is normal to have a food fight at parties and smear icing all over your friends for luck. 

I didn't get too badly covered and only got a bit on my cheeks and a schmear or two in my hair by his roommate.  Also note the giant bottle of sake next to the mirror that was given as a gift by one of the Japanese students.  Needless to say, Tian Jian was tucked into bed by his roommates before midnight and left sleeping on the floor under a pile of blankets (but with a bucket!).  This was also before midnight and the friends then proceeded to leave the apartment to celebrate his birthday... without him.

Way to go, friends.  I'm just glad that's never happened to me! 

Beware the Jabberwocky

I also saw Alice in Wonderland in 3D tonight with Althea and it was pretty good.  It was a different interpretation of the story than the cartoon version and it was a lot trippier.  I kind of liked it and loved Johnny Depp's performance.  This was my first legal movie watching experience in China and it was kind of fun to actually go to a movie theatre again. 

Spring is arriving quickly and I no longer have to wear a puffy coat or tights under my jeans.  Yippee!

Life lessons

This weekend I started another side-job with a coworker who gives English lessons out of his home.  I taught two classes on Saturday: one group which consisted of three 13 year olds and another group of nine 11 year olds.  It was definitely a change of pace from teaching college students!  I also taught another class on Sunday which had three 14 year old girls, who cracked me up the entire time.  I am really looking forward to seeing them next week. 

Basically I did things like "The Hokey Pokey", "Never Have I Ever", "Categories", and this activity where I cut pictures out of magazines and the students had to tell me how to move my body to make myself look like the model in the photo.  This is not a hard task when you are speaking in your second language.  Directional words and propositions really trip students up! 

Alas, I have lost my weekends to even more teaching, but at least I am getting paid extra money and really enjoy the experience of working with pre-teens. 

我住了在德州/ I lived in Texas!

Today in my Chinese class, 田老师 asked me if there were many 杀人 (murderers) in America.  I paused, grumbled a bit, and asked him why he was wondering.  Then he said that there were towns (plural) in America where people were killed by 电链锯 (electric chainsaws). 

Turns out he watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and now thinks that there are places in America where people are murdered by Leatherface. 

This is exactly what America needs in the minds of people around the world.  I wish I had something witty to comment about this, but I think the conversation stands alone.

ROAR!

I was Skyping with my adorable 3-year old nephew, Alex, today when he decided to put on his dinosaur costume.   He calls me "E.E." the name for "mother's sister" in my mom's dialect.

Alex: EE, where is your dinosaur costume?
Me: I don't have one.
Alex: It's okay, you can look at mine.
Me: Yes, it is really cool, little dude!
Alex: Why don't you go and buy one?  You should buy one.  Mommy, I told EE to buy a dinosaur costume.
Me: That sounds like a great idea!

Moral of the story: I need a dinosaur costume and it should be more acceptable for anyone to walk around as a dinosaur saying "roar!"

New Years Party, round two.

During the new year, Chinese make dumplings together and eat them as a family.  Many classes have hosted 饺子 making parties recently to celebrate with their classmates and enjoy a yummy meal.  I was invited to my Class 14's dumpling making party today and it was a lot of fun!

There is a certain way to roll the dough out into squares and I was taught by my students.  It's a little different than what we know as rolling out dough, and you have to rotate the little circle as you roll towards the center.  You don't roll out, you roll in.

Then we filled the dumplings with various fillings and pinched them shut.  This is also the part I always find the hardest, but some of my students can make some really pretty ones!

Feasting on the dumplings was kind of a zoo and involved a lot of running and squealing.  We had plenty to eat though, and I was pretty stuffed afterward.

Later in the evening, they held a party in their classroom which was more of a talent show.  It was really well organized (this is my second highest level class) and every student got to perform something either by themselves or in a group.

There were students doing a fan dance, kungfu, and nunchuks.  Singing karaoke songs was a very popular option, as was making up a funny skit.  There were also several groups that created their own choreographed dances to songs like "Billie Jean" and many popular Chinese songs.  I even saw a student break dance, complete with the worm!

 

 

These New Years parties are really wearing me thin and I am really behind on grading the final exams (read almost all are ungraded).  Besides the fact that I'm pretty sure I ate my weight in sunflower seeds this evening, the healthy snacks are pretty awesome.  It is also fun to hang out with my students in a more fun and laid-back environment.  So here you go, my class 14!

I'm off to Shanghai tomorrow afternoon to celebrate New Years with Max.  I've never been to Shanghai before and am really excited!  See you in the new decade --

新年快乐！

I'm a student again!

I started Chinese tutoring today. As in, I am the student and I have a teacher. Woohoo! It’s very exciting to be learning Chinese again with a formal teacher. I am doing one-on-one tutoring for two hours twice a week. Each session is 60RMB, which is pretty affordable for me and definitely worth the money.

My Friday teacher is named 田老师 (Tian Laoshi) and he is very nice. We started today on a book called 发展汉语 which is different than my old one. This is actually pretty good for me because it expands my vocabulary and grammar instead of just learning ridiculous advanced words I don’t really need.

It was interesting to be on the other side of the table, especially since I have been a teacher for about a month now (weird, right?). I can empathize with my teacher when he tries to explain a word I don’t know and ends up restating it in a sentence or describing it like twenty times before I get it. I just want to say, “Tian laoshi, I totally get how frustrated you are right now and appreciate that you are not losing your shit explaining ‘TV commercial’ to me in Chinese.”

This was a nice change of pace in my schedule, especially since this means I will be going into town twice a week and getting out of the college campus! This works out for me because the other days I can do lesson planning for my TEN classes and such.

I’m getting to do the other half of what I came here to do: learn more Chinese. I am both student and teacher!