Enough already?
Well as you know to go to another country/culture can be mentally and emotionally straining since all the things you know and are use to back home disappear. So bare with me in these next few paragraphs while I try to figure out my thoughts about certain things that I have come to face these few months. (One may say that I may be experiencing culture shock, after you read this, and perhaps it is true, but I think not (on the basis that I still love being here, teaching, learning the language, learning how to cook, making tons of new friends (just these past 3 days) etc) so I think there are just a few things that kinda erk me, and I also think its because I am 'a special' guest at their school so they treat me as such... At the same time, I realize and know by accepting this job, at this school living there, this is what would happen... soo I think sometimes they go too far to pamper me.. and I mean certain individuals. Secondly, there is just something with the ... ummm orc's that they keep nagging at me at, and well I'm starting to get fed up! hehe.
Okay, first off... when you invite me to dinner at a restaurant, please please DON"T take the food from the dishes and put them IN my bowl okay, I’m not a baby! NONONONO!!! you do that with your kids, but as adults if you want someone to try something, try saying... " you should try this, its a specialty", or some other polite saying. And this is not part of the culture cause I don't see people putting food in other peoples dishes (you have to be observant to be a teacher). So I told the guy today at dinner today, after he put a chicken thigh on my plate, that "I can get things myself, thank you", and I hope he gets the message, its about time I stand up for myself.
Secondly, well it happened again, and I had to go today, but here is the situation: Today is Friday, tomorrow is Saturday. My Saturday is free, so I’m thinking of relaxing from a long hard week of teaching. Now 8 PM comes around Friday night, when the principal comes along and says... oh, by the way, your coming with us tomorrow right? to the village? Huh? what can i say, I didn't have any real plans' though I did want to take the day off to rest, since I’ve been down with small colds and such often. I don’t' want to say no without a good reason, and no need to say no... cause here I know if you don't follow the officials then they may start not to like you.
Thirdly, Drinking. Fine, I’ll drink for you, cheers, yuppee! That is what they do every dinner, no I don't really like to drink, not because its wrong, or some book tells me not too, I just don't, I hate the taste of beer, and well the other choice is something that tastes like umm lets just say its really strong. Now out of respect, I do want to join them, and have a good time, so I will drink some，but please don’t peer pressure me. Well so this time, and so on, I may just add some coke to my spirits. I have enjoyed rum and coke back home, and mixing the two here has them almost taste the same. Now of course when they see coke in the cup they are suspicious, and they think its just coke, but I tell them there is some spirits inside, are you happy? well anyways, when I mixed the drinks they reaction was the same as if I were mixing Hydrochloric acid with sodium (really bad chemical explosion) so opps.. cultural mistake numero uno! I told them this is what I do in Canada, and they told me that we aren't in Canada... but then I told them, oh look here, look at this.. coke... its not Chinese! why is it here? Well that stopped the conversation, but I don't mind it with coke (more then I said in previous dinners). I have mentioned to them that I don’t really like to drink soooooo they should at least respect that. You can (as a foreigner) participate in as many cultural activities as you like.. but as a foreigner you should be able to refuse if its too uncomfortable... like those skinny dipping contests I hear all about in India. So please please please, I love your people, food and culture, language, I love you. But respect me too. Don't use me, don't abuse me, learn from me. Phew.. sorry for the rant.
PS: no worries with the wrong people reading this: I'm lucky my blog is blocked in China... I can post... I just can't read it, very strange but it has its benefits.
Do I have some time to talk about some good things now?
Talent show, yeah, yesterday all the students in the middle and high school got to watch some of their fellow classmates sing. It was awesome, my first real concert! It is something else when you have 3000 people staring at you singing. Well just for fun, in my classical Chris way, I decided to go on the stage while one of the male students were singing, gave him a hug, blew him a kiss and handed him a rose. I knew ALL the students would love that, so I gave it to them. I love the students!
Movie night with students superman!
I watched the return of superman the movie with the students tonight, after going for the entire day with the leaders of the school and some teachers to a restaurant and village. But for some reason, I loved this sooo much more then the restaurant. The movie was good, but I just like seeing the students, and they just love to see me hehehe. (on a side note) unlike North America movies go from the big screen to DVD in about 2 weeks… not like the 2 to 5 month wait in NA
Teaching College students
Last three days got to go into the city to teach college students. I thought it would be difficult. I loved it, its nice to meet people university aged and older especially here. So I taught some of the college English teachers classes and I also taught the college teachers. I just find it so amazing that I can actually teach people who have taught English for more then 5 to 10 years…. And they find it edifying.. Where did I get this gift? How would I ever figure this out if I stayed in Canada??? Just another reason why I love China! And I got to meet a law teacher and her brother who are both from Beijing! You know what that means???? STANDERD MANDERIN ACCENT! I’ll be in touch with them!
Okay, first off... when you invite me to dinner at a restaurant, please please DON"T take the food from the dishes and put them IN my bowl okay, I’m not a baby! NONONONO!!! you do that with your kids, but as adults if you want someone to try something, try saying... " you should try this, its a specialty", or some other polite saying. And this is not part of the culture cause I don't see people putting food in other peoples dishes (you have to be observant to be a teacher). So I told the guy today at dinner today, after he put a chicken thigh on my plate, that "I can get things myself, thank you", and I hope he gets the message, its about time I stand up for myself.
Secondly, well it happened again, and I had to go today, but here is the situation: Today is Friday, tomorrow is Saturday. My Saturday is free, so I’m thinking of relaxing from a long hard week of teaching. Now 8 PM comes around Friday night, when the principal comes along and says... oh, by the way, your coming with us tomorrow right? to the village? Huh? what can i say, I didn't have any real plans' though I did want to take the day off to rest, since I’ve been down with small colds and such often. I don’t' want to say no without a good reason, and no need to say no... cause here I know if you don't follow the officials then they may start not to like you.
Thirdly, Drinking. Fine, I’ll drink for you, cheers, yuppee! That is what they do every dinner, no I don't really like to drink, not because its wrong, or some book tells me not too, I just don't, I hate the taste of beer, and well the other choice is something that tastes like umm lets just say its really strong. Now out of respect, I do want to join them, and have a good time, so I will drink some，but please don’t peer pressure me. Well so this time, and so on, I may just add some coke to my spirits. I have enjoyed rum and coke back home, and mixing the two here has them almost taste the same. Now of course when they see coke in the cup they are suspicious, and they think its just coke, but I tell them there is some spirits inside, are you happy? well anyways, when I mixed the drinks they reaction was the same as if I were mixing Hydrochloric acid with sodium (really bad chemical explosion) so opps.. cultural mistake numero uno! I told them this is what I do in Canada, and they told me that we aren't in Canada... but then I told them, oh look here, look at this.. coke... its not Chinese! why is it here? Well that stopped the conversation, but I don't mind it with coke (more then I said in previous dinners). I have mentioned to them that I don’t really like to drink soooooo they should at least respect that. You can (as a foreigner) participate in as many cultural activities as you like.. but as a foreigner you should be able to refuse if its too uncomfortable... like those skinny dipping contests I hear all about in India. So please please please, I love your people, food and culture, language, I love you. But respect me too. Don't use me, don't abuse me, learn from me. Phew.. sorry for the rant.
PS: no worries with the wrong people reading this: I'm lucky my blog is blocked in China... I can post... I just can't read it, very strange but it has its benefits.
Do I have some time to talk about some good things now?
Talent show, yeah, yesterday all the students in the middle and high school got to watch some of their fellow classmates sing. It was awesome, my first real concert! It is something else when you have 3000 people staring at you singing. Well just for fun, in my classical Chris way, I decided to go on the stage while one of the male students were singing, gave him a hug, blew him a kiss and handed him a rose. I knew ALL the students would love that, so I gave it to them. I love the students!
Movie night with students superman!
I watched the return of superman the movie with the students tonight, after going for the entire day with the leaders of the school and some teachers to a restaurant and village. But for some reason, I loved this sooo much more then the restaurant. The movie was good, but I just like seeing the students, and they just love to see me hehehe. (on a side note) unlike North America movies go from the big screen to DVD in about 2 weeks… not like the 2 to 5 month wait in NA
Teaching College students
Last three days got to go into the city to teach college students. I thought it would be difficult. I loved it, its nice to meet people university aged and older especially here. So I taught some of the college English teachers classes and I also taught the college teachers. I just find it so amazing that I can actually teach people who have taught English for more then 5 to 10 years…. And they find it edifying.. Where did I get this gift? How would I ever figure this out if I stayed in Canada??? Just another reason why I love China! And I got to meet a law teacher and her brother who are both from Beijing! You know what that means???? STANDERD MANDERIN ACCENT! I’ll be in touch with them!
posted by Chris at 7:53 AM
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