2 July, 2014
Hello. Summer time in Zhengzhou is hot time. For American; reading temps that are 32 degrees makes you think of cold then you remember that everything is Celsius not Fahrenheit. When I sit on the bus going anywhere and see the 32 degree mark I start to fan myself, it is over 100 degrees using the Fahrenheit scale.
I’ve been practicing my piano because in September my teacher’s students will all be in concert; yours truly included. I want to do well on the Beethoven Sonata and Field Nocturne that I will play.
I taught Li Yihan today, she and her family will be going overseas to France and we went over what she needed to say to the hotel clerks when she gets there. Since it is Paris, and it is an international city; English should be widely spoken and understood.
Yesterday being Tuesday I travelled alone to the Western Dennis and spent way more than I was planning. I was only thinking that I would get cereal but I found lots of other things to get. I’ve not seen yellow mustard there before and they had some so naturally I had to stock up, right? I took the bus to the subway and road out to the store. On the way home a lady stopped and sat next to me as I waited for the bus. She spoke no English and I only speak and understand some Chinese. I did understand enough to tell her that I am American and have been living in Zhengzhou for 2 years. Then she did something that has never happened, she shook my hand and said something in Chinese to me. Then she left but she was very happy and you know what, so was I. Another lady sat next to me and asked me what bus I was taking I was thrilled when I could answer her and say in Chinese B三五 (B san wu or B35) when her bus B十三(B shi san or B13)she said byebye and hoped on her bus. It reminds me of when I was coming home from the PSB (public safety bureau) the other day. I finished and Qi Yan told me that I could go home. I got a taxi and told the driver my address. He figured because I spoke my address instead of handing him my cell phone with my address printed on it, that I could carry on a conversation in Chinese. He asked me where I was from again I said “Wo shi mei guo ren.” And he followed that up with how long have you lived in China “Liang nian le.” How long have you been here is a new question, I’ve gotten what do you do(work) and most people assume ‘yingwen laoshi’ ‘English teacher’ but not everyone. I can also tell people where I work ‘henan gong ye da xue’ ‘Henan University of Technology.’ All in all I guess I am starting to get better at speaking Chinese.
When I got home I put up the Christmas lights that Nena left me when she went back to America. Since I hear Christmas music from the water trucks I figure my apartment should be festive as well!
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY AMERICA!
Hello. Summer time in Zhengzhou is hot time. For American; reading temps that are 32 degrees makes you think of cold then you remember that everything is Celsius not Fahrenheit. When I sit on the bus going anywhere and see the 32 degree mark I start to fan myself, it is over 100 degrees using the Fahrenheit scale.
I’ve been practicing my piano because in September my teacher’s students will all be in concert; yours truly included. I want to do well on the Beethoven Sonata and Field Nocturne that I will play.
I taught Li Yihan today, she and her family will be going overseas to France and we went over what she needed to say to the hotel clerks when she gets there. Since it is Paris, and it is an international city; English should be widely spoken and understood.
Yesterday being Tuesday I travelled alone to the Western Dennis and spent way more than I was planning. I was only thinking that I would get cereal but I found lots of other things to get. I’ve not seen yellow mustard there before and they had some so naturally I had to stock up, right? I took the bus to the subway and road out to the store. On the way home a lady stopped and sat next to me as I waited for the bus. She spoke no English and I only speak and understand some Chinese. I did understand enough to tell her that I am American and have been living in Zhengzhou for 2 years. Then she did something that has never happened, she shook my hand and said something in Chinese to me. Then she left but she was very happy and you know what, so was I. Another lady sat next to me and asked me what bus I was taking I was thrilled when I could answer her and say in Chinese B三五 (B san wu or B35) when her bus B十三(B shi san or B13)she said byebye and hoped on her bus. It reminds me of when I was coming home from the PSB (public safety bureau) the other day. I finished and Qi Yan told me that I could go home. I got a taxi and told the driver my address. He figured because I spoke my address instead of handing him my cell phone with my address printed on it, that I could carry on a conversation in Chinese. He asked me where I was from again I said “Wo shi mei guo ren.” And he followed that up with how long have you lived in China “Liang nian le.” How long have you been here is a new question, I’ve gotten what do you do(work) and most people assume ‘yingwen laoshi’ ‘English teacher’ but not everyone. I can also tell people where I work ‘henan gong ye da xue’ ‘Henan University of Technology.’ All in all I guess I am starting to get better at speaking Chinese.
When I got home I put up the Christmas lights that Nena left me when she went back to America. Since I hear Christmas music from the water trucks I figure my apartment should be festive as well!
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY AMERICA!