March 20, 2014
Well the update since last time. I got to spend a lot of last week with my new friend before she went back to the UK. I did something that I’ve always wanted to do but never had the nerve to try it; we went square dancing at Einstein’s Statue. In the warmer weather you will often find groups of women who dance in parks through out the area. We were unsure as to how they would feel about two westerners joining in but there was no need for concern. We didn’t know the steps but some of the Chinese women there also didn’t know the steps. Sunday she left and some new EduLink teachers came. My friend Amos who introduced me to Sandra is back and there is a gentleman named Damien. I’m sure there are others but EduLink teaches intense classes and for short periods of time so the teachers tend to stay to themselves a bit more. There are exceptions; Amos, Sandra, and Damien are wonderful examples of that difference. Monday was just another teaching day but with a twist I had been working on catching a cold the whole winter turns to spring turns back to winter thing here. Teaching and having to talk hasn’t been doing much for my cold and for most of this week I’ve had to ask for another teacher to cover my classes. I taught on Monday, Tuesday is my day off. Wednesday and today Thursday I’ve had some one cover my classes. Emily and I will have a Chinese lesson tonight. I am not sure if Nate is going to join us or not.
I am getting along better in Chinese than I thought. I can now go to the second dining hall and order potatoes and meat (chicken, beef, or pork) in Chinese. The first time I ordered in Chinese the worker looked at me like, ‘She’s a foreigner, how can she be ordering in Chinese?’ Now it is an accepted thing.
I’ve been working away at my piano as well, love my Beethoven Sonata, and all the different types of Chopin piano pieces I am doing.
Well the update since last time. I got to spend a lot of last week with my new friend before she went back to the UK. I did something that I’ve always wanted to do but never had the nerve to try it; we went square dancing at Einstein’s Statue. In the warmer weather you will often find groups of women who dance in parks through out the area. We were unsure as to how they would feel about two westerners joining in but there was no need for concern. We didn’t know the steps but some of the Chinese women there also didn’t know the steps. Sunday she left and some new EduLink teachers came. My friend Amos who introduced me to Sandra is back and there is a gentleman named Damien. I’m sure there are others but EduLink teaches intense classes and for short periods of time so the teachers tend to stay to themselves a bit more. There are exceptions; Amos, Sandra, and Damien are wonderful examples of that difference. Monday was just another teaching day but with a twist I had been working on catching a cold the whole winter turns to spring turns back to winter thing here. Teaching and having to talk hasn’t been doing much for my cold and for most of this week I’ve had to ask for another teacher to cover my classes. I taught on Monday, Tuesday is my day off. Wednesday and today Thursday I’ve had some one cover my classes. Emily and I will have a Chinese lesson tonight. I am not sure if Nate is going to join us or not.
I am getting along better in Chinese than I thought. I can now go to the second dining hall and order potatoes and meat (chicken, beef, or pork) in Chinese. The first time I ordered in Chinese the worker looked at me like, ‘She’s a foreigner, how can she be ordering in Chinese?’ Now it is an accepted thing.
I’ve been working away at my piano as well, love my Beethoven Sonata, and all the different types of Chopin piano pieces I am doing.