One of the hardest parts of living so far away is not being able to go home when something tragic happens. Thoughts and prayers go out to my father and his family -- especially my grandmother -- during this time of loss. After about 6 months of battling cancer, my grandfather passed away tonight (morning in Canada). The miraculous thing is that upon diagnosis he had promised my grandma he would live to see their 55th wedding anniversary. It was last Thursday.

Grandpa, I'll miss you. I'm so glad I got to see you one last time before I graduated and moved to China. Love you.
xoxo.

^ June 2011 in Alliston, Ontario

Thanksgiving in China

What are you thankful for? ...

^ playing a Thanksgiving game (Kirsten's pic)

Online Shopping in China

Online shopping is rapidly increasing in popularity here in China. There are three MEGA online retailers who are competing for the best prices and fastest delivery times, making it a really great way to make purchases. Most things can even be delivered same-day! However, with my limited knowledge of the Chinese language (and lack of a Chinese credit card or Ali-pay account, which is like a PayPal account) I am having difficulties navigating the sites. I thought the Google Chrome browser could help me, with its built-in Auto Translator function, but unfortunately the translations are jibberish. For example, I'm on Taobao.com trying to buy a pair of Vans knock-offs (shoes), but here is what the translation boasts: "Shoe models and this section does not increase sub-section increases, the need increased need for increased pro-please note, no note of our hair does not increase the default paragraph Oh!"  BAhahahahaha!!!

If any of you have experience ordering on Joyo (Amazon China), TaoBao, or 360 Buy, please let me know! (Or if you just need a few laughs, log on to those sites and Auto Translate them!) I think I'll be asking my Chinese friends for help because I want to buy a small countertop oven and a blender. :-)

Let the Rain Fall!!

Theoretically I should be upset that it's raining, as my just-washed clothes are hanging out to dry. However, we haven't had a good, heavy rain in Zhuzhou for weeks, and the Xiang River has been very low. This morning I got up before the sun came up, and I was able to have some quiet time sipping tea and listening to the rain. I have today (Monday) off from work because of American Thanksgiving; since I worked on Thursday and Friday last week I asked for today off instead. In my teaching contract I am allowed one day off for this holiday, which is nice! I was going to go on a biking adventure this morning, but I might just spend the entire day exploring an 8-floor indoor market.

Thanksgiving with Kristin

Yesterday I had the pleasure of "Skyping" (verb: to talk on Skype) with Kristin Mueller, one of my best friends. We had a *blast*.  Two factors contributed to the awesome conversation -- the first being the fact that my school was having an awards ceremony on the basketball courts. My office overlooks the basketball courts, so with the windows open I can angle my computer down to offer a full view of the shenanigans outside. Picture thousands of students sitting in neatly formed rows (with the chairs they brought out from their classrooms) and a red stage on which people in multi-coloured tribal outfits are dancing and clanging cymbals. I know, I am just as confused. There was also a male MC shouting very emphatic phrases over the loudspeaker, which made it hard to concentrate on the video-chat with Kristin. She found it pretty hilarious though.

Quote: Me-- "Look at what's going on outside!" (angles laptop out the window).
           Kristin-- "It looks like North Korea!!"

(Sidenote: If any of you want to talk to me over the internet, 9:00PM EST is usually the best time because it directly aligns with the students' morning exercise routine, which is done for 10 minutes out on the basketball courts. It's the perfect mixture of synchronised aerobics and that same man yelling emphatically over the loudspeakers.)

Reason number two for our awesome convo: Kristin and her drawing attempts abilities. She decided to send some Thanksgiving cheer my way by means of drawing several turkeys. I wish to share these works of comedy art with you; below you'll find what I like to call "The Evolution of a Thanksgiving Turkey", starring none other than Miss Kristin N. Mueller.

                                              ^Stage 1: four legs.                                        ^Stage 2: scratch that...maybe it only has 2 legs.

                                             ^Stage 3: It's smiling, in an anatomically      ^Stage 4: new turkey drawing...let's try this               

                                               puzzling way.                                               again. slightly deformed mouth/beak. With     

                                                                                                                   horns?! And is that a beard?  

 

                                         ^Stage 5: Dialogue:                                          ^Of course there's always the Cannibal Turkey...
                                              Kristin-"Which one do you think looks          not necessarily something I want to eat on 
                                                           more life-like?"                                Thanksgiving.

                                              Me-"Uuhhhh..."

^Dissatisfied Cait.

                                                                                  Supposedly I didn't like the pictures.

                                                                                  I assure you, I did!

Zhuzhou Bike Card

As of a few weeks ago, I'm the proud owner of a Zhuzhou Public Bicycle Card. At a price of only 1300RMB (200USD), which I get back when I return the card next July, this card allows me to pick up and drop off a bike anywhere in the city. Super convenient!!! I just wish they sold life insurance policies along with the card. Traffic here is *insane*.

I also have a broken finger -- on my right hand to boot. This makes eating with chopsticks extremely difficult (the locals think it's hilarious, though) as well as menial tasks such as showering, brushing my hair, tying my shoes, writing on the board, etc. At least I can type with 9 fingers. And ride a bike! This morning I braved the chaotic roads and biked to school. The picture below boasts my bike card and my home-made splint, made of a popsicle stick and medical tape.

Team Building

Air Quality

Let me begin by saying that I've never had a breathing problem such as asthma... before coming to China.

And I thought I was handling the poor air quality quite well until all-of-a-sudden I couldn't breathe while running yesterday. Some days the pollution is so thick that it creates a weird fog, coating the city in a wheeze-inducing haze. Nora, my site mate, and a few other expat friends have had their parents send over asthma inhalers to help them breathe better. I'm thinking of doing the same.

I really wish China would make more of an effort to create and regulate stricter environmental laws. I'm all for this country developing and industrialising -- IF it can do so in a responsible, sustainable, healthy way. Since Zhuzhou is an industrial city, the ill-effects of regulation-less development are painfully clear.

As I weigh the pros and cons of staying in China for another year, I definitely need to consider the negative health effects related to the environment here. Not only is the air quality bad, which makes strenuous exercise difficult, it's also hard to find healthy food here (such as organic produce and whole grains). And I feel like there's constant stress in this society. Overall the lifestyle here in China is just not something i can handle long-term.

Not much going on this week. Feeling quite bored in Zhuzhou, to be honest. Maybe it's just the mid-semester blues... And knowing that I can't be back at home for certain things.

For those of you who don't know, my finger is dislocated/sprained/broken (not sure which one b/c I haven't seen a doctor) thanks to a game of basketball with the expats on Saturday. It's still quite swollen and blue/black, which concerns me. I've splinted it using Nora's medical tape and a popsicle stick (hey, just another excuse to have ice cream!) and I'm popping advil like it's my job. Since ice is a rarity here, it has been hard to consistently ice it to get the swelling down. Yesterday a teacher took me to buy some traditional Chinese medicine -- a cooling spray called Hainan Baiyao which is supposed to be some miraculous cure for injuries like this. lol. We'll see how it works.

On Saturday morning I'm heading to Hengyang, a city about 2-3 hours by train, to hang out with some other WorldTeachers for American Thanksgiving. It'll be nice to take a break from Zhuzhou.

I can't believe we're nearing the end of November already!!!

Translations for Chinese Nutrition Labels

It took a lot of time-consuming translating -- trial and error style -- but I finally identified the majority of what is written on food labels here in China (if the package has a label). China just passed a law requiring all companies to put a standardized nutrition label on food packages, but that doesn't come into effect until 2013 (and it's sans English). Anyway, for my fellow volunteers who need some assistance with deciphering labels in the supermarkets, here is what I've found so far:

carbohydrates - 碳水化合物 - Tànshuǐ huàhéwù

protein - 蛋白质 - Dànbáizhí

sugar - 糖 - Táng

fat - 脂肪 - Zhīfáng

sodium - 钠 - Nà

dietary fiber - 膳食纤维 - Shànshí xiānwéi

Cherish

Tonight I was blessed with the opportunity to have a 12-minute chat with my grandparents (Suk) in Canada. It's not often that I think to use my Skype credit to call landlines, but I really should take more advantage of such cheap calling! And it was *so* good to hear their voices and to "catch up" for a bit. I am constantly reminded that life is short and unpredictable, so I shouldn't let too many days go by without telling the people in my life that I love and appreciate them. Sometimes I feel so far removed from things happening back at "home" ~ a kind of disconnect, if you will. As I try to balance my new life with friends and family from different part of life I end up missing significant events or "news stories" from people's lives. So if anything important is happening in your life back home, feel free to email me a quick update. I love it, and will try to reply in a timely manner. Please pray for my cousin Michelle's father-in-law, who was in a bad accident at work and is now in a coma. (And for my father's father, who is battling cancer). Cherish each day.

Skipping and Dumplings

^ students spend 8th period jumping rope

Jump Rope

Class Twelve

^devious as ever, but how could you not love these adorable children???

Chocolates and Wine

Last night I had an *awesome* time playing badminton with my friend Sarah, who lives about 45 minutes from me. Not only did we play badminton, we also watched a chick flick on an actual TV (my first time in China!), ate leftover Halloween chocolates sent by her awesome friends back home, and ate California dried fruit (again, sent from home). It was a nice, relaxing night free from the stresses of lesson planning.

In other news, today a red pen exploded all over my hands in class. I spent fifteen minutes scrubbing my hands but all ten fingers are still bright red. LOL. The students seem to get a kick out of it, at least. ;)

And two nights ago I was invited (last-minute style, of course... since this is China) to a dinner. Unbeknownst to me it was actually a dinner with all my school's leaders, including the headmaster, the vice-headmaster, the school's owner (it's a private school), the owner's brother and friends, and several other teachers from my school. We ate at a really fancy hotel -- in our own private ensuite dining room with its own personal kitchen.

At first, I was kind of worried that the dinner was in my honour. Last week I was really upset about being told I was a hassle for asking the school to fix the heater and hot water in my apartment. It was a big ordeal that involved me crying and almost angrily shouting at my liaison over the phone. So I was a bit nervous about being taken out to dinner, since I didn't know if the school was trying to "save face" about last week's situation. (It didn't help that the first thing my headmaster asks me is: "You like Jing Yan, right?") However, it turned out that we were celebrating the accomplishments of two English teachers at my school, who recently won 1st place at national teaching competitions. :)

That night I had the most delicious food I've tasted so far in China... and, thanks to the "toasting" culture here, we all got a little tipsy. It's custom here to make a toast to everyone at the table. Let me briefly explain the culture of "Gan Bei", or toasting. The most important person at the dinner usually begins the toasting, going around the table to make simple conversation and to thank you for coming. This short encounter ends with a "cheers".

When you see someone approaching with a wine glass in hand, it's because you're about to be "toasted" to. The person will say, "Wo ting ni" (I toast you). You must stand. They will say something in Chinese, raise their glass, and the two of you clink your wine glasses together. Usually you'll want to have your glass a little lower than the other person's, since it symbolises humility and respect. You then down the ENTIRE glass, raise your glass to the other person (who does the same to you) and look him/her in the eye, and then sit down. When all the important people are once again sitting down, you may stand up and make your own rounds at the table, toasting to people. You'll get bonus points if you try to compliment the person in Chinese.

If everyone is toasting each other, you can well imagine how many glasses of wine you end up drinking by the night's end. It was unreal. There were about 14 of us at the table, and some people toasted more than once. My face started to get a bit hot at one point, and the teacher sitting next to me leaned over and whispered I feel dizzy!

My headmaster, the sweetest lady ever, was visibly intoxicated and running around trying to grab back her purse from the owner's brother... which ended in a tug of war. It was hilarious. And then everyone wanted to take photos to commemorate the evening.

It felt good to be included in such an important event, despite not understanding everything that was said at the dinner table. I did my best to immerse myself in the Chinese culture and to speak as much Chinese as I could, grinning whenever someone poked fun at my efforts (in a nice way). I hope I impressed the higher-ups. Anyway, long story short- I had a fun night, despite coming home a bit inebriated and still needing to finish a lesson plan due at midnight. Haha. Ohhhh China. So unpredictable.

And then today a teacher tells me that my picture is up on the school's website. Sure enough, I ask someone what the school's internet address is... and there I am standing with the school leaders. See below. :)

^ link to school's website

Chingchingchinglish

✲ My favourite Chinglish sign so far is definitely the one at the gym, which prohibits having pillow fights and taking children from the locker room. LOL. Oh Chinaaaa. ;) A close second, however, is the sign in a parking lot at Changsha No. 1 Middle School, which states: "Love your life. Look out for fires". Not necessarily a mistranslation, but it makes me chuckle every time. Oh, and the sign on a mountain in Nanyue that tells you not to climb trees and "deflower" them. 

Weekend in Changsha

This weekend I attended a 2-day conference in Changsha, the capital city of the Hunan province. It's about one hour northwest of Zhuzhou, so I hopped on a train with Becky (an out-of-town teacher friend), Nora (my site-mate), and Aditi (another teacher here in Zhuzhou). For some reason the train was 20 minutes late, which seems to be a common thing here in China. After we pushed and shoved against the crowd -- a necessary skill one must have to survive here -- we finally got on the train with our "standing room only" tickets. Except I was in a different car than everyone else... so I made a new Chinese friend who spoke to me the whole way there.

This may be a bit off-topic, but I personally find it hilarious when I can tell that I'm the center of everyone's curiosity. For example, whenever I get on a public bus or train everyone starts looking at me and watching my every move. Yes, I admit that it gets annoying very quickly. But sometimes I get a kick out of looking up and seeing lots of Chinese eyes on me, waiting to see what I do or say next. Usually whoever is sitting within an arm's reach of me will try to strike up conversation to see if I can speak Chinese. And usually this is done in a non-intimidating, casual way. When the crowd discovers that yes, the lao-wai (foreigner) can speak "yi dian-dian Zhongwen" (a little bit of Chinese) it seems like every ear focuses in on our conversation. Which is kind of intimidating, but mostly fun. :)

Anyway, the conference was put on by CTC - the China Teaching Consortium - made up of several teaching organisations here in China. Harvard's WorldTeach (woot!!) and the Yale-China program organised the whole thing, and it was spectacularly well done! Not only did I get to see my roommate from Orientation again (Becky - i love her!), we got to stay in a hotel for two nights and have all meals prepared for us... without having to spend a dime! We also got to meet teachers from all over China and discuss common goals and challenges with them. The few panelists and speakers were great, too. I learned a lot of new methods to use in my classroom and was able to reflect on my purpose here as a foreign English teacher. Being among likeminded individuals who want to have a hand in positively impacting and shaping China's "next generation" was so refreshing. As was the unlimited hot water and comfy, clean-sheeted bed at the hotel.

After the conference closed on Sunday at 2pm, I headed to H&M with a few other girls. Sometimes a girl's just gotta shop!! After running around the city a bit -- and having fun conversations over a cafe americano or latte -- we hopped on a train at 9pm and returned to Zhuzhou (where I was accosted by a drunk man at the train station... story soon to come).

Overall, I had a great weekend. ✽

                                  ^ our table at dinner                                          ^ me and Becky eating sweet 

                                      this weekend                                                      potato chips for breakfast

^ at the WorldTeach library in Changsha

(stocking up on some English books to read)

Hello, Piano ♫

Today was a momentous day, simply because I finally found the piano at my school. It wasn't in some obscure, locked-up, secret room like I had imagined all along. Turns out it's in a huge, unlocked lecture hall on the first floor of a really accessible building. Yes, I said unlocked!! So today, on my lunch, I couldn't wait to check out the piano. It's an upright piano -- in tune and nice to the touch -- and I spent about half an hour playing whatever came to mind. There were about 5 students who snuck in to listen to me play, and they clapped after each song. Tomorrow I'm going to bring some music with me so I can rock out to some Elton John and a selection of classical music. YAAAAYYYYYYYYYY. :)

My Students' Morning Exercises

Mayang, Huaihua, and Chenxi

Stories soon to come!! 
(I just got home from a long train ride home...and I need to prepare my lessons for tomorrow's classes).
Here are a few pics from visiting Kirsten in Huaihua, and then our trip to see Dave for his birthday :)

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