Anyone in my family can tell you, I'm not an especially sentimental person...or at least, when I am, it's a bit atypical. Excellent example: I don't really care about holidays. Haven't for many years. A lot of this probably stems from working retail and customer service jobs so long that I've missed most of my adult holidays...but part of it is just not feeling the magic anymore. Not since before I graduated high school.
I'm not bothered by this, it just is.
This is my first year away from my family in quite some time, and certainly my first holiday season where I was across the world. And while I still don't really feel attached to, or miss, the trappings (christmas presents, thanksgiving dinner, and so on) I find I really miss the time together. The laughter, the conversations, all of that. That's been the only real reason it's been hard this past week or two, in terms of homesickness. Knowing how much more time we make for each other than usual, and how I won't get to be part of that.
I still wouldn't change my decision to come here.
Work has been weird lately. Last week, Christmas Day fell on a Tuesday, which meant all the international teachers had their classes cancelled and the day off. This week, New Year's Day is on a Tuesday, and that means the school is closed and all classes are cancelled. Also, I assume because of Christmas or something, Chinese public schools had a full day last Saturday, which meant basically all classes were cancelled that day.
Short version: I've had two unexpected days off in the past week, and will have another tomorrow.
It's all rather odd. It has me a bit off rhythm.
Anyway.
Yesterday I gave an orientation lesson for a class that's moving from one level of our curriculum to the next. It meant going through the book we would be using and making note of all the vocabulary and grammar/structural content the students would learn so that I could write it up on the board during the orientation. It was interesting how this gave me a somewhat broader perspective on the whole level - I felt like I could kinda see how things tied together and where it was all headed. I mentioned to one of the more senior international teachers that this was a neat experience and that we should have all our new teachers do it for every level. She said, "That's a good idea...I just didn't think about it because it was something I did when I got here, all on my own."
So maybe they'll implement that, maybe not. Next week, we're getting a new international teacher, and I'll get to see if any of my feedback on the onboarding process was incorporated.
I'm still trying to find my groove here in general. I dismantled my PC before I left, and brought most of it with me in parts. My new case and power supply should arrive soon, and I bought more RAM to make it run a bit smoother. So I'm expecting my computer will be rebuilt and I'll be off my laptop within the next week or two. I don't think it'll impact my posting here, but it'll doubtless improve my feeling of "living" here, of it being mine. My computer has always been my link to the world, and in some ways my link to myself, and I can imagine that once it's back up I'll realize just how odd I've felt without it.
Or maybe I won't, and I'll be out a few thousand yuan. We shall see!
As always, I end with a few pictures. Today, we have quite a few, as I've been taking somewhat more to share with y'all. The Harbin Snow and Ice Festival, which is often the main thing you'll find when you search for Harbin, is approaching (some things are already finished, I hear). You can see pieces of it around the city (sorry for the bad quality, took this on the bus); these are little pyramid things of ice with lights run through them.
I found this...interesting decoration at IKEA a few weeks back. Not sure anything else needs be said there.
My inner Millennial was happy to see this (if you don't understand the connection, avocado toast is one of those stereotypical millennial foods, and is sometimes cited as the reason we can't afford x or y or z). I also had an interestingly-packaged cola with some delivered food, and this stuff in a soup. My local co-worker informs me that it's "you yo juan," or squid roll. Surprisingly tasty, in a soup spicy enough that it made me dizzy. That was kind of a new experience.
And of course, no post would be complete without the questionable translations. Today, we have two for the price of one!
Zaijian,
-L
Monday, December 31, 2018
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Sick Shocked
I got really sick this week. I think I mentioned when we Skyped that I'm considering surrendering Second back to the rescue because my allergies are making my life needlessly difficult. Well, Monday afternoon sometime things got worse. Tuesday I was in rather bad shape, but still went in to work. After my classes I couldn't even get my eyes to focus. Fever, worse-than-usual cough, sinus crap, and fatigue. Wednesday I took sick leave. Thursday I went in for a little bit to get a handle on my weekend, was only in for about two hours or so. Friday I only had my one class, but I went in early to plan my weekend classes (which, of 7, only two got any work done...which was enough, hopefully). After that one class, I couldn't even stand up for a while. Boss called me a taxi and I went home and passed out. Today I got up, had one class, did a brief rehearsal with some kids for the christmas play, and went to the hospital.
[infomercial voice] But wait, there's more!
Harbin stepped up coal burning this week, starting around Tuesday mid-day, late evening. Hard to tell really, I've been wearing my mask outside at all times for a week or so anyway. I learned the unfortunate way that my apartment's main room windows leak really, really badly. So I came home to a bit of a coal smell in my apartment. Passed out anyway. But by Wednesday, it had gotten so bad that I was wearing my mask inside, and was unable to sleep (either in the mask, or without it). Thursday after my little bit of weekend prep, I got one of the admin folks, Molly, to take me to get an air filter, which has worked splendidly.
However, Thursday night I got some orange juice. Drank some pretty late at night, just before I went to bed. Was not very tasty. Woke up 30 minutes later absolutely drenched in sweat that smelled like bad orange juice. My sweat has smelled like orange juice for the two days since, though I think it's mostly getting better. The result was that despite being utterly exhausted, I had to go down on Friday night and buy a new blanket because I had to wash the one I had, and my washer wasn't big enough, and there certainly wasn't anywhere to effectively dry it.
Hospital was an interesting experience. We went to a desk to pay to see a doctor (13y, really nothing terrible). We waited in a line (not on chairs) to talk to a doctor who listened to Molly's explanation and ordered a chest x-ray. So we went back to the desk to pay for that. Went to get the x-ray, waited about an hour for processing, and back to the doc. He looked for about three seconds, pointed at something on my right lung, and said I needed medicine, preferably from an IV drip. So we went to a clinic with an Rx, where we paid 1y to see the clinician, who ordered a blood test as well. The doc had asked if we needed a blood test, to which I'd said "I don't think so." Internally, I thought "um. Aren't YOU the doctor?"
Went back to pay for the blood test. Went upstairs for a quick blood draw, 10 minutes for results. Then they took me over to a row of chairs with IV stands, inserted the needle, and let the medicine drip in for probably an hour and a half or so. I have to go back tomorrow and Monday to repeat the IV.
Harbin stepped up coal burning this week, starting around Tuesday mid-day, late evening. Hard to tell really, I've been wearing my mask outside at all times for a week or so anyway. I learned the unfortunate way that my apartment's main room windows leak really, really badly. So I came home to a bit of a coal smell in my apartment. Passed out anyway. But by Wednesday, it had gotten so bad that I was wearing my mask inside, and was unable to sleep (either in the mask, or without it). Thursday after my little bit of weekend prep, I got one of the admin folks, Molly, to take me to get an air filter, which has worked splendidly.
However, Thursday night I got some orange juice. Drank some pretty late at night, just before I went to bed. Was not very tasty. Woke up 30 minutes later absolutely drenched in sweat that smelled like bad orange juice. My sweat has smelled like orange juice for the two days since, though I think it's mostly getting better. The result was that despite being utterly exhausted, I had to go down on Friday night and buy a new blanket because I had to wash the one I had, and my washer wasn't big enough, and there certainly wasn't anywhere to effectively dry it.
Hospital was an interesting experience. We went to a desk to pay to see a doctor (13y, really nothing terrible). We waited in a line (not on chairs) to talk to a doctor who listened to Molly's explanation and ordered a chest x-ray. So we went back to the desk to pay for that. Went to get the x-ray, waited about an hour for processing, and back to the doc. He looked for about three seconds, pointed at something on my right lung, and said I needed medicine, preferably from an IV drip. So we went to a clinic with an Rx, where we paid 1y to see the clinician, who ordered a blood test as well. The doc had asked if we needed a blood test, to which I'd said "I don't think so." Internally, I thought "um. Aren't YOU the doctor?"
Went back to pay for the blood test. Went upstairs for a quick blood draw, 10 minutes for results. Then they took me over to a row of chairs with IV stands, inserted the needle, and let the medicine drip in for probably an hour and a half or so. I have to go back tomorrow and Monday to repeat the IV.
I still don't actually know what's wrong, of course, since Molly wouldn't know the medical terms even if the doctor told her, and I can't read x-rays. But I have them with me. Maybe I'll take a picture and post them on Reddit where you can get basic medical advice, see if anyone can guess what is up. It's not cancer, it's naht a tumoh, seems to be pretty easily treatable. But I'd still like to know.
As if all that weren't enough.
My coworker Jo tells me that culture shock can actually manifest in more complex ways than I thought. Depression is a fairly common symptom. Well whether prodded forward by getting sick or just by being here two months, I think that hit this week too. Though of course a marked lack of sleep, perpetual exhaustion, and a maddeningly persistent cough and schnoodlenose will all lead to a bout as well, so it's hard to be certain.
So. Very, very difficult week. I'm not quite through it all yet, but after tomorrow I have a day off and a fair bit of medicine working on the problem. Hopefully I'll be at least able to finish a day without feeling dead by Wednesday.
So. Very, very difficult week. I'm not quite through it all yet, but after tomorrow I have a day off and a fair bit of medicine working on the problem. Hopefully I'll be at least able to finish a day without feeling dead by Wednesday.
Zaijian,
-L
Thursday, December 6, 2018
God, I miss cheese
The title has little relevance to anything, but it's true nonetheless. Cheese is basically nonexistent in China, despite dairy products not being uncommon (yogurt is actually easier to find than normal milk, but both are plenty easy to find). Food with good cheese is even more rare. Next person to visit me from the US, bring me some Annie's Mac n Cheese and I'll love you forever.
I had some bacon and cheese smothered french fries today. They were ok. Nothing with melted cheese and bacon should be just 'ok.'
...ahem.
More and more of my classes, or more accurately the classes I'm covering for teachers on holiday leave, are becoming 'mine,' in that I am teaching them without anyone else in the room. I have a really good rapport with two of them, somewhat higher-level students with whom I can have some fairly advanced interactions. In one of these classes, we read the story of Paul Bunyan. As an in-class activity to practice fluency, I had us do a pass-it-around story about a new unusual character. I started it out by providing a name, Ben.
Me: "Ben was as small as a..."
Class: "Rabbit!"
The first student took the story immediately in a dark direction wherein Ben was stepped on. I started it over, asking them through some laughter to be nice to Ben. The second student said Ben was eaten by a cat or something.
"Ok, listen. Be nice to Ben, or we're having a spelling test."
The loud chorus of "Nooooooo!" assured me that Ben would be ok. So we started again. The details are fuzzy, since this was over a week ago now, but here's the basics. Keep in mind, each sentence was provided by a different student, and all in their second language.
Ben was as small as a rabbit. One day he ate some germs. So he went to the hospital. But he was ok, because he works at the hospital. Then, he drank some beer and grew as tall as Teacher. Then, he didn't drink and became as small as an ant. Then, he drank again and grew as big as a shopping center. A star fell and he caught it and threw it back into space. He was a hero. But the star hurt his hands, so he went back to the hospital. He got as small as an ant, and he ate the world. It took many days.
This quickly became my favorite class. When I taught them again the other day, they begged me to let them make another story. I may have some trouble getting them under control now and then, but I've already seen that knowing I can have fun and knowing we can all laugh together means they're almost always paying attention, and as long as I can balance my activities well, classes are going to go great.
...for the three or so weeks that I still teach them before their normal teacher returns. I have a feeling they're going to miss me, and I'm sure I'll hear about it.
My other classes aren't nearly as interesting, don't make as good of stories, but it's all part of a larger whole that has so far left me with no regrets whatsoever. I don't think teaching is my calling, or something I plan to do for many years to come, but if the past couple weeks are any indication, I should do just fine for a while.
A note, dear readers, before the requisite random photo dump. My posts here have not been as deep or detailed as I had wished when this all began, largely because I've been rather drained from everything I have going on with classes and training and learning to live in another country. That said, I know I have many people following this blog; people who care about me personally and professionally, and people who are just interested in reading about someone's experience. If there's anything you want to know, anything you want me to talk about more, or anything you'd rather I keep to myself, let me know. I want this to be informative and interesting, and to provide insight to what my readers want to see.
With that out of the way:
It's fairly well known that the rapid industrialization of China, along with a long stint in a lower economic rung, have led to a country with a serious pollution problem. On some days, it looks a bit like this. You can compare this to my earlier photo (assuming I posted it in this blog, it's been a while since I arrived); while it's not the same place, it's the same city. The pollution is bad enough that filter masks are fairly standard-issue. I have one in my coat pocket at all times, and while I don't often use it, having it handy should the air quality dip like that is certainly wise.
Perhaps not as well known as the pollution problem China has, is its fascination with Christmas. Maybe it's the shared coloration (red and gold being iconic to both China and Christmas), or maybe the commodification of Western culture that's fairly common in the East. Whatever the case, it's no small event. Christmas music began two or three days before Thanksgiving in the shopping mall nearby; around the same time, this...interesting installation was erected. I kinda dig it, really; I've always been intrigued by art that uses familiar things in unfamiliar ways, always coveted the creativity that requires. Just never quite my strong suit.
And of course, no casual post in this blog would feel complete without a questionable translation result to show that cutting corners on your language interpreting doesn't end well.
Zaijian,
-L
I had some bacon and cheese smothered french fries today. They were ok. Nothing with melted cheese and bacon should be just 'ok.'
...ahem.
More and more of my classes, or more accurately the classes I'm covering for teachers on holiday leave, are becoming 'mine,' in that I am teaching them without anyone else in the room. I have a really good rapport with two of them, somewhat higher-level students with whom I can have some fairly advanced interactions. In one of these classes, we read the story of Paul Bunyan. As an in-class activity to practice fluency, I had us do a pass-it-around story about a new unusual character. I started it out by providing a name, Ben.
Me: "Ben was as small as a..."
Class: "Rabbit!"
The first student took the story immediately in a dark direction wherein Ben was stepped on. I started it over, asking them through some laughter to be nice to Ben. The second student said Ben was eaten by a cat or something.
"Ok, listen. Be nice to Ben, or we're having a spelling test."
The loud chorus of "Nooooooo!" assured me that Ben would be ok. So we started again. The details are fuzzy, since this was over a week ago now, but here's the basics. Keep in mind, each sentence was provided by a different student, and all in their second language.
Ben was as small as a rabbit. One day he ate some germs. So he went to the hospital. But he was ok, because he works at the hospital. Then, he drank some beer and grew as tall as Teacher. Then, he didn't drink and became as small as an ant. Then, he drank again and grew as big as a shopping center. A star fell and he caught it and threw it back into space. He was a hero. But the star hurt his hands, so he went back to the hospital. He got as small as an ant, and he ate the world. It took many days.
This quickly became my favorite class. When I taught them again the other day, they begged me to let them make another story. I may have some trouble getting them under control now and then, but I've already seen that knowing I can have fun and knowing we can all laugh together means they're almost always paying attention, and as long as I can balance my activities well, classes are going to go great.
...for the three or so weeks that I still teach them before their normal teacher returns. I have a feeling they're going to miss me, and I'm sure I'll hear about it.
My other classes aren't nearly as interesting, don't make as good of stories, but it's all part of a larger whole that has so far left me with no regrets whatsoever. I don't think teaching is my calling, or something I plan to do for many years to come, but if the past couple weeks are any indication, I should do just fine for a while.
A note, dear readers, before the requisite random photo dump. My posts here have not been as deep or detailed as I had wished when this all began, largely because I've been rather drained from everything I have going on with classes and training and learning to live in another country. That said, I know I have many people following this blog; people who care about me personally and professionally, and people who are just interested in reading about someone's experience. If there's anything you want to know, anything you want me to talk about more, or anything you'd rather I keep to myself, let me know. I want this to be informative and interesting, and to provide insight to what my readers want to see.
With that out of the way:
It's fairly well known that the rapid industrialization of China, along with a long stint in a lower economic rung, have led to a country with a serious pollution problem. On some days, it looks a bit like this. You can compare this to my earlier photo (assuming I posted it in this blog, it's been a while since I arrived); while it's not the same place, it's the same city. The pollution is bad enough that filter masks are fairly standard-issue. I have one in my coat pocket at all times, and while I don't often use it, having it handy should the air quality dip like that is certainly wise.
Perhaps not as well known as the pollution problem China has, is its fascination with Christmas. Maybe it's the shared coloration (red and gold being iconic to both China and Christmas), or maybe the commodification of Western culture that's fairly common in the East. Whatever the case, it's no small event. Christmas music began two or three days before Thanksgiving in the shopping mall nearby; around the same time, this...interesting installation was erected. I kinda dig it, really; I've always been intrigued by art that uses familiar things in unfamiliar ways, always coveted the creativity that requires. Just never quite my strong suit.
And of course, no casual post in this blog would feel complete without a questionable translation result to show that cutting corners on your language interpreting doesn't end well.
Zaijian,
-L
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Teachering
Over the past week and a half, two weeks or so, I've begun actually teaching classes. They began as co-teaching with the existing teacher, but a few are moving into "my class" territory. I'm also covering several classes for teachers going on leave in December. I have about 13 classes over the course of a week.
That's a lot for a new teacher, at least at this school. A couple of my coworkers have said that they started with just two or three, and gradually added more. I arrived at the perfect time to be really needed, so I've been kinda pushed into the deep end. Which is generally how I like it. The downside is, these are classes that need full planning and I still take a fair amount of time to plan a class. The result is, I'm going to be putting in a lot of time in the office just trying to get my classes planned and ready, likely going in on my days off to be prepared.
It is what it is. I believe the pay structure at the school will actually give me some overtime for all these hours. So that's good.
I've taught about 8 of my own solo classes up to this point. Some have gone really well, some have gone horribly. Interestingly, very few have been anywhere in the middle. I expected the range to be closer to average.
China's "One-child policy" was implemented in 1979, after about ten years of a two-child policy. In essence, many Chinese families were restricted to having only one child, with two allowed in some cases where the first was a girl. Because China is a patrilineal society, families with only a girl meant the end of the family line as culturally recognized. There are several cultural effects from such a policy, and it's a pretty interesting read, but the more important to my situation is that China went from having fairly large families to having extremely small ones, with many/most in cities having only one. The last cohort of children born before the policy went into effect are now approaching middle age, having raised their children as "singletons" (a word I only learned today while researching this post). The typical degree of attention and care provided several children is now focused entirely on one, who bears effectively the entire weight of the family line.
To put it simply, Chinese children are horridly spoiled.
As a teacher, I have to deal with classes of singletons; where most teachers have to deal with a few here and there, that's basically all I have. It makes teaching, especially in the early pre-adolescent years from 6-11 or so, very challenging, as the children are beginning to develop their sense of self and independence, and are used to being the center of attention and getting their way.
For the most part, my classes aren't terrible. They're still children, and most understand the concepts of taking turns, sharing, working together, and so on. Many still have a basic respect for authority, and the school works to develop individual motivations and goals so that they are internally driven to learn, and by extension, to pay attention and behave. I have some tools as a teacher that I can use to reinforce discipline and behavior.
All doesn't mean that the worse kids can't be extremely disruptive, and that there is sometimes nothing you can do to actually control them.
It'll come with time - I'll develop better methods, build rapport with my own classes, and so forth. I'll find what works and what doesn't, through experimentation and experience and advice from other teachers.
But in the meantime, I'm bracing myself for some very frustrating and disheartening experiences.
It's all part of the comfort zone eviction I gave myself several months ago when I started this journey.
Zaijian,
-L
That's a lot for a new teacher, at least at this school. A couple of my coworkers have said that they started with just two or three, and gradually added more. I arrived at the perfect time to be really needed, so I've been kinda pushed into the deep end. Which is generally how I like it. The downside is, these are classes that need full planning and I still take a fair amount of time to plan a class. The result is, I'm going to be putting in a lot of time in the office just trying to get my classes planned and ready, likely going in on my days off to be prepared.
It is what it is. I believe the pay structure at the school will actually give me some overtime for all these hours. So that's good.
I've taught about 8 of my own solo classes up to this point. Some have gone really well, some have gone horribly. Interestingly, very few have been anywhere in the middle. I expected the range to be closer to average.
China's "One-child policy" was implemented in 1979, after about ten years of a two-child policy. In essence, many Chinese families were restricted to having only one child, with two allowed in some cases where the first was a girl. Because China is a patrilineal society, families with only a girl meant the end of the family line as culturally recognized. There are several cultural effects from such a policy, and it's a pretty interesting read, but the more important to my situation is that China went from having fairly large families to having extremely small ones, with many/most in cities having only one. The last cohort of children born before the policy went into effect are now approaching middle age, having raised their children as "singletons" (a word I only learned today while researching this post). The typical degree of attention and care provided several children is now focused entirely on one, who bears effectively the entire weight of the family line.
To put it simply, Chinese children are horridly spoiled.
As a teacher, I have to deal with classes of singletons; where most teachers have to deal with a few here and there, that's basically all I have. It makes teaching, especially in the early pre-adolescent years from 6-11 or so, very challenging, as the children are beginning to develop their sense of self and independence, and are used to being the center of attention and getting their way.
For the most part, my classes aren't terrible. They're still children, and most understand the concepts of taking turns, sharing, working together, and so on. Many still have a basic respect for authority, and the school works to develop individual motivations and goals so that they are internally driven to learn, and by extension, to pay attention and behave. I have some tools as a teacher that I can use to reinforce discipline and behavior.
All doesn't mean that the worse kids can't be extremely disruptive, and that there is sometimes nothing you can do to actually control them.
It'll come with time - I'll develop better methods, build rapport with my own classes, and so forth. I'll find what works and what doesn't, through experimentation and experience and advice from other teachers.
But in the meantime, I'm bracing myself for some very frustrating and disheartening experiences.
It's all part of the comfort zone eviction I gave myself several months ago when I started this journey.
Zaijian,
-L
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Happy Thanksgiving from China!
I am writing this at 9:40 PM China time, which is 7:40 AM on the morning of Thanksgiving Day. I greet you, people of the past. Your ways are quaint.
I have little to say at the moment, as there has been a lot going on at work and in life in general...but little of it is particularly interesting. Mostly it's tiring, and that means my energy to continue History Bites or explore other ideas/concepts/topics is quite insufficient.
Today I went to an American barbecue-style place, Texas Smoke Haus. They had a special Thanksgiving Dinner thing. Pretty much all the traditional trappings; green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, Hawaiian rolls (how exactly did this become a Thanksgiving standard anyway?)...the dumpling-shaped thing in the top left corner is a fried apple pie. And of course the turkey, in the form of an enormous turkey leg. The coworker with whom I went commented that it was vaguely Renaissance Faire-esque.
Whatever it was, it was quite good, and I'll be wandering back that way to see how the rest of their food is. It'll be nice to find something familiar. I love Chinese food, and I've had very little here that I didn't like, but comfort food is comfort food and it's usually what you grew up eating.
Anyway. I wanted to put something up for Thanksgiving; it isn't celebrated here, of course (Christmas music started a couple days ago), but most of this blog's readers (and its author) being American, it couldn't exactly be passed up.
Zaijian!
-L
I have little to say at the moment, as there has been a lot going on at work and in life in general...but little of it is particularly interesting. Mostly it's tiring, and that means my energy to continue History Bites or explore other ideas/concepts/topics is quite insufficient.
Today I went to an American barbecue-style place, Texas Smoke Haus. They had a special Thanksgiving Dinner thing. Pretty much all the traditional trappings; green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, Hawaiian rolls (how exactly did this become a Thanksgiving standard anyway?)...the dumpling-shaped thing in the top left corner is a fried apple pie. And of course the turkey, in the form of an enormous turkey leg. The coworker with whom I went commented that it was vaguely Renaissance Faire-esque.
Whatever it was, it was quite good, and I'll be wandering back that way to see how the rest of their food is. It'll be nice to find something familiar. I love Chinese food, and I've had very little here that I didn't like, but comfort food is comfort food and it's usually what you grew up eating.
Anyway. I wanted to put something up for Thanksgiving; it isn't celebrated here, of course (Christmas music started a couple days ago), but most of this blog's readers (and its author) being American, it couldn't exactly be passed up.
Zaijian!
-L
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Scared Kids and Supermarkets
Yesterday was a momentous day: it's the day I first made a kid cry.
Now, that sounds bad. I didn't actually do anything. I'd been warned from time immemorial that a tall white stranger would often be enough to get a 3-year-old screaming. Frankly, I'm surprised it took this long. I'd expected it from my first day observing those classes, nearly four weeks ago now.
Something I appreciate more and more about America, as my time here progresses, is just how mingled we really are. White is still the majority, and may be for some time - we certainly have the cultural and financial majority. But it's not uncommon to see other races, to interact with them as children; to know they exist, not from stories or pictures, but from experience. For many of the students I'll teach, I will be their first encounter with a foreigner, and my moderately overweight, nearly 2 meter tall frame is daunting to someone barely above my knee. I understand the fear, I've braced for it, and so when it happened I felt more "I've arrived" than "I've hurt someone" or "I'm terrifying."
It's an interesting feeling.
As I didn't think the above story was enough content for its own post, I thought I'd share a bit of the supermarket world here. First, a comment again about how inexpensive food can be. This meal, for instance, works out to about $5 (30y). Most of that is the kebabs, which are 1.33y each (3 for 10y). The other things are called shuo zhua bing, literally "hand grab pancakes." A thin bread-like tortilla thing with an egg spread over it, some kind of sauce (one of those has ketchup and mayo, the other I don't know), stuffed with lettuce, onion, and cilantro (sausage optional - I actually tried to get one with sausage and one without but it was lost in the language barrier). I assume the sausage would bring the price up, but it'd still be notably affordable. Street food in general tends to be really cheap, and really tasty. When I'm more comfortable reading the symbols and words on the stalls/stands/carts, I'll probably eat more often at those than at restaurants. At least, while they still exist, until the winter freezes them out. I'll miss shuo zhua bing when that happens, as I'm not sure I can figure out how to cook them myself.
As usual, my posts are about food. Imagine that. Hey, this body takes work *pats large stomach*
This week, I encountered, for the first time since arriving, US pricing practices. You can see lower on the sign that many of the items are priced at a flat number. The Chinese yuan does split into decimals, though I've only once seen a hundreds place (e.g. one cent). Seeing tenths is less rare, with the half yuan (0.5) being fairly common. But I've gone nearly four weeks without seeing a "9.99" price. I didn't miss it. It's such a ridiculous practice.
As usual, I'm also intrigued by the varieties of familiar things. These are Bugles in flavors I've never even considered before. Much like the steak-flavored Cheetos from a few posts ago, the "normal" flavors just don't exist here, and instead are replaced by more unusual options.
Inside the supermarket here, I was struck by the presence of live seafood that you can buy. I assume they kill it behind the counter, never loitered long enough to see someone get any. It goes beyond fish, crab, and lobster, however, in some directions that I would not have guessed. Yes, those are sea cucumbers. I didn't even know those were edible, and here's an aquarium full of them for people to buy and cook at home.
I definitely won't be trying to do that any time soon.
Zaijian,
-L
Now, that sounds bad. I didn't actually do anything. I'd been warned from time immemorial that a tall white stranger would often be enough to get a 3-year-old screaming. Frankly, I'm surprised it took this long. I'd expected it from my first day observing those classes, nearly four weeks ago now.
Something I appreciate more and more about America, as my time here progresses, is just how mingled we really are. White is still the majority, and may be for some time - we certainly have the cultural and financial majority. But it's not uncommon to see other races, to interact with them as children; to know they exist, not from stories or pictures, but from experience. For many of the students I'll teach, I will be their first encounter with a foreigner, and my moderately overweight, nearly 2 meter tall frame is daunting to someone barely above my knee. I understand the fear, I've braced for it, and so when it happened I felt more "I've arrived" than "I've hurt someone" or "I'm terrifying."
It's an interesting feeling.
As I didn't think the above story was enough content for its own post, I thought I'd share a bit of the supermarket world here. First, a comment again about how inexpensive food can be. This meal, for instance, works out to about $5 (30y). Most of that is the kebabs, which are 1.33y each (3 for 10y). The other things are called shuo zhua bing, literally "hand grab pancakes." A thin bread-like tortilla thing with an egg spread over it, some kind of sauce (one of those has ketchup and mayo, the other I don't know), stuffed with lettuce, onion, and cilantro (sausage optional - I actually tried to get one with sausage and one without but it was lost in the language barrier). I assume the sausage would bring the price up, but it'd still be notably affordable. Street food in general tends to be really cheap, and really tasty. When I'm more comfortable reading the symbols and words on the stalls/stands/carts, I'll probably eat more often at those than at restaurants. At least, while they still exist, until the winter freezes them out. I'll miss shuo zhua bing when that happens, as I'm not sure I can figure out how to cook them myself.
As usual, my posts are about food. Imagine that. Hey, this body takes work *pats large stomach*
This week, I encountered, for the first time since arriving, US pricing practices. You can see lower on the sign that many of the items are priced at a flat number. The Chinese yuan does split into decimals, though I've only once seen a hundreds place (e.g. one cent). Seeing tenths is less rare, with the half yuan (0.5) being fairly common. But I've gone nearly four weeks without seeing a "9.99" price. I didn't miss it. It's such a ridiculous practice.
As usual, I'm also intrigued by the varieties of familiar things. These are Bugles in flavors I've never even considered before. Much like the steak-flavored Cheetos from a few posts ago, the "normal" flavors just don't exist here, and instead are replaced by more unusual options.
Inside the supermarket here, I was struck by the presence of live seafood that you can buy. I assume they kill it behind the counter, never loitered long enough to see someone get any. It goes beyond fish, crab, and lobster, however, in some directions that I would not have guessed. Yes, those are sea cucumbers. I didn't even know those were edible, and here's an aquarium full of them for people to buy and cook at home.
I definitely won't be trying to do that any time soon.
Zaijian,
-L
Monday, November 12, 2018
Semisocialite
The following is my best attempt at a translation of a conversation I had in the elevator today. C is a Chinese man who got on a few floors beneath mine.
[L is re-positioning a light on the roof of the lift that had fallen out of its housing]
C: You're tall.
L: [awkward smile]
C: Two meters?
L: One hundred nine six [I said 'nine' instead of 'ninety' but in three digit numbers you can usually omit just fine]
C: oh wow. You play basketball? [I guessed this because he went on to mime shooting a basketball]
L: No.
C: <<unknown>>
L: Don't understand.
C: Chinese.
L: No, can't speak.
C: You speak very well. Goodbye!
L: Goodbye.
L: Goodbye.
A lot of the language barrier can be crossed by gesture and tone, even in a tonally-dependent language like Chinese. One of those "more in common than separates us" things. I don't know the word for 'tall,' or the word for 'basketball,' or 'meters,' but context can provide a lot.
The phenomenon is, at least in part, the origin of the idea of "high context" cultures. It expands on the observation that verbal communication is only a small part the words actually said. For low-context cultures, the words carry more of the weight; conversely, high-context cultures rely on situational factors to convey and support meaning. English-speaking countries like the US tend to be low-context cultures, though there is variation even there (the page linked above lists the Southern United States as being higher-context than average). China is particularly high-context, as is Russia. This is reflected in their languages: in Chinese, a single tonal change can shift the meaning of a sentence drastically. A co-worker at my last job was fluent in Chinese, and his favorite example was that the sentences "I enjoy eating Chinese food" and "I enjoy eating dog poop" are one tone change apart.
Obviously, nobody who makes that mistake is assumed to be expressing the latter.
In my brief studies of Russian, it's been suggested that word order is entirely irrelevant. Latin was very much the same - while there were conventions, the complexity of conjugation and subject-preposition agreement meant that words could be ordered in any way and the actual meanings would still be decipherable. For another example, I studied American Sign Language for a year; ASL is among the higher-context languages out there, as I imagine most sign languages are, as the limited number of possible distinguishable gestures and the lack of centralization in the language would make it difficult for two Deaf people from different parts of the country to communicate on a low-context level.
The greatest asset a TEFL teacher has, then, is that working in a high-context culture means that gesture, mime, tone, and expression carry more of the meaning they are accustomed to taking in than the words themselves; this allows teachers to communicate ideas, directions, and language structures without needing to use the students' L1 (native or original language, as opposed to L2, the additional language they are learning or speaking).
I had heard the term 'high-context culture' before, but never truly understood it. Turns out it's another part of this great puzzle to me, the connection between culture and language. I hope to study it further someday, possibly to the extent of getting a second Bachelor's in Linguistics and/or Cultural Anthropology.
Regardless, my growing (but very young) knowledge of Chinese is allowing me to have more interactions with local folks thanks in part to the degree of context in Chinese language and culture.
There's something interesting to me about the fact, then, that Chinese schools tend to be very stoic. Children are taught facts and expected to recite them, rather than taught concepts and allowed to explore them. There's a similar element at play in American schools, which many have pointed to as training students for work in production/labor environments. Given the impetus China has placed on industrialization (indeed, it was a major part of its emergence onto the world stage), it's understandable that this would be the approach...but it does limit the potential of the growing generation and their place in the future workplace.
As citation for this, I can only say that it is the word of multiple local teachers I've spoken to on the matter. People who grew up in that system, and have seen another through the influx of foreign teachers.
It leads me to once again wish that we could stop allowing our differences and our pride to prevent all the progress we could make as a race, if we'd just stop shouting and start listening, stop taking and start sharing.
I'm such a hippy.
For lunch today, I went to a restaurant in the food court of the nearby mall. Every table was full, and there were one or two groups of people waiting for a table. As one of the employees looked around for a seat, a middle eastern-looking man waved me over - he was eating alone and had an open chair. I thanked him and sat down, and he proceeded to help me order and interpret for the employees. His name is Abe, and he's been in Harbin for eleven years; he earned his Master's and now teaches Hospitality Management at the University level. He's fluent in English and Chinese, and I assume Arabic, being originally from Yemen. He has stayed in Harbin because he finds the welcoming, appreciative attitude most Chinese people have towards foreigners as being a wonderful environment. He said, "when people learn you are a foreigner...you can be here for eleven years, I've been here eleven years and people still see a foreigner...they see you as someone coming to give them something. As a teacher, they will appreciate and respect you because you are bringing something, enriching them. It's a very loving atmosphere."
Lacking sufficient language to interact personally with almost anyone I meet from China, I haven't really experienced that yet - but I have sensed very little hostility or rejection for my nationality. Mostly just awe and some intimidation for my height, and sometimes a sense of frustration or disappointment that they cannot (yet) communicate with me.
I'm looking forward to changing that.
In closing, an interesting story and a quick photo dump. One of the other American teachers I've met here is a remarkably adventurous person. She is one of those "experience everything you can" types. We had lunch together the other day at a restaurant neither of us had tried; a 'hot pot,' which is basically Chinese fondue. Where I'm still trying to use what few symbols I recognize and words I know to order recognizable food, she simply pointed at lines on the menu and said "this one." She didn't know either.
Which is how I ended up trying brains for the first time. They aren't really recognizable as brains after cooking, but it was quite clear on the original plate. I'd love to report how brains taste, but the texture was so...unusual, that I couldn't even get it on my tongue before my body sorta rejected it. Still, points for trying things.
China is an excellent place to try new things, because everything is comparatively very cheap. This meal, for example, was the equivalent of about $6; two small chicken sandwiches, two wing-size drumsticks, fries, and a coke. Easily 10-12 in America. This is the best example I've been able to clearly document so far. I plan to hit up a night market sometime soon and track a few of my purchases, produce and meat and such, and I'll report back then. First I need to learn how to communicate and understand weights.
And finally, another instance of less than successful translation.
Zaijian,
-L
Saturday, November 3, 2018
Transplanted
Nearly two weeks have passed since my last update. I have no excuse.
Well, I have several. But in the end, I haven't updated again because I haven't chosen to. Inertia can be an interesting experience, but it is by nature self-perpetuating.
I can't (and never have attempted to) promise any kind of posting regularity. At least, not until I get my life more in order - particularly once I've rebuilt my desktop computer and situated a comfortable desk setup. And those are unlikely to be anytime before the end of November, as I am on limited funds until then.
Still. I can post now, having had some time to settle in and get my foster kitten situated. I've called her Second, like the time measurement, as the Chinese word for second is miao.
I'm a dork.
But in my time here, I've found some interesting variations on familiar things, some nigh-indescribable things (those are basically banana-flavored cheetos), really just a whole host of new foods. In clockwise order: hot pot flavored potato chips, snack pancakes with banana pudding filling (banana pudding features prominently in snack pastry here), prawn flavored puffed corn (just as odd as it sounds), regular Oreos, 3+2 Hawthorne, 3+2 cheese, and what basically amounts to asian-seasoned Chex cereal.
3+2 is an interesting snack brand. Hawthorne is a berry much like strawberry, in that it is extremely prevalent in sweets around here. Hawthorne 3+2 is three Ritz crackers sandwiching two layers of sickly sweet berry flavored frosting. 3+2 Cheese is more or less Cheese crackers made with saltines, but slightly sweeter.
American convenience stores have a wide variety of a small handful of items (potato chips in 8 flavors from three different companies, chocolate bars from four different brands, etc). Chinese convenience stores take that variety out of branding and into the selection itself; there aren't a lot of flavor alternatives for any given thing, just new and different stuff. A lot of it quite odd.
I cannot depart from the topic of food finds without these (Not Safe For Work) cakes I found at a normal cake shop in the mall.
I've also seen in China plenty of questionable translations and one of the more clever bathroom signs I've ever found in person.
If I've learned anything from eating Chinese food, even at local versions of American mainstays like McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and KFC...it's that American food is kinda boring. Sugar in place of real flavor. Street food in particular here, is some of the most delicious stuff I've had anywhere (admittedly a small field of experience), and is typically cheaper than even fast food in the US. I've only dabbled so far - I'm still at the stage of "adventurous" where I want to know what I'm eating before I try it - but there's a lot left to see and taste.
As for work, most of my time until the past day or two has been observing classes of other teachers. I've yet to walk into a classroom without at least one student gaping, and usually it's accompanied by several expressions of awe. Occasionally fear. That was expected - I've been told by more average-height foreigners that their early classes often cried simply from the overwhelming new-ness of it all.
As regards height, however, I feel it's worth noting that while the average is certainly a tad lower here, I have encountered a few men as tall as me, maybe even one or two taller.
Women are still super short. But that's been common everywhere I've been (again, small sample size).
I still intend to complete my "History Bites" series, and perhaps one of my next posts will be about the Great Firewall of China, which has received some limelight very recently when Google was found to be developing a version of their engine specifically designed to comply with the strict censorship laws here. It's a potentially broad topic, and one that would likely play well into later posts about the history of China as a whole. Regardless, it's one I want to cover.
Zaijian,
-L
Well, I have several. But in the end, I haven't updated again because I haven't chosen to. Inertia can be an interesting experience, but it is by nature self-perpetuating.
I can't (and never have attempted to) promise any kind of posting regularity. At least, not until I get my life more in order - particularly once I've rebuilt my desktop computer and situated a comfortable desk setup. And those are unlikely to be anytime before the end of November, as I am on limited funds until then.
Still. I can post now, having had some time to settle in and get my foster kitten situated. I've called her Second, like the time measurement, as the Chinese word for second is miao.
I'm a dork.
But in my time here, I've found some interesting variations on familiar things, some nigh-indescribable things (those are basically banana-flavored cheetos), really just a whole host of new foods. In clockwise order: hot pot flavored potato chips, snack pancakes with banana pudding filling (banana pudding features prominently in snack pastry here), prawn flavored puffed corn (just as odd as it sounds), regular Oreos, 3+2 Hawthorne, 3+2 cheese, and what basically amounts to asian-seasoned Chex cereal.
3+2 is an interesting snack brand. Hawthorne is a berry much like strawberry, in that it is extremely prevalent in sweets around here. Hawthorne 3+2 is three Ritz crackers sandwiching two layers of sickly sweet berry flavored frosting. 3+2 Cheese is more or less Cheese crackers made with saltines, but slightly sweeter.
American convenience stores have a wide variety of a small handful of items (potato chips in 8 flavors from three different companies, chocolate bars from four different brands, etc). Chinese convenience stores take that variety out of branding and into the selection itself; there aren't a lot of flavor alternatives for any given thing, just new and different stuff. A lot of it quite odd.
I cannot depart from the topic of food finds without these (Not Safe For Work) cakes I found at a normal cake shop in the mall.
I've also seen in China plenty of questionable translations and one of the more clever bathroom signs I've ever found in person.
If I've learned anything from eating Chinese food, even at local versions of American mainstays like McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and KFC...it's that American food is kinda boring. Sugar in place of real flavor. Street food in particular here, is some of the most delicious stuff I've had anywhere (admittedly a small field of experience), and is typically cheaper than even fast food in the US. I've only dabbled so far - I'm still at the stage of "adventurous" where I want to know what I'm eating before I try it - but there's a lot left to see and taste.
As for work, most of my time until the past day or two has been observing classes of other teachers. I've yet to walk into a classroom without at least one student gaping, and usually it's accompanied by several expressions of awe. Occasionally fear. That was expected - I've been told by more average-height foreigners that their early classes often cried simply from the overwhelming new-ness of it all.
As regards height, however, I feel it's worth noting that while the average is certainly a tad lower here, I have encountered a few men as tall as me, maybe even one or two taller.
Women are still super short. But that's been common everywhere I've been (again, small sample size).
I still intend to complete my "History Bites" series, and perhaps one of my next posts will be about the Great Firewall of China, which has received some limelight very recently when Google was found to be developing a version of their engine specifically designed to comply with the strict censorship laws here. It's a potentially broad topic, and one that would likely play well into later posts about the history of China as a whole. Regardless, it's one I want to cover.
Zaijian,
-L
Monday, October 22, 2018
Travel time!
This post is a few days overdue, but they have been a very busy few days.
I arrived in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China at 12:20AM on Thursday morning. It is currently 6:10PM Monday evening, and I am finally finding myself with time enough to sit down for this.
But all things in good time.
I left Denver International Airport at 7AM on Tuesday morning, with almost everything I own packed thusly.. My first flight was DEN - LAX, about a two hour flight. About one hour layover preceded the "real" flight, from LAX - PEK, or Beijing. This was about a 13 hour flight, which I believe is the longest I've ever taken. For obvious reasons, I sprung a bit extra to get a premium economy seat. It was the right decision.
Also on the jetway at LAX was...this interesting plane. I guess if Frontier can have little animals on the tails, there's nothing to say cartoon characters cannot decorate the side of this one.
The plane was unlike any I've ever taken. The windows had no shades, but instead had adjustable tints that could be changed with buttons.
...well, that was the theory anyway. In practice, they lowered the tints to minimum as soon as we reached cruising altitude, and darkened the cabin so that it was basically night for 13 hours. It wasn't unpleasant, but it did feel a bit silly to have adjustable tints that weren't adjustable. Sort of like living in a mobile home - why call it that if it never goes anywhere?
I believe it was a premium economy feature, but there was a plastic bag of goodies on my seat when I walked up. Inside were a pillow, blanket, sleep mask, headphones, and these cute little flight slippers. Obviously, my gargantuan feet made them feel a bit insecure. Still, they were far more comfortable than the hiking boots I'd worn onto the plane (they took up more space in my luggage than my tennis shoes, so I went with them).
The plane also had meal service. Included in the fare were this meal (which was...not too bad, though the pasta was cold and I'm not about that life), a 'midnight snack' type thing (a chicken wrap, not pictured as it was dark), and breakfast (which I didn't partake).
The flight followed the Western coastline up California, along the Aleutian Islands, and down through Russia. We actually flew over Harbin to get to Beijing. I asked a flight attendant if we could just stop by for a second.
...ok, no, I didn't. But it makes for a better story.
Along our flight path was this mountain, striking in its solitary beauty. All around it, barely foothills. In Colorado, our mountains are an enormous range; varying heights for different peaks, but nothing quite so stark. Some googling later, I now know this is Mount Shasta, which I correctly assumed was a volcanic mountain.
Across the ocean, I was greeted by a more familiar sight in that the mountains in northern China/South-eastern Russia are in long, expansive ranges that call in siren song for brave adventurers to explore their secrets.
Not being a brave adventurer, I took a picture from an airplane window and called it a day.
My flight landed in Beijing around 1PM local time, which was 11AM back in Colorado. My next flight, from Beijing to Harbin, was at 10PM. Let me tell you, a nine hour layover is pretty awful, particularly when lugging your whole life around with you; I had to claim my suitcases and re-check them 7 hours later. I started this layover with some food - braised string beans and minced pork, which was delicious. I also learned that China's bendy-straw game is on point. Makes our bendy straws look almost stiff. And yes, in case the color isn't a giveaway, that's a coke can. A kinda tall, skinny one.
I don't remember the flight from Beijing to Harbin, except that rather than peanuts or pretzels they gave out some kind of meat in a bun...like a cross between a hamburger and a calzone. Hard to describe, but this is a decent approximation.
Reps from my school picked me up at the airport in Harbin and brought me to a temporary apartment. It was pretty nice, a studio with a nice bed. At that point I'd likely have taken a small couch or even just a blanket on the floor; it had been a long day.
Something I didn't know about most Chinese apartments: the bathrooms are remarkably efficient. The whole bathroom basically doubles as the shower, with a drain behind the washing machine (in my new place, which I'll have pictures for in a few days, the drain is right under the showerhead, which makes way more sense to me). Space is at a premium here, but I've never seen such a design before. Every once in a while, when traveling, you see something that makes you say, "now why don't we do that?" I haven't spent much time in busier urban areas, but I believe even most NYC apartments still have a shower stall.
The next morning (read: mid-day) when I woke up, I finally got a good look at the view from my temporary place. I'm not usually one for urban sprawl but there's something really lovely about how China manages its space. Apartment communities are tall, narrow buildings with green common areas between them. You can't really see any in this image, but my new apartment photo dump will show them more. My basis for comparison is limited, but when I think of Chicago or NYC I think of dense buildings and suffocating closeness. Even in the outskirts of Beijing, while flying in, I could see similar structural practices.
The last few days have been a series of visits to the two schools, banks, mobile companies, etc. to get all the things in order for living here. There have been some challenges along the way there (look into the Great Firewall of China) but so far, I'm managing most of them. Because there's been so much going on, I'll unpack it in a later post.
I'll leave on this note: two amusing things I've seen in stores.
First, there's something that just makes me laugh
Second, something that was actually surprisingly tasty: Steak-flavored Cheetos
Zaijian,
-L
I arrived in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China at 12:20AM on Thursday morning. It is currently 6:10PM Monday evening, and I am finally finding myself with time enough to sit down for this.
But all things in good time.
I left Denver International Airport at 7AM on Tuesday morning, with almost everything I own packed thusly.. My first flight was DEN - LAX, about a two hour flight. About one hour layover preceded the "real" flight, from LAX - PEK, or Beijing. This was about a 13 hour flight, which I believe is the longest I've ever taken. For obvious reasons, I sprung a bit extra to get a premium economy seat. It was the right decision.
Also on the jetway at LAX was...this interesting plane. I guess if Frontier can have little animals on the tails, there's nothing to say cartoon characters cannot decorate the side of this one.
The plane was unlike any I've ever taken. The windows had no shades, but instead had adjustable tints that could be changed with buttons.
...well, that was the theory anyway. In practice, they lowered the tints to minimum as soon as we reached cruising altitude, and darkened the cabin so that it was basically night for 13 hours. It wasn't unpleasant, but it did feel a bit silly to have adjustable tints that weren't adjustable. Sort of like living in a mobile home - why call it that if it never goes anywhere?
I believe it was a premium economy feature, but there was a plastic bag of goodies on my seat when I walked up. Inside were a pillow, blanket, sleep mask, headphones, and these cute little flight slippers. Obviously, my gargantuan feet made them feel a bit insecure. Still, they were far more comfortable than the hiking boots I'd worn onto the plane (they took up more space in my luggage than my tennis shoes, so I went with them).
The plane also had meal service. Included in the fare were this meal (which was...not too bad, though the pasta was cold and I'm not about that life), a 'midnight snack' type thing (a chicken wrap, not pictured as it was dark), and breakfast (which I didn't partake).
The flight followed the Western coastline up California, along the Aleutian Islands, and down through Russia. We actually flew over Harbin to get to Beijing. I asked a flight attendant if we could just stop by for a second.
...ok, no, I didn't. But it makes for a better story.
Along our flight path was this mountain, striking in its solitary beauty. All around it, barely foothills. In Colorado, our mountains are an enormous range; varying heights for different peaks, but nothing quite so stark. Some googling later, I now know this is Mount Shasta, which I correctly assumed was a volcanic mountain.
Across the ocean, I was greeted by a more familiar sight in that the mountains in northern China/South-eastern Russia are in long, expansive ranges that call in siren song for brave adventurers to explore their secrets.
Not being a brave adventurer, I took a picture from an airplane window and called it a day.
My flight landed in Beijing around 1PM local time, which was 11AM back in Colorado. My next flight, from Beijing to Harbin, was at 10PM. Let me tell you, a nine hour layover is pretty awful, particularly when lugging your whole life around with you; I had to claim my suitcases and re-check them 7 hours later. I started this layover with some food - braised string beans and minced pork, which was delicious. I also learned that China's bendy-straw game is on point. Makes our bendy straws look almost stiff. And yes, in case the color isn't a giveaway, that's a coke can. A kinda tall, skinny one.
I don't remember the flight from Beijing to Harbin, except that rather than peanuts or pretzels they gave out some kind of meat in a bun...like a cross between a hamburger and a calzone. Hard to describe, but this is a decent approximation.
Reps from my school picked me up at the airport in Harbin and brought me to a temporary apartment. It was pretty nice, a studio with a nice bed. At that point I'd likely have taken a small couch or even just a blanket on the floor; it had been a long day.
Something I didn't know about most Chinese apartments: the bathrooms are remarkably efficient. The whole bathroom basically doubles as the shower, with a drain behind the washing machine (in my new place, which I'll have pictures for in a few days, the drain is right under the showerhead, which makes way more sense to me). Space is at a premium here, but I've never seen such a design before. Every once in a while, when traveling, you see something that makes you say, "now why don't we do that?" I haven't spent much time in busier urban areas, but I believe even most NYC apartments still have a shower stall.
The next morning (read: mid-day) when I woke up, I finally got a good look at the view from my temporary place. I'm not usually one for urban sprawl but there's something really lovely about how China manages its space. Apartment communities are tall, narrow buildings with green common areas between them. You can't really see any in this image, but my new apartment photo dump will show them more. My basis for comparison is limited, but when I think of Chicago or NYC I think of dense buildings and suffocating closeness. Even in the outskirts of Beijing, while flying in, I could see similar structural practices.
The last few days have been a series of visits to the two schools, banks, mobile companies, etc. to get all the things in order for living here. There have been some challenges along the way there (look into the Great Firewall of China) but so far, I'm managing most of them. Because there's been so much going on, I'll unpack it in a later post.
I'll leave on this note: two amusing things I've seen in stores.
First, there's something that just makes me laugh
Second, something that was actually surprisingly tasty: Steak-flavored Cheetos
Zaijian,
-L
Thursday, October 18, 2018
WiFi woes
Ni hao, friends.
I am in temporary housing at the moment, and as such I have limited access to Internet. So while I have much to say about the trip and am looking forward to continuing the survey of Chinese history, it may be a little while before I can.
Xiexie (thank you) for your patience.
Zaijian,
-L
I am in temporary housing at the moment, and as such I have limited access to Internet. So while I have much to say about the trip and am looking forward to continuing the survey of Chinese history, it may be a little while before I can.
Xiexie (thank you) for your patience.
Zaijian,
-L
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
History Bite: pt 3
Zhou-ly Dynasty, batman!
As mentioned before, the Zhou Dynasty replaced the Shang in 1046 BC. They coined the idea of the Mandate of Heaven as a way of justifying their overthrow of the Shang and their rule of China. The Mandate of Heaven essentially says that just and good rulers stay in power, while unjust or despotic ones are removed.
The Zhou Dynasty stretches from 1046 BC to 256 BC, the longest period in Chinese history. However, within this dynastic period is an age called the Spring and Autumn Period, so named for the "Spring and Autumn Annals" which historically described the epoch. The Spring and Autumn period is marked between 771 BC and 476 BC, though some debate continues over the end date.
"Spring and Autumn" is a curious name for the era, as it has a sense of calm, of change and cycles. The former, at least, is true: the period is a story of the decline of centralized power in the dynasty, and eventually led to the Warring States period as various powerful families claimed more autonomy and defied the king's rule.
As leaves fall from the trees
States move from king to themselves
Zhou's autumn arrives
...yeah, I know, haiku is Japanese. Just roll with it.
The Spring and Autumn Period begins with the Quanrong invasion of the western part of the kingdom, forcing the king to flee to an Eastern capital. In the process of moving to the Eastern capital in Luoyi, the king lost much of his official control over the feudal rulers of the further reaches of the kingdom. Many of those smaller regions later broke into their own states; the chronicles for the period list 148 individual states, which would absorb into merely 20 by 476 BC.
In opposition to the declining centralization, the Zhou kings would name the most powerful military state "hegemon," and they would be tasked with defending the king, as well as weaker states. There arose four primary states: Qin, Jin, Qi, and Chu. These states were often at odds in a power struggle, usually absorbing smaller states under pretext of aid and protection.
That's a nice state you have there, Wei. Shame if something were to...happen to it.
What follows is a series of hegemonies, which deserve their own post. However, I'll leave with this thought. As an American, my country's entire history falls within a span of maybe 240 years, if you mark the Declaration of Independence in 1776 as the 'soft start' of the nation. The period between the start of the Zhou Dynasty and the Eastern Zhou/Spring and Autumn period (which is still part of the same dynastic era) is 275 years.
Myself and others have often theorized that part of the reason American patriotism is so virulent is that it is, essentially, our only binding element. Our history is remarkably short, and the 'melting pot' aspect gives us several disparate histories and heritages. One thing above all others unites us, and that is our citizenship. Patriotism as a national identity, as opposed to the more complex historical elements like the Roman Empire, the Norse expansions and explorations, or the Egyptian or Ottoman empires (of which I know too little to comment on). While the history of China is a long tale of dynasties coming and going (it's been long reading just for these bites, and I'm not even to AD yet!), it's still a contiguous history wherein most ancestries can be locally traced. Contrasted with the US and the tendency for geneaology to be a complex international research project...it might explain some of our jingoism as being the main thing to reach across cultural, social, and racial divides and embrace each other as Americans.
Zaijian,
-L
As mentioned before, the Zhou Dynasty replaced the Shang in 1046 BC. They coined the idea of the Mandate of Heaven as a way of justifying their overthrow of the Shang and their rule of China. The Mandate of Heaven essentially says that just and good rulers stay in power, while unjust or despotic ones are removed.
The Zhou Dynasty stretches from 1046 BC to 256 BC, the longest period in Chinese history. However, within this dynastic period is an age called the Spring and Autumn Period, so named for the "Spring and Autumn Annals" which historically described the epoch. The Spring and Autumn period is marked between 771 BC and 476 BC, though some debate continues over the end date.
"Spring and Autumn" is a curious name for the era, as it has a sense of calm, of change and cycles. The former, at least, is true: the period is a story of the decline of centralized power in the dynasty, and eventually led to the Warring States period as various powerful families claimed more autonomy and defied the king's rule.
As leaves fall from the trees
States move from king to themselves
Zhou's autumn arrives
...yeah, I know, haiku is Japanese. Just roll with it.
The Spring and Autumn Period begins with the Quanrong invasion of the western part of the kingdom, forcing the king to flee to an Eastern capital. In the process of moving to the Eastern capital in Luoyi, the king lost much of his official control over the feudal rulers of the further reaches of the kingdom. Many of those smaller regions later broke into their own states; the chronicles for the period list 148 individual states, which would absorb into merely 20 by 476 BC.
In opposition to the declining centralization, the Zhou kings would name the most powerful military state "hegemon," and they would be tasked with defending the king, as well as weaker states. There arose four primary states: Qin, Jin, Qi, and Chu. These states were often at odds in a power struggle, usually absorbing smaller states under pretext of aid and protection.
That's a nice state you have there, Wei. Shame if something were to...happen to it.
What follows is a series of hegemonies, which deserve their own post. However, I'll leave with this thought. As an American, my country's entire history falls within a span of maybe 240 years, if you mark the Declaration of Independence in 1776 as the 'soft start' of the nation. The period between the start of the Zhou Dynasty and the Eastern Zhou/Spring and Autumn period (which is still part of the same dynastic era) is 275 years.
Myself and others have often theorized that part of the reason American patriotism is so virulent is that it is, essentially, our only binding element. Our history is remarkably short, and the 'melting pot' aspect gives us several disparate histories and heritages. One thing above all others unites us, and that is our citizenship. Patriotism as a national identity, as opposed to the more complex historical elements like the Roman Empire, the Norse expansions and explorations, or the Egyptian or Ottoman empires (of which I know too little to comment on). While the history of China is a long tale of dynasties coming and going (it's been long reading just for these bites, and I'm not even to AD yet!), it's still a contiguous history wherein most ancestries can be locally traced. Contrasted with the US and the tendency for geneaology to be a complex international research project...it might explain some of our jingoism as being the main thing to reach across cultural, social, and racial divides and embrace each other as Americans.
Zaijian,
-L
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Ruminations on transitions
We interrupt History Bites for this message from our sponsors your blogger.
I've nearly finished the last day at my job. I've said goodbye to most of my co-workers, and will be sending a farewell email soon. I'm fully moved out of my apartment, couch-surfing for the two weeks before my flight. I've scheduled a few lunches/dinners/etc with friends near home, a last chance to hang out before I depart.
There's something surreal about it all. It may well be the last time in my life that I see many of these people, depending on where my life takes me from here.
I think about the things I've thrown away in this transition, or given to ARC or Goodwill or friends or whatever. The things I've decided I don't want to take with me, and since I don't know how long I'll be gone, I've tried to limit the things I'm keeping here with my brother or parents or whatever. A painting I made in one of those paint and sip classes, a wall clock with numbers scattered randomly around the face and the words "Who Cares" under the middle, countless pieces of paper (including drawing attempts, old writing, bills, letters, birthday cards...); a coat I've had for several years, a sheet set and bed I bought to be shared...all gone forever.
I've nearly reduced my life to a suitcase and a carry-on. There's still some work to be done there.
I used to gauge my life by whether I could fit everything in my car, as I used to be endlessly peripatetic. I never moved far, but I moved frequently. I settled down substantially about 6 years ago, but part of me has never been content in one place for long. In some ways, it's rather strange that it took me this long to get into TEFL, if only because I have the personality of a wanderer, a nomad. My brother recently commented that he wouldn't be surprised if I never settled down. I am only a little loathe to agree.
The adventure ahead is nebulous, intimidating, and exciting. And I don't regret any of the decisions that got me here. But that doesn't mean it's been easy, or that I haven't given up a fair bit along the way.
Wo henhao (I am very well).
Zaijian,
-L
I've nearly finished the last day at my job. I've said goodbye to most of my co-workers, and will be sending a farewell email soon. I'm fully moved out of my apartment, couch-surfing for the two weeks before my flight. I've scheduled a few lunches/dinners/etc with friends near home, a last chance to hang out before I depart.
There's something surreal about it all. It may well be the last time in my life that I see many of these people, depending on where my life takes me from here.
I think about the things I've thrown away in this transition, or given to ARC or Goodwill or friends or whatever. The things I've decided I don't want to take with me, and since I don't know how long I'll be gone, I've tried to limit the things I'm keeping here with my brother or parents or whatever. A painting I made in one of those paint and sip classes, a wall clock with numbers scattered randomly around the face and the words "Who Cares" under the middle, countless pieces of paper (including drawing attempts, old writing, bills, letters, birthday cards...); a coat I've had for several years, a sheet set and bed I bought to be shared...all gone forever.
I've nearly reduced my life to a suitcase and a carry-on. There's still some work to be done there.
I used to gauge my life by whether I could fit everything in my car, as I used to be endlessly peripatetic. I never moved far, but I moved frequently. I settled down substantially about 6 years ago, but part of me has never been content in one place for long. In some ways, it's rather strange that it took me this long to get into TEFL, if only because I have the personality of a wanderer, a nomad. My brother recently commented that he wouldn't be surprised if I never settled down. I am only a little loathe to agree.
The adventure ahead is nebulous, intimidating, and exciting. And I don't regret any of the decisions that got me here. But that doesn't mean it's been easy, or that I haven't given up a fair bit along the way.
Wo henhao (I am very well).
Zaijian,
-L
Sunday, September 23, 2018
History Bite: pt 2
*announcer voice* LAST TIME, on CHINESE HISTORY!! The Beast from the East was slain and his shoulderblades used to predict hunting results.
Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Justice...
Archaeologists and historians generally divide the Shang Dynasty into two periods: the early and late. We pay these people for some reason.
The reason for the distinction varies by source, making it difficult to encapsulate effectively. The capital city of the Shang dynasty moved six times; some sources list the final move in 1350 BC to Yin (modern-day Yinxu, in the northernmost reaches of the Henan province) as the start of a significant era of the dynasty. Others don't mention this move at all; instead, they use an archaeological shift wherein direct records of the Shang dynasty emerge, rather than later histories.
The gap between histories and physical evidence mostly extends until Emperor Wu Ding, who reigned from 1250-1192 BC. Of note with this fellow is his most famous consort, Lady Fu Hao; her name is found on hundreds of oracle bone inscriptions and is a renowned military general. It seems unusual to me for a woman to hold such a prominent place in ancient Chinese politics, which are very patrilineal. I may dig into that more another time.
The Shang dynasty "formally" ends in 1046 BC, wherein the Zhou dynasty displaced the Shang after the Battle of Muye. The Zhou Dynasty is the first to establish the Mandate of Heaven doctrine, similar to the Divine Right of Kings in Western civilization. It is worth noting, however, that while the Divine Right was largely passed down through generations, the Mandate of Heaven specifically allowed for anyone who proved themselves "worthy" by defeating an unjust ruler could theoretically ascend to the throne; should someone displant a ruler, it would be taken as an indication that the Mandate had been removed from that one and conferred upon another.
What is particularly interesting about this doctrine is that it inherently places a supreme importance on the virtue of the ruler, and the service they provide to the people, rather than focusing on how the people can serve the king. It likely contributes to a tradition in Chinese culture of self-establishing virtue; as opposed to Western thought, which tends to have an external locus of morality, one could argue that the Mandate of Heaven is an early step that establishes the burden squarely on the individual.
Zaijian,
-L
Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Justice...
Archaeologists and historians generally divide the Shang Dynasty into two periods: the early and late. We pay these people for some reason.
The reason for the distinction varies by source, making it difficult to encapsulate effectively. The capital city of the Shang dynasty moved six times; some sources list the final move in 1350 BC to Yin (modern-day Yinxu, in the northernmost reaches of the Henan province) as the start of a significant era of the dynasty. Others don't mention this move at all; instead, they use an archaeological shift wherein direct records of the Shang dynasty emerge, rather than later histories.
The gap between histories and physical evidence mostly extends until Emperor Wu Ding, who reigned from 1250-1192 BC. Of note with this fellow is his most famous consort, Lady Fu Hao; her name is found on hundreds of oracle bone inscriptions and is a renowned military general. It seems unusual to me for a woman to hold such a prominent place in ancient Chinese politics, which are very patrilineal. I may dig into that more another time.
The Shang dynasty "formally" ends in 1046 BC, wherein the Zhou dynasty displaced the Shang after the Battle of Muye. The Zhou Dynasty is the first to establish the Mandate of Heaven doctrine, similar to the Divine Right of Kings in Western civilization. It is worth noting, however, that while the Divine Right was largely passed down through generations, the Mandate of Heaven specifically allowed for anyone who proved themselves "worthy" by defeating an unjust ruler could theoretically ascend to the throne; should someone displant a ruler, it would be taken as an indication that the Mandate had been removed from that one and conferred upon another.
What is particularly interesting about this doctrine is that it inherently places a supreme importance on the virtue of the ruler, and the service they provide to the people, rather than focusing on how the people can serve the king. It likely contributes to a tradition in Chinese culture of self-establishing virtue; as opposed to Western thought, which tends to have an external locus of morality, one could argue that the Mandate of Heaven is an early step that establishes the burden squarely on the individual.
Zaijian,
-L
Saturday, September 15, 2018
History Bite: pt 1
This is part 1 of my History of China series of entries.
The diviner kneels in front of the king, holding the shoulder blade of an ox. It has been cleaned and polished, with a groove cut into it. He speaks aloud two sentences. "We will have a successful hunt today. We will not have a successful hunt today." Then, he presses a heated bronze point into the bone. As the temperature shifts, the bone cracks.
The diviner examines the cracks. He looks up to his king and smiles. "We will have a successful hunt today." The bone is handed to the Inscriber, who etches into the bone the date, the question, and the answer.
This is some of our earliest knowledge about civilizations in China: Oracle Bones from the Shang Dynasty.
There are two primary river basins in China: the Huang He, or Yellow River, and the Yangtze River. The Shang Dynasty grew from the An-yang River, north of the Yellow River (Huang He), and defines the period from 1600-1100 BC. The Oracle Bones, as described above, are one of the earlier written records of Chinese civilization, and due to their meticulous detail, provide some valuable insight into the culture of the dynasty and how that culture has grown, adapted, and shifted over the years.
It's interesting to note, that the inscriptions on oracle bones can be interpreted by modern scientists because the Chinese written language has actually stayed fairly constant across the millenia.
In another life, one where I had more attention to detail and tolerance for minutiae and repetition, I was probably an anthropologist. The demands of scientific rigor just don't suit me.
Zaijian (goodbye, literally "see again"),
-L
The diviner kneels in front of the king, holding the shoulder blade of an ox. It has been cleaned and polished, with a groove cut into it. He speaks aloud two sentences. "We will have a successful hunt today. We will not have a successful hunt today." Then, he presses a heated bronze point into the bone. As the temperature shifts, the bone cracks.
The diviner examines the cracks. He looks up to his king and smiles. "We will have a successful hunt today." The bone is handed to the Inscriber, who etches into the bone the date, the question, and the answer.
This is some of our earliest knowledge about civilizations in China: Oracle Bones from the Shang Dynasty.
There are two primary river basins in China: the Huang He, or Yellow River, and the Yangtze River. The Shang Dynasty grew from the An-yang River, north of the Yellow River (Huang He), and defines the period from 1600-1100 BC. The Oracle Bones, as described above, are one of the earlier written records of Chinese civilization, and due to their meticulous detail, provide some valuable insight into the culture of the dynasty and how that culture has grown, adapted, and shifted over the years.
It's interesting to note, that the inscriptions on oracle bones can be interpreted by modern scientists because the Chinese written language has actually stayed fairly constant across the millenia.
In another life, one where I had more attention to detail and tolerance for minutiae and repetition, I was probably an anthropologist. The demands of scientific rigor just don't suit me.
Zaijian (goodbye, literally "see again"),
-L
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Don't mind me, I'm just Babeling
The New Yorker inquires about Hyperpolyglots
I've long known that polyglots were a thing. I've known a couple over the years. I've known that in regions of high cultural exchange (Turkey, for some reason, being among the first examples that springs to mind, though much of Europe also qualifies), it's not only common but almost necessary for people to be polylingual. A casual example in the article shows a cab driver who speaks to different groups in his social circle in about five different languages total, none of which is the English he uses professionally.
Some small part of me, whenever I hear about this, is somewhat disappointed in America. A hub of the entire world, culturally and economically, and we're the ones to NIMBY the fuck out of everyone. "You're in America, we speak English." Linguistic gatekeeping.
It is what it is. It's one of many things I'm sort of pulling away from by leaving. And I know, of course, this attitude isn't unique to the US. Brexit is borne of the same attitude.
This is getting rambly and aggressively political. Apologies. I'll try to drift back to the more personal, and positive.
I don't believe I have the discipline, nor the energy, and certainly not the disposable income, to dedicate hours in a day to meticulous and regimented study of language. Nor do I have the social fluidity to go out and just engage with people like the primary 'source' in the article does. What I do know is that I pick things up remarkably quickly when I have the right input. I know that in most of my language classes dating back to first grade, I've outpaced most of my peers and at times stymied my teachers. Mom told me some years ago that after my first year at a bilingual English/Spanish school, the teachers were struggling to find a place for me that would balance my educational/academic needs and pace with the sheer rapidity with which I was picking up Spanish.
Damned if I remember more than five words of it, of course.
That's the privilege of being American: I learn English and the rest of the world sort of bends around me to meet it. That's changing as the US becomes less of a dominant superpower, and globalization introduces focal areas and specializations from a wider variety of countries.
I don't remember when I first began dreaming of having a dazzling command of languages. Of being able to speak to almost anyone in their native tongue, or in a shared additional. I remember a scene in the book "Left Behind," wherein two characters goes to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. There, a couple prophets have taken up residence preaching about the causes and results of the rapture and the greatest-ever need for God's presence (or something - it's been a long time). One of the characters goes to a few different people in the crowd, converses with them in their L1, and learns that each is understanding the prophets in their native language.
And I remember thinking, holy shit I want that. I want to be able to approach almost anyone and have a conversation fluidly or fluently with them.
In high school, there was a brief period where I was taking Latin, maintaining German, and self-teaching Russian all at once. And it was pretty satisfying.
But while that interest hasn't waned, my extroversion has. I'm less comfortable in groups, meeting new people, putting myself out there than I ever have been. Too many years of comfortable seclusion.
It is my strongest intention to change that. Not necessarily to become an extrovert - I'm not sure that can be changed. But to resist that inertial isolation and push myself to engage in foreign ways.
Harbin is, as I believe I mentioned elsewhere, often recognized as one of the best places to learn Mandarin, due to its relatively 'pure' dialect ("putonghua"); as an analogy, consider the "universal dialect" or "neutral dialect" practiced by broadcasters and news reporters - that is essentially the "putonghua" of the US.
What I've also realized, however, is that due to the political history of the region and proximity to other countries, it's entirely likely that Harbin will also be an excellent place to learn both Russian and Japanese. Atop that, TEFL teachers can come from several different countries - basically any where English is the native/national language. A quick google search turned up this Quora answer, wherein one can see that English is frequently alongside other languages in many other countries as a 'national language.' A TEFL teacher from South Africa is not unheard of, despite this reply suggesting they have eleven recognized national languages.
The opportunity to learn is considerable. And from my conversations with current teachers at the school where I'm headed, there is a reasonable amount of free time during most weeks.
TEFL can take me all over the world. My desire to learn languages might drive me beyond China; depending on how I like the city (or the country) and how much the actual exposure and opportunity to learn draw my brain out of its shell...
Well...there's a reason I've told everyone who asks, "I have no idea how long I'll be gone."
'Til next time. Zaijian (goodbye)
-L
I've long known that polyglots were a thing. I've known a couple over the years. I've known that in regions of high cultural exchange (Turkey, for some reason, being among the first examples that springs to mind, though much of Europe also qualifies), it's not only common but almost necessary for people to be polylingual. A casual example in the article shows a cab driver who speaks to different groups in his social circle in about five different languages total, none of which is the English he uses professionally.
Some small part of me, whenever I hear about this, is somewhat disappointed in America. A hub of the entire world, culturally and economically, and we're the ones to NIMBY the fuck out of everyone. "You're in America, we speak English." Linguistic gatekeeping.
It is what it is. It's one of many things I'm sort of pulling away from by leaving. And I know, of course, this attitude isn't unique to the US. Brexit is borne of the same attitude.
This is getting rambly and aggressively political. Apologies. I'll try to drift back to the more personal, and positive.
I don't believe I have the discipline, nor the energy, and certainly not the disposable income, to dedicate hours in a day to meticulous and regimented study of language. Nor do I have the social fluidity to go out and just engage with people like the primary 'source' in the article does. What I do know is that I pick things up remarkably quickly when I have the right input. I know that in most of my language classes dating back to first grade, I've outpaced most of my peers and at times stymied my teachers. Mom told me some years ago that after my first year at a bilingual English/Spanish school, the teachers were struggling to find a place for me that would balance my educational/academic needs and pace with the sheer rapidity with which I was picking up Spanish.
Damned if I remember more than five words of it, of course.
That's the privilege of being American: I learn English and the rest of the world sort of bends around me to meet it. That's changing as the US becomes less of a dominant superpower, and globalization introduces focal areas and specializations from a wider variety of countries.
I don't remember when I first began dreaming of having a dazzling command of languages. Of being able to speak to almost anyone in their native tongue, or in a shared additional. I remember a scene in the book "Left Behind," wherein two characters goes to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. There, a couple prophets have taken up residence preaching about the causes and results of the rapture and the greatest-ever need for God's presence (or something - it's been a long time). One of the characters goes to a few different people in the crowd, converses with them in their L1, and learns that each is understanding the prophets in their native language.
And I remember thinking, holy shit I want that. I want to be able to approach almost anyone and have a conversation fluidly or fluently with them.
In high school, there was a brief period where I was taking Latin, maintaining German, and self-teaching Russian all at once. And it was pretty satisfying.
But while that interest hasn't waned, my extroversion has. I'm less comfortable in groups, meeting new people, putting myself out there than I ever have been. Too many years of comfortable seclusion.
It is my strongest intention to change that. Not necessarily to become an extrovert - I'm not sure that can be changed. But to resist that inertial isolation and push myself to engage in foreign ways.
Harbin is, as I believe I mentioned elsewhere, often recognized as one of the best places to learn Mandarin, due to its relatively 'pure' dialect ("putonghua"); as an analogy, consider the "universal dialect" or "neutral dialect" practiced by broadcasters and news reporters - that is essentially the "putonghua" of the US.
What I've also realized, however, is that due to the political history of the region and proximity to other countries, it's entirely likely that Harbin will also be an excellent place to learn both Russian and Japanese. Atop that, TEFL teachers can come from several different countries - basically any where English is the native/national language. A quick google search turned up this Quora answer, wherein one can see that English is frequently alongside other languages in many other countries as a 'national language.' A TEFL teacher from South Africa is not unheard of, despite this reply suggesting they have eleven recognized national languages.
The opportunity to learn is considerable. And from my conversations with current teachers at the school where I'm headed, there is a reasonable amount of free time during most weeks.
TEFL can take me all over the world. My desire to learn languages might drive me beyond China; depending on how I like the city (or the country) and how much the actual exposure and opportunity to learn draw my brain out of its shell...
Well...there's a reason I've told everyone who asks, "I have no idea how long I'll be gone."
'Til next time. Zaijian (goodbye)
-L
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Progress at home
Got my medical exam results back, scanned, and sent in along with everything else. My contact at the school handed it all over to their visa handler, and so far I haven't heard that anything was missing (though I haven't heard that everything was correct, either).
On the home front, I gave my landlord my notice this week; he's already started lining up the next resident, so he asked me to get the place in showable condition. This meant clearing out a lot of shit, boxing and donating and throwing away piles and bags and totes of stuff. It turns out that I won't actually have anything to put in storage or leave behind, and that everything I'm not taking with me will just find a new home or be discarded. It's an odd feeling to reduce my life to two suitcases, but it's reminiscent of my earlier adult days when I could fit everything I owned into my car. I guess I haven't changed that much over the years; something feels...right about having so little. About being able to pack up and move whenever, without needing a moving truck to do so. It's in stark contrast to my ex, whom I helped move across the country - she had part of a semi trailer, a large moving truck, and a smaller trailer atop that, as well as her car chock full. And that was still leaving some things behind or throwing them away. I'm not saying either is right or wrong. Just different.
Today, I find myself kind of restless. Most of the work I can do is done. I have an errand or two later, but most of the day is mine to relax.
But I've been working so hard and doing so much this past few days that I feel like I should still be working. There's really nothing left to do right now - everything is pretty much arranged, and the remaining stuff will either go to the new tenant or will be packed up later to move. For the next few weeks, what I have done is all I need done. And it feels lazy or wasteful to do nothing.
The brain is a funny thing.
'til next time
-L
On the home front, I gave my landlord my notice this week; he's already started lining up the next resident, so he asked me to get the place in showable condition. This meant clearing out a lot of shit, boxing and donating and throwing away piles and bags and totes of stuff. It turns out that I won't actually have anything to put in storage or leave behind, and that everything I'm not taking with me will just find a new home or be discarded. It's an odd feeling to reduce my life to two suitcases, but it's reminiscent of my earlier adult days when I could fit everything I owned into my car. I guess I haven't changed that much over the years; something feels...right about having so little. About being able to pack up and move whenever, without needing a moving truck to do so. It's in stark contrast to my ex, whom I helped move across the country - she had part of a semi trailer, a large moving truck, and a smaller trailer atop that, as well as her car chock full. And that was still leaving some things behind or throwing them away. I'm not saying either is right or wrong. Just different.
Today, I find myself kind of restless. Most of the work I can do is done. I have an errand or two later, but most of the day is mine to relax.
But I've been working so hard and doing so much this past few days that I feel like I should still be working. There's really nothing left to do right now - everything is pretty much arranged, and the remaining stuff will either go to the new tenant or will be packed up later to move. For the next few weeks, what I have done is all I need done. And it feels lazy or wasteful to do nothing.
The brain is a funny thing.
'til next time
-L
Friday, August 24, 2018
Z Visa - Z for Zounds!
...Damnit, L, what the hell is that title.
So I figured, partly as result of Julie's comment, that I'd delve a bit into the visa process for TEFL in China. There's a whole flood of information out there, but it's hard to research because it's all over the place, and many sites just link back to the Chinese Embassy site which isn't always clear either.
A bit of background: in years past, shortly after the online TEFL certificate came into existence, there was a lot of controversy around them. They were unregulated, cheap, and often had no actual interaction with a tutor or feedback from educators themselves; instead, they'd have a list of multiple choice questions or something similar, no in-class live interaction, and boom. Certificate granted. Worse, these certificates were awfully easy to produce at home, and a decent photoshop familiarity could make a believable document. This led to a wave of awful teachers.
Combine this history with the developing political situation in China, and you have a much stricter visa process now. Perhaps too strict.
There are three core documents required for any reputable company in China: a Bachelor's degree (in anything), a TEFL certificate (online is fine for visa purposes, though those with in-class experience will look better on resumes), and a criminal background check (state or federal level, either is acceptable). Once you have these, you can start applying for jobs. When a school wants to hire you, you scan your documents and send them over, along with a medical exam form that shows you're healthy and not bringing any diseases into the country. The school will send all that in to obtain a work permit. If that gets approved, they'll mail it to you, and then you take that to the consulate in your jurisdiction, along with all those documents, passport, etc. They'll dilly dally over it for a bit, and if all is approved, give you your Z Visa.
Simple enough, right? Ish?
Well here's the fun part. Thanks to all those sketchtacular individuals who forged documents for so long, the process has become a bit tedious. First, you have to take your certificate, diploma, and background check to a notary in the jurisdiction where they were issued. Then, you have to take that to an apostille, which is basically someone who says "yep, this is a notary." Then you take that to the consulate where they say "yep, these steps were taken." My TEFL was issued in the UK, so I had to pay a company to do that part for me and mail me the stuff. My diploma and background check were both from CO so I got off light on that...but the nearest consulate is in Chicago. So I wound up having to hire a visa agent to do all that on my behalf. I perhaps could have handled it myself by mail but this is the kinda thing I *REALLY* don't want to mess up. So it's worth it to dump a bit extra.
I've gotten back everything the visa agent sent away. My medical exam is almost done, just waiting on some bloodwork. Soon as I get those back, I can send the school my work permit stuffs. A few days to a few weeks' processing there, and they'll mail it to me. Then it's back to the visa agent to have him handle the Z Visa application, since the process often takes several days minimum and I'd have to be in Chicago that whole time. How about nope.
Soon as I get my Z Visa, I can head over. Gave my landlord notice, I've been keeping my work updated frequently on the status and can basically give them an end date whenever. If all goes well, I'm slated for a mid-October start at the latest, with a late September start even possible.
...now to face the mountain of shit I have to get rid of before then.
As an aside; I realized a couple days ago that I mis-typed the URL for this blog, so rather than being the 'everydayimteflin' that I intended, it just says 'everdayimteflin' which was...not intended. And may make my blog harder to find in future times when someone wants to find it. Whoops.
Til next time!
-L
So I figured, partly as result of Julie's comment, that I'd delve a bit into the visa process for TEFL in China. There's a whole flood of information out there, but it's hard to research because it's all over the place, and many sites just link back to the Chinese Embassy site which isn't always clear either.
A bit of background: in years past, shortly after the online TEFL certificate came into existence, there was a lot of controversy around them. They were unregulated, cheap, and often had no actual interaction with a tutor or feedback from educators themselves; instead, they'd have a list of multiple choice questions or something similar, no in-class live interaction, and boom. Certificate granted. Worse, these certificates were awfully easy to produce at home, and a decent photoshop familiarity could make a believable document. This led to a wave of awful teachers.
Combine this history with the developing political situation in China, and you have a much stricter visa process now. Perhaps too strict.
There are three core documents required for any reputable company in China: a Bachelor's degree (in anything), a TEFL certificate (online is fine for visa purposes, though those with in-class experience will look better on resumes), and a criminal background check (state or federal level, either is acceptable). Once you have these, you can start applying for jobs. When a school wants to hire you, you scan your documents and send them over, along with a medical exam form that shows you're healthy and not bringing any diseases into the country. The school will send all that in to obtain a work permit. If that gets approved, they'll mail it to you, and then you take that to the consulate in your jurisdiction, along with all those documents, passport, etc. They'll dilly dally over it for a bit, and if all is approved, give you your Z Visa.
Simple enough, right? Ish?
Well here's the fun part. Thanks to all those sketchtacular individuals who forged documents for so long, the process has become a bit tedious. First, you have to take your certificate, diploma, and background check to a notary in the jurisdiction where they were issued. Then, you have to take that to an apostille, which is basically someone who says "yep, this is a notary." Then you take that to the consulate where they say "yep, these steps were taken." My TEFL was issued in the UK, so I had to pay a company to do that part for me and mail me the stuff. My diploma and background check were both from CO so I got off light on that...but the nearest consulate is in Chicago. So I wound up having to hire a visa agent to do all that on my behalf. I perhaps could have handled it myself by mail but this is the kinda thing I *REALLY* don't want to mess up. So it's worth it to dump a bit extra.
I've gotten back everything the visa agent sent away. My medical exam is almost done, just waiting on some bloodwork. Soon as I get those back, I can send the school my work permit stuffs. A few days to a few weeks' processing there, and they'll mail it to me. Then it's back to the visa agent to have him handle the Z Visa application, since the process often takes several days minimum and I'd have to be in Chicago that whole time. How about nope.
Soon as I get my Z Visa, I can head over. Gave my landlord notice, I've been keeping my work updated frequently on the status and can basically give them an end date whenever. If all goes well, I'm slated for a mid-October start at the latest, with a late September start even possible.
...now to face the mountain of shit I have to get rid of before then.
As an aside; I realized a couple days ago that I mis-typed the URL for this blog, so rather than being the 'everydayimteflin' that I intended, it just says 'everdayimteflin' which was...not intended. And may make my blog harder to find in future times when someone wants to find it. Whoops.
Til next time!
-L
Monday, August 20, 2018
The Start of Something New
It all began several years ago.
No, more than that.
More.
Ok, bit less.
Now a little to the left...perfect.
I can remember being interested in TEFL when I was in high school and first found out that it was a thing people did. That was twelve years ago now, and a long and bumpy road through various lives, homes, states, and jobs means that only now is the time really right.
But damnit, the time IS right. And now, a few thousand dollars in paperwork, certification courses, travel, and more paperwork, I'm finally entertaining job offers and evaluating where I want to go.
Being a creature of the cold, even living in my current state where the summers get to high 90's makes me sad panda. So I'm aiming my sights at northern China, where the pay is hot and the climate isn't. As of writing this, I've already received a job offer in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. The capitol of the northernmost province, Harbin is best known for the International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, which you owe it to yourself to google (someday this blog will have full links and more conveniences, but just starting out, I'm keeping the bar low - nowhere to go but up, baby!). Harbin has a record high temperature (between 1961 and 2000) of ~100 F, which isn't unheard of as a normal summer day where I live now; summer days seem to hover in the 70-80 range. The record low in the same period is -36 F, with typical temps in winter of 0 to -5.
Sounds fantastic.
Harbin also has the distinction of being one of the regions of China with the most pure dialect of Mandarin, as well as some of the most effective and affordable Mandarin schools, making it an excellent place to learn the language.
I have three other interviews pending; two scheduled with English First in Changchun and Dalian, and one with Aston English, a nation-wide school organization. The latter, I'm waiting to hear which locations might have openings.
Dalian and Changchun are in the nearby Liaoning and Jilin provinces, respectively. Dalian is on the ocean (like Darmok and Jalad) not far from North Korea, and is well known for its rich history and influences of Russian and Japanese architecture and culture. I don't know a lot about Changchun, but a quick summary paragraph on Wikipedia says it's one of the main hubs of the Chinese auto industry.
China is currently among the best markets for TEFL teachers, as it is undergoing a huge expansion in the language; as anyone knows, mastery of English is vital to having a strong presence on the world stage. I don't say that with arrogance or even pride; we can blame the British Empire for that as much as the US. China offers some of the highest pay rates, as well as the best benefits, of most TEFL regions, with South Korea and Taiwan being slightly better (case by case, of course).
The downside is that the Chinese bureaucracy is also among the less maneuverable in the region, with Japan likely giving it a run for its money. The process for acquiring a legal work visa for China (called a Z Visa) is pretty involved and requires a three-step authentication of four separate documents for English teachers at most reputable schools.
Still. While I can't explain why, China has always drawn me. China and Japan both, but I have the impression that a lot of the Japan draw is the way they've sold their culture to the West, and a sort of secondhand familiarity feeling that results.
Whatever happens, this is definitely the start of something new in my life. And I'm glad to have you along vicariously for the journey!
-L
No, more than that.
More.
Ok, bit less.
Now a little to the left...perfect.
I can remember being interested in TEFL when I was in high school and first found out that it was a thing people did. That was twelve years ago now, and a long and bumpy road through various lives, homes, states, and jobs means that only now is the time really right.
But damnit, the time IS right. And now, a few thousand dollars in paperwork, certification courses, travel, and more paperwork, I'm finally entertaining job offers and evaluating where I want to go.
Being a creature of the cold, even living in my current state where the summers get to high 90's makes me sad panda. So I'm aiming my sights at northern China, where the pay is hot and the climate isn't. As of writing this, I've already received a job offer in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. The capitol of the northernmost province, Harbin is best known for the International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, which you owe it to yourself to google (someday this blog will have full links and more conveniences, but just starting out, I'm keeping the bar low - nowhere to go but up, baby!). Harbin has a record high temperature (between 1961 and 2000) of ~100 F, which isn't unheard of as a normal summer day where I live now; summer days seem to hover in the 70-80 range. The record low in the same period is -36 F, with typical temps in winter of 0 to -5.
Sounds fantastic.
Harbin also has the distinction of being one of the regions of China with the most pure dialect of Mandarin, as well as some of the most effective and affordable Mandarin schools, making it an excellent place to learn the language.
I have three other interviews pending; two scheduled with English First in Changchun and Dalian, and one with Aston English, a nation-wide school organization. The latter, I'm waiting to hear which locations might have openings.
Dalian and Changchun are in the nearby Liaoning and Jilin provinces, respectively. Dalian is on the ocean (like Darmok and Jalad) not far from North Korea, and is well known for its rich history and influences of Russian and Japanese architecture and culture. I don't know a lot about Changchun, but a quick summary paragraph on Wikipedia says it's one of the main hubs of the Chinese auto industry.
China is currently among the best markets for TEFL teachers, as it is undergoing a huge expansion in the language; as anyone knows, mastery of English is vital to having a strong presence on the world stage. I don't say that with arrogance or even pride; we can blame the British Empire for that as much as the US. China offers some of the highest pay rates, as well as the best benefits, of most TEFL regions, with South Korea and Taiwan being slightly better (case by case, of course).
The downside is that the Chinese bureaucracy is also among the less maneuverable in the region, with Japan likely giving it a run for its money. The process for acquiring a legal work visa for China (called a Z Visa) is pretty involved and requires a three-step authentication of four separate documents for English teachers at most reputable schools.
Still. While I can't explain why, China has always drawn me. China and Japan both, but I have the impression that a lot of the Japan draw is the way they've sold their culture to the West, and a sort of secondhand familiarity feeling that results.
Whatever happens, this is definitely the start of something new in my life. And I'm glad to have you along vicariously for the journey!
-L
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