My departure time is fast approaching - and I'm now collecting things to take. Yesterday I bought a small can of curry powder (I couldn't find what I wanted in China), a tube of Vegemite (I'm not a GREAT fan, but it can be useful) and some jelly crystals. I like to make my own jelly.
I'm also looking around for gifts to take - so hard as everything is expensive or made in China. I am looking a coasters with aboriginal designs. Not heavy, pretty useful, and perfectly Australian.
I've decided to go to Adelaide for two days - still have not told my parents I am going to China, but I'd like to see them. One never knows when it will be the last time to see them. I'm renting a car this time as I only have two days and I have a few friends to see, and I've worked out it would be cheaper and easier, especially as I want to see Jenny, a nursing colleague from way back whose health is deteriorating markedly.
I've got two weeks left to work at Carrick - and the program is getting harder for the students. And I'm working hard to make their experiences positive. I've bought some red paper and I'm going to decorate the class and our first floor with red hearts. If I can find some symbol for Chinese New Year/Spring Festival, I will too.
I've had emails from students and teachers from Yuexui - looking forward to seeing me and on Friday four ex-Yuexiu teachers had lunch together at South Bank. None of them are going back to teach this semester, in fact, I don't think will ever go back, although one is going to stay with me for a few days.
This week I have three mornings to work at Carrick, lunch on two of those days, my husband's birthday on Tuesday, and I have engagements on Wednesday and Thursday nights, and will fly to Adelaide on Friday morning, and back via Melbourne on Sunday.
Hopefully I pick up my Chinese visa and my passport on Thursday from the Chinese consulate in the city centre.
Phew!!!!
Then I have just over a week to do a hell of a lot of things........................
Showing posts with label China.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China.. Show all posts
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Something strange in China
I was out with one of my students and she was uncomfortable about it. "People just STARE at you." she said with an emphasis on the word STARE.
It doesn't matter what I do outside the college campus I am always watched or stared at. I'm used to it. It does unnerve my students however, but I can laugh it off. Initially it was a bit hard to take.
"Foreigners" are rare in some parts of China, and some people have never seen a foreigner. Not up close. Some are quite clearly scared of us. Especially little children (but not the ones I saw this morning, but I'll explain that later.)
Sure, I am tall, fair skinned, and blonde! Any one of these attributes is likely to get me stared at. All three? I come in for quite a bit of attention, and much of it is quite funny.
If I am at the supermarket, people look into my trolley to see what I have bought. Sometimes they will pick up things to see what is underneath or just get a better look.
At a restaurant with an outside window, often that I will look up and see up to six people watching me eat. Always people stare - and I am waiting for someone to fall of his bike (it is usually a he), as he rides by and takes his eyes of the busy road while he "gawks" at the blonde! They have got the wobbles, but no one has fallen yet.
When I went to the hospital for some minor treatment some months ago - I attracted a small audience that followed me everywhere. And watched as I consulted with the doctor. (That goodness it wasn't anything tooo personal!)
Once in a bus a woman kept feeling my arms and commenting to her friends. I think it was because Chinese arms are very skinny, and mine are not. It will take a while for the Chinese to get familiar with foreigners in their country, but bit by bit they are learning about us.
(Today there was a conga line of little children from the kindergarten walking past the college coffee bar, and I went to the door and waved to them. How I wish I had my camera with me, but as I had just come from class I did not. They all waved back and called out "hello". I blew a kiss, and all ten of them blew me back a kiss!!!!)
It doesn't matter what I do outside the college campus I am always watched or stared at. I'm used to it. It does unnerve my students however, but I can laugh it off. Initially it was a bit hard to take.
"Foreigners" are rare in some parts of China, and some people have never seen a foreigner. Not up close. Some are quite clearly scared of us. Especially little children (but not the ones I saw this morning, but I'll explain that later.)
Sure, I am tall, fair skinned, and blonde! Any one of these attributes is likely to get me stared at. All three? I come in for quite a bit of attention, and much of it is quite funny.
If I am at the supermarket, people look into my trolley to see what I have bought. Sometimes they will pick up things to see what is underneath or just get a better look.
At a restaurant with an outside window, often that I will look up and see up to six people watching me eat. Always people stare - and I am waiting for someone to fall of his bike (it is usually a he), as he rides by and takes his eyes of the busy road while he "gawks" at the blonde! They have got the wobbles, but no one has fallen yet.
When I went to the hospital for some minor treatment some months ago - I attracted a small audience that followed me everywhere. And watched as I consulted with the doctor. (That goodness it wasn't anything tooo personal!)
Once in a bus a woman kept feeling my arms and commenting to her friends. I think it was because Chinese arms are very skinny, and mine are not. It will take a while for the Chinese to get familiar with foreigners in their country, but bit by bit they are learning about us.
(Today there was a conga line of little children from the kindergarten walking past the college coffee bar, and I went to the door and waved to them. How I wish I had my camera with me, but as I had just come from class I did not. They all waved back and called out "hello". I blew a kiss, and all ten of them blew me back a kiss!!!!)
Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Some frustrations
I appreciate the comments from any readers of this blog - I am able to read the comments as I have changed it so that I need to "moderate" them. This enables me to read them, but not reply to the comment. Blogspot is not accessable in China. Wikepedia is not accessible from China.
That's just the way it is. I certainly thank you for commenting, and Lei, I have read your comments. Thank you.
It is interesting that students here feel the pressure of competition in education, and some seem to work hard while others just complain. I tend to feel that students throughout the world think that they are under much pressure. That may be.
That's just the way it is. I certainly thank you for commenting, and Lei, I have read your comments. Thank you.
It is interesting that students here feel the pressure of competition in education, and some seem to work hard while others just complain. I tend to feel that students throughout the world think that they are under much pressure. That may be.
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