Tag Archives: Chinese life
Chinese Etiquette
Last night was Calvin’s farewell dinner because he’s leaving to go home to Wales. We went to eat with our boss, her husband, some of their family, some parents of our students and their assorted family. Once we’re all gathered, … Continue reading
Passive Periphrastic
Today I had a new student in my Saturday class for middle school kids (their names are Andy, Grant, and Eric… and I am only responsible for Eric’s English name). The new student is a seven-year-old Korean boy, who was … Continue reading
Qing mei zhu ma
Mandarin has a separate word for older sister and younger sister. There is a difference between an aunt who’s your mom’s sister, and one who’s married to your uncle, between an uncle on your mom’s side and an uncle on … Continue reading
Hot Springs
Yesterday I went to the hot springs with my school’s headmistress, her husband, and another foreign teacher, Calvin from Wales. People tend to socialize with their coworkers a lot, and questions about an applicant’s marital status and social activities that … Continue reading
Chinese Food
I can’t even begin to describe my culture shock! There’s a market near my new home in Yantai full of stands selling fruit, noodles, vegetables, breads, dumplings, seafood and any other kind of food you can imagine. For a few … Continue reading
Valentine’s Day
Happy Hallmark Day! I taught my first lesson today, which wasn’t supposed to happen for a week yet, and also I was supposed to have someone observing my first lesson. Yet another example of how schedules don’t exist in China, … Continue reading
Arriving in China
When I arrived in Yantai, after thirty-some hours in transit (and yes, wandering the Beijing airport wondering if I made a huge mistake DOES count as transit time), I was not met by Ji (my new boss) or the promised … Continue reading
Lantern Festival
Last night was Lantern Festival in China! This is the first full moon after Spring Festival / Chinese New Year. Lantern Festival is celebrated by spending the day with your family and eating a lot of a certain kind of … Continue reading
Last Post In The USA!
My visa has been approved, my tickets are here, and I am leaving New Jersey early Friday morning, arriving in Yantai on Saturday night (Chinese time!). I just told my school’s headmistress what I look like so we can find … Continue reading
