Here's what been going on:
- School is ending soon. Yeah! While I'm grateful for the job and the people who have helped me make this adventure memorable, I will be glad to leave Jiaxing. The students are my biggest disappointment. It seems to me that they have not improved at all. They are still talking to me in Chinese and telling me that they don't understand me - "Ting bu Dong". I guess I had a perception that some students would really be interested in learning English, but no. There are students who have improved, but I want more than just a couple. I want to leave here with a feeling of being of service and of having made a difference. Hopefully, in the distant future, my presence this year will affect a student in a positive way. Here's hoping.
- Last week I went to the Opera. The Beijing Opera in Shanghai. Very cool! It was "hao ting" (beautiful to listen to), "hao kan" (beautiful to see), and "hao wan" (alot of fun)! But the truly interesting aspect was the audience. They talked the entire time. They ate their dinners and spit the bones out on the floor. They clapped and yelled "Hao!!" ("Bravo!" in Chinese) when the singer did something they thought was impressive. (I didn't actually agree with their assessments, but what do I know.) I asked my friend what the guys behind us were saying. He said they were critiquing the performances based on other productions and other performers. Tough Crowd! And at the end the two leads came out and gave a short speech and did an encore. Apparently, this is very rare. So I saw a special, once in a lifetime moment. Pretty cool!
- I recently took a second and third and fourth job teaching English. One is with little kids aged 4-10. They are so cute and their English is better than my High Schoolers. Amazing! Another job is with adults in a language center. I am leaving Jiaxing in three weeks, so my contact will only be minimal, but hopefully, I will gain a feeling of service and being of use from these enthusiastic students. I also have a similar job in Shanghai on Saturdays. This job also supplies a bi-lingual teaching assistant. It makes such a difference to be understood. I don't spend half the class trying to explain to them what we are trying to do. I just have Apple (that's her name) translate the directions and we begin the lesson. AHHHH! So easy! It makes teaching a breeze.
- I have blanketed Shanghai with my resume and got some interesting responses. Two serious job offers came my way. Summer Camps for kids and teenagers. I just need to decide which schedule and salary are most rewarding.
- I will be living in Shanghai for the summer. I have a great place to live with a friend who refuses to accept any rent from me. Whoa! A free summer in Shanghai! I'm blessed, truly. I look forward to groovin' on the Shanghai vibe 24/7. Weekending in Shanghai is fun, but I have such a transient existence, its difficult to build friendships. I want to leave China with friends who will last. I want to keep in contact with China and the Chinese language.
- Also, I have recently discovered a podcast called Gay Pimpin' with Jonny McGovern. Check it out on iTunes - it's fiercely glamorous! Ni bixu gongzuo! (You'd better work!)
