Did you know that "long time no see" is actually a Chinglish phrase that somehow made its way into standard English? It's the only Chinglish that I know of to become so widely used that no one knows it came from Chinese. It is the word-for-word translation for this phrase: "Hao jiu bu jian le" (very long haven't seen). It's been a long time since I've seen you here on the blog, and there's a good reason for that: I haven't had Internet. In fact, I'm typing this draft on an web-less computer and waiting for tomorrow or the next day when someone will have fixed the Internet.
I am now in my new city of Rizhao, after arriving yesterday on the night train from Beijing. I moved into the apartment of one of my American friends from my organization, who is my new roommate (Sara). Hooray! Our apartment is filled with stuff from teachers past -- things like: overflowing boxes of extra sheets and towels, trunks of books and notes, mysterious powders and flours, rusty canned goods, and a shrink- wrapped duck egg in the fridge. These things are here because Sara, before I moved in, had plenty of room for herself and never had to shovel through leftovers in order to make space. This is the first time I've moved into a new place where the main job was not unpacking my own stuff but sorting through other people's. It's not fun. (But we're making progress.)
Team-building meetings start tomorrow, and classes start on Monday. I'll feel more settled when I have Internet, a phone number, a bank account, a class schedule, a dresser, a desk, a lesson plan or two, and some idea how to get around. And also -- a visit to the beach.
I am now in my new city of Rizhao, after arriving yesterday on the night train from Beijing. I moved into the apartment of one of my American friends from my organization, who is my new roommate (Sara). Hooray! Our apartment is filled with stuff from teachers past -- things like: overflowing boxes of extra sheets and towels, trunks of books and notes, mysterious powders and flours, rusty canned goods, and a shrink- wrapped duck egg in the fridge. These things are here because Sara, before I moved in, had plenty of room for herself and never had to shovel through leftovers in order to make space. This is the first time I've moved into a new place where the main job was not unpacking my own stuff but sorting through other people's. It's not fun. (But we're making progress.)
Team-building meetings start tomorrow, and classes start on Monday. I'll feel more settled when I have Internet, a phone number, a bank account, a class schedule, a dresser, a desk, a lesson plan or two, and some idea how to get around. And also -- a visit to the beach.
That stinks that you have been so long without internet! I do hope you are feeling settled now and have more of the small but important things you've been missing.
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