Ladies!! and gents…a little update:
First off Facebook is officially blocked in China so you won’t be seeing me on there anytime soon…apparently there is software you can download to bypass the censors that helps you piggyback IP signals from different countries ….uh….but right now, not a big priority for me with everything else going on. Also tried sending photos to Roland tonight using Picassa (google’s album sharing program) and that was a no go as well…basically I think any photo sharing programs have firewalls up so that sucks — but hopefully soon I can learn how to bypass that and I will forward you guys the photos I just sent to Roland.
A mini-synopsis of my week is as follows:
- A-list food! Basically I may gain instead of lose 10 pounds but lots of walking may offset that and intend to get a bike even though navigating traffic is a gong show — cars have the right of way in every way and just honk if they are about to run you over but do not stop, slow down or obey traffic lines!
- Locked out of my apartment my first official night cause in addition to 2 keys it has a combo lock no one told me the combination to and spent the night on another teachers couch after hopping in a cab and by fluke catching up with the people I had had dinner with.
....this is a head scratcher...
- No one speaks English except the other teachers pretty much…should have continued with those Mandarin tapes;-)
- Sci-fi Medical exam in Chinese hospital followed by cel phone negotiations (my cel does not currently accept international calls but it will soon that I described to Roland like this:
So before that I spent the morning being in a sci-fi film at the Chinese Hospital — no, not the cool modern ones near the school – we took a bus into the heart of TEDA and went into about 10 different little rooms for our exams- in one I was felt up with a stethoscope that I am sure did not need to go directly on my nipple, in another I was prodded in an ultrasound by a cel phone talking teenage girl and another told to strip by mistress Helga who monitored my heart with pluggy thingys that I am sure were not sanitized in between patients. Fun times! Counseled a guy through almost passing out and got more unnecessary pictures taken in the decrepit grocery/liquor/smoking area/photo shop that was part of the hospital…all this with again about 5 hours sleep and no breakfast due to having to fast for the tests…then off to try and get a cel which start to finish took about 3 hours – bought one at the super market – went to china mobile to get plan- discovered cel only had chinese symbols – returned at supermarket for another one that unfort. was more expensive. Thank god for Queenie and Keith who I spent most of the day with – both who speak Chinese – her because she is, he because he lived here for a few years before — they even bargained the price down for me!
- Negotiating with my Chinese landlady ((about a multitude of things that need repairing/are unacceptable/the school has ‘misinformed’ us on and now we will have to fight for a new apt)) who spoke no English — they were here for 4 hours on Saturday repairing many things wrong and were supposed to be back today – but never showed up. I hope to move apartments cause ours is def. the worst of everyone’s I have seen…bullshit.
- Still have no idea what or who I will be teaching but tomorrow is the first day of school! Classes start next Monday.
- Can get about 8 dishes for about 3 dollars shared in a restaurant
- Got a pedicure today for 15 dollars (that is expensive)
- Think I may be coming down with something like a cold so put out health vibes for me cause I am sooooo tired right now. Over and out!