12/16

The people are very nice, and I am just hanging out this morning, and going to go see the city a bit. I saw a little bit yesterday, and it was...great. It's a little unnerving, but that will soon pass. The apartment is an adventure. I will show pictures sometime. Yesterday I went around with one of the teachers and he showed me all the places I need to know: like the place to get really good tea. I had cold strawberry milk tea, and since we are foreigners, we are VIP's, and get a dollar off our drinks :)

I also need to buy a backpack because the luggage I brought won't really work with what I need for daily life...like bringing my computer to and from the language center. But whatever works. I am excited to start. I have a "lead" in the play for some of the seasonal festivities we are having around here--and we get to say it in Cantanese too :) I get to learn! The reason "lead" is in quotes is cause it's not actually a lead...it's more like the mother...I think you know what I mean. If not I'll explain when I get back. I've never played that part before... Haha they told me right away..."by the way! guess what?!" :)

I hope to pick up on the language. It is hard to go day to day without being able to speak with the people. All the people both Chinese and foreign in the English center speak English (obviously...) so I can speak with them, and the ladies are more than happy to help us translate. But it would be nice to learn the language myself. None of the other foreigners actually know the language either...

It is about 10:30am right now, and I am just waiting to see what I am going to do for the next month. I am not sure what/when I will be teaching, but we'll figure it out. All I know is that it will be english, but I am not sure what age group I'll be teaching to.

The work is amazing here. There are so many opportunities to teach. Everyone wants to learn. English is a great way for them to get better jobs and more respect.

Last night the foreigners took me out to eat. We went to this cute place, and since none of us knew the language, we picked the pictures that looked the best. All the food is family style, so since there were 7 of us, we ordered 8 dishes. They put it on a Lazy Susan and we share the food. You start out the meal by sitting down and cleansing all of your bowls and chopsticks with hot tea, because it has amazing cleansing powers. And then you get tea to drink, and you order your food. They bring it out as soon as it's done...they don't wait until everything is ready like they do in the states. So if you order dessert, it will come out as soon as it's ready...sometimes before some of the other food. It was pretty good food. We had dumplings, pork, lamb, veggies, and some other stuff. It was good. Typically for lunch they order out and then go out for supper. Bob and Eileen (who I am staying with) typically cook, but everyone else orders out and stuff.

I should probably go so that I can go shopping and the like. I have to get that backpack! I will write more later, but this is all for now. Well, I wish everyone good luck with finals and the like, and hope that everything is well at home!

I send my love!
-Alissa