I had invited a few girls over for the afternoon hoping to get some tips on Chinese music. I want to start listening to Chinese music to increase my exposure to the rhythm and pronunciation. In exchange I gave a quick run through of English artists.

 It was starting to get late and I knew they would have to return to their classrooms for the nightly lock-in. I really don’t know what I was thinking when I asked if they wanted dinner. I guess I was eager for company. I didn’t promise anything fancy and boiled up spaghetti.

We had a delightful dinner, spaghetti, bread and butter, and a tomato and cucumber salad with ranch (Thanksgiving leftovers). It turned out to be a real hit and they all were thrilled to eat with forks.

It was nice to cook for a group. So maybe there is hope for me and cooking in the future. After dinner I wrote them all excuse notes and they stayed the evening chatting. I had a splendid evening. Maybe there are some perks to socializing.

Emily is on my left, Navy across from me and Hedy is on the front left.

The only way to sleep some nights.

Oh, how do habits start? My first few nights I was sleeping strange hours so I continued wearing my sleep mask I purchased for the plane and ear plugs. Now it seems I can’t sleep without the mask and the ear plugs have become essential since the mid-night construction has started up again. Really who does construction at 1am unless it is a busy California free-way?

So I’ve always had trouble getting to sleep. What I wouldn’t do to be one of those people who just seem to have a light switch in the body that can be flipped on an off at will to go to sleep. I never look forward to bed time for two reasons, one the agonizing two hours of boredom it takes to finally turn my brain off and then the vivid horrible war torn dreams. I don’t even watch war movies! But it never fails there always seem to be a war going on which causes for a fitful night of constantly waking up and falling back asleep.

Anyway last night was the topper since I’ve been in China. After an hour I just couldn’t take it any more and grabbed a book Dantzelle had lent me. I started at page 1 and decided to read until I got sleepy. For the first time in my life I read a book in a single sitting. 5 hours later I finished the book stared at the clock and wanted to cry. It was 4:30am and I still didn’t feel tired!! 

I have a bottle of sleeping pills I bought for the plane ride over but they don’t seem to do much when I take the suggested dosage. Sleeping pills aren’t exactly what I want to experiment with to find the right dosage so they’ve sat unused on my night stand.   I finally drifted off around 5. Luckily I didn’t have a morning class and could afford to sleep in, but that didn’t matter. I was up and wide awake at 8am! Surprisingly this morning was the first morning in weeks I felt wake and not groggy. Maybe I’ve been over sleeping with the whole 8hour bit.

Suggestions anyone, on how to fall asleep quicker? I just don’t think it is going to be a healthy habit to start this going to bed at 4:30 especially if I have to get up at 7.

A student came by yesterday to give me yet another lesson on proper shower mechanics. Apparently I’ve been ruining the heat by leaving the water heater plugged in 24/7 not to mention increasing my chances of electrocution. The second part doesn’t really matter to me as long as my water is boiling when I want a shower.

While lecturing she asked about the radiators. I asked when they would be turned on, the tentative date of Nov. 16th came an went ages ago, and she gave a quizzical look responding “They were turned on this morning, didn’t you notice?”  Will can we just deduce from the previous question, NO! I touched the radiator hoping for heat but all I got was warmth.

I’m finally learning my lesson about complaining in this country, IT IS POINTLESS! So warmth it will be, I guess. I did wake up this morning to be pleasantly surprised that I could make it from my bedroom to the bathroom without being chilled to the bone by the freezer I call an apartment. So those radiator thingies are good for something once they get going. They take the chill out of the air if nothing else.

I hate to admit this and lose what little sympathy I’m still getting but honesty is the best policy, right. I think I am finally adjusting to life in the cold. Layers, layers, layers and always wear a hat and gloves.

So I’m happy to report I will not be shipped home in ashes* after freezing to death. (Cremation is the norm in China as the embalming process is expensive and they refuse to ship bodies overseas.)

Holidays abroad are always tricky. The Gang decided to get together Tuesday night for Thanksgiving dinner as Thursday was going to be a busy day for all of us. Katie and Thomas were kind enough to host and we all were eager to pitch in for a real feast. Dantzelle and I headed over early to help with the food and the guys did a last min Wal*Mart run for essentials.  

The table, the most important part of Thanksgiving!

Katie had done a beautiful job preparing . My heart melted when I walked into the apartment. She had Nat King Cole playing in the background, one of my Mom’s favorites, the table had been set and she had splurged on a center piece. It felt like home.

We all ate with forks excepting the Chinese guest, June who got chopsticks.

I promise to add more pictures when I get them from Katie. The meal was delicious. We had Idaho mashed potatoes, canned creamed corn from the States, Stoffers Stuffing, street sweet potatoes, green beans, delicious rolls, spicy roasted chicken (turkey is EXPENSIVE here) and Ocean-Spray Cranberry Sauce.

June was running late which allowed us to have a prayer which we were all grateful for. As we sat around the table we shared what we were thankful for. Current situations always play a strong role in what one is thankful for and being in China only makes this so much more true.

What I’m thankful for:

• I am thankful for my family, both at home who support me and love me unconditionally and the one acquired here in China.
• I am thankful for the opportunity I have to travel and experience first hand the many wonderful cultures and peoples on the earth.
• I am thankful I’m an American and that I will always have a country to come home to when I am tired of being abroad.
• I am thankful for the many freedoms I enjoy and the knowledge that all men are created equal.
• I am thankful for education and the freedom of information we enjoy in America.
• I am thankful for the Church and the comfort and security it brings when I am thousands of miles away from home. I am thankful for the instant family and protection it gives.
• I am thankful for a job that has given me the opportunity to come to China and learn to appreciate America and it’s freedoms in a way that NO other country could.
• And last but not lest, I am thankful for the opportunity to learn Mandarin. (whether or not I will actually be able to speak Mandarin is still to be determined but I’m grateful for the opportunity none the less)

Left-overs! Katie and June

No complaints here.

 

We all stuffed ourselves in true Thanksgiving fashion. It was wonderful.  I got a lot of leftovers, which is not a complaint! Dinner covered for the next few nights, yippee!So the after dinner we road home and yes mother the following is true, Dantzelle and I listened to Christmas music. I even sang along. All in all Tuesday was a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

To be honest I woke up this morning and forgot that it was Thanksgiving. In class this morning a student asked when Thanksgiving was as she thought it was coming up. It took me a second to realize today was Thanksgiving. She kindly replied with a Happy Thanksgiving and then inquired about my plans for the day. I had already arranged to meet Bonnie for lunch but I no plans for the evening.

I had an enjoyable day between Bonnie and about a half a dozen students who stopped by in the evening for a chat. I ended with a Thanksgiving dinner for one. I decided to go out in true Thanksgiving, make a pig of oneself style. I ate through the rest of my left-overs in one go. I have to admit chopsticks are starting to become second nature.

Solo Thanksgiving Dinner!

Just like any other night excepting the food was so much better.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

 Will someone please enjoy a few Deviled Eggs for me, that was the only thing missing from our feast.

To all my family and friends, thank you for always being there for me. Your support and kindness is irreplaceable.

Tailor made clothes are definitely one of them. As you know I have been battling the weather now for about a month. Unsurprisingly, weather is winning. As I’ve begun outfitting for winter I thought I’d take advantage of Dantzelle’s tailor here in Weifang.

It is easy enough when you have a piece you want copied and of course a great translator like Adam. So I guess that means I only have about 3 weeks to get the rest of my wardrobe ordered.  I decided to go for a pair of wool pants, fully lined of course. I brought in a pair of trousers that I liked, I knew the material was different but as the pants were now loose a less stretchy material would still work.

I think it did. Although my heart sank when the tailor held up the completed pants. I feel like Argentina all over again, the land of anoxia and I’m the giant blimp. Seeing the pants held up does not for the ego but when they’re on it is a different story.

Nothing beats tailor made!

The lining makes them slide on and feel nice against the skin and the shell well its wool so cold stays out. Having pants made, ahh they just fit so nicely and I was able to get the nice wide waist that I love. Great tummy hider. Oh and did I mention the price, Y180. That would be a whole $25 USD for a pair of 100% wool fully lined pants that fit me beautifully. Not meaning to brag but I’m bragging. I think I will get a second pair this week not to mention a few long skirts. I’m learning you can never be too prepared for cold weather.

I had to take a picture because I just didn’t think anyone would believe me. I saw this in the store the other day and just couldn’t get over it. When I saw the add I had to take a picture. I think it is pretty self explanatory.

I'm speechless. Okay not really but it's probably best if I keep my comments to myself.

I’m going with a Middle Eastern Stable Scene but in this case I guess I should say an Eastern Stable scene.

A Reagan family tradition is collecting Creches, it has become a family hobby as we begin traveling and widening the selections. I didn’t really put much thought into a Chinese Nativity before coming as this is not a Christian Country nor is it open to Christianity. When another member of the Branch shared a Christian wood carver with all of us I jumped on the chance. I surfed the website with Mom and found the ONE.

Chinese Nativity

Victoria  picked up my order and held it until I could get it from Qingdao. Last night I opened the box while in Qingdao and pulled out a few pieces to preview the Creche. Katie and I enjoyed the mini Christmas, and joked about not finding the Christ child. I just figured it was at the bottom of the box tucked away.

When we set it up this evening in my apartment we were all floored to discover the Christ Child was truly missing. I seemed to have an abudence of animals, or atleast more than I thought normal but no Christ Child. How exactly you forget to but the key component in the scene I don’t know but the proper channels have been alerted and I’m hoping to have him in time for Christmas.

Angel, I'm a little scared it will fall and break as it is not very secure.

The Wise Men from the East!

What's missing?

The trees are one of my favorite parts of this Nativity

The characters on top say "Christmas" in an ancient Script not the modern simplified

The Nativity is camphor which smells absolutly wonderful. It is so light weight which is a real blessing for transportion. It also came in a beautiful wooden box.

The following is a wall hanging Creche that turned out to be more beautiful in person than I had imagined. Well with three Creches hanging in my living room I think it will be pretty hard to miss the fact that I’m Christian.

My complete Chinese Nativity

Nativity with the Chinese Knots

Large Ornament Nativity

I know that by writing this post I relinquish the right to claim that I will freeze to death this winter. I do reserve the right to complain about the cold weather and remind all those at home that it is bone chilling Sibierian winds I must fight daily to survive.

The only reason I'm still here.

  About a month ago people began discussing the coming Winter. It soon became apparent that I was no where near prepared for what was to come. As a California girl through and through my thin blood could not comprehend the temperatures they were discussing nor the wind chill factors they all dreaded. The Idahoans and Utahans in the branch soon took pity on me and began helping me outfit for the winter. Victoria was the life saver, she lent me this beautiful bad boy for the winter. I must admit when she handed it over I almost laugh it was so light. 100% down this baby is. I always thought the only way to get warmth was weight boy was I wrong. Nothing gets past this coat, now if only I could get a pair of pants made of this stuff.  

Outfitted for winter! Still taking donations.

As I sit at the half way mark in the semester I am beginning to question my abilities. What did I sign up for? Why did I think that getting my TEFL certificate, was going to turn me into an English Teacher? Seriously how does a 120hour course turn a novice into a professional even if only marginal. People go to four years of school to be a teacher and here I am thinking I could do it after taking an online course with a weekend workshop.

I feel as if I am slapping all real teachers in the face with my certificate. I have no book and no experience to draw from. Oral English is the biggest joke. What is an Oral English class suppose to be? My idea was a class where you practiced conversations. Not reading and listening skills but on your feet conversations that will better prepare you for the real world. When traveling you will not be able to stop and write a dialogue. You will be forced to respond in a matter of seconds to the speaker at hand. Life is not a script, Oral English is to prepare a student for that fact but none of my students seem to feel that way.

They can all write dialogues great but heaven forbid they answer a question with a complete sentence. What am I suppose to do? I try to make class engaging but I don’t know how to get my students to talk. Discussion groups on guided topics turn into cellphone time or nap time. Reading lyrics to music doesn’t do any good. Chorally reading is the only way I can get at least half the class speaking in complete sentences but I guarantee they have no idea what they are saying they are just repeating words. Is that really helping?

My waiban has suggested debates but my students don’t seem to be at that level if they can’t respond on their feet. Maybe I’m just under estimating their abilities. Who knows.

DAD WHAT WAS I THINKING??