Beijing

I went to Beijing last weekend with Brian and I was impressed. Beijing reminds me of L.A. with it's metropolitan feel and disparate neighborhoods. Brian and I went to the drum tower where an American was stabbed during the Olympics this year. We tried this weird yogurt drink and ended in a Japanese restaurant with Brian's friend Jared. The food was AMAZING. For 150 yuan, you can order as much sushi, beer, and other goodies you like. It was extravagant but worth the trip. After dinner, we hung out at bars and cafes till our train back to Tianjin the next morning. I'll definitely have to explore Beijing again later.

First Impressions

It's been a week since my dad left and I've been feeling a sense of loss. Though all the foreign teachers are nice, none of them are more then acquaintances. So, when Brian arrived today, I couldn't help but feel a sense of hope. Brian is not a new teacher. He's about 24 years old and from Chicago. Apparently, due to visa issues, he had to go back to the US for a month but now he's back.

My first impression of Brian is that he is strikingly handsome and the type of person who can hide his true feelings. He was nice but not warm which makes me wonder if he also has hidden secrets. When he asked me out for dinner, I quickly jumped at the chance and I was pleasantly surprised. The questions Brian asked were deep and probing and it was refreshing to discuss my views. i feel that I have found a real intellectual but only time will tell if I'm right.

A Note on the Foreign Staff

So my current interactions with the Chinese staff is virtually null. Hence, I'll tell you about the foreign staff. We have a very diverse group with teachers from Italy, Brazil, New Zealand, England, and of course the US and Canada. Here's a brief description of each teacher:

Paula (from Brazil); She's in her mid-30s and have been teaching in China for many years. She's slightly diabetic and her biggest dream is to start an English school for minority students.

Gerald: He's African American and I'm unsure where he's from but he speaks perfect Chinese with no accent. I find it ironic he may speak Chinese yet I may not.

John: He's in his 60's and from New Zealand. He was inspired to teach in China because of his son. As Compass (my school) is an IELTS training Center, it's nice to have John because he can teach IELTS. With the new visa laws though, John will have to go back to New Zealand every half-year because he's over the age of 60.

Thomas: He's a middle-aged Italian who has also been in China for many years. He is married and apparently his wife is pregnant. I find it ironic that English is his second language but no one questions where he was born or his English abilities.

James: My boss. He's from Britain and my impression is that he has been doing this far too long. This often makes him bitter and cynical but when it matters, he's there for you. He's in his mid 30's and spends most of his money on games/new cell phones.

Edmund and Lillian: They are a Canadian couple from Vancouver. They originally came over together under one contract so Lillian wasn't really suppose to teach. But, the school needed more foreign teachers so now, they both have full contracts. Edmund was born in Hong Kong but because he is male and old, students tend to accept him.

First Day of Class

I'm finally teaching my own class now. Of course it's higher levels so the students are really good. We had a rocky start but after the following questions were answered, we settled into the traditional teacher/student roles.

The most common questions I get in America vs China:

In the US:
1. Where are you from?
2. Are you Mormon?
3. Have you ever been to Dallas, Texas?
4. Why did your parents name you Dallas?

In China:
1. Where are you from?
2. Where were you born?
3. Why do you look [insert Chinese, Japanese, or Korean]?
4. Do you speak Chinese? Why not?