inglish.org

Maybe you’ve noticed that I downloaded a picture onto yesterday’s blog.  I’m going to go back and load others, as well.  I just amaze myself!

We asked if Gage could borrow a basketball while he was here.  At the time it seemed to be a big problem, but when we returned from class there was a brand new basketball waiting for us at the reception desk.  So after dinner we cruised campus, Gage shooting hoops and me joining a Chinese line dancing group.    This morning he’s off to the courts again; he’s decided he likes BB better than Tai Chi.

Last night we decided to eat something different, so we had eel.  Gage liked it; he’s been quite appreciative of the food here.

There’s a new family who arrived yesterday from Weber State U:  Dad, Mom, and young girl.  They’ll be good company for me when Gage leaves.

New observations:  Scooters that have fur-lined mittens attached to the handlebars, a penchant for bright yellow shoes, staff of a hair-styling salon  being led in dance/exercise routine by the manager on the sidewalk in front of their shop.  Good advertising–I’m going there when I need a haircut.

Gage went to class with me last night to interview students for his journalism paper.  He ended up with email addresses of some of the girls.  It was a rainy night and he wore his ever-present beanie and pulled his hoodie on top of that.  The students couldn’t get over the fact that he was wearing two hats.  Girls are now starting to approach him to practice their English, and he’s quite charming and affable when engaged.

Today (Thursday) we went to the Shanghai Museum–a beautiful 4-story building containing bronzeware, pottery, textiles, coins, sculptures, paintings and calligraphy.  Gage has developed an interest in calligraphy and bought brushes and inkstone so he can try his hand at it.  We have a “word of the day” every day, and today’s word was duoshao, meaning “how much?”  He used it with the clerk at the museum and she understood him!

Weather today is absolutely perfect.  Yesterday was a downpour, and the day before that was unbearably hot.  Kinda like being at home.  We’re having a good time, but it’s exhausting putting in a full day of sightseeing before going to work in the evening.  Looking forward to the weekend…

Sounds fun.  It would be great to see some pictures posted.

Gage, it would be really great if you would set up a time to Skype with your mom and me.  Let’s make the $ we spent on that netbook worth it.  You can either go to www.yahoo.com; set up an email address; send it to Adam to have your email forwarded to that account; OR  check Grandma’s email for correspondence.

Be safe and keep working on your studies.

Dad

Great day.  Our bus nearly got T-boned by a taxi.  Our driver rolled down the window and began screaming at the other driver, who screamed in return.  Meanwhile, traffic is backed up and honkly madly.  Just like old times.

We found the skateboard after only one failed attempt.  There were only two boys there who attend French school and have a different spring break than the rest of the students.  So they and Gage had the place to themselves.  Gage showed them how a Californian does it, and they were impressed.  At lunchtime, a guy on a bicycle came peddling right onto the course to deliver those boys a pizza.  All the fast-food chains here deliver.  It’s fun to see a guy on a scooter with a huge wooden box full of Big Macs strapped to his back.

Still the same:  people constantly sweeping leaves with their twig brooms.  Yup, leaves fall off the trees here in the springtime.  The construction is not as frenzied but still going on.  There are more cranes than before, but you still see guys mixing cement by hand and carrying it in wheelbarrows.  Then they put broken bottles along the top of the wet cement to keep people from trespassing on their work.  You still see women doing laundry on the sidewalks in plastic tubs, and babies in split pants being held over the ground to do their business.  There are still interesting American “names” for the students.  There’s always an Apple and a Lemon.  But new this time are Devil and Cinderella.  When I called one student’s name she replied that she had changed her name again.  When I asked what the new name was, she said….Again.  So that’s her name, Again.

Different:  more couples and PDA’s.  The girls wear extremely short shorts and skirts.  The canals and alleys have been cleaned up, and the city is cleaner, but the pollution is noticeably worse.  The traffic lights have been updated and now display the number of seconds left before turning from green to yellow.

When we arrived, it was cool and rainy.  Yesterday the sun came out to give us a taste of Shanghai heat.  I got a farmer’s tan at the skate park.  Today I will show Gage how laundry was done in the 50’s.

First day teaching.  The materials that I had to feverishly prepare during the Christmas holidays and ship so they would be here in plenty of time have not been copied and provided to the students.  My teaching schedule has been completely altered.  I’m scheduled to teach evenings, 5:15-8:15.  This requies catching a bus to the other campus at 3:15 and returning on the last bus, which makes several stops and arrives back here after 10 p.m.  This leaves Gage alone all evening unless he comes with me.  I’m kinda losing my taste for battling with these folks, especially because I’m not sleeping well.

Gage worked on geometry homework while I was gone yesterday.  He’s slowly making inroads there.  We went grocery shopping and found peanut butter and jelly!  Today we’re heading for the world’s largest skateboard park.

Mom,

If you’re having trouble accessing your Gmail account, please use the Yahoo account we set up last time you were in China (for the same reason).  You mentioned you thought we disabled it, but we didn’t – I just checked, and it is functioning correctly.  You can login at http://www.yahoo.com.  Your username is caroleinglish(@yahoo.com).  Your password is the standard one you always use (please don’t post it here).

Also, when you log into the back-end to update the blog, you’ll see a list of comments on your various posts.  You can approve, reply to,  ignore or delete them – but please read them (and let the author know that you have), as that is the only way some have been able to try and communicate with you.

Gage,

If you will set up your own Yahoo account, and then use it to email me (so I have the address, and know it works), I’ll set up your inglish.org email to forward there.

Lori,

You’ve noticed that you can comment on Mom’s blog posts.  That’s the best way for everyone to communicate via the blog – in the running comment section, not as individual posts.

Everyone else,

All of Mom’s email (since before she left) has been getting forwarded to her Yahoo account.  So, never fear, once she logs into that account, she will get your emails and hopefully be able to respond to them.  It seems there is a problem accessing Google services (ie Gmail) from China.

Let me know when everyone is communicating, and I’ll remove all of these (non-blog) blog posts.

Viva China!!  Hop Sing!  Colonel Tsao!

Adam

I’m unclear on this…if you can access the internet to post a blog on the Inglish.org website, you presumably also have access to inglish.org email.  From my perspective, the blog works nicely for a daily journal post (bear in mind you are posting this for the entire world to see).  On the other hand, a quick response by email to individuals will help rest their mind at ease, and is good for private individual correspondence.

Gage: please email your mom and ME today, it would also be nice to set up a time to Skype (Gavin has been asking where you are, and wants to Skype).  It doesn’t make sense to make Lori login and post a blog to communicate.  I’m also unclear on the text capability issue.  Mom: you’ve been sent texts by Lori and me to check in.  Did you receive any of these?  Are you saying you can’t text back?

I’m glad you did Tai Chi and went to the Buddhist temple, then balanced that with some pepperoni pizza.  A perfect balance of East meets West (Yin & Yang).  Gage, you should try to find a book entitled the Tao of Pooh-I can’t remember the author, but I read it when I was your age and it had a profound effect on me.

Be safe.

JAI

Not our best day.

First, let me remind you all that we can communicate only in the following way:  You can text me, not Gage.  I will try to answer all concerns via this blog, not by return text.  I can’t access emails, on my laptop or my android.  Gage has been invited to blog, but so far hasn’t availed himself of the opportunity.  And, Johnny, it’s …”check in with your mom and me, not I.   (You can’t be going off to the U of O without understanding this grammar rule.)

Yesterday, day er, we did Tai Chi in the park with the senior citizens.  Gage was a good sport, and I’ve got some great shots of his performance to prove it.  We were tired, so hung around pretty close to campus most of the day, watching a soccer game, etc.  Held off going to bed until normal bedtime.  Then Bai Wei telephoned me from Utah  and woke me from a sound sleep.  Didn’t sleep the rest of the night. 

Today, day san, we took a very long taxi ride to find Church services, but we never found the meeting place.  Disappointing for me.  We went to the Jade Buddha Temple instead, which Gage really enjoyed.  Then we  headed for the Portman Center for a good American Easter meal, but the restaurant had closed.  We ended up eating pepperoni pizza for our Easter meal.  Walked to People’s Park, then took the subway home.

Tomorrow I start teaching.  If the money hasn’t been wired to SLCC, it could be my first and last day.  I leave from this campus at 6:45 a.m. for a 1-hour bus trip to another campus, teach 4 hours to the same class,  then ride home for another hour.  That schedule is unheard of for Chinese teachers–some only teach 4 hours in a whole week.  Gage will sleep in, then do homework until I arrive home.  He’s doing fine, but his back has been bothering him.

Texting via cell phones doesn’t appear to be working.  Several have been sent with no response.

Gage: check in with your mom and I via Skype this weekend.

Both of you have fun, be safe, try not to get lost.

JAI

We’re back in the publishing business!  We couldn’t make connections yesterday, so I’m a day behind.

Yesterday we had a traditional Chinese breakfast in the dining room:  rice gruel with peanuts and pickled vegetables.  We took the bus that used to go to the Metro station, but it didn’t, and we got pretty lost.  Rode the brand-new Metro line #10 to YuYuan Garden, which Gage really liked.  Had their famous dumplings for lunch and toured the old garden.  It was fun to watch Gage bargain for his bargains in the tourist traps.

Walked to the Bund.  I’m very disappointed that no girls have approached Gage to have their pictures taken with him…you’re still the poster boy, Ben.  Maybe they’re afraid of him.

Rode the tram down Nanjing Road to the Metro station.  When we came out of the station, I got lost again, which is pretty discouraging to me.  Then I realized that they tore up CaoBao Road, my landmark.

Things that are different now:  scooters instead of bicycles, no laundry hanging from windows (I wonder where it is?),  and Americans are no longer treated with awe.  They wouldn’t even let us in to the track meet on campus today.

We fell asleep last night at 5 p.m., without any dinner.  At 10:00 there was a screaming fight next door that went on for 20 minutes, ending up with the occupants being evicted.  Gage slept right through it.  We got up at 4:30 a.m. and Gage did homework while I read.  Luckily, we had granola bars to see us through to breakfast.