Well, its official. I don't think I will ever be able to see my blog while I'm here in China. If the colors look bad (china red for christmas) or the pictures have bad layouts (I know there aren't any yet, hold your horses), its not my fault - I blame the PRC (but in a very nice please don't deport met yet kind of way). Blogs are potential hotspots for anti communist activity (just like wikipedia), so us under the PRC aren't allowed to view them. Ah well, I'll blindly continue to type away then.
First of all let me say that speaking to the students at our holiday party was really inspiring. They were intelligent and eager to learn and could hold up their end of the conversation just fine. The topics of conversation did turn to the upcoming US presidential election, and i explained the 2 parties and the 2 sets of elections. Perhaps I shouldn't be discussing politics with the students (in fact it says not to in our handbook) but they started it...
So far I've been pretty much aimlessly drifting around each day, waiting to be told what to do (if and when I show up to work). They could use a more structured orientation program (it doesn't help my boss just peaced out for 2 weeks). But I've got time, sort of. I don't teach until January and I have until January 2nd to find an apartment. Wish me happy hunting.
I have seen a few select parts of the city. Its kind of hard to tour when you don't know what to see and you don't speak the language. Fortunately EF set me up on a half day sigh seeing tour this morning. There were highlights (like a beautiful Chinese garden with pagoda's, ponds and koy fish) and there were lowlights (like the 40 minutes in a pearl shop - kind of like the pit stops EF takes, but WAY worse).
On the side, when you go to China they warn you about all the con artists who will try to part you and your money. There are the young art students trying to bring you to their gallery, only to pressure you into buying bad overpriced art (or worse). They also warn you about the people who will ask to practice English with you and invite you to a tea house, only to have the tea house be CRAZY expensive and you loose your shirt paying for it. Well let me tell you ITS ALL TRUE! I walked down the main shopping drag for tourists (think downtown crossing mixed with harvard square) and was approached 3 times with EXACTLY those scams. I was polite this time, but I don't think I'll make it 1 year of scam artists trying to pray on me before I become less cordial.
I'm going out for a co-workers birthday tonight (who I just met today). I'll be sure to raise my glass to you Big Brother, for keeping all of us here in the Middle Country save from any anti-communist nonsense.
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