Hope all of your Christmases were great! From the states perspective we are winding down from the Holiday season, from China perspective we are winding up towards it. Pretty soon it will be Spring Festival, AKA The Chinese New Year. I've heard of the Chinese New Year being described as a thousand July 4ths put into one night....so it should be fun. No firework restrictions here! Part of me is sad cuz I'll miss the heavy fireworks in the city when I go to my friend's hometown, but I've heard things can get pretty crazy in the Villages too. Plus what a fun cultural experience it will be!
So back to Christmas. About two weeks ago I threw a Christmas party for my Chinese friends, they don't really celebrate it here, so I thought it would be fun to bring a little Cultural experience to them. It was a stressful few days leading up to it, what with the Landlord drama, my roommate leaving, packing, then preparing for a party. I had a couple disappointments and a lot of stress (made someone lose face-whoops!). But by the time we got the party going it ended up being a lot of fun and my friends loved it. We made snowflakes, watched youtube videos, had a talent show (my talent was acting out a story by myself and for making it up on the spot I did quite well!), and exchanged gifts (played White elephant, I got some great smelling perfume). It was a good night.
Christmas eve I worked in the morning, then after work a friend came over and she showed me how to make dumplings, that was a fun experience. That night me and some of the other Americans had a little party, main dish spaghetti and it was fun to hang out and play with the kids. For Christmas I went over to another families house, hung out all day, cut the mama's hair and pretty much played Wii.
I also am now registered for Spring Quarter classes and will start in about a week!
Tonight is my last night in my roommate's house and tomorrow I begin my nomadic lifestyle :) Wish me luck!
Ps A funny texting conversation between me and one of my bosses...Quoted word for word (spelling and grammar mistakes and all)
Me: Hi harry. If I take a taxi to class what do I say?
Harry: I will go to the hospital of hangtian. you take of the taxi at it. our school is near by hospital of hangtian. our oral english class is over. we see on februry next year
Me: No class tomorow?
Harry: The new year is coming. happy new year to you. harry
Me: thank you! happy new year to you too! Is there class tomorow?
Harry: YES. SORRY TO YOU AT NOW.
Me: Ok thx, se you tomorow!
Harry: NO. this year is not english class...we have it next year on fb. harry
Me: Oh! See you next year :)
Harry: ARE YOU SAD OR ANGERY? WHY? PLEASE TELL ME. THANK YOU.
Me: No not at all!Just confused, haha it is actually good for me that there is no class :)
Harry: I KNOW. THESE DAYS ARE DIFFICULT FOR YOU ! SEE YOU!
ME: See you!
....I don't really have anything to say, except you couldn't have gotten this bad of communication if you had tried :)
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Mafan
As you probably know my roommate is leaving. Initially I had planned to continue to rent out her apartment, but after living there for a few months I decided I would prefer to move on. There are cockroaches, they are small, but I'm tired of them. The Landlord's furniture is overwhelming some of the space, but I'm not allowed to move it around. We have been battling mold because this last fall/winter has been particularly moist and now the apartment needs to be re-painted. Then there are the memories, my roommate has decorated and made it hers, but I want a place that is mine. So I decided it would be better to move on, find a place not yet furnished (or at least not a ton), that is cheaper. While my roommate returns home on the 14th, the contract goes until the 28th. So I was planning on staying until then.
Well, the Landlord came yesterday. Surprise visit! He had said he would come today. Originally my roommate emailed him and told him the deal, he agreed, but as he came in he started talking about how I needed to be out by the end of the week. You can imagine the frustration, the temporary panic, the anger and so on. Thankfully I don't speak enough Chinese to tell the Landlord my mind. My teacher/friend was there and patiently worked with him for two hours! To get through this issue. He would say yes, she can stay, then no, then yes and so on and so on. So now I am allowed to stay until Dec 28th till noon. Wow, what a fight. And you know what's funny? That's a good Landlord. Culturally it's normal to argue, it's part of business, but before you think that all Chinese are like this they are not. My friend who helped us even thought it was ridiculous and right now she's dealing with stuff with her Landlord and her Landlord's being a little more helpful.
So you are wondering what my living situation will become? Starting December 28 I will stay in a friend's room for two and a half weeks, then I will stay in another friend's house for a little less than a week, then the last part of January I'm going to my friend's hometown for Spring Festival. Hopefully by February my finances combined with another families finances we will be able to pay 6 months rent. To put some extra stress on the situation January 9th I start University! Working towards my degree in Sociology through an Online Program with Washington State University. Before you think your paying for my degree, don't worry, all finances covered through grants by the Government. I can truly say I'm proud...and blessed to be an American. So there is a Chinese word to cover the meaning of all of this and it is "Mafan". It means troublesome, annoying, a hassle and so on. It completely covers what this month of January will cover, but with the Mafaness of it all, after this hopefully something amazing will come.
Well, the Landlord came yesterday. Surprise visit! He had said he would come today. Originally my roommate emailed him and told him the deal, he agreed, but as he came in he started talking about how I needed to be out by the end of the week. You can imagine the frustration, the temporary panic, the anger and so on. Thankfully I don't speak enough Chinese to tell the Landlord my mind. My teacher/friend was there and patiently worked with him for two hours! To get through this issue. He would say yes, she can stay, then no, then yes and so on and so on. So now I am allowed to stay until Dec 28th till noon. Wow, what a fight. And you know what's funny? That's a good Landlord. Culturally it's normal to argue, it's part of business, but before you think that all Chinese are like this they are not. My friend who helped us even thought it was ridiculous and right now she's dealing with stuff with her Landlord and her Landlord's being a little more helpful.
So you are wondering what my living situation will become? Starting December 28 I will stay in a friend's room for two and a half weeks, then I will stay in another friend's house for a little less than a week, then the last part of January I'm going to my friend's hometown for Spring Festival. Hopefully by February my finances combined with another families finances we will be able to pay 6 months rent. To put some extra stress on the situation January 9th I start University! Working towards my degree in Sociology through an Online Program with Washington State University. Before you think your paying for my degree, don't worry, all finances covered through grants by the Government. I can truly say I'm proud...and blessed to be an American. So there is a Chinese word to cover the meaning of all of this and it is "Mafan". It means troublesome, annoying, a hassle and so on. It completely covers what this month of January will cover, but with the Mafaness of it all, after this hopefully something amazing will come.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Long Time No Write
Yes I know it has been a long time since I've written. I don't even dare to count how many weeks. But of course as usual I have a fabulous excuse. Around the time when I should have been posting I got sick. And as you probably know wen your sick everything is horrible. So it was one of the hardest times I've had since coming. I "hit my wall" as some may have said. The holidays right around the corner and I didn't have money for medicine and I was too sick to leave the house and on and on and on. All the troubles seemed to be piling up. But out of that I pushed through,and realized that I can't be living in negativity over lack of whatever. Since then I am happy to say that I've had confidence in the future and what it holds and I feel that I have lived every day with true joy. It has been so freeing.
Since being sick I had to go to HK for my my visa (I have to leave the country every 90 days), as well as my graduation. It was really good to go to HK, see all my friends, and it helped me get perspective. I had been feeling a little down and that I wasn't doing much. But taking myself out of the situation and looking at it, made me realize that our Father has done so much. I wish I could share every detail with you, but obviously that's not possible. Some of you got my newsletter which hopefully gives you an idea of what Ive been doing with my time.
If I haven't said so before, I will share now. Awhile ago I started having some of my Chinese friends over for Western Dinner about once a week and it has been so fulfilling, fun and I think powerful. We usually do some study stuff and talk about our lives and what is happening between us and Big Daddy-O. The girls have opened up to me and to each other which is huge and I've developed such a strong friendship with each one. This last time I made tacos and instead of studying, we watched a movie. It's a pretty challenging movie and so good. All the girls really felt "deeply moved" as they put it.
This month brings a lot of change. Good, sad and neutral. In about a week my roommate goes back to the States for good, eventually moving onto another place. Having her here has been so good for me and I will miss her deeply. It also means I have to move, which will bring on a lot of stress of packing up and so far I have not found the next place, but I trust everything will fall where it's supposed to fall. Christmas is coming up and I decided to throw a Christmas party for my friends because Christmas is mostly just a Western holiday, so I thought it would be fun to share that with them. Plus since I don't really have anyone else to celebrate with it will be good for me too! Although being away for Christmas this year is making it so much more precious to me, which I think is a good thing.
So for awhile now I have been thinking about College and how I would like to work towards my degree because I think it will be beneficial to me in the long run. So up to now it obviously has not worked out, but a couple months ago I applied to the WSU Online programs. I just got accepted! I'm really excited about it, but please be thinking abut all the funding and all of that for me! Again I trust in what the future holds and if it doesn't work out now I still have time for the future. I will keep you updated to that situation.
I hope you all are well, that you have a fabulous Christmas season and please continue to keep me in your thoughts as I will for you!
Since being sick I had to go to HK for my my visa (I have to leave the country every 90 days), as well as my graduation. It was really good to go to HK, see all my friends, and it helped me get perspective. I had been feeling a little down and that I wasn't doing much. But taking myself out of the situation and looking at it, made me realize that our Father has done so much. I wish I could share every detail with you, but obviously that's not possible. Some of you got my newsletter which hopefully gives you an idea of what Ive been doing with my time.
If I haven't said so before, I will share now. Awhile ago I started having some of my Chinese friends over for Western Dinner about once a week and it has been so fulfilling, fun and I think powerful. We usually do some study stuff and talk about our lives and what is happening between us and Big Daddy-O. The girls have opened up to me and to each other which is huge and I've developed such a strong friendship with each one. This last time I made tacos and instead of studying, we watched a movie. It's a pretty challenging movie and so good. All the girls really felt "deeply moved" as they put it.
This month brings a lot of change. Good, sad and neutral. In about a week my roommate goes back to the States for good, eventually moving onto another place. Having her here has been so good for me and I will miss her deeply. It also means I have to move, which will bring on a lot of stress of packing up and so far I have not found the next place, but I trust everything will fall where it's supposed to fall. Christmas is coming up and I decided to throw a Christmas party for my friends because Christmas is mostly just a Western holiday, so I thought it would be fun to share that with them. Plus since I don't really have anyone else to celebrate with it will be good for me too! Although being away for Christmas this year is making it so much more precious to me, which I think is a good thing.
So for awhile now I have been thinking about College and how I would like to work towards my degree because I think it will be beneficial to me in the long run. So up to now it obviously has not worked out, but a couple months ago I applied to the WSU Online programs. I just got accepted! I'm really excited about it, but please be thinking abut all the funding and all of that for me! Again I trust in what the future holds and if it doesn't work out now I still have time for the future. I will keep you updated to that situation.
I hope you all are well, that you have a fabulous Christmas season and please continue to keep me in your thoughts as I will for you!
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