Well, okay I'm paying him back. And technically his mom bought it for me. Also, he's in grade three so he's not my student. BUT still, the people here will more than take off their shirt for you (I mean that's not hard, most of the guys walk around shirtless anyway).
The Chinese people are some of the nicest people in the world (I still think the people in Senegal are nicer) but the Chinese people have been way more helpful! They predict my needs and wants. They know what I want before I do - and ask me if I need something before I would feel comfortable asking.
I spent my first week in China in Shanghai with the Ciee program. For those of you who don't know I am in China through Ciee. Ciee is a study and work abroad program. My university (St. Lawrence) uses Ciee for their study abroad program to China. This is how I heard about them. When I didn't study abroad in China during College I knew I wanted to go there (here) after I finished. So I applied to Ciee and was accept. The program places native speakers (our group was mostly American with a few Brits) in teaching jobs in school in China. Ciee functions in countries other than China as well.
I spent a week in Shanghai at orientation with the other soon to be teachers. It was nice to have an orientation and not just be thrown into China because when I got to my school I was just thrown right in! During the orientation we were told how helpful the students would be, but I don't think I fully understood it. I feel that way about a lot of aspects of China. I knew what I was getting myself into but I didn't really at the same time. I think, sometimes, no matter how much you prepare you can't be ready to really be in a place. One of the experienced teacher told me that his students would even try to help him up the stairs (he's an older gentleman, but not old enough to need help walking!).
The second night I was in the High School I had dinner with the grade three students. There's a McDonalds near by and some of the boys ran there to get food. They got me a soda! Then another girl got me a dessert from a stall in the mall. Another student gave me some dates (fresh ones - I'd never tried them before). And one of the teachers got me dinner from the Canteen (it's free). Earlier that day when I sat in on some classes the students went down to the Canteen and bought me cold water (because they know Americans like cold drinks) and coffee (because they know Americans like coffee). Food in China is very inexpensive. Lunch in the Canteen costs less than a dollar and you get a lot of food - so much food that I can't finish it all. But it's still nice of them to spend their own money on me, but they like to!
So a few students made a plan to bring me to the mall to get me a cell phone (they're young so they understand the need for one). They made a plan without even consulting me, they just asked me after when I was free. All this babying is very against American culture - I mean we pride our selves on being self-relient and independent - but I have to say... I like it! I love that people care about me enough to want to make sure I'm happy. I also like that I don't have to feel like I'm burdoning people by asking them for their help - it's really nice.
On Sunday I met some students outside of the front gate of my school and we went to the mall. They knew that I was interested in getting an iphone so they brought me to one of the local mac "resellers" which means mac cases with god-knows-what machines inside. I tried to explain to them that I'd only buy an apple product online here, but I don't think they really understood it. So we went and saw a few phone stores. Boy are them overwhelming!! There are tones of brands here and types of phones. I got overwhelmed. A boy student met us there and he was very helpful. He took us around to a few stores and then pointed out one phone that he said was very good and that I really liked. I told them that the only things I needed in a phone were: able to text, able to get the internet, has maps, and has a translation ap. And this phone had all of those! As well as a really nice camera (much better than my camera) and is small and thin. So in short - I love it! Also! I can bring it home and us it in the US (or so they say...)
So here's the rub... They wouldn't accept my debit card... Then I tried to go to an ATM but the ATM wouldn't give me money either. I was considering buying online and getting it sent to school. When I told the students this they told me no - they said that I needed a phone as soon as possible. Which I have to admit... I was glad about. I know it's stupid, but in the modern day I feel naked without a cellphone. (The whole first week in China I didn't know what time it was). IknowIknow... first world problems! So my student called his mom and his mom said he could use her cellphone to buy me the phone and that I could just pay her back when I got paid. Wow! Of course I said no way, but the students didn't even listen to me. He used his id card to set up the phone (which was great because my passport's being used to get my residence card) also I think it costs more and you have to get a different plan if you're not a native. So he set up the whole thing, I just sat there. It was pretty awesome.
Then after they took me out to lunch. Yeah, life in China = awesome so far. People don't let me pay for stuff... They all feel bad because they know I haven't been paid yet and they know it's very expensive for me to take out money here, so they try to make things easier by paying for me. The school told me they'd try to pay me early so I'd have some money soon too (so I can pay back my student's mom!).
Want to learn more about Qinhuangdao? Checkout this website my friends made. (There are even some pictures of me on there!) http://qhdconnect.spruz.com/
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