Apparently I'm the first English 外教 (foreign teacher) to speak Chinese, that made me feel relieved! I was told by one of the English teachers (she's the top of the department) that the principle is very excited that I speak Chinese because his English isn't very good (in China saying you're English isn't very good doesn't mean much, they all say that). He was glad we could get to know one another better and he hoped to become my 干爹 (god father). She said he liked the idea of having a cute young American at his school, which oddly in China isn't a creepy thing to say.
In China the people are direct. Not in every way, and especially not in the way that we American are. In China 胖 (fat) is just a way to describe someone, not an insult. Also fat here is a relative term - Chinese people are super skinny. The people are small in every way! In fact, yesterday I had to explain the words "dwarf" and "midget" to a class full of kids because they were in a reading and the students (and teacher) didn't understand what they meant. I wanted to point out that in the US some of the kids in that class would be considered midgets, but refrained.
There is a similar feeling to being skinny in China as there is in the US. Women are under immense pressure to be skinny. My coworker said that women are always on diets, trying to keep their weight down. I talked to an American who has lived in china for a few years and he said that online their are diagrams showing a woman's legs and dictating where they should and should not touch. As you can imagine woman aren't called fat as a descriptive word, just men. Because men being fat doesn't matter.
Attractiveness over here is difficult for me to understand. I'm not one of those Americans who doesn't find Asians attractive, but I definitely do not believe in the same "rules" of attractiveness that these people do.
Last night when I was hanging around in the Grade three building after dinner during their homework time (yes they have designated time to do homework) I was asked by a female student if one of the male students was attractive. Firstly I was shocked by the question, in America that would never be asked! Sexual harassment laws and all... So I said to her that I was too much older than them to answer that question. This offended the boy (who was apparently seen as a hotty... not by me...) and then the girl told me "only four years," like that was nothing.
When I told the students I was 22 they didn't believe me. My colleagues were all shocked at how young I was but the students thought I was closer to their age. I guess it was wishful thinking. They all want to make friends with me, spend time with and do things for me. The last is my favorite... Hey! It's fun having people do things for you just because they want to. Also, here it's normal.
When I first got out of the taxi at the school the teacher I was with said she'd find some boys to carry my suitcases up. I felt terrible and tried to tell her no, but no sooner had I gotten out of the car then there was a rush of boys fighting over who could help carry my suitcases. Now, this is due inpart to the fact that the week before classes begin the students go through military training and helping me with my bags was not military training, but hey - I'll take it!
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/
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Lies I've been told in China
Yes, I studied Chinese before I got here but I also hadn't spoken it in a long time before I got here and I was also very bad at it. So I was extremely shocked to be told - multiple times by multiple people - that my Chinese was very good. When I told them "no it's not" I didn't mean it as an act of modesty, I just meant it! So when I was told by a Chinese national that my 普通话 (literal translation is common tongue, means Mandarin) was better than there's you can imagine my surprise. I thought the people in China were just ridiculously nice - which they are - but the crazy thing is that she meant it! Here in China there are more languages than one could imagine. Hundreds of languages in fact. Not to mention the various dialects and accents used in each region. Many Chinese people grow up learning their own local language before ever learning even a variety of Mandarin. She was telling me that my Mandarin is better than hers because that's the only version of Chinese I know. Actually a lot of people are intimidated by my Mandarin, though I never would have understood that if it weren't for this girl. It makes sense, pure Mandarin tied with education and money. People who speak it are well educated and well educated people have money.
So even though I have stared at many a Chinese person already with a wide mouthed gaze, not understanding half of what they're saying, they don't see me as stupid, they just recognize that I don't speak their local Chinese. Often they'll translate a word and I'll know a different word for it. Sometimes it's just the accent that throws me, or even just the speed or... the fact that I'm being spoken at in Chinese - that is also very intimidating.
Yesterday I spent time in the Grade three building (seniors) - the students were excited to help me in every way. Among themselves they planned a trip to bring me to the mall and get me a cell phone, which they informed me of shortly after. I told them that my prerequisites for a phone are that it must have both a navigation system and a translator ap. The kids (and teacher) laughed, telling me I didn't need either because "I spoke Chinese" but I told them I'd be much more reassured if I had them.
The other lie I've heard in China is that I'm "slim." In China the average woman weighs like one-hundred pounds, so yeah right! But again, they mean it. They're not comparing me to them, they're comparing me to white people. They know the stereotype that Americans are fat so they see me as skinny. I mean, I won't fight that. I'm glad I'm not being called fat like the men!
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/
So even though I have stared at many a Chinese person already with a wide mouthed gaze, not understanding half of what they're saying, they don't see me as stupid, they just recognize that I don't speak their local Chinese. Often they'll translate a word and I'll know a different word for it. Sometimes it's just the accent that throws me, or even just the speed or... the fact that I'm being spoken at in Chinese - that is also very intimidating.
Yesterday I spent time in the Grade three building (seniors) - the students were excited to help me in every way. Among themselves they planned a trip to bring me to the mall and get me a cell phone, which they informed me of shortly after. I told them that my prerequisites for a phone are that it must have both a navigation system and a translator ap. The kids (and teacher) laughed, telling me I didn't need either because "I spoke Chinese" but I told them I'd be much more reassured if I had them.
The other lie I've heard in China is that I'm "slim." In China the average woman weighs like one-hundred pounds, so yeah right! But again, they mean it. They're not comparing me to them, they're comparing me to white people. They know the stereotype that Americans are fat so they see me as skinny. I mean, I won't fight that. I'm glad I'm not being called fat like the men!
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/
So, I'm in China
I knew eventually I'd break down and start a blog... So here goes!
For all of you who actually know me you can skip this part, but to anyone else... This is who I am.
I'm an American living in China for the year. I was born in Massachusetts, raised in New Hampshire and went to school in New York. St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York - to be specific. While at St. Lawrence I got a taste for travel. Before coming to China I had been to four continents and spent time in seven countries. I'm sure you as a reader will not have the same reaction as my Chinese students did when I told them this. They began to applaud. Then again... That was a general reaction they had to me all day. But back to my introduction. At St. Lawrence I was a Global Studies major with a double minor in Asian and European studies. I took foreign language classes in French, German, and Chinese. (Another fact that made the students applaud.) While at St. Lawrence I studied abroad in France. The program I went through (named the Global Francophone Studies program at St. Lawrence) had us go to French Canada and Senegal as well. I was also fortunate to get a study grant to go to Germany and a Mellon grant to study in India - the country I wrote my Senior Thesis on. I applied and was accepted to study abroad in shanghai through Ciee but refused. Hearing stories about my friends' adventures in China made me want to go even more so I began applying for teaching jobs. I found the Ciee program and instantly loved it, it was my first choice and I was very excited when I was accepted.
Fast forward to China!
I arrived in China last Sunday, close to a week ago (though I can't imagine that it was that recent). I stayed in Shanghai at the Jiaotong university "hotel" with other Ciee members for a week (well, 5 days) and flew to Qinhuangdao yesterday. My time in Shanghai was both memorable and enjoyable. The people were kind, wonderful and like minded. The only thing that saddens me is that we didn't have more time together. In Shanghai we were able to do some sight seeing but mostly we attended lectures and classes about being a teacher, living in China and (most importantly) The Chinese Way.
Here my title is 外教 which simply means foreign teacher but the profession is also termed "Foreign expert" over here. I like that term. My friends from Ciee and I were joking about it. I said that I guess it's appropriate considering most of the people I know (95% or so) are foreigners (in the eyes of the Chinese people). Yet still - being deemed an "expert" wow!
I think a better term to use would be "Rock star." It's amazing. I've been abroad before and I've been the white person but I guess I was more far removed than I thought because I didn't predict the reaction people have had to me.
Yeah sure, I'm a blond American with white skin- thus I'm interesting. But I could not make you understand from reading this how amazing these people are to me or how interested they are in me.
I'm not just a white person they want to take a picture of anymore, to these students I'm much more. They want to do everything for me.
But I'm getting ahead of myself!!! This last day (or two) has not been all puppies and kittens. In fact it's been hard for me to talk to people since arriving in Qinhuangdao because I am afraid to tell them details, I'm worried if I tell people all the problems they will think I'm miserable - but miserable I am certainly not! Far from it. I am still jet lagged - a twelve hour difference is a big change! Not to mention I was booked solid last week with classes and lectures, which - though helpful - took up a lot of time. Friday I had to get up early and spend in transit and travel makes me tired! Qinhuangdao is hot -more so- it's humid! The humidity raps around the skyscrapers like a white down comforter, hanging in the sky like chalk dust. In Shanghai the warmth and humidity could be pleasant - walking outside felt like easing your way into a warm bath but here... Here the moisture in the air clings to you like dirt clings to sticky skin. With the constant haze, humidity, and warmth I want to curl up and nap all day - which I almost did!
Last night I was finally able to go to sleep early (after re scrubbing my apartment, including the walls...) The sleep was amazing (though I was very hot!! And my bed is not too comfortable... (one word: plastic). But I managed to sleep till six! At six I was able to get a shower (my water went from not working at all to just being hot water) kind of. I lazed around (I thing I haven't been able to do since getting to China) till about nine when I took a walk around the campus and went to my office to see my coworkers (in China you share an office, there are six people in mine). Two other new teachers (中国人，英文老师）then went to the mall with me to get some things (Tesco - yes they have them in China). That trip could become a novel so I won't say more than that I bought some food and things for my "apartment" (I will refer to my apartment as 房子, it feels more appropriate).
Well I guess this blog entry has no direction, point, or narrative... So maybe I should give up for the day and try to write again later.
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/
For all of you who actually know me you can skip this part, but to anyone else... This is who I am.
I'm an American living in China for the year. I was born in Massachusetts, raised in New Hampshire and went to school in New York. St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York - to be specific. While at St. Lawrence I got a taste for travel. Before coming to China I had been to four continents and spent time in seven countries. I'm sure you as a reader will not have the same reaction as my Chinese students did when I told them this. They began to applaud. Then again... That was a general reaction they had to me all day. But back to my introduction. At St. Lawrence I was a Global Studies major with a double minor in Asian and European studies. I took foreign language classes in French, German, and Chinese. (Another fact that made the students applaud.) While at St. Lawrence I studied abroad in France. The program I went through (named the Global Francophone Studies program at St. Lawrence) had us go to French Canada and Senegal as well. I was also fortunate to get a study grant to go to Germany and a Mellon grant to study in India - the country I wrote my Senior Thesis on. I applied and was accepted to study abroad in shanghai through Ciee but refused. Hearing stories about my friends' adventures in China made me want to go even more so I began applying for teaching jobs. I found the Ciee program and instantly loved it, it was my first choice and I was very excited when I was accepted.
Fast forward to China!
I arrived in China last Sunday, close to a week ago (though I can't imagine that it was that recent). I stayed in Shanghai at the Jiaotong university "hotel" with other Ciee members for a week (well, 5 days) and flew to Qinhuangdao yesterday. My time in Shanghai was both memorable and enjoyable. The people were kind, wonderful and like minded. The only thing that saddens me is that we didn't have more time together. In Shanghai we were able to do some sight seeing but mostly we attended lectures and classes about being a teacher, living in China and (most importantly) The Chinese Way.
Here my title is 外教 which simply means foreign teacher but the profession is also termed "Foreign expert" over here. I like that term. My friends from Ciee and I were joking about it. I said that I guess it's appropriate considering most of the people I know (95% or so) are foreigners (in the eyes of the Chinese people). Yet still - being deemed an "expert" wow!
I think a better term to use would be "Rock star." It's amazing. I've been abroad before and I've been the white person but I guess I was more far removed than I thought because I didn't predict the reaction people have had to me.
Yeah sure, I'm a blond American with white skin- thus I'm interesting. But I could not make you understand from reading this how amazing these people are to me or how interested they are in me.
I'm not just a white person they want to take a picture of anymore, to these students I'm much more. They want to do everything for me.
But I'm getting ahead of myself!!! This last day (or two) has not been all puppies and kittens. In fact it's been hard for me to talk to people since arriving in Qinhuangdao because I am afraid to tell them details, I'm worried if I tell people all the problems they will think I'm miserable - but miserable I am certainly not! Far from it. I am still jet lagged - a twelve hour difference is a big change! Not to mention I was booked solid last week with classes and lectures, which - though helpful - took up a lot of time. Friday I had to get up early and spend in transit and travel makes me tired! Qinhuangdao is hot -more so- it's humid! The humidity raps around the skyscrapers like a white down comforter, hanging in the sky like chalk dust. In Shanghai the warmth and humidity could be pleasant - walking outside felt like easing your way into a warm bath but here... Here the moisture in the air clings to you like dirt clings to sticky skin. With the constant haze, humidity, and warmth I want to curl up and nap all day - which I almost did!
Last night I was finally able to go to sleep early (after re scrubbing my apartment, including the walls...) The sleep was amazing (though I was very hot!! And my bed is not too comfortable... (one word: plastic). But I managed to sleep till six! At six I was able to get a shower (my water went from not working at all to just being hot water) kind of. I lazed around (I thing I haven't been able to do since getting to China) till about nine when I took a walk around the campus and went to my office to see my coworkers (in China you share an office, there are six people in mine). Two other new teachers (中国人，英文老师）then went to the mall with me to get some things (Tesco - yes they have them in China). That trip could become a novel so I won't say more than that I bought some food and things for my "apartment" (I will refer to my apartment as 房子, it feels more appropriate).
Well I guess this blog entry has no direction, point, or narrative... So maybe I should give up for the day and try to write again later.
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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