Pledge Perspective

Last post was rubbish! I was just miserable and my shoes weren't comfortable.

The girls here dress so cute and I thought that I needed to fit in and wear cute shoes but I now realize that no matter how I dress I'm never going to fit in so I might as well be comfortable in my strangeness.

Today I bought some Pledge and a mop to clean the wood-ish floors. Now the floor is shiny and new looking just like my perspective on life.

Had guests from another city this past weekend. It was an international affair. I met a Trinidadian-Swede. A real beauty she is-inside and out. Played soccer and basketball with Africans, Mexicans, French, British, Chinese, etc. Got hit in the face with a basketball. Lovely, lovely times.

I had a job interview last week also for a university teaching position. It's teaching Math (my forte) in English. The interviewer said he would let me know his decision this Monday. On Monday I got an e-mail saying that he couldn't let me know the official decision due to unforeseen circumstances but he would let me know ASAP. I'm not too anxious about whether or not I get it. If I don't get it I'll just keep on begging. If I get it then that's one less stress but I'm sure a lot more will take it's place.

I will take pictures of this place someday.

I am going to post later about my hair and about music lessons. I want to start back playing the saxophone...

ina da lates!

-Me.

Frustration and Bursts of Optimism

This is neither a forum for me to rant nor to share any extremely personal stories. I just wanted to share stories with those of you back home who were willing to read my take on what it's like to live in China. Because I've wanted to keep it all positive I don't post when I'm feeling frustrated. That's going to change.

It's only been 3 1/2 months but already I'm finding that life here can be hard. Maybe I don't have to worry about some things like a car note and insurance but there are still pressures from without and from within. It can be extremely hard to find balance.

Many of the foreigners I have met have come here to China in order to improve their Chinese language skills. Most, however, find that they work so much that they never have time to study Chinese or they study Chinese and have to struggle to pay their bills. I'm in the latter group. I have yet to find anyone who has been able to balance both. Add to that the injustices of today and the uncertainties of tomorrow and you would have to have superhuman strength not to succumb to the occasional bouts of discouragement and/or frustration.

After facing rejections, inconveniences, slights, prejudices, etc. I stay content and more than happy with the decision to move here by finding reasons to smile. This week my reasons are:

1. the older Chinese man I met in the park who wrote me a note telling me that because I said "早上好" to him and his friends that meant that I was Chinese just like them;
2. the fact that I could read the note that the older Chinese man I met in the park wrote to me;
3. my 6 year old student telling me he loves me and giving me a hug;
4. making new friends;
5. my classes;
   
6. my teachers;
7. setting and reaching new goals;
8. supportive family and friends;
9. HOPE

等等等

There is so much to be happy about.

"We have joy, inner peace, and contentment that is rare." - my peeps

Tomb Sweepers Day (清明节）

我每个星期一到星期五都上汉语课。但是今天因为清明节我们没有课。很多中国人的看法是清明节是非常重要的节日。

Every weekday I go to Chinese class but today I went to the park. I wasn't "sculling" school. Class was canceled due to it being a major Chinese holiday. It's Tomb Sweepers Day a.k.a Qing Ming Jie (清明节). Let me 给你们介绍介绍清明节。

清明节had its origins around 600 BCE and was originally started to honor both the return of the Spring season and the dead ancestors of the Chinese people. In ancient times, people celebrated Qing Ming Jie with dancing, singing, picnics, and kite flying. In addition, colored boiled eggs would be broken to symbolize the opening of life. Sound familiar?
The following information is taken from http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/festival/qingming/qingming.html:

"With the passing of time, this celebration of life became a day to the honor past ancestors. Following folk religion, the Chinese believed that the spirits of deceased ancestors looked after the family. Sacrifices of food and spirit money could keep them happy, and the family would prosper through good harvests and more children.

Today, Chinese visit their family graves to tend to any underbrush that has grown. Weeds are pulled, and dirt swept away, and the family will set out offerings of food and spirit money. Unlike the sacrifices at a family's home altar, the offerings at the tomb usually consist of dry, bland food. One theory is that since any number of ghosts rome [sic] around a grave area, the less appealing food will be consumed by the ancestors, and not be plundered by strangers."

I spoke to a Chinese 朋友 to get his views on the festival. He told me that after 春节 （Spring Festival) this is the most important festival to the Chinese people. I asked him why he thought it was so important. His answer was that Chinese people love and dearly miss their dead ancestors and this day makes them feel a little bit better about their death. It helps them keep the hope of maybe seeing their dead loved ones again alive in their hearts.

People here maybe more than many others have a yearning...