Funny students!

Okay, this is the last blog before my big trip to Tibet!!! Hooray! I am teaching 6 classes now!! Yahoo! I am so glad to be busy!
In one of my classes yesterday, it was our first sessions together, we played a little game so I could get to know them better and their names. There are 2 boys in the class. One of them is named Admiral, he is funny! Tall, skinny and speaks very well! I was standing near him, listening to a girl introduce her neighbor and he looks up as she paused and he said "Kyla, you are very beautiful!" I think myself and his desk-mate were the only ones who heard. It made me laugh! I, of course, said thank you. It was just random! Then later, as they were leaving one girl, Lily, came up to me and said "I will miss you" and he came over and said "I will miss you very, very much!" They are so cute! AND funny! They think I am so funny, I like that. I wish you could hear the way this kid speaks, it makes it so much better coming from him!
I have begun talking to myself when I am in my room. I feel like my mother...again. I think more and more students will want to come over and practice english, I hope so, because man! I am out of books and I can't afford to walk around all the time, I buy things. LIfe is good though, I really enjoy teaching! ANd I am learning more words!!
We had dinner with the University Pres the other night. It was the Moon Festival. A very big deal here. They used to offer mooncakes and watermelon to the full moon, I believe in gratitude for giving light. It's more a time now for families to gather together. Moon cakes are not very good. They are very pretty. I will take a picture and show you. Love you all! I will tell you about my trip to TIbet...that may take a while, maybe just highlights and pictures, of course! Happy Golden Week!

Adjustment and cultural faeux paux

I have no clue how to spell "fo paw". You what I mean! I'm not learning french here, that's for sure!
Just thought I'd share a fun little experience I had last night! We had dinner with the Dean of our College last night. All the foreign teachers and some of the other teachers we work the closest with. It was so much fun! We ate at the school "canteen". The food was wonderful! Sun and Wendy know all my favorites so far and they ordered them all, I rolled home at the end of night as I always do when we eat in a group like that. I'm amazed at how much food these people can eat and they are so small!! I'm getting somewhat used to it, however, I can take one for the team! Just undo those pants and loosen that belt...
Anyway, it's customary here to toast 6 times. 3 times by the host (who sits at the "head" of the round table, which is usually the seat in the back of the room upon entering, the guest of honor sits on his right and the 2nd guest of honor sits on his left, the 2nd host sits directly across from the first host) and 3 times by the 2nd host. After they are done then it's a free-for-all and everyone toasts everyone else at the table the rest of the meal! WHen you toast someone, especially the host, your glass must be lower than their's, it's a sign of respect. Well, when I toasted the host I stood up and accidentally had my glass higher than his and everyone gasped. A little embarrassing! I knew that, I just didn't think about it! How many times have I toasted someone in my life, pretty sure that was the first! So many firsts and I've only been here a month!
It has taken some adjusting to life here in Weifang. It's so different! But knowing that this is where God wants me right now has helped tremendously! I've felt so much strength and comfort from Him, it's incredible! It can get very lonely! But, the people here are so kind and helpful!
Bob and I went to check out the new apartments and they are nice! Much bigger and there are actual rooms; bathroom, kitchen area, living area, bedroom!! Lovely! Next weekend! But I probably won't move in until after the first week in October because I will be in Tibet!! I know! It's okay to be a little jealous! I love you all!

Honking in China

This weekend was great! Incredibly busy, but great! On Saturday I went to Jinan with one of the other teachers to make plans for our trip to Tibet in 2 weeks. Jinan is the capital of Shandong Province. It was gorgeous! We visited 2 parks and they were amazing! Enjoy the pictures on photobucket!
I also went to Qingdao on Sunday. What a beautiful city! It's a seaside city and just wonderful! On the way to my destination in the taxi, I was discussing with myself the reasons for all the honking in China. I have compiled a short list for your enjoyment:
When drivers honk it means one, or more, of many things:
1. I'm passing you, so stay out of my way.
2. You are a pedestrian and I am a bus/car/scooter/bike get the hell out of my way or I will run you over!
3. You are driving too slowly, move!
4. I'm chaning lanes, get out of my way.
5. I'm letting you know of my presence.
So, there you go. Enjoy.
I'm still adjusting to the different level of expectations when it comes to sanitation/personal hygiene. The bathroom at the bus station in Jinan was interesting, I decided to wait until I could enjoy my own personal squatter without an audience of 20. Let's just say open room crammed with women, 6 or so at a time squatting over cracks in a cement slab. Lovely! I used the one at the travel service office. :) No audience. Perhaps too much information, but since when was that unusual for me!? Sunday was fabulous! I met some wonderful teachers in Qingdao and other wonderful families! Everyone is so extremely kind! I have several invitations to stay with families in Qingdao! Love it! I also think I will be adding more classes to my schedule, which will be so fabulous!! I love you all! ENjoy!

Fun with Karaoke

So this is funny. For the word Karaoke, they have two chinese characters and then the letters "OK" for kara OK, isn't that funny!? I thought so!
Well, the moment I hoped would never come actually came. I hope you've all enjoyed it. I have to say I actually kind of proud of myself for doing something SO out of the ordinary for me, and I even did it on stage, in front of hundreds of people and for cameras!!! I am pretty sure they only really liked it because they love Titanic and I'm American, because I had these two things going for me I won their hearts!! AND I even won a prize and a certificate. I won new bedding, isn't that great! What a good idea, something useful! Now I can wash one set and use the other, it's perfect!
Monday was a huge day! I taught my first class and then did the performance. My class went well, I think, for a first time english teacher. Several students speak very good english. Many need me to slow down and enunciate, I will work on that. I am learning the bus schedule/system which is making life much easier since I am needing to rely on people less and less. Now, if I could just master Chinese...
Yesterday night I went on a little field trip with a man from America and some other teachers and students. He, his name is Abe and he's from Miami, just built a hotel in a nearby town and is trying to find some employees from our college. We went on a tour of the hotel and then had dinner, it was very nice. His nice assistant sat by me at the table and put food on my plate the whole meal so I didn't have to embarrass myself with the chopsticks. I'm doing much better with them, but I am not a pro...yet! I WILL master the chopsticks!
I love you all and I have posted a few more pics on photobucket, I will email you all!

Shopping!

I just wanted to write and announce that I went shopping yesterday...by myself! I am so proud. I will admit that the bus didn't go to exactly where I thought it would, but I knew the area so it was fine!! Yeah, buddy! That's the only new exciting news I have right now. I still don't know my schedule, but I turned in some Teaching plans and since they will most likely be all the same level, they should work for all classes with only minor adjustments. Well, this one will be short, I must get back to practicing for my upcoming performance! Ah, the pressures of stardom....

"My Heart Will Go On"

Yes! I did Karaoke yesterday! It was horrible! The words didn't match the music, I can't sing, I haven't heard the song in ages and I was reading the words. Sun got a 30 sec clip of it, unfortunately. I will try and post it on Photobucket...or not, I haven't decided if I should make this available to people who actually know me. Luckily the audience was small. Come to find out, they judge you and if you make the top 10 or 13 you have to perform again next week...ugh! I told Sun this was a one time thing and if I am in the top 10 it's got to be just because I'm American which is ridiculous! There were some very impressive singers yesterday, I was amazed! People really take this seriously!
Not much new to report. I stayed with a colleague and her family the other night, they were so kind! Beautiful home! It was like a three-story Condo. Marble flooring and beautiful wood furniture in the living room. We had yummy dumplings!! I love those things. They are similar to those Potstickers you can get at Costco. For breakfast we had noodles and some egg, tomato, lettuce type sauce. It was delightful as well. The dumplings are a traditional meal to celebrate the holiday on Tuesday. It was the God of Wealth's birthday and he was returning to heaven to report about how everyone is working. ALL day they set off firecrackers and burn paper money so that they may gain more wealth and prosperity. The firecrackers were going off nonstop until about midnight.
Today I am getting my plumbing fixed in my apartment. There is some blockage somewhere, possibly the main pipe. They will fix it this afternoon, but until then both of my toilets are Out of Order. Fortunately, I work at a university and there are several buildings around with toilets in them. It looks like it may be another few weeks until we move into our apartments. I'm fine where I'm at, but poor Bob is at a hotel and he's going crazy!
Still no schedule! Hopefully by Saturday! It looks like I won't be able to go to church again on Sunday (pray for me :), the trains are packed with college students returning. It's too bad you can't take the sacrament by proxy...
Lots of love!
Kyla

Sunday fun!

I hear many people are posting on my blog, that makes me so happy! Keep it up! I can't actually read them, but my Dad is going to copy them to me! Thanks for reading the novels!
Yesterday was the best day! I went with two accounting students, Mark and Lucy, to two wonderful museums here in Weifang. The first is one of the few old style architecture buildings left in the area, it was built in 1885 by a very rich man!. It's huge! To find out more details you can look at the pictures on photobucket. As I was walking through these incredible courtyards and archways I just kept thinking, I am actually here, I'm not looking at someone elses pictures! AMAZING! After that we went to the Kite Museum. Weifang is famous for it's kites! Every year in April they have the Kite Festival and people from all over the world gather to fly their kites, it's apparently quite the spectacle! I am very excited to go! The kites in this museum were so beautiful! Very ornate and detailed, it must take hours upon hours for the makers to complete them. One kite that won an award was a pair of shoes for children. They are tiger faces and they are/were worn by the working class people's children to denote power and because they found them "handsome". After that we walked around Kite Square, which is a beautiful park with lots going on in the evenings. We had lunch at KFC, Lucy's favorite. Then we rented a paddle boat and played in the river, I should note that we did not swim, because this water is disgusting.
Lucy and I came back and had a rest and then went back to the park to see the water fountain show, which didn't actually happen. We will try again later. But, on our way to the bus stop from the university, the best thing happened! This old Chinese lady, maybe in her 70's, was riding on her bike with a cart. She was, of course, staring and so I smiled at her as she passed. SHe then stopped and looked back and smiled and started speaking in a very excited manner and grabbed my hand and kept telling me how beautiful I was and how much she loved me eyes and how tall I was and was I from America and how old was I. She was the cutest thing ever!! It was so great! We stood there for probably 5 minutes. She had a good solid, strong handshake. I wish I would have taken a picture with her so you could see her. I hope maybe I will see her on the road again. It was great! Then when we were at the park we met the nices man with the cutest, fattest baby! As an aside, all the little kids here wear crotchless pants (not the kind you are familiar with, Khyl and keep your mind out of the gutter, Dad) so that when they have to go potty they just go. No diapers, maybe cloth, but that's all. I think it also has to do with squatters. These are toilets here. They are holes in the ground that you squat over to go. I used my first one yesterday! It was even automatic, so when you stand up it flushes. Ha! It's a good quad workout! Luckily, though, in our apartments, we have real toilets! Thank you!
A little miracle happened this week as well. I was walking to my apartment from my office craving a candybar and a sandwich. On Saturday night several wealthy men in the city came to the university to meet with some friends and meet me and one of them is a professor here and he has a brother in California. He left our little pow-wow for a minute and came back with a Snickers bar. His brother sent him a box full of stuff from America! God loves me! And love you all!