Staff Day Trip.

"This is China and Things Like This Happen"

My workplace offered a day trip to the Tong'an hot springs and I readily accepted. I was, and am, itching to see more of China and I wanted to get a peek of something, anything! outside of Xiamen. Not because I'm bored of Xiamen, only because I'm curious and not very patient. Turns out it was still in Xiamen or so close I didn't feel like we left Xiamen. But, I was not disappointed and I had a great time.

Initially, we thought we were going on an overnight trip, but, in the end, that was not the case. Many new and returning teachers, their spouses and children wanted to go on the planned weekend trip, so we booked several rooms at a shmancy hotel by the hot springs. A few days before the aforementioned weekend our organizer was informed that our reservations had been canceled. If I understand correctly they were literally told, "This is China and things like this happen." 

This resulted in less cost and one weekend day to introvert; in hindsight I'm glad for the change.

After arrived at the cultural center, or rather a "folk whole experience" <that served seal meat (see sign)>, we got to make dough balls filled with black sesame seeds, spring rolls and pottery. We were also served a big lunch in traditional Lazy Susan sharing-style.

Seal meat!?

We got to make thin Spring Roll wrappers.

I may have unwittingly flung and splattered 
that dough (there in the foreground).

Yummy-ness. We filled the fresh
wrappers with sticky rice, salad-ish
mix, crushed-dried-seaweed (I could
take or leave that), peanut sauce and
crushed peanuts. Could have eaten
those all day.

It unwrapped as I took the picture.

The Tong'an area is
known for pottery.

My bowl. My first time
using a pottery wheel.
I had help. We didn't fire
them or anything though.

Oh and I got to meet the world's cutest lady. ;)

The meat was wrapped in
a cloth and cooked in that.

Then we went onward to the hot springs.

All Hot Springs are not Created Equally. 

Admittedly, I am not a hot springs expert. The only hot springs I have experienced have been, essentially, swimming pools that are, supposedly, naturally heated. These were like no other hot springs I've ever seen or even heard of. They had a large pool and slides, but also, 20 or more, little 'springs' at different temperatures and infused with different herbs or natural substances. For example, rose oil, cucumber essence and peppermint. But even coffee, beer, wine and soy sauce. Most were noted to promote health.

The hot springs are on the grounds of the resort
we made reservations at.

An entrance to the locker room
and one of the few character I
can, now, write and recognize.

Swim caps were required
when we were in the water.
First time for everything.

I even the above for the first time. Those fish were not little. As I sat down, I remembered that I'm kind of scared of fish. I freaked out and shooed them away a few times, but I endured. It was a fun experience, but now I can cross that one, permanently, off the bucket list.

The below video was performed in honor of the Olympics, in Rio. Ironically they are dancing to a Spanish song. They also had a collection of Mexican foods in the Olympic display (think canned pintos, a bag or tortilla chips and package of flour tortillas).

Other Things That Have Worked out.

So I began the school year as the grade 2 English support teacher for both second grade classes, but after only 4 days with students, I was asked if I would be willing to, fill a need, and be a grade 1 classroom teacher. I accepted and it turns out this is a good fit for me. Until this year I have only, ever, been a classroom teacher and I think would have missed being one. And I'm surprised at how much I like the littler ones. I have 25 students again but there is a teaching assistant with me all the time and an ELL support teacher available half of the day. 25 students in one classroom is not ideal, but those two factors make a noticeable difference.  

How they will be
good students.

"I can play with everyone"
But not, yet, put spaces
between his words.:)

Translation: "I can walk"

Weekly all school assembly.

My class working with the ELL teacher.

Two Weeks in China

Delays.
I have been in China for over two weeks. It felt like it took nearly two weeks to travel here from Nebraska.

Delays
noun
1. a period of time by which something is late or postponed.
"a two-hour delay"
synonyms:
holdup, wait, detainment

Please feel free to skip this wordy section. In summary, it was a long flight.

Leaving the day before from Kearney, I took the shuttle to a hotel in Lincoln and prepared to fly out early the next morning. Before going to sleep, I was notified my flight was going to be delayed 4 hours to Chicago. Due to my extra long, scheduled, layover in Chicago, it wasn't really a problem and actually meant I could sleep to a normal hour. It turns out that was not the only delay I would have.

The Perfect Storm.
After arriving in Chicago, I boarded my plane without incident. We taxied for a while, on the tarmac, waiting for the wind to die down a bit. Turns out due to our long flight (it was suppose to take 15 hours) we taxied just long enough so that we actually had to go back to the gate to re-fuel. After that, we set out again, having to wait, a bit, for our designated time to take-off. Annoying? Yes, but a few hiccups in light of such a big move seemed fairly insignificant.

And then.

We were informed that because of our taxi-ing our pilot now had, officially, worked too long to actually fly us to Hong Kong(my next destination). By the time we got a new pilot and were able to take off I had been in the plane 8 hours BEFORE embarking on the 15 hour flight.

But it was only the beginning...

Meanwhile, after a couple hours into the taxing I felt obligated to participate in friendly banter with my row-mates. Turns out I was sitting next to a new colleague(actually future second grade co-teacher). This isn't the coincident it may sound as the school booked our flights. There is nothing like, "Nice to meet you", "Let's spend the next 48 hours together. Without sleep or showers." It didn't actually turn out too bad. 

After arriving in Hong Kong, we had to buy a new ticket to our final destination and re-pay for all off our extra suitcases(I had 4 total) (I am moving) and wait at the airport for another 14 hours for the final one hour leg to Xiamen.

Another Kind of Wall.
There is another kind of wall here. One I have already experienced(I have not been to the Great Wall before).

Arriving in China, my hotel had free wifi, but I found no reason to be online. I officially can't access my email, document storage website, blog, regular maps program or social media website due to the countries censoring of information/ the 'firewall'. Without all that, the internet isn't too appealing. I have, obviously, found a way around that now, but it was a bit tricky.

Different.
Actually, Chinese people aren't all that short compared to some other Asian countries, but some things here feel mini. I have to crouch down to wash the dishes and my clothes are too big to lay out on my drying rack(clothes dryers are not commonly used here). The streets here are also crowded. As I learn to maneuver busy sidewalks, people genuinely seem scared to run into me. And that is understandable because compared to me, they are mini. Lo

And the beds here. They are different, too. They are as soft as sleeping on a hardwood floor. (I've ordered a 7 inch thick mattress pad).

Potential Growth.
I suck.
At Chopsticks.
I am stuck in a cycle and it goes like this:
I SUCK.----I only just suck.----Then, I relapse and, once again, I SUCK and chopsticks are useless to me.

I bought some cute polka dot ones for home to motivate me and expedite my chopstick growth.

There is another area of growth to come. Hopefully. I have met with a language tutor. I started working with some Chinese language applications, on my phone, before arrival and now I'm excited to study Chinese with my first, ever, private tutor. I rarely see foreigners in Xiamen and most people do not speak English, so this seems the perfect environment to learn a language. I plan to meet for an hour and a half, twice a week, for my lessons. I officially started yesterday.

Fun with Signs.
Translations of signs into English can be quite amusing. Amusing for the reason of grammatical errors and unintended meanings. I also, still (check out some in Arabic), like to see logos of common brands in other languages. I've to snapped shots of a few.

My Apartment and Views From It.



My apartment is the middle-right one. 

Other 'newbie' Xiamen teachers.




My courtyard.... And my building.


 

Note the cargo ship.


Love how the view is always changing.

Exploring my Neighborhood.

The walking path RIGHT BY my home.


Ditto. 

 

Temple entrance.


The university.


View from a "mountain" right by me.

Oh, the Things to Research.
So squatty potties are the norm here (I do have a western toilet in my apartment) so questions arise like which way do you face. The door or the wall. No one seems to know. Anyhow, I've searched the internet for some interesting things of late.

School Starts.

This dolphin mascot greeted us, the first day.




I'll have to take an 'after' picture now.


My little ELL room is situated between the two second grade classes.

Electrical Box Love.
The doors of Santorini, drinking fountains of Kuwait and, now, the electric boxes of Xiamen. I love how someone is trying to make the city beautiful. Here is one way I see it happening.








Xiamen!