I traveled to 15 different countries during 2016. I was surprised when I counted them up since I've been focusing on China for the last half of the year.
According to the Lunar calendar, I have been to 16 countries in 2016. (January 28th is Chinese New Year day and today I am heading to 'The Land of the Golden Pagodas'.)
1.) America
family, job fair
2.) Kuwait
Middle East teacher
3.) Oman
adventure, wadis
4.) Egypt
pyramids, the Nile
5.) Thailand
food, pagodas
6.) Vietnam
Mekong, war museum
7.) Cambodia
Angkor, wats, smiles
8.) Bahrain
beauty, rest
9.) Ethiopia
unknown, exotic
10.) Qatar
modern, hot
11.) Hungary
second home
12.) Israel
Sea of Galilee
13.) China
new home
14.) Philippines
Chocolate Hills, aqua
15.) Australia
bridge, kangaroo, beaches
This was definitely my most traveled year. In 2017, I want to continue focusing on China, which I am finding, has much to offer in the way of natural beauty.
I love teaching first grade. It makes me tired sometimes, but it's fun and rewarding to watch my little sponges learn new things.
Most days for my hour lunch break, I go across the street where they have a typical Chinese canteen. I tend to stay away from the exotic seafood and cuts of meat I can't identify. So, my mostly vegetarian meals, costs me less than a dollar and give me much of my daily quota for veggies. Also it is a great time to have cultural discussions with my Chinese colleagues.
I am leading a small group at a weekly English Corner. It is a relaxed time to talk with Chinese speakers. We meet at the first protestant church in China, which is now part of a shopping mall. Last week, we talked about New Year's resolutions. I shared a few of mine: more veggies, more exercise, more thanks giving, more reading the Word and less selfies. They found the last one surprising. Selfies are really big here.
Chinese New Year traditionally lasts 15 days and people go to the countryside to spend time with their extended family. Traveling within China is not recommended at this time, as nearly all 1.35 billion people, living in China, are also doing so.
I know the English translation of the Chinese Zodiac sign, is rooster, but this year is technically the female chicken or a hen. Most of my Chinese friends just say "it's the Year of the Chicken". There are 12 zodiac signs, one for each month. I am a snake because of when I was born, in October. I don't put stock in the beliefs of the Zodiac signs, but nonetheless, I find them interesting to learn about.
One tradition is to give red envelopes with money. They are typically given to children, but sometimes to friends. You can put different denominations of money inside. For example, I took 6 envelopes and filled them like this:
envelope- 1 RMB (that's the Chinese money, worth about 18 cents)
envelope- 1 RMB
envelope- 5 RMB
envelope- 10 RMB
envelope- 20 RMB
envelope- 50 RMB
Everyone gets to pick one. You might get 18 cents or 7 bucks. I picked an envelope with 20 RMB, when I played (about 3 dollars).
I was happy to be invited to a dumpling making party this week. The dumpling wrappers are colored with spinach, carrots and purple cabbage.
These are just a few things I learned about the holiday, this year. I am looking forward to a lantern festival that will happen in the coming weeks.
China, thank you for being so interesting.
According to the Lunar calendar, I have been to 16 countries in 2016. (January 28th is Chinese New Year day and today I am heading to 'The Land of the Golden Pagodas'.)
My 15 of '16, with 2 to 3 words of reflection about each:
family, job fair
2.) Kuwait
Middle East teacher
3.) Oman
adventure, wadis
4.) Egypt
pyramids, the Nile
5.) Thailand
food, pagodas
6.) Vietnam
Mekong, war museum
7.) Cambodia
Angkor, wats, smiles
8.) Bahrain
beauty, rest
9.) Ethiopia
unknown, exotic
10.) Qatar
modern, hot
11.) Hungary
second home
12.) Israel
Sea of Galilee
13.) China
new home
14.) Philippines
Chocolate Hills, aqua
15.) Australia
bridge, kangaroo, beaches
This was definitely my most traveled year. In 2017, I want to continue focusing on China, which I am finding, has much to offer in the way of natural beauty.
China Update
I love teaching first grade. It makes me tired sometimes, but it's fun and rewarding to watch my little sponges learn new things.
Most days for my hour lunch break, I go across the street where they have a typical Chinese canteen. I tend to stay away from the exotic seafood and cuts of meat I can't identify. So, my mostly vegetarian meals, costs me less than a dollar and give me much of my daily quota for veggies. Also it is a great time to have cultural discussions with my Chinese colleagues.
As a teacher, my learning is never over, but as a student of Mandarin, my learning is just beginning. I can formulate simple sentences of varying structures with my teacher, but I am easily discouraged when others cannot understand me or when they don't have the patience to listen to my slowness.
Here is a project to show my learning so far. (I am proud of it because I worked hard, but my pronunciation is really bad):
Here is a project to show my learning so far. (I am proud of it because I worked hard, but my pronunciation is really bad):
I am leading a small group at a weekly English Corner. It is a relaxed time to talk with Chinese speakers. We meet at the first protestant church in China, which is now part of a shopping mall. Last week, we talked about New Year's resolutions. I shared a few of mine: more veggies, more exercise, more thanks giving, more reading the Word and less selfies. They found the last one surprising. Selfies are really big here.
The Year of the Chicken
Chinese New Year traditionally lasts 15 days and people go to the countryside to spend time with their extended family. Traveling within China is not recommended at this time, as nearly all 1.35 billion people, living in China, are also doing so.
I know the English translation of the Chinese Zodiac sign, is rooster, but this year is technically the female chicken or a hen. Most of my Chinese friends just say "it's the Year of the Chicken". There are 12 zodiac signs, one for each month. I am a snake because of when I was born, in October. I don't put stock in the beliefs of the Zodiac signs, but nonetheless, I find them interesting to learn about.
I don't believe firecrackers will scare away Nian, the name of a monster from Chinese legend, that my students are obsessed with hearing about. Nor do I care to burn fake money or give a red envelope in a bowl of rice as an offering to a kitchen 'god', but Chinese New Year is a lot of fun.
One tradition is to give red envelopes with money. They are typically given to children, but sometimes to friends. You can put different denominations of money inside. For example, I took 6 envelopes and filled them like this:
envelope- 1 RMB (that's the Chinese money, worth about 18 cents)
envelope- 1 RMB
envelope- 5 RMB
envelope- 10 RMB
envelope- 20 RMB
envelope- 50 RMB
Everyone gets to pick one. You might get 18 cents or 7 bucks. I picked an envelope with 20 RMB, when I played (about 3 dollars).
To students we gave a red envelope with a gold chocolate coin in it. The gold coins are another tradition.
One more tradition is to hang red banners with good wishes on your door. I have one on my door that says 'Happiness'. I was instructed to hang it upside down to indicate happiness would be coming to my home. There are some for above the door and for the right and left of the door. You are supposed to hang them at the start of the new year. A student gave me a complete set along with some red envelopes and chocolate gold coins.
It is also traditional to give your home a deep cleaning (spring cleaning! Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival), wear red clothes and to eat dumplings at midnight.
I was happy to be invited to a dumpling making party this week. The dumpling wrappers are colored with spinach, carrots and purple cabbage.
These are just a few things I learned about the holiday, this year. I am looking forward to a lantern festival that will happen in the coming weeks.
China, thank you for being so interesting.
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