The Shoe's On The Other Foot Now

I started my Chinese classes today. Listening classes with Teacher Liu Li. She seemed like an enthusiastic woman, who has some more modern approaches to teaching language. My classmates come from the USA, Tunisia, Germany and Thailand. My oral Chinese level is above average in that class, whereas my reading and writing ain’t so hot. So, there is room for improvement!

It felt weird being on the other side of things; being the student as apposed to the teacher! I guess I can now understand things a bit better now from a student’s perspective. It had been a long time since I was inside a classroom! Next time I teach, I can approach it with a different understanding. Don’t be so hard on the students who are about to fall asleep – that was me at the end of today’s class – cos I didn’t get much sleep the night before due to those pesky mosquitoes!

I am thinking about moving out of the school and into an apartment with Chinese people. I reckon this way, I can speak Chinese every day. I am still searching. Last night I saw a really nice apartment, good price rent, except no bed! I would have had to buy a bed if I wanted to move in. Actually, it might work out cheaper in the long run. I can always sell the bed!

I can stay here a while on campus and see what crops up. Maybe I will want to continue staying here. My main reason for leaving would be the speaking Chinese thing. A lot of the foreign students speak in English after class. It’s a bit pointless coming all the way to China to learn Chinese and then speaking English!

Tomorrow I have Intensive Chinese class with Teacher Chen Mo. Better get to sleep so I’m alert and well!

Ireland Bowing Out

Didn't see the match but saw the result. Ireland went down 1-0 to the Czechs last night. Pretty much looks like we will be staying at home next year for Euro 2008. 3 matches left: Germany at home, Cyprus at home and Wales away. It would take one hell of a comeback to get second place. We currently stand in 3rd place on 14 points behind the Czechs, who are on 21, both of us with 9 games played. The Germans top the group with 21 points from 8 games played.

Took my first venture into Chengdu city centre yesterday evening. When a person comes from the west to Dalian, they think: wow, there are a lot of people in Dalian. When you come from Dalian to Chengdu, it's the same! My God this place is crowded! Where do they all live? Where do they all go?

I did just about manage to get to where I was going and get back. There are so many buses here and the bus information at some of the bus stops is hard to read, with the characters being stretched vertically, rather being their usual square selves. I'm sure I will get used to it.

Hello Chengdu

Chapter Two of my blog starts today.

I arrived, rather bewildered, in Chengdu today! Last night me and the remaining members of the Hairy Wang Band had a jam and then went for some beer and meat on sticks...and did some more singing! We were fairly hammered by the end of it, hence the bewildered state today. Last night was the perfect end to my time in Dalian. Hanging out with good friends, drinking beer and playing music. My favourite things!

I can't really say much about Chengdu so far. It was overcast today, as expected. I read that Chengdu gets less sunshine than London! The part of the uni I have seen so far is grand. I am staying in the foreign students' building at the moment. Maybe I will move out and find a place of my own. The accommodation here is fine, but it's just a room. No other facilities in it. Can't cook or wash clothes in it!

I was told that I would be unable to understand Chengdu peoples' Mandarin. SO far, I had no problems communicating with locals- in a taxi, in shops and with the staff in the building here. Of course I can't understand the Chengdu dialect of Chinese. Total gibberish to me, haha!

The food here is supposed to be SPICY! I walked around and yes, I could smell the chili in the air. A friend here is warning me not to eat too much spicy food or I will get a dose of the runs! I'll ease myself into it little by little!

I am in the computer room in the foreign students’ building, so I’ll leave it there for today. More next time....

Back In Dalian Again

Dalian has been good to me since I came back. Ferry crossing from Korea was smooth. The sleeping arrangements were similar to those on Chinese trains. No major problems. I have been lucky with accommodation too. I stayed with one guy for 2 nights until his mother-in-law came, then I moved back into my old apartment – actually now there are other people there! Well, of course I knew them. I didn’t just gatecrash!

It’s been good seeing old friends and eating lots and lots of lovely CHEAP Chinese food, and drinking cheap Chinese beer.

Dalian seems to have had a bit of a facelift since I left. Most of the main roads seem to have been resurfaced. There is an international economic conference (World Economic Forum) in Dalian this week, albeit overshadowed by the APEC meeting in Sydney. Still, it’s the biggest meeting of its kind ever to be held in Dalian, and sure to help put Dalian on the map.

I plan to fly to Chengdu next Monday. Classes start on the 17th. I have been told that I can stay on-campus until I have found my own place.

It’s hard to leave Dalian after 2 years let alone go to a place were I know few people, but it is a new and exciting challenge and promises new experiences! If I don’t like it, maybe I will find myself back in Dalian again, who knows!

The Hairy Wang Band (minus Philip- who was badly missed on lead guitar) had a bit of a jam last Sunday and then at a friend’s house, we recorded the following Kazoo tribute to Radiohead’s Creep:



One of the lads got a Kazoo from someone who returned from Canada. Needless to say, it went down a storm!