I am having a hard time thinking of things to write in this blog; one friend told me to just make up funny things because no one would know the difference I can't do that. So, instead I post less frequently.
I have become more comfortable meeting the local people of China. I told you about my Qing Ming experience and how interesting and enjoyable it was, now I have a new one.
I teach part time at a private English school. The students live at the school and study only English. I teach 4.5 hours a week there. I have started using tongue twisters in all of my classes. I was surprised that this tool has not been widely used, students like them (particularly when I mess them up) and it seems to help their pronunciation. One class at this school has 25 students and I gave them the Peter Piper...twister to practice and I told them I would take the best male and female student to lunch. They had a week to practice. Not all of them practiced and I was surprised that Josh and Bu Bu won. For two weeks we could not get our schedules to match for lunch. So instead of lunch Josh and I went to Bu Bu's grandparents home for dinner.
Their home is a condo in a very large complex. The grounds of the complex are well maintained and have many amenities (Bu Bu says the pool is too small, I think she means shallow). The buildings are 8 to 9 stories tall and have no elevators. Her families unit was on the 5th floor, I am tired of stairs and my calves are the size of Popeye's forearms.
Their unit was very modern. Neo-modern, a lot of sharp corners, a wrought iron stair case to second floor. It was furnished with plush furniture and glass and brass tables and, the dining room table was in the Ikea style. The decorations were also Ikeaish.
Her grandparents are 75 and 68. I was the first foreigner they had ever eaten with, at one point Bu Bu told her grandfather to relax that I was a nice foreigner. When she told me they were nervous I put aside my nervousness and asked them questions about their life. Turns out they travel quite a bit. They are off to Hangzhou soon to visit a daughter.
There were five of us eating and their were seven dishes, plus dessert. I did not like the dessert but everything else was very good. The grandfather made a soup that had dumplings made from fish paste, flour and egg, it had a lite taste and was good. Bu Bu was very happy we like the dishes she made. It was funny, they were surprised to see me using chopsticks. They offered utensils after I fumbled a couple of times but I refused. They were impressed I was able to use the chopsticks to eat chicken wings, you never use your fingers here, chopsticks for all.
I have been invited back, I told them I will make a western dish. I am thinking of fried chicken or lasagna. I would need to find an oven to make the lasagna.
Well I am boring myself so I will talk to you later.
The drought is over, yeah.
I am thinking of buying a scooter. Some of my Chinese friends are fearing for my life.
Terry
