Friday, February 5, 2010
A Little Update
In November, I put in my notice at my job. Our last day of school before Christmas break was on Dec. 11th (the day before we headed back to the US) and that was also my last day teaching. There are multiple reasons I decided to do this, but I won't go into them all here (it's a long and winding story). The simple reason is that I wasn't happy. This will hopefully free up time for me to do some of the things I love like spend time with Ralphie and Andre, travel more (we are currently on a trip to Suzhou, Shanghai, and Harbin - more on this when we get back), update my blog, and get my butt in shape. Hopefully everyone had a healthy and happy holiday!
Reverse Culture Shock
When you are an ex-pat, moving to a foreign country for the first time, "culture shock" is a phrase you hear often. People/books tell you all about how different life will be for you in whichever country you will now call home. In fact, I even bought a book bearing this title that was totally devoted to the in's and out's of life in China and what we could "expect."
Andre and I definitely experienced culture shock when we moved to China and throughout the next six months or more. Things consistently surprised us and we were filled with wonder and curiosity about life outside our "normal." Over time, things began to seem normal and seeing things we would have once been shocked, surprised, outraged, etc. by...no longer seemed that interesting. This was the primary reason I stopped blogging, I no longer had any idea what would be interesting to read/write about...it was no longer new and exciting. China became our home, and the US became a place we went a couple of times a year to see some really special people in our lives. We settled into a routine, made new friends, and life went on.
On our last trip to the US (we were gone for 6 straight months) I began to observe this phenomenon that I will lovingly refer to as REVERSE culture shock. The following are some things I noticed about the US on our trip:
1.) Sensory overload!!!!!! I could read any and EVERY sign I wanted to. It no longer blurred to a rainbow of colors with the recognition of a character every now and again. I could read billboards, shop signs, street signs, and every other thing out there. Not only could I read and understand everything, but I could also listen and understand everyone. Andre and I could no longer sit down in a busy restaurant and talk about anything we want (however inappropriate) at whatever volume we wanted to. When we talked, people actually understood us...yikes!! And also, we understood them!! I couldn't even count the number of times I rolled my eyes in Andre's direction because of someones meaningless conversation that I was unwillingly a part of because they were talking AT THE TOP of their lungs. Don't get me wrong, the Chinese people are notorious for talking SO loud. But, when I cannot understand most of what they are saying I tend to fade into my own unknowing bliss. Was it good? Was it bad? I don't know, but it was certainly different!
2.) People actually wait in line? In the US, everyone is so sensible about lining up and people do it without really even thinking too much about it. Most people are considerate, and it is with silent communication and respect that we let those who were there before us have their turn and we wait patiently for ours. In China? No way! It is a free-for-all. Even if you are in a civilized place where lines are suggested (for instance, in a hotel where each aisle is roped off and you choose whichever you want to get your turn to check-out/check-in) people still don't get the memo. And not only do they not wait in line, but they will even push in front of you WHILE you are being helped!! Talking to the lady at the desk about the mini-bar?? No problem, hold on while she helps this guy who just pushed in front of you because apparently his time is more important than yours. This drives me nuts, and whenever I return to China I have to get stepped on a few times before I remember that I have to be pushy to get anything done here.
3.) You have to tip?? You can't scream (sometimes at the top of your lungs) at the waitress when you need her? These two go hand-in-hand and are two of the things I love about China. No tipping is glorious, and something I take for granted until I come back to the US and begrudgingly add my 20 percent to the receipt for the girl who took ages to come back by my table. In China, there is no tipping and all of the waitresses in the establishment are willing to bend over backwards to make sure you are satisfied. Any one of them will come over at any time and you aren't stuck with the crappy one because no one is assigned to tables. Why would they be? They aren't going to get a tip, they are just there to serve you. When Andre and I were out for dinner one night in the US, we finished our meals and decided we were ready to leave. We both looked at each other with a meaningful glance because in China you would just yell out and someone would come scurrying over. Instead, we had to wait for someone to come by and the politely inquire after our bill? WHAT? The nice thing about this method is that you don't have someone constantly coming by and interrupting your meal to ask you if you need anything. No, in China they know that you don't need anything unless you are yelling for them. Have I mentioned in this blog that you have to be assertive here? :)
Andre and I definitely experienced culture shock when we moved to China and throughout the next six months or more. Things consistently surprised us and we were filled with wonder and curiosity about life outside our "normal." Over time, things began to seem normal and seeing things we would have once been shocked, surprised, outraged, etc. by...no longer seemed that interesting. This was the primary reason I stopped blogging, I no longer had any idea what would be interesting to read/write about...it was no longer new and exciting. China became our home, and the US became a place we went a couple of times a year to see some really special people in our lives. We settled into a routine, made new friends, and life went on.
On our last trip to the US (we were gone for 6 straight months) I began to observe this phenomenon that I will lovingly refer to as REVERSE culture shock. The following are some things I noticed about the US on our trip:
1.) Sensory overload!!!!!! I could read any and EVERY sign I wanted to. It no longer blurred to a rainbow of colors with the recognition of a character every now and again. I could read billboards, shop signs, street signs, and every other thing out there. Not only could I read and understand everything, but I could also listen and understand everyone. Andre and I could no longer sit down in a busy restaurant and talk about anything we want (however inappropriate) at whatever volume we wanted to. When we talked, people actually understood us...yikes!! And also, we understood them!! I couldn't even count the number of times I rolled my eyes in Andre's direction because of someones meaningless conversation that I was unwillingly a part of because they were talking AT THE TOP of their lungs. Don't get me wrong, the Chinese people are notorious for talking SO loud. But, when I cannot understand most of what they are saying I tend to fade into my own unknowing bliss. Was it good? Was it bad? I don't know, but it was certainly different!
2.) People actually wait in line? In the US, everyone is so sensible about lining up and people do it without really even thinking too much about it. Most people are considerate, and it is with silent communication and respect that we let those who were there before us have their turn and we wait patiently for ours. In China? No way! It is a free-for-all. Even if you are in a civilized place where lines are suggested (for instance, in a hotel where each aisle is roped off and you choose whichever you want to get your turn to check-out/check-in) people still don't get the memo. And not only do they not wait in line, but they will even push in front of you WHILE you are being helped!! Talking to the lady at the desk about the mini-bar?? No problem, hold on while she helps this guy who just pushed in front of you because apparently his time is more important than yours. This drives me nuts, and whenever I return to China I have to get stepped on a few times before I remember that I have to be pushy to get anything done here.
3.) You have to tip?? You can't scream (sometimes at the top of your lungs) at the waitress when you need her? These two go hand-in-hand and are two of the things I love about China. No tipping is glorious, and something I take for granted until I come back to the US and begrudgingly add my 20 percent to the receipt for the girl who took ages to come back by my table. In China, there is no tipping and all of the waitresses in the establishment are willing to bend over backwards to make sure you are satisfied. Any one of them will come over at any time and you aren't stuck with the crappy one because no one is assigned to tables. Why would they be? They aren't going to get a tip, they are just there to serve you. When Andre and I were out for dinner one night in the US, we finished our meals and decided we were ready to leave. We both looked at each other with a meaningful glance because in China you would just yell out and someone would come scurrying over. Instead, we had to wait for someone to come by and the politely inquire after our bill? WHAT? The nice thing about this method is that you don't have someone constantly coming by and interrupting your meal to ask you if you need anything. No, in China they know that you don't need anything unless you are yelling for them. Have I mentioned in this blog that you have to be assertive here? :)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Working for the Weekend!
I am a working girl now!! Yay ME!! After a year of not working, this has actually been a big adjustment. The first week, I was absolutely exhausted every single night. But, when I withdrew money from my very own bank account for the first time it was all worth it!! I am somebody!! hahaha :)
The job definitely has it's ups and downs. Right before the school year started, the principal was replaced with someone new. So, the first week we were supposed to report (new teachers only) everything was in disarray. They knew who the new principal would be, but he was vacationing in New Zealand and wouldn't arrive until the following week. Although decisions had already been made about the upcoming year, it was all subject to change with the turnover! We spent the first week doing nothing, and it was a total disaster. The second week, all of the returning teachers came back and everything seemed a bit more organized. We also met our new principal, who is really wonderful. The following week, our children finally reported. After two full weeks of teaching, I am beginning to get in a routine a bit more. As of right now, I only have 5 children. After the first week of October, I will have 7. I will have 3 Chinese children, 1 Australian child, 1 child from Thailand, 1 from Brazil, and 1 who has a Vietnamese mother and a father from the UK. Wow! What a mix!! This means, that only ONE of these children speaks English as a first language. This has been really difficult, and something that I will struggle with all year. Although, I have already seen some growth in them. The kids are really cute, and they truly seem to enjoy learning. I also have a cooperating teacher in my room who speaks Mandarin & some English. She is usually able to translate for me, and we get along really well.
I know this will really be an adventure for me but...I am up for it!!
The job definitely has it's ups and downs. Right before the school year started, the principal was replaced with someone new. So, the first week we were supposed to report (new teachers only) everything was in disarray. They knew who the new principal would be, but he was vacationing in New Zealand and wouldn't arrive until the following week. Although decisions had already been made about the upcoming year, it was all subject to change with the turnover! We spent the first week doing nothing, and it was a total disaster. The second week, all of the returning teachers came back and everything seemed a bit more organized. We also met our new principal, who is really wonderful. The following week, our children finally reported. After two full weeks of teaching, I am beginning to get in a routine a bit more. As of right now, I only have 5 children. After the first week of October, I will have 7. I will have 3 Chinese children, 1 Australian child, 1 child from Thailand, 1 from Brazil, and 1 who has a Vietnamese mother and a father from the UK. Wow! What a mix!! This means, that only ONE of these children speaks English as a first language. This has been really difficult, and something that I will struggle with all year. Although, I have already seen some growth in them. The kids are really cute, and they truly seem to enjoy learning. I also have a cooperating teacher in my room who speaks Mandarin & some English. She is usually able to translate for me, and we get along really well.
I know this will really be an adventure for me but...I am up for it!!
Happy Birthday to ME!!!
I realize this is a little late, but had to fill everyone in on what a fantastic birthday I had. My birthday festivities actually kicked off 10 days before my actual birthday when Andre and my girlfriend Zar threw a surprise party for me. Let me preface this story by saying, I make it next to impossible for people to surprise me. Especially Andre...I pick up on EVERYTHING!! Plus, I ask incessent questions and want to know everything!! That being said, Andre is a terrible secret keeper. So that, combined with my being so nosy...well, you get the picture. Anyway, for several weeks the boys had been talking about having a guy's night out. So we said fine, we will have a girl's night out! With this alibi in place, Andre was able to keep secrets becuase anytime he was acting sneaky and I asked him questions, he would say..."It's official guy's business, I can't tell you!" And I would drop it without much bother, because I knew this was legit. So that Friday night I went over to Zar's and we had a few drinks and were just hanging out with a bunch of girl's. People were complaining about being hungry, and then they "spotted" this restaurant near the apartment pool and said we should go check it out. I didn't think much of it as we walked over there. As I rounded the corner to the pool, I saw a big group of people including the BOYS! My first thought was, uggghhhh...why are we crashing the guy's party??!?!! Then, I saw the huge banner that said Happy Birthday Kelly and everyone yelled "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" We proceeded to eat and drink and have a huge pool party which was an absolute BLAST! I was totally surprised! Andre later told me that Zar had told him that if he ruined the secret she would slit his throat...it must have worked! ;)
My actual birthday weekend, we went to Hong Kong. Several of our friends from Dongguan joined us there. We went out for Mexican food on Friday night. On Saturday we hung out, then went for a Harbour Cruise at night. It was really beautiful because the skyline was all lit up, and they even did a light show to music! It was pretty impressive. After that, we went out in LKF (which is a really popular bar district and there are always a TON of foreigners). The next day we went to the champagne brunch at the Intercontinental Hotel. It was a fantastic weekend, and fun was had by all!!
My actual birthday weekend, we went to Hong Kong. Several of our friends from Dongguan joined us there. We went out for Mexican food on Friday night. On Saturday we hung out, then went for a Harbour Cruise at night. It was really beautiful because the skyline was all lit up, and they even did a light show to music! It was pretty impressive. After that, we went out in LKF (which is a really popular bar district and there are always a TON of foreigners). The next day we went to the champagne brunch at the Intercontinental Hotel. It was a fantastic weekend, and fun was had by all!!
Monday, August 3, 2009
What a month!!
July has come and gone leaving us hot & SWEATY!!! At the beginning of the month, I thought...it can't possibly get any hotter than it is now. Boy, was I wrong. This is the hottest, most humid weather I have ever experienced. Right now, it is 3 in the afternoon and the temperature on our sun soaked porch is reading 126.3 degrees. Last night as I was talking to my family, (who were complaining about wearing long-sleeves) the temperature was reading 101.7 degrees...at 11:30 at NIGHT!! We can't seem to get a break, and I have a feeling August has more hot weather and sweat soaked clothing in store for us!!
Ralphie still continues to adjust to his life in China. He is not a fan of the heat. We take him outside where he immediately does his business and then pulls us back to the apartment. He collapses on the floor panting, and occasionally takes dips in his water bowl when he knows we aren't watching! ;) He has made some friends here and enjoys playing with them. He still continues to be shy when we have guests over, but is warming up to some of our friends who come over frequently. He actually makes me feel like a bad Mom when he cowers away from people trying to give him treats, but then bounces around the apartment like a crazy dog when only Andre & I are here. Hopefully he will get used to everyone soon. After a month and a half, though, he still isn't used to our maid. The good thing is that he usually doesn't bark when she comes in anymore, but he still runs away from her if she gets too close for too long, or she talks to him a lot. He appears to still be freaked by the Chinese language. I am sure after a year or two of living here, he won't even understand our English anymore!! :)
I was supposed to start work on the 6th of July, which fell through at the last minute. The government mandated that all summer schools & programs close for the summer due to H1N1. Because of this, I won't start until August 17th (MY BIRTHDAY!!). This will be orientation, as the students don't start until the end of the month. I am really anxious to start, and I know I will have many fun stories and pictures to post then!!
Andre has been busy visiting factories and travels around 2 times per month. He enjoys staying busy & does not like times that are slow.
I have a week off at the end of September/beginning of October and we have just booked tickets to Malaysia. We will be staying 2 days in the city of Kuala Lumpur and then traveling to Langkawi Island to relax at the beach and spend some time snorkeling and doing some diving. We are REALLY looking forward to this vacation, and have heard some really wonderful things about Malaysia.
I will be sure to update again after my birthday. I know I will have lots to share as I start my job and we spend my last free weekend in HK with friends to celebrate the big 2-7! :)
Ralphie still continues to adjust to his life in China. He is not a fan of the heat. We take him outside where he immediately does his business and then pulls us back to the apartment. He collapses on the floor panting, and occasionally takes dips in his water bowl when he knows we aren't watching! ;) He has made some friends here and enjoys playing with them. He still continues to be shy when we have guests over, but is warming up to some of our friends who come over frequently. He actually makes me feel like a bad Mom when he cowers away from people trying to give him treats, but then bounces around the apartment like a crazy dog when only Andre & I are here. Hopefully he will get used to everyone soon. After a month and a half, though, he still isn't used to our maid. The good thing is that he usually doesn't bark when she comes in anymore, but he still runs away from her if she gets too close for too long, or she talks to him a lot. He appears to still be freaked by the Chinese language. I am sure after a year or two of living here, he won't even understand our English anymore!! :)
I was supposed to start work on the 6th of July, which fell through at the last minute. The government mandated that all summer schools & programs close for the summer due to H1N1. Because of this, I won't start until August 17th (MY BIRTHDAY!!). This will be orientation, as the students don't start until the end of the month. I am really anxious to start, and I know I will have many fun stories and pictures to post then!!
Andre has been busy visiting factories and travels around 2 times per month. He enjoys staying busy & does not like times that are slow.
I have a week off at the end of September/beginning of October and we have just booked tickets to Malaysia. We will be staying 2 days in the city of Kuala Lumpur and then traveling to Langkawi Island to relax at the beach and spend some time snorkeling and doing some diving. We are REALLY looking forward to this vacation, and have heard some really wonderful things about Malaysia.
I will be sure to update again after my birthday. I know I will have lots to share as I start my job and we spend my last free weekend in HK with friends to celebrate the big 2-7! :)
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Our Photo Page
I have created a page on Shutterfly that I will be using from now on to upload photos. If I have your e-mail address, you should have received an e-mail with the information. The address is http://andreandkelly.shutterfly.com. Continue to check back to this blog, as I will still be updating it.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Ralphie's in China!!
For those that don't know...we finally decided that we couldn't live without Ralphie any longer!! He has been staying with Andre's parents since we left in October and we have been going back and forth on whether or not to bring him since we left. However, we finally decided that we wanted to bring him back with us, and I am so HAPPY with our decision. He has been adjusting wonderfully! He was definitely sick of his cage and ready for some love (AND FOOD) when he arrived in Hong Kong, but since we arrived in Dongguan (after he got over his doggy jet-lag) he has been happy and well adjusted. He has some friends (Potter & Penny, dogs of our friends' here) and we have been walking them all daily. He is still not quite sure about our maid, but I am convinced it is because he doesn't understand Chinese! :)
I took some pictures of him in this new place, but unfortunately it is not allowing me to post them. Hopefully this block on blogspot will be lifted soon, and I can post some really cute photos of our guy. Until then, Ralphie says "Ni hao" to all his friends back home!
I took some pictures of him in this new place, but unfortunately it is not allowing me to post them. Hopefully this block on blogspot will be lifted soon, and I can post some really cute photos of our guy. Until then, Ralphie says "Ni hao" to all his friends back home!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
