Phili Does Phili?

Welcome back.


It's just 12 days before I fly off to Hong Kong (again) and then onto the second largest archipelago in the world.  With some 7000 tropical islands, The Philippines has an extensive coastline and is the 12th most populous country in the world - at around 92 million people.

image c/o of Wikipedia

In one of my more rash moments, I have forked out the cash to be on exactly the same flight as Zhong Xiaohui (a.k.a Lisa), a single, career-minded, Chinese 36-year old IT Software Designer for a French owned DIY company.  We will be travel companions for 10 days, flying out on 11 February to the capital, Manila, and returning on 21 February.  We will, subsequently, both miss the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) which falls on 14 February, also Valentine's Day.  We will both, however, be celebrating our birthdays while we are away. She will be 37, I will be 39. 

It should be nothing less than amazing.  I will be in feisty, stimulating company.  She speaks good English but is quite demanding and headstrong.    I am excited by it.  Normally a lone traveler, she contacted me via my previous blog  .  She desperately doesn't want to travel alone and if I hadn't have gone with her, she would have found someone else.  She is quite blunt about what is 'her style' or 'not her style'.  Should be quite a challenge for me.

All this comes at a time when I not so happy about living at 1603. Since officially breaking up with Xiaodan, I have felt less keen to be there and less keen to teach Fu.  I also sense, and have done for some time, that his mother wants more than just a teacher for her son.  It's too complicated for my liking and I seriously will consider whether I want to carry on living there during my time away.  I will either continue and put the effort in or I will flee.  If I do the latter, then I need a follow-up plan of where to live.  It's early days but if things go well with my software designer then I may move in with her.  You heard that here first.  Or, of course, it might all end with an argument on a beach in Boracay in which, like Dr Seuss's north-going and south-going Zax, neither of us offers to budge.

This is what makes life great, however.  The unknown, the risks, the excitement (rather than contentment) that can keep a person feeling young.  Chris Bedford, my former employer, once taught me to do something every day that involves taking a risk or scares you.  I have actually remembered that motto well (it's actually from Elaenor Roosevelt).  

Above: Serving 'free' cake to Lisa at Banana Leaf on Saturday

Meanwhile, the first semester has ended with better than expected scores from the students and many of them being offered conditional places at Birmingham Institute of Art & Design.  Many are holding their hopes with the University of the Arts, London. Local interviews will be held in March.  They have now all gone home for the Spring Festival and will return just before the next semester begins, on 1 March.  The next semester should be better and, possibly, easier to teach.  I am personally thankful that Angela (outgoing DOS) is taking a back seat now and that David (new DOS) is stepping in to sort things out.  I have struggled to keep her going.  Even on the last day, Friday, she was distraught after a taxi driver nearly killed her and turned up more stressed than usual.  I had to persuade her to focus on checking students reports rather than trying to make an impromptu lesson plan for the sum total of 9 students that were present.  She appreciated my help, but she has been too stressful to be around and i can't wait for things to be more organised next semester.


I will be based at the Bell Office for 8 days, until my holiday, rather than at the university.  I hope that I don't get roped into teaching in that time and can spend some quality time planning what we are going to teach in the future.  There will be less focus on IELTS language skills, and more focus on Study Skills and EAP - preparation for being a student overseas.  I will probably be giving my own or jointly presented lectures.  I want to apply for a summer school position with Bell, but I realise it is far too early.  I am thinking about doing 4 weeks, not 6, this time, with around 2 weeks either side to see family and friends.

As each day goes by, I am keener and keener to return to China in September.   Things change, however. Situations change.  Things have to evolve, people have to move on, try new things and as the Filipinos say 'bahala na' (whatever will be will be).


TP

Halfway Point

Thanks for popping by to read my blog.


Bit of a delay this time around.  My computer crashed and I had to fork out 150 yuan for repairs this week.  I was without regular access to the internet for a whole 4 days.  I survived, just. However, that is nothing compared to the money I have just forked out for a well-earned vacation - 4656 yuan - 10 days in the Philippines.  Yes, you read that correctly... the Philippines !!


It kind of feels like the halfway point in my 10 month stint in China.  By this weekend I will have been here exactly 5 months and I am pretty certain that I will be leaving before the end of June. 


I have asked for a full refund on my gym membership.  The pool has still not been made available for use, so I have asked for money back.  December was supposed to be a free month while I waited for my years membership to begin.  I haven't used the place this year, so am in the process of getting a refund.  Similarly, the concert I was due to go to this week - The Killers - was cancelled, so I am expecting a full refund from that, too.  All proceeds will go toward my Philippines Fund.  I know I can't really afford it, but heck - i deserve it - and that's what the credit card is for after all.  I will still pay back those I owe in due course, but a bit later than planned... sorry!


My mind is a bit of a whirl at the moment.. I'm writing this having just booked my ticket.  I will be away from 11th - 21st February... will miss the Chinese New Year celebrations, but I will spend my upcoming birthday on the 4th Best Beach In The World (sic):


http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/feb/16/beach.top10?page=2


The semester is coming to an end.  Students are packing their bags, reports are being written.  Plans are being made for the next 2 weeks planning.  The new kiwi Director of Studies is in situ and throwing his own particular weight about.  To have survived this winter is an achievement.  It is getting warmer, slowly, but the sunshine is breaking through now and Spring... and the Spring Festival approaches. Except I am not going to be in the country for it!


As for other news...


I was buoyed by the purchase of the majority shares of West Ham United by the two Davids - Sullivan and Gold - absolutely great news for the club.  The only way is up now.. especially in terms of keeping the books properly balanced - and the club is back in the hands of eastenders again after a long time.


but i was a little shocked by the news, back home, of Jim Wallace's death at the age of 63. It was his idea for me to sit on top of the Albatros mast which led me to raising funds towards my trip to Tanzania, and thus head me off into the sunset that is Teaching English as a Foreign Language.  Not to mention, a figure from my childhood, experienced CAB advisor, Corner House whiskey shlurper, general Irishman and former resident of the Whitehouse!


Oh, and I spoke with my ex last week, as you probably know.  And, indeed, she is my ex.  We are 'living separate lives' which was kind of the news I wanted to hear.. but it immediately freed me up... for example, booking a flight to the Philippines, which I don't think would have happened if we were planning a future together.  I have been meeting up with my Saturday language exchange friend, Mandy, but she is very young, a tad immature and thus the search for a real soulmate goes on.


However, I may have met her.  Just maybe.  And maybe that soulmate's name is Lisa.


TTFN


TP

Skating On Thin Ice

As I never intentionally watch television here in China, I get all my world news from the Internet.  My first stop is usually the BBC, while The Guardian is a close second, followed by Reddit and If I am not feeling serious, the highly satirical Daily Mash.  Not a day or two goes by without a story about my host country.  It seems that the world watches this country with interest, knowing that it has a such a huge population,  prominent roles in world economics and the environment, plus a (whisper it!) stubbornly non-humanitarian approach to people's beliefs and rights.  It also has extensive censorship, all for 'the good of the people'.


If I asked what have the following interestingly descriptive animals got in common:  Grass Mud Horse,French-Croatian Squid, Singing Field Goose, Intelligent Fragrant Chicken ? you would probably not have a clue.. unless, of course, you did some internet research.  I suggest that, if you are my parents especially, you don't bother as they are rather crude mythical creatures and internet memes referring the state of censorship in this country. 


The big news these past seven days has been Google's threat to withdraw from China.  It says this is because of cyber attacks on known human rights activists. It wants to end self-censorsing which is part of the agreement to operate within this country, which has famously and indefinitely blocked Facebook, Twitter and most external video-sharing sites like YouTube (owned by Google), and does not usually respond to threats such as this.  We only need to look back to last month's execution of the mentally ill Briton, Akmal Shaikh.


Cynics, as well as Baidu (China's most popular internet search engine) believe the Google isn't making enough money, but that is hard to believe when it has an alleged 30% market share. 


Of course, the really big news this week has been the devasting earthquake in Haiti.  Again, a serious, record-breaking amount of donations have come through social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook.  Haitian Wyclef Jean, for one, says his yele haiti organisation has raised over 1 million dollars, while the American Red Cross have been 'tweeted' 8m in donations already.

yele haiti

American Red Cross

Word spreads quicker than ever. The ability to react quickly to the all-too frequent need for disaster relief is something in which much criticised social networking sites can be a power of good.   Even this 'blogger' site has the option to embed an advert calling for donations.  Google UK, of course, right now, is displaying plenty of links underneath its home page.


And, of course, the Chinese are generally less aware of the numerous viral campaigns to raise money, because of the amount of censorship it applies through all of its media.  It remains to be seen what happens with Google.  It is only the Chinese version we are talking about here, although the Google UK version is subject to image/news blocks if not accessed through a proxy server. 


Anyway, in other news... and this may be my last blog before it gets closed down so enjoy...




I had my teaching observation this week at CAFA.  My outgoing Director Of Studies gave me plenty of complimentary feedback on my lesson.  I felt it went well and wsa representative of what I can do on a good day.  I was 'above the standard' required by Bell, which is all I can ask for, really.  I would have been disappointed to scraped a 'standard'.  The following day, Friday, we all met the incoming DOS, a Kiwi called David, with extensive experience in running academic courses, teaching and setting up a training company for police officers back in New Zealand.  I think he will be quite tough, but a welcome recruit.  I may not be around in 6 months' time but he has signed a 2 year contract to show a commitment to Bell and has clearly been head-hunted by the top people within the company.  The word 'troubleshooter' springs to mind.    We celebrated my current boss' birthday on Friday at the Mississippi, in which several Bell personnel appeared, including the girls from the office who very rarely drink and were quite sober by comparison. I had to return the video camera so that footage could be taken, but without me being employed only a few minutes were snapped up.  I will borrow the camera again for The Killers, as the Las Vegas rock/pop ground roll into town on Tuesday week.

I am writing this, still waiting for 'Shenzhen' to come online.  For technical difficulties, read incommunicado.  Meanwhile, Laura has returned home to problems of an overbearing family who seemingly want to run her life.  Furthermore, the trip to Shaolin, if it takes place, will be without Fu, who surprsingly doesn't want to go.


On a positive note, I have found a website that surprisingly links to official BBC sports commentary and works, even in China!  It means access to live football commentary if I want it and, more importantly, live cricket commentary. Not that listening to the fourth and final test in Jo'burg offers much enjoyment!

STOP PRESS:


I have now spoken with Shenzhen - the first time for 3 months - and it seems we are 'living separate lives'.. which kinds of makes me officially 'single'.

New Year Regeneration

 

"I don't want to go," said the 10th doctor (aka David Tennant), and with that he regenerated into the new doctor (aka Matt Smith).

I don't want to go," said Fang Liu (aka Laura).  She was perfectly happy living in Beijing.  However, her father rung while we were eating an Italian lunch one Saturday and, with the backing of the wider family she felt pressurised into returning home to Xinxiang and a bank job in Zhengzhou, Henan.

And with that, she regenerated into a new language-exchange friend, Liu Xiaomeng (aka Mandy) although it may not work out quite as well as Laura.. as she speaks very little English.  And she is even younger than Laura, at 23!

 I spent Laura's final night with her, first in the bookworm and then in the reggae-influenced 31 Bar, in Houhai.  We walked along the icy-cold promenade between the overpriced bar strips to one side and some twilight ice-skating on Qianhai Lake to the other.  It was the completion of a tour of tourist hang-outs for me, the last area of often namechecked areas of the capital, which I hadn't previously visited.  It will be splendid, albeit heaving, in the summer, I am sure.  We smoke the hookah - Arabic-style pipe, full of safe apple-scented aromas and watched a Uyghr flamenco band from the autonomous and contentious region of Xinjiang.

Over at CAFA, the vultures have been circling again, trying to rip off the rest of the meat from a dying corpse of a so-called 'Foundation Course'.  The goalposts have shifted so much since I started work here and now the groups have been hastily rearranged, at CAFA's request.  Those with sufficiently good IELTS scores don't even have to turn up for lessons, something they were unofficially avoiding anyway.  The rest of them have to suffer a different teaching arrangement for just 3 weeks before the end of semester one.  It looks like I will be busy filing reports and pushing students into writing half-decent personal statements between now and then as well as inventing stuff for the classroom.  My boss will then leave at the of the month but not before she has regenerated into a Director Of Studies from New Zealand.  He arrives on Friday 15th.

I am hoping that February will bring a less chaotic situation and indeed, with the spring festival approaching, very few students to teach.  I don't know at this stage if I will actually have to teach anyone in the first 2 weeks of next month.  Contractually I have a 40-hour week, with 20 hours contact time.. but it is never been that high in reality.  Although all the students with scores of 4.5 or less in the IELTS exam are compelled to attend an 'intensive' course' at Bell for 2 weeks, I can't see it happening. They have difficulty getting out of bed and into lessons when they live on campus so getting them halfway across the city will prove impossible, I believe.  A week off (13-19 Feb, incl.) is definitely guaranteed, however and I am making tentative plans for that.  I want to seriously studying Mandarin, which will only truly happen if my hours are drastically cut down.  I have a book which promises to give you all the knowledge you need in 30 days (or your money back).  Except, I borrowed it from the Bookworm, so I won't get anything back as such... but any improvement on my current woeful Mandarin ability will be welcome.  I don't think I will learn much Mandarin from Mandy (hey! I just noticed the interesting play on word possibilities there!)  but we might "eat food and have fun".. beginning with a trip to the cinema today and ice-skaing in Xidan next Saturday.

My other female interest has been and gone it would seem.  The skype-only 'Lisa' relationship, which boded well, has bitten the dust, once she found out my living situation.  It appears to have put her off because she doesn't like 'complication situations' - neither do I, but it is difficult to convince someone that I have no 'relationship' with Coffey anymore and no 'relationship' with her aunt, short of a practical situation where I teach her son and I get to live in 1603 rent-free.  That hidden agenda, those unknown family links, those unsaid conversations remain elusive to me... so i will continue to plead ignorance.  Ignorance is bliss!

Check you later!

TP

postscript:

One day after writing this blog, I found myself, unexpectedly, having a heart-to-heart with my landlady over my future and my feelings towards Coffey.  For the first time, I expressed my thoughts and feelings about the situation.  I have explained how I will return to the UK in late June and that I have no plans yet to return to China, or to travel to Shenzhen before I leave.  I do need to contact her if only to find out how she feels, but the lack of communication between us has caused a division.  Apparently, there is no great discussion going on between North and South and my current domestic situation is not dependent upon a future with Coffey.  So, I will make contact before the Chinese New Year and then make some decisions about my future.

A Snowy New Year

A happy and a very snowy new year from Beijing.  2010 has kicked off with ever low temperatures and a fresh bout of beautiful, fine snow.  Artificial powder had already been sprayed around the Birds' Nest (National Stadium) to create a 'winter wonderland' feel for the 2nd Snow Festival.  However, on the night of the 1st/2nd, January some heavy white stuff fell on the capital once more and the snow machines were packed away for another year!  Tonight (Sunday 3rd Jan) temperatures will reach as low as minus 18 degrees.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8438235.stm

I went skiing for the first time in my life.  Something that everyone seems to have done at least once, but not me.  I quite enjoyed it and despite the odd fall, was soon up to 5 year old standards - they were overtaking me to begin with!  Later, we threw each other around on rubber rings inside the nest itself.  The inner child came out and I took the risks I wasn't prepared to as a kid myself, leading to me being 'told off' on a couple of occasions by security staff.

Yet more snow fell, even thicker, on the following day.  It was made of the finest watery ingredients, delicate to the touch and it fell deep, deep, deep in the streets.  Cue various website friends' groups, such as Tiang Tiang's Wangjingpd.com, innocently playing around and using the snow for photo opportunities.  This was the 3rd day of the New Year holiday, so there was fortunately no English School today for Fu.  Unlike back home, this is not because of a 'little bit of snow'. 

My mood isn't fantastic, however.  I am temporarily half-deaf.  A visit to the hospital proved inconclusive, other than my hearing is below normal and that it is more likely to be due to a narrowed blood vessel than ear wax.  I've tried nasal spray in vain, so I wait until it gets better.  Maybe it is just the cold, but dirt it isn't!

I saw in the new year with Hannah, good friend and colleague from Bell, and we both agreed to be out but to have a relatively quiet one.  In the end, Nanluoguxiang provided the right balance.  Warm and chinese ambience, not drunken and foreign - which 798 or Sanlitun would have been.

After a well-earned lie-in on New Years' Day, I ventured back to Nanluoguxiang (my new favourite area) to meet Fang Liu (Laura) and her own work-colleague, Liu Xiaomeng (Mandy).  This was a new year handover, with Laura passing the 'language exchange' role to Mandy.  However, the latter appears to be more shy and may be harder to get to know.  Anyway, I don't expect I will study any harder.. although it would be a perfectly reasonable new-years' resolution.  Maybe if I had a month in a retreat and didn't have to teach!  Talking of retreats, today is the day I fix up a meeting at Hai di lao (chaffing restaurant) between landlady and Laura. The aim - to be able to take Fu away for a few days, with Laura as interpreter and guide, to Zhengzhou, Henan and the Shaolin Temple.

I have twice been to KTV since I last wrote - once with my students and the CAFA staff.  A bizarre affair in which I was warmly invited to perform.  I duly bashed out The Eagles' 'Hotel California' whilst looking like Morrisey (from the Smiths).   The same night I watched a singer-songwriting New Yorker performing her own stuff in a quiet little place called Luce off Golou.  2 nights later and I am at Melody - a KTV brand of choice struggling to find songs I wouldn't mind singing.  My voice had deterioriated, however, and my company were embarrased by the references to New Zealand which kept appearing on screen.  Too difficult/improper to explain why that should be embarrassing!

<< for more winter wonderland photos click on this link >>

click here for a news website which has published my photos

STOP PRESS:  Before I go to bed to avoid the sub-zero temperatures (not before I have read about Man Utd being dumped out of the FA CUP), a quick note to say that the meeting went ahead and Hong Yan seems to have agreed to taking her son away in February for 2 nights.  I still find it remarkable that she is prepared to do this, and that I am, frankly, prepared to have offered in the first place.  I wouldn't have done it without Laura's backing, mind you.  And she is more than happy to be interpreter/reassurer.  I think I did the right thing in arranging the meal tonight.  Laura returns home next weekend.  It was also an opportunity to talk about my continued teaching of Fu and how we can improve things..

STOP STOP PRESS: Text came through earlier to say that the heavy snowfall today means that SCHOOL is CANCELLED tomorrow.  So a small lie-in for Hong Yan and a slightly later rise for me!  Shades of back home, at last!  No such luck for me, although I suspect attendance will be as low as on Friday when I had just 2 students in my class and there were only 10 in total !