April so far…..
So far April has been good to us. My parents and our good friend Colleen sent us
easter egg dye. Last Wednesday all of it come just in time, we hard boiled some eggs and had the students dye them for English Corner. First I brought the materials into the office and let the teachers play around with them. The teachers are just as eager to see all the western traditions as the kids are. I let each teacher dye an egg, they got so excited, one teacher was correcting papers when I explained the whole process so when she was done she just ran over and grabbed an egg thinking she could do it. She started by cracking the egg open and taking off the shell. Everyone was like nooooooo!!! But it was too late. It was sooo cute she looked at me with this face after and gave me a little whine. She made a better one later.
We then brought them outside where about 50 different kids came and went with there eggs. I had to explain to them that you could eat them , but not to keep them for too long or they will go bad. ( I’m sure there is still some un refrigerated eggs in a couple dorm rooms today!) I just want to say thanks for sending that dye, seriesly the best idea ever!! The kids really loved it, they got really creative and gave them a chance to just relax from there day to day studying. I had one girl just look at me and say , Thank you so much for giving me this egg, this has been the best day ever I have had at school. So seriesly these kids were in need of some love and you helped us greatly to give it to them. Thanks again!
Teaching:
So far I have had two really great lessons! First on one of my off weeks I taught my students about hair! I know your thinking oh the boys must have hated it, but after talking with some students Chinese boys actually spend a lot of time doing and talking about hair. We even know one boy that wakes up at 5 just so he can do his hair for the day. Interesting I know! So I decided it would be fun. Plus I really needed a haircut and I thought it would be fun to have the students choose the style. I taught them all the hairstyles and how to say
the English words, like Corn Rows, MoHawk, Bald, Dred Lock,etc. They loved seeing pictures of people with styles, Then I had them choose a haircut for me, I thought I was going to get more “balds” but it actually worked out. I had them vote ( which is such a hard concept in china!) for the best one, then I had a huge bulletin that I carried around class to class so they could see which style was winning throughout the week. In the end this is the one they chose.
I then got the barber to cut my hair, I wonder how long he has been waiting to get his hands in my head!! Now every morning when I walk by his place he comes out and fixes or tells me how I should do my hair! I have created a monster! Friday it was pig tails yesterday it was an updo, what will be next. Although I love getting a haircut with a scalp oil massage and hair straightening for 8 kuai ( US 1 dollar!) He even straightens my hair for free when I ask, How awesome is that??
We also got new glasses! Joe and I
have been needing some for awhile. Especially after Joe left his on the bus back in September. We went to a local shop by our school, had the eye test and everything , it was all state of the art equipment! In total both our glasses cost 50 US dollars, not too shabby! 
Spring:
Now that its spring, there is endless kite flying and out door fun. Everyone is taking in the good weather before it turns hot and humid. I even flew a kite while on my daily run one day. I just kept running around the track, and even passed the boys track team with my kite. They must think there teacher is crazy, its good cause that’s what I was going for! We have been trying to run everyday we can. We find it helps us have a lot more energy for the day.
Facials:
I just went with my Yueyang girls to get Facials. Oh man was it awesome! Only 80 kuai, or like 10 bucks US. This place was amazing. You wore a towel the whole time, at first I was freaked out by that, but it was pampering at its finest. It started with a bag massage complete with oils and lotions and pressure point activation. Then a head rub/scalp itch. Then a facial that consisted of layer after layer of mask cream, oils, gauze, etc. It total it lasted two hours!! I am so upset we are finding these places so late in the game! Man I wish I woulda known sooner. Fabulous!
Chinese Firedrill:
So imagine this. Joe, Mary Claire, Amy and I are eating in Yueyang. Just 4 foreigners eating out enjoying our evening when the entire restaurant stands up and rushes out leaving after what looked to be a Chinese soldier came in and yelled something. We go to the window because theres a mob pushing out the door and why should we just add to it? We are on the second floor on this walking street hot pot place and theres crowds of people outside. Normally back home I guess we would have joined the crowd, but we can see that the crowd is looking at the neighbors place, plus we just got our food, so we continue eating. About 5 other tables do the same, I mean we paid for this food, and maybe we have been in China too long, but whatever we were hungrey. We keep eating and see another table ordered noodles to put in there hot pot. We ask the waitress hey can we get some of those and the boss comes over and interrupts her and says, no we have to close, you gotta leave. It was so funny, we actually had to be thrown out of the fire drill!!! The weird thing was no one came over to say anything to us when the whole thing happened. No younger people coming over and saying hey theres a fire. We really had to figure it all out on our own! Crazy!! So we all got up and ran down stairs, they close the shop and Joe realizes he left his book on the table.. ahhhhh man, so we wait to see if we can get it after the whole fire thing goes out. ( we have been in china too long) As the firetrucks arrive and the firemen start there work we start comparing the firemen to circus clowns. All of them running around with no idea what there doing. Yep theres a lot of them, but what is the plan of action?? Coins the phrase “Chinese Firedrill” I swear two firemen almost bumped into each other like the three stooges. It was horrifying to think that this is the way fire is dealt with. Luckily it was only a small electric fire and not worse. This situation even came complete with drunken official coming on the scene to push the crowds back and “do there part” to help the situation as much as they could.. hmmm right.
Mimi the half dead feline:
Well I have never seen a vet in China, So when Joe came home to find the neighbors cat mimi paralyzed and crying with blood coming out of its mouth, he had no idea what to do. He went to tell our neighbors, but they were giving a test and couldn’t be disturbed. SO joe waited around and finally got a hold of them. The cat broken its back. We wonder if maybe it fell down between the stairs. It was just laying right at the doorway to our stairs that go to our house. The poor thing! Joe said it was weird, they asked what we would do in America and he honestly said we would take it to the vet and kill it. They looked at him like he was crazy, then the girl just started laughing. Here we go with the laughing again. One observation about Chinese people….. if they are uncomfortable they laugh about everything. So she was just trying not to cry I think. Poor thing though, we don’t know if Mimi has survived or not. Ill keep you updated.
Alert the press, no potato mixed with eggs
That’s right you heard it here first, if you mix potato and egg in a meal or while your cooking you will get cancer!! Or at least that’s what a Chinese friend just told us. So Spanish omelets , Good earth Sunday brunch, its all out!! She honestly told us as if it was huge news in her exact words…..”tell your friends oh and your family, this is series” What will the Chinese think of next???
So far April has been good to us. My parents and our good friend Colleen sent us
easter egg dye. Last Wednesday all of it come just in time, we hard boiled some eggs and had the students dye them for English Corner. First I brought the materials into the office and let the teachers play around with them. The teachers are just as eager to see all the western traditions as the kids are. I let each teacher dye an egg, they got so excited, one teacher was correcting papers when I explained the whole process so when she was done she just ran over and grabbed an egg thinking she could do it. She started by cracking the egg open and taking off the shell. Everyone was like nooooooo!!! But it was too late. It was sooo cute she looked at me with this face after and gave me a little whine. She made a better one later.We then brought them outside where about 50 different kids came and went with there eggs. I had to explain to them that you could eat them , but not to keep them for too long or they will go bad. ( I’m sure there is still some un refrigerated eggs in a couple dorm rooms today!) I just want to say thanks for sending that dye, seriesly the best idea ever!! The kids really loved it, they got really creative and gave them a chance to just relax from there day to day studying. I had one girl just look at me and say , Thank you so much for giving me this egg, this has been the best day ever I have had at school. So seriesly these kids were in need of some love and you helped us greatly to give it to them. Thanks again!
Teaching:
So far I have had two really great lessons! First on one of my off weeks I taught my students about hair! I know your thinking oh the boys must have hated it, but after talking with some students Chinese boys actually spend a lot of time doing and talking about hair. We even know one boy that wakes up at 5 just so he can do his hair for the day. Interesting I know! So I decided it would be fun. Plus I really needed a haircut and I thought it would be fun to have the students choose the style. I taught them all the hairstyles and how to say
the English words, like Corn Rows, MoHawk, Bald, Dred Lock,etc. They loved seeing pictures of people with styles, Then I had them choose a haircut for me, I thought I was going to get more “balds” but it actually worked out. I had them vote ( which is such a hard concept in china!) for the best one, then I had a huge bulletin that I carried around class to class so they could see which style was winning throughout the week. In the end this is the one they chose.I then got the barber to cut my hair, I wonder how long he has been waiting to get his hands in my head!! Now every morning when I walk by his place he comes out and fixes or tells me how I should do my hair! I have created a monster! Friday it was pig tails yesterday it was an updo, what will be next. Although I love getting a haircut with a scalp oil massage and hair straightening for 8 kuai ( US 1 dollar!) He even straightens my hair for free when I ask, How awesome is that??
We also got new glasses! Joe and I
have been needing some for awhile. Especially after Joe left his on the bus back in September. We went to a local shop by our school, had the eye test and everything , it was all state of the art equipment! In total both our glasses cost 50 US dollars, not too shabby! 
Spring:
Now that its spring, there is endless kite flying and out door fun. Everyone is taking in the good weather before it turns hot and humid. I even flew a kite while on my daily run one day. I just kept running around the track, and even passed the boys track team with my kite. They must think there teacher is crazy, its good cause that’s what I was going for! We have been trying to run everyday we can. We find it helps us have a lot more energy for the day.
Facials:
I just went with my Yueyang girls to get Facials. Oh man was it awesome! Only 80 kuai, or like 10 bucks US. This place was amazing. You wore a towel the whole time, at first I was freaked out by that, but it was pampering at its finest. It started with a bag massage complete with oils and lotions and pressure point activation. Then a head rub/scalp itch. Then a facial that consisted of layer after layer of mask cream, oils, gauze, etc. It total it lasted two hours!! I am so upset we are finding these places so late in the game! Man I wish I woulda known sooner. Fabulous!
Chinese Firedrill:
So imagine this. Joe, Mary Claire, Amy and I are eating in Yueyang. Just 4 foreigners eating out enjoying our evening when the entire restaurant stands up and rushes out leaving after what looked to be a Chinese soldier came in and yelled something. We go to the window because theres a mob pushing out the door and why should we just add to it? We are on the second floor on this walking street hot pot place and theres crowds of people outside. Normally back home I guess we would have joined the crowd, but we can see that the crowd is looking at the neighbors place, plus we just got our food, so we continue eating. About 5 other tables do the same, I mean we paid for this food, and maybe we have been in China too long, but whatever we were hungrey. We keep eating and see another table ordered noodles to put in there hot pot. We ask the waitress hey can we get some of those and the boss comes over and interrupts her and says, no we have to close, you gotta leave. It was so funny, we actually had to be thrown out of the fire drill!!! The weird thing was no one came over to say anything to us when the whole thing happened. No younger people coming over and saying hey theres a fire. We really had to figure it all out on our own! Crazy!! So we all got up and ran down stairs, they close the shop and Joe realizes he left his book on the table.. ahhhhh man, so we wait to see if we can get it after the whole fire thing goes out. ( we have been in china too long) As the firetrucks arrive and the firemen start there work we start comparing the firemen to circus clowns. All of them running around with no idea what there doing. Yep theres a lot of them, but what is the plan of action?? Coins the phrase “Chinese Firedrill” I swear two firemen almost bumped into each other like the three stooges. It was horrifying to think that this is the way fire is dealt with. Luckily it was only a small electric fire and not worse. This situation even came complete with drunken official coming on the scene to push the crowds back and “do there part” to help the situation as much as they could.. hmmm right.
Mimi the half dead feline:
Well I have never seen a vet in China, So when Joe came home to find the neighbors cat mimi paralyzed and crying with blood coming out of its mouth, he had no idea what to do. He went to tell our neighbors, but they were giving a test and couldn’t be disturbed. SO joe waited around and finally got a hold of them. The cat broken its back. We wonder if maybe it fell down between the stairs. It was just laying right at the doorway to our stairs that go to our house. The poor thing! Joe said it was weird, they asked what we would do in America and he honestly said we would take it to the vet and kill it. They looked at him like he was crazy, then the girl just started laughing. Here we go with the laughing again. One observation about Chinese people….. if they are uncomfortable they laugh about everything. So she was just trying not to cry I think. Poor thing though, we don’t know if Mimi has survived or not. Ill keep you updated.
Alert the press, no potato mixed with eggs
That’s right you heard it here first, if you mix potato and egg in a meal or while your cooking you will get cancer!! Or at least that’s what a Chinese friend just told us. So Spanish omelets , Good earth Sunday brunch, its all out!! She honestly told us as if it was huge news in her exact words…..”tell your friends oh and your family, this is series” What will the Chinese think of next???
Ps.
We also took a ride out to hot spring and hiking area last weekend. Its only an hour away, but when we got to the national park they said there were no boats for that day. Argggg! We did get to see a really cool dam however. Then we wanted to go into the town an
d go to the hotsprings, but there were no cabs or busses out there, so the group we were with of about 15 teachers hailed this truck to stop and we all rode into town in the back of it. It was soooo fun but also soooo scary! When we got into town we found out the hot spring had no water there was renovation going on! Sweet!! So we went back home. Oh well we will try to go again later, it looked like a fun place to visit. Next time maybe the teachers could call ahead. Actually this is china that never happens who am I kidding!
We also took a ride out to hot spring and hiking area last weekend. Its only an hour away, but when we got to the national park they said there were no boats for that day. Argggg! We did get to see a really cool dam however. Then we wanted to go into the town an
d go to the hotsprings, but there were no cabs or busses out there, so the group we were with of about 15 teachers hailed this truck to stop and we all rode into town in the back of it. It was soooo fun but also soooo scary! When we got into town we found out the hot spring had no water there was renovation going on! Sweet!! So we went back home. Oh well we will try to go again later, it looked like a fun place to visit. Next time maybe the teachers could call ahead. Actually this is china that never happens who am I kidding!
posted by Joe and Emily Groshens @ 12:23 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Love love love the hair cut, and you guys are soooo cute in that picture with your new fancy glasses! I almost cried when I saw it, we miss you guys so much! I'm glad you are having such amazing experiences over there! Love you guys!
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