today was 800 blog posts...

I have a speech to give tomorrow. My speaking teacher is a student at my school and is about 4 years old and 3 feet tall. She has never taught before and didn't realize it's ridiculous to make speeches start on the second day of class, and lucky me my name is the first on the class roster.

No worries though, I've got people.

Today was a crazy day in one aspect. I am emotionally exhausted from dealing with negotiating with my boss. (I'll write about it tomorrow when the situation is hopefully resolved). I had dinner with the Concordia MAIS group at PIZZA HUT(!!!) and then came home exhausted but still needing to prepare my dumb speech. No worries, though, because I decided just to do what I did last semester and teach some Chinese proverbs and idioms. Easy shmeezy.

Here is a glimpse into how I get my information. I have a Chinese QQ messenger account with over 400 former students added to it. When I need something, I send out some mass messages and BOOM, I am inundated with answers and help.

This particular chat is with Steven. He was never my student, but became my friend while I was working at the university. He was/is in the guitar club and would perform at all the university functions/performances/whatevers. I feel like I have a "one-up" on my classmates because I have this amazing pool of resources and information in my former students. Look how easy this is:

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:30:14

hey steven! can you help me, please? How do you say the chinese saying "one foot cannot stand in two boats?" what is it in chinese? I want to teach it to my chinese class tomorrow but I forget...

steven(quitar) 09:34:22

I show you in pingyin

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:34:46

ok

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:34:51

or hanzi

steven(quitar) 09:35:49

yi jiao bu neng ta liang chuan

一 脚 不 能 踏 两 船

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:36:19

谢谢！

steven(quitar) 09:36:26

can you get it?

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:36:32

got it

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:36:41

someone taught me before but i forgot. haha. thank you

steven(quitar) 09:36:55

you are welcome

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:39:00

i have to give a presentation in chinese for 5 minutes, so i will teach them this saying

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:39:36

do you know any other good sayings in chinese I could teach?

steven(quitar) 09:43:53

I will graduate soon

steven(quitar) 09:44:14

haha

steven(quitar) 09:44:25

let me think it

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:44:30

cool! what will you do then?

steven(quitar) 09:44:59

to work

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:45:26

cool.

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:45:30

in guangdong?

steven(quitar) 09:45:56

I have recived an offer by a company in Guangzhou

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:47:10

cool! good job

steven(quitar) 09:51:03

do you konw "person cannot be of two minds"？

steven(quitar) 09:51:19

in Chinese is

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:51:37

no i dont know that one

steven(quitar) 09:51:50

ren bu neng san xin er yi

人 不 能 三 心 二 意

steven(quitar) 09:52:59

can you get it ?

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:53:09

cool, ya i get it

steven(quitar) 09:53:16

good

steven(quitar) 09:53:25

good student

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:53:34

wait: what's the last yi? mind?

steven(quitar) 09:53:35

nice teacher`!

steven(quitar) 09:53:39

haha

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:53:47

haha hen hao laoshi haha

steven(quitar) 09:53:48

yes

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:53:54

cool, thank you!

steven(quitar) 09:54:05

it mean "mind"

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:54:11

i need to go write my speech now. i'll tell my classmates you helped me, haha

Jessica 柯晓梅 09:54:14

cool

steven(quitar) 09:54:34

yeah~!thats cool

steven(quitar) 09:55:00

nice cooperation

Thanks, dude. :)

Other exciting exchanges today include:

1: My Scottish dormmate fasted during Spring Festival for 33 days. He did not take anything into his body for 33 days except water. He looks like he has cancer, his face is so sunken in. He claims it was the best thing he has ever done because he rid his body of everything and now only puts good in. He is one of the most wacky, interesting, determined people that I know. He has been known to say things like, "I just need some F*%&*& Jesus in my life!"

Anyways, we were chatting outside our dorm today and he was talking to me about the upcoming HSK test we will take in June. He told me that he lent his books to one of our dormmates but wants to give it to me. He said, "You know that Indian guy. Pakistan. Whatever. Short. Beard. Well, you come get me, and we'll go find him and kick his ass. Well, you'll kick his ass and I'll watch because I'm weak."

I laughed for like 30 seconds. This is really my life. A Scottish dude is telling me to go gick a Pakistani's bum while he watched because he fasted for 33 days. THIS IS NOT REAL LIFE.

Well, I'm not going to be kicking anyone's bum over a study book and that "Pakistan guy" is my friend. It was just such a funny exchange.

Also, I was on the phone with a Chinese woman today discussing me tutoring her 15 year old son. Ms. Fang is a friend of my last semester's head teacher. I just adored my teacher, we built a strong relationship over the 5 months because I was the "class monitor." Well, I saw him in the hall a few days ago and he asked if he could give my number to his friend to tutor her son. Sure thing, I said. I'd do anything for my teacher. (like a good Chinese student, adapting those Confucian ways, haha).

Fast forward to today, she calls me and we are chatting in Chinese while I am in the grocery store buying a bike, (again, another story for later, seriously today was 800 blog posts worth of occurrences). We decide on our time and price and location and then I did the obligatory, "weeeee my chinese is so bad, heehee," thing that people are supposed to do to be humble or whatever in this culture and she responded with, "Oh no, your chinese is so good. Lin Laoshi (my old teacher) told me that you speak like a native, but that you read like a baby. This is why I just call you and don't send you a text message, I was afraid you couldn't read it." Then she giggled.

So, I speak like a native, but read like a baby. Thanks, teach. haha.

Today was nuts. Tomorrow will be too. Actually, I'm not sure any day will not be nuts until June. Or I leave this country. :) But nuts is fun and adrenaline filled, so it's all good.

Also, I drank a cup of coffee today. First one in 6 months. And it felt like heaven.

Peace.

walk slow. xoxo.