Mumblings and grumblings

I need to get out of my own head. So I'm going to try to do that by writing in here. I don't know I'm just a little panicky and depressed as of late. My school is ridiculously frustrating. Not the kids, they are great, they do what I want them to do, I can make them understand me, if not I move on. It's the friggen teachers sometimes. My contact teacher's English as well as the English of several of the other teachers is rather poor. So when I'm trying to get them to explain something to me I get all frazzled and normally just smile and walk back to my desk. I just want to know what these kids know as far as English is concerned. I have a sort of guideline for the younger ones but the older ones - nothing. If we were starting at the beginning with these kids it would be easy (or it wouldn't be) but at least I'd know that everyone was at the same level. Maybe those guys who took primary had their head in the right place. They just tell me to get them talking. Talking about what!? There are other teachers who are feeling this confusion like I am. We're not teachers but they don't seem to understand that. We also sort of go the raw end of the deal because we didn't get the "full training" due to extenuating circumstances. So we're sort of up the creek with only a quarter of a paddle and a bag of feed for the sharks.

I also want to know when I get paid. Something that I have already asked them and they said "sometime this week" which could mean whenever. Remember we're dealing with the Sears' repairmen here. I just don't know what borders on annoying if I ask too much.

Holiday is coming up, that's what I need to tell you guys that I keep forgetting. That's also why I'm here now on Saturday (and then tomorrow which is Sunday.) It's a seven day work week so that we can have seven days off next week. I am not going anywhere...well that's a lie, I'll go places just not heavy traveling. The Bao'an group wants to travel to Shanghai. 400 yuan to sit on a train for 16 hours to go to Shanghai and drink and spend the whole time with foreigners doesn't really sound like my idea of a good time. So me and Brendon decided to stay behind here in Bao'an. I've already been invited to come visit Cara and Kim in Luohu and also to go Mountain hiking with one of the teachers so I have some plans. We'll see what the rest of the week brings. Maybe a trip to the ocean, maybe to Hong Kong. Everyone is just itching to travel. I don't see why, we just had a ridiculous experience coming to China itself, I think maybe I'll save the heavy travel for the next big vacation.

Of course for that week I probably won't be online (due to no internet.) If Cara or Kim have internet I may ask to use it for a short while but not long. So if I go without answering emails or writing blogs or all that please understand. The break is from Monday to next Sunday. It's National Week and it happens all throughout China (which is cool.) All the Chinese at once go on vacation. It's a little intimidating.

Also there are pictures....somewhere on the internet. No I joke, they're on myspace. I generally have a venerable hatred for Myspace that can only be cured by going on websites such as facebook. However magically when it comes to uploading photos from China, myspace has been the only website that has cooperated. SO. If you have a myspace account awesome. If you don't you can either look through someone else's or I can upload the link here to view the photos. If it doesn't work I'm SURE that you know someone who has an account so that you can see them. http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=51271440&albumId=2625484
Is the link. Enjoy please! There are pictures there from Chicago, Zhuhai, and Shenzhen.

I'm currently reading "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemmingway at Gavin's recommendation. The next book is "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" I know heavy reading but Terry Prachett was too light for my mood as of late.

I think I need to go back to sleep, if I can't get out of this funk.