The Chinglish Language! Harbin, China
Harbin, China-March 15, 2013
Today at school I decided to tape some tidbits of my kids! I didn’t want them to be distracted so I couldn’t tape so well. One of my TA’s told me she had a dream about me the night before about me coming back to their school! lol I just love the kids here: Always giving me massages and trying to teach me some Chinese terms and they love it when I try to learn it! I get a round of applause! Lol =) I’m gonna miss working at the public school! Now I’ll just be with private school kids…After eating at our favorite spot with the really nice family owned atmosphere, last night, I stopped at the florist to try to get a little something to add some dimension to my room. I saw some beautiful Orchids! Omg! I have to go back and get it but they didn’t have a good enough Vase to fit it so once I go get my own I will definitely be going back. I ended up buying a lucky bamboo and some other type of bamboo—I think its a powerful something one that I can’t remember the Chinese term for. I walked in not knowing anything and there was a young-ish man
and woman there who helped me find what I wanted. The lady and I both spoke Chinglish to each other whenever we were stumped for words. The guy seemed not to know any English at all and told the lady to tell me that I was so beautiful. I was shocked and thanked him in Chinese. The lady and I held a little small talk in our own broken languages and then gave me a good price on the 2 different types of Zhú (bamboo) and a vase! It only cost me 15 kuai (approx. $3). The family at the restaurant we love always is hospitable to us and they actually try to understand our bad Chinese and they try to practice there English. The other night when I was leaving the Dad gave me a free Coke! (Nice!!) lol People here are never too busy to give us help whenever we ask and so many people like to practice a little bit of there English on us far and few between foreigners. I’ve also met some really nice expats. Some have been here for 15 years to 5 years to 2 years to 6 months—thier Chinese ranges so much! But it is so cool to see how much Chinese they have learned in the time being that they have lived here….We become a family because most of us are displaced from our own families back home. One of my student’s grandfather from the Private School I work at went out of his way to learn my name and we talk every time he has a lesson with me because his English is pretty good. It is a little broken but he understands what I am saying when I speak slow. He used to be a school teacher and he told me to today that he can “feel that I am a really good teacher” That was the best compliment ever! I love GRANDPA’s!!! (Before I leave I have to get a picture with him) He was asking me when I was leaving and that I shouldn’t go back so soon… He is concerned about his grandson because the child lost both parents 2 weeks ago and is now being raised by the grandparents. He was entrusting so much in me with his grandson, I was nervous in the beginning, but he is opening up so much to me. I love it here! Everyday is a new adventure! #RandomPost #LotsofVideos