Got Milk? Don't.

Well, don't know if you've heard or not, but milk is bad in China. I know we've been saying that for years, but now we really mean it. Don't drink it; it will give you kidney stones! Apparently thousands of babies and children have gotten really sick from drinking formula because of some added chemical. We just heard about it a few days ago. Our friends and students started telling us because they know how much we talk about milk. Mainly it's three brands that have been recalled, but do I really trust the others? Not enough to get kidney stones in China! The saddest part of it all is I had finally found a milk that I liked enough to put in my cereal. And we use milk so much for cooking! I can't decide if it's worth the gamble to use small amounts in to cook with, but I will say powdered soy milk cereal just isn't awesome.

Here's an article about it:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26859570/page/2/

Drink a glass in our honor...

Mid Autumn Festival

This year for Mid Autumn Festival, Brad, Katie, and I went to Wuhan to spend some time with Peach and fill up on some good food!

We took a bus in Friday night and met our dear Peach. Then Saturday morning we headed to Starbucks for a good coffee fix. We met our friend Maggie and played...LASER TAG! Now, this was my first laser tag experience so I have nothing to compare it to, but it was hilarious and super fun although we all sweat more than we'd care to recall. And I might mention this is not a common attraction in China to our knowledge, so this was a rare treat. We hear there's paint ball in Wuhan too...

After sweating to death in laser tag, we headed to the much loved Gianno's for some excellent Italian food, then headed to the new walking street in Wuchang. There are so many new stores and Western things coming into this area. We even ran into some other foreign friends and met up at Starbucks later on.

Sunday morning we went to see the Yellow Crane Tower. We hadn't heard that it was that great, which is why we hadn't been up until now. But for Wuhan, I think the Yellow Crane Tower wasn't bad at all. We saw a traditional music performance from an early dynasty in Wuhan and walked up and down pagodas trying to catch a breeze. Then we headed over to a huge snack street where you can try so many strange and wonderful foods. They even had chicken wings on a stick! And something resembling a gyro kabob!

We had some time to kill before meeting a Family so we each munched on a mooncake in honor of Mid Autumn Festival, though none of us particularly cares for them. After meeting with some friends that night, we had dinner outside and looked at the moon together as that is what families are supposed to do on Mid Autumn Festival. Luckily for us, it was a rare, clear night in Wuhan and we actually did see the moon.

Monday we headed to Metro to stock up on cheese and cream cheese then bused it back to Yichang. Oh how I do love Yichang. Wuhan has become less dreadful over the years, partially because we know how to travel there and the tricks of the trade, but nothing is as sweet as coming back home to Yichang!

It is what it is...

I received an email today explaining the upcoming "7 Day Holiday." Except it's not 7 days at all. It's three days plus a weekend, and we have to make up classes by moving around our schedule to the weekend before. It's the crazy Chinese way. But why not just call it what it is? A three day holiday.

Here's the email....anyone confused? :)

We will have a seven-day holiday for celebrating the Chinese National Day; that is from Sept.29th to Oct.5th, among which Oct.1^st, Oct. 2^nd, and Oct.3^rd are three lawful holidays. On Oct.4 and Oct.5^th 3^rd we will enjoy our Saturday and Sunday as usual. But if you originally have class on Oct.29 and Oct.30, then you need to come to have that class on Oct. 27 and Oct 28 respectively; meanwhile, if you originally have class on Sept.27th and Sept 28th, then you need to come to have that class on Sept 29^h and Sept.30^th respectively. In other words, if normally you do not have class on Sunday and Saturday, then you will be free on Oct 29 and Oct. 30; but on Oct.27 and Oct.28 we will have Monday’s and Tuesday’s classes for substitution. Please see the table:

DATE	Sept. 27	Sept. 28	Sept. 29	Sept. 30	Oct. 1	Oct. 2	Oct.3	Oct.4	Oct.5
Adjustment	Sept .29’s class	Sept.30’s class	Sept.27’s class	Sept.28’s class	Lawful holiday	Lawful holiday	Lawful holiday	Saturday	Sunday

Pita!

I successfully made pita pockets today...they may be the smallest pita pockets ever, but hey, they are still pita pockets. And whole wheat* at that! and they taste good! In a land filled with sweet, white bread, I'm so thrilled at the possibilities this wheat pita brings. I won't pretend it's my own recipe. Check it out here. How do they puff up so effortlessly?!

*I did cheat and bring wheat flour from America...i.e. Mom, send more :)

Not an awesome start

So this morning I receive a call at 8:09.
"Where are you? You have an 8 am class. Your students are waiting for you!"
"Um, I was told this morning's class was canceled."
"No, your students are waiting. You must come now."
"But I just woke up. I will be very late. Can't we reschedule?"
"It is very difficult to reschedule. They are very busy."
"But I'm not prepared for class. I was told it was canceled."
"Just talk to them."

Sigh.

So I called May who had told me there was no class. She called the first guy. She calls me back. Yeah, I have to go to class. Oh and by the way, that class will probably be given to a teacher with fewer hours than me starting next week so I'll never see them again. But yes, I must still go to class. So I start to get ready. There's no water. Great. I throw on some clothes (thankful I'd taken a shower the day before) and rush up to class only to meet 3 of my apparent students on the way.

"Are you an Oral English teacher?"
"Yes."
"Um, we are your students but all of the students have left because we waited a long time."

And who could blame them? But seriously. So here I am, waiting to go to yet another class that will probably be given to another teacher starting next week. But I still have to go.

In all of this, the good news is I realized I could tell that whole story in Chinese! Well, most of it, and like a 3 year old, but hey, it's communication.

English Major Heaven

Well I've tasted what it feels like to teach English majors now and I'm never turning back. :)

I walked into a class of wide-eyed, excited students rehearsing texts from Unit 1 on the first day of class. Geez.

They clapped for me more than once. I was told my English was so standard and easy to understand (How's that for a southern mumbler!).

One kid, in the middle of his introduction, said he was a little nervous and asked the class for encouragement. They burst into applause, and he, apparently feeling encouraged, pressed on.

Oh, and I have two random students: one from Korea, one from Italy.

I was a little nervous about having Katie and Dawson's old students, but these kids would love anyone that speaks English, so I think I'm set.

I could get used to this...