While in Malaysia, I had the complete privilege of meeting all kinds of wonderful people. Morgan and I were in a mixed gender dorm room of our hostel so it's kind of inevitable you end up talking to the people you may be sharing a bunk bed and room with. The way it started was one of the guys (Tim) accidentally bumped into Morgan while crossing paths in the small room and Morgan, being the outgoing and talkative woman she is, introduced herself and thus begin the adventure. It could have ended with Tim just saying 'Hey' and then completely ignoring us the rest of the time but it tells me a lot about who he is that he immediately introduced Morgan and I to the rest of his friends. We soon discovered that we all had a lot of the same plans in mind for the next few days and ended up spending half of our time in KL together. These people were so awesome to meet and I honestly can't imagine what KL would have been like without them. When in close quarters and spending several hours together with the same people, you tend to create a bond quickly. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy conversation flowed as we swapped stories of university life, living in westernized countries that were still completely different, and what it was like living on opposite sides of the world but still have the same love of travelling. Morgan and I really hit the jackpot on travel companions.
(Around table from left) James, me, Tim, Morgan, Mary, Ysabel, Silas, Rob
James aka The North Star- James is the one you can pick out in a crowd and also the one that you may expect to be intimidating and gruff when he is actually completely the opposite. :)
Tim- He is fiercely loyal to the people he cares about and you can always count on him to have your back.
Silas- When he asks, "How are you?" he is genuinely interested and always knows how to keep conversation going without being intrusive.
Rob- The funny guy that makes the faces everybody else makes in their head but can hold an intelligent conversation about serious issues.
Mary- She is a fun and outgoing gal that loves musicals as much as I do!
Ysabel- She also is a musical lover and has an air of sophistication that draws people to her.
I stole every single one of these photos from Silas without his permission. I hope he doesn't mind. :)
I'm so excited to have a new place to go and visit friends now. I will for sure let you all know when I start planning my trip to the Philippines!
Last semester, I ended up chance meeting a friend that just so happened to own a music school in Yantai. We went to dinner once, and hung out a few times for talk and drinks. His English speaking level was quite low but had no real trouble understanding. He drove me to the airport the day I left to return to the States which was completely unexpected and promised to take me to some concerts and introduce me more to the music scene of Yantai when I returned. A few weeks, after school started up again this month, he texted me inviting me to a party and to sing at said party with him. Haha I sort of knew what I was getting myself into. I ended up being the ONLY foreigner and pretty much the ONLY one who could speak any English. But positive side was it was just basically people doing a cover concert which I could DEFINITELY get (even though I couldn't understand the words). Come to find out, it was a going away party for my friend Youchao and he was moving back to his hometown which is in western China. When he was driving me home after the party I could tell he wasn't very happy. On his face, was an expression humans can only describe as pained. All he could manage to tell me was that his parents wanted him to move back home and he had to take care of his family. He's lived in Yantai for 5 years and all of his friends and memories are in this city. There was definitely more he wanted to say but obviously couldn't communicate them to me in English. I hope I can see him again before he leaves.
Some kid today in 4th grade out-taught me today. We were doing a song and there were two words that I had a goal to teach them (ostinato and unison). We had sang through the song several times and then I normally always ask what are some observations they made about the song like words, style, instruments, rhythm things, repeats etc. Well this kid sticks up his hand and states very matter of factly, "Well I noticed there was some ostinati in it."
Well fine kid, you just teach the class.
Then all of my teacher friends will know what I mean when I mention that one kid that can make or break your class. I have him in one of my secondary classes. This boy...ok he needs a name if I'm going to go on about him.
TANGENT: I do better talking in code names. Makes things easy for me, not so easy for you. I've been using code names ever since I was in middle school. Ok lemme see if I can think of a kid that was like him when I was middle school. I can't think of one. END TANGENT:
Ok so RED FLAG #1 was the first day I started handing out music, the FIRST thing out of his mouth was, "Why aren't we doing pop song?!" Because kid, you're not good enough to sing 'em yet. Shut your mouth. Never in my almost 2 years of teaching has a kid asked me that. Now I've had my fair share of the this is borings! and uuuugghhhhsss! and do we have to stand ups? Those I can handle but when you immediately question something that I'm doing, that raises a FLAG. Skipping school due to chronically being "SICK" was RED FLAG #2. I had half a mind to get in a taxi every morning and get this kid to school because that's how much I care about and love him. I had wondered when RED FLAG #3 would rear its ugly head which it did in full force today. I handed out a song, we sing it through a few times and after I ask for some observations, he then opens his mouth (pretty rudely I might add) "Uh...this is a song for elementary kids right? That you gave to us?"
He also has the tendency to be a real jerk to people in general. He is a boy that is trying so desperately to be a man. He is very near to that age, however he hasn't learned to control his i-hate-the-world-and-everyone-in-it attitude. I've had several personal conversations with him but what teenage boy wants to take the advice of his young, yet older and more sage female music teacher?!
Every Sunday, I spend a few hours at a coffee shop planning for the upcoming week. Most of the time a foreigner or two walks in and there will be a short conversation or quick hello and that's it. This time though, my friend and I spent quite awhile discussing challenges of living in a China with a particularly interesting man hailing from Australia. He then contacted us later asking us to dinner with he and a few of his work friends. My roommate and I (Americans) ended up that week going to a Thai restaurant for dinner (in China) with 3 Chinese and 2 Aussies. It probably couldn't have gotten anymore multicultural. It was an enjoyable and social evening. Two days later they fixed an authentic Australian barbecue to celebrate Australia Day (national day). We had ribs and potatoes and shot off fireworks to celebrate.
Yarp Request: I am having some troubles focusing on things I truly am passionate and care about. Mainly regarding people. I'm being really vague but.....don't care!
Farewell.
Also, I don't know what the word 'sploitered' means. I may have made it up.
You must watch this video before reading the post.
This video has said what everyone has never wanted to say. Everyone has maybe thought it, but no one has had the guts to actually speak up and put into words what the rest of us are thinking and wouldn't dare to actually admit.
I suppose I should first state that I'm proud to be an American. Just as the Brits should be proud they're Brits, Aussies should be proud of Australia, Germans should be nationalistic of their beer and brat days and harsh sounding language, and Chinese should be proud of their population, long history and impossibly hard language. I am so thankful to be in part of the country in which I was raised.
But to be honest, one reason I moved away from America is because it was mundane and I wanted a challenge. I was always provided for my every whim. I could grab cherry limeade whenever I felt the craving, if I was sick I could get into my own car and drive myself to a doctor's office, if something quit working in my house it was so easy to get on the phone and get the problem solved without anyone ever physically being in the house. If I was lost somewhere I could pull over to a gas station and ask someone for directions.
You all have read the many adventures of me struggling my way around China but this is mainly due to language barrier. As soon as a Chinese friend gets on the phone, the problem is almost instantly or on the way to being solved, just as it would be in America.
Each country has humans that are, in fact, human. They have the same thoughts, feelings, fears, hopes, and dreams just like any human with soul does. Every human feels guilt, supremacy, defeat, victory... Just because this big spot of land on the North American continent is stamped with the name AMERICA on every map does NOT give it any more power than another country. Heck, Russia takes up more space on a globe but do you ever hear of people saying, "Ah Russia! I've always wanted to live there!" I have seen the Angkor Wat, The Great Wall of China, the Dead Sea, and countless cathedrals throughout Europe but do you ever really, honestly hear advertisements for these places in America? Then you go somewhere overseas and constantly nationals will ask you, the american, "Have you been to Los Angeles? Have you seen the Grand Canyon? Have you met Obama? Have you been to Washington D.C.? What is New York like? How much money do you make? " Those statements reveal what America looks like to the rest of the world. A huge, populous, diverse country who's president gives great speeches, we have all sorts of cool natural landscapes (ie Yosemite as mentioned above), and basically people that gallivant all over the country doing whatever the ___ we want and not giving 2 ___ about anyone but ourselves.
Ok I have to pause.....Breathe....continue...
I am not trying to hate on America but more so hate on ignorant people, myself included. Our country was founded on principles that we have forgotten. Morals that people apparently no longer have or believe in. Seriously, our founding fathers knew what was up. I don't know if you guys have read the Declaration of Independence lately but that thing was some pretty real stuff. Read it. We actually thought about what we said before saying it and considered others and future people's needs before ours. We were forward thinkers instead of present thinkers. That, in my opinion, is one of the problems we need to recognize. We are so wrapped up in the here and now, we don't take two seconds to consider how that may influence the future. Now some will over analyze the future but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about educating yourself to educate others. Be informed.
Day 28- I'm thankful for new TV shows that some how got freaking cancelled. And by this I mean SELFIE starring John Cho (Sulu in the new Star Trek films and Harold from Harold and Kumar) and Karen Gillan (Amy Pond from Doctor Who). It's based off of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion or for some that may know it by its more familiar musical name My Fair Lady. I can't stop watching the show. I already liked both of them separately and now together? Perhaps its my growing affinity for Asian men that keeps me coming back. HA!
Day 29- On Friday, my friend and coworker, Abby, and I took off to Xi'an as a Tgiving and birthday gift to Abby. It was about a 4 hour flight with one stopover. We arrived at the airport, were then picked up by a younger guy holding a sign with our names on it and he took us immediately to our hostel. We checked in smoothly and paid for our stay, taxi rides, and tour all in one go. Here is what we saw in just a short 24 hours.
The magic archer
This is the butt-half of a horse. Heehee
Pit 1 with a couple thousand restored soldiers
The history of this place is definitely worth some research but too long to post here.
Day 30- I'm thankful for TAEYANG and Roy Kim. Number 1 because I can't freaking stop listening to them. Number 2 is that they have made me have a closer connection to my students in less than 24 hours. I won't go on with backstories of who they are because I'm not sure of all the details myself but just know that Taeyang is a solo artist who is still part of a kpop boy band called BigBang and Roy Kim was the winner of a Korean star finder show called Superstar K4. I had their songs stuck in my head most of yesterday and even figured out the chords to their signature songs. I started plinking around on the piano and my secondary girls practically started screaming as if Taeyang was standing in the room when I played the opening chords. Soon it was
"(GASP) MISS MCCLURE! YOU KNOW THIS SONG?!?!?! YOU KNOW TAEYANG?!?!"
"I mean, I've listened to this song. It's catchy. I can only hum the tune and play part of it. It's not like I can sing it in Korean."
"WE CAN!!! PLAY IT MISS MCCLURE!!"
I obliged. They started singing. So for that I'll thank you Taeyang for making my students perhaps respect me a little bit more and look at me in a different light.
Below is the video for 'Eyes, Nose, Lips' the song that was discussed above.
There are English covers of this song. Just takes a quick YouTube search. A short translation is that he was with a girl. She left him and he reminisces what she looks like but finally comes to terms with the fact that even though it's hard, he'll get over her. Seriously, if people knew about this song in America it would beat out TSwift and 'Say Something' in a hot minute. Also, anyone that would like can just TRY to look at Taeyang and tell me he is NOT a beautiful man. I dare you.
I can now play the below song 'Bom, Bom, Bom' on the uke at a decent pace.
And the English cover version. This guy does a BUNCH of English covers of Korean songs! It's great to be able to understand. But let me tell you, the songs sound better and probably have more meaning in their native tongue.
I think that's it. This was a long 'un.
Till the next time.
Day 23- I'm somewhat thankful it's getting cold outside. More thankful I have warm things to keep me warm and PM 2.5 mask for the pollution that's getting worse by the day. Also it just keeps my face warm. I snapped this elevator selfie before heading out to the grocery store. Also, I got told last night that I apparently dress like a child. Sorry not sorry that I wear warm clothes.
Day 24- I am thankful...for this:
Kind of. But I guess Thanksgiving is past now so it's allowed to get Christmasy. Yantai sure isn't wasting any time with their massive Xmas tree.
Day 25- I am thankful that Our Father is more powerful and bigger than anything going on in our country at the moment. I honestly have had no real desire to delve too deep into any media or news stories regarding Ferguson. I find out enough from skimming my Newsfeed.
Day 26-
I am thankful for tight-knit groups of students. I wouldn't go so far as to say our students are all BEST friends with one another, but for the most part they are pretty cordial with each other. We definitely have cliques in our school just like anywhere else but in a school our size where everyone knows everyone's business and the Asian culture of saving face and the Korean hierarchy system there is a level of respect among them. These are 10-12 grade students playing an orange relay game in which they couldn't use their hands. It was colonial days in which students participated in many colonial games and activities like candle and butter making, writing with quills and colonial games of orange relay and marbles.
Day 27- I'm so thankful my grandma knows how to use technology and can Skype me every Tuesday and send me recipes when I need to make something for work Thanksgiving. I'm fairly certain I successfully prepared her delectable fruit salad. We'll see how it goes over with everyone tomorrow at our staff Thanksgiving!
So this happened DID NOT happen. I was all set to fork out some money to go see Mockingjay on the SAME day as everyone else on IMAX. Yantai recently opened a brand new SEVEN floor mall with multiple international stores AND an IMAX movie theater. A friend and I visited the theater about a week ago to inquire when we could buy tickets. There was a MASSIVE sign hanging behind the desk advertising the movie and countdown to the opening. The man kindly informed us of potential movie times and when we could buy tickets (2 days in advance). Fast forward to today. My friend returned to the theater today in order to buy tickets only to discover the gigantic sign was removed and the workers basically acted as if they had no idea what she was talking about when asked about the movie.
I can't make this stuff up people. Anyways there was much gnashing of teeth, beating of the chest, fist to inanimate objects and frustrated yelling at the sky (internally). But then while contemplating reasons it became quite obvious. I won't elaborate for reasons but if you don't know the story of Mockingjay it is basically a community of rebels that rise against the government that claims to have control and perfected life for its citizens in order to maintain peace and fairness. Just mull over that for little while. :)
