Sayings of a YAS student

"Miss McClureeee" (Always a nice long EEEEE at the end)
"Today you have makeup!" (Apparently I must look entirely different when I don't wear it)
"Today you SOOOOOO brutuful!" (One of my kindergartners tells me this practically every day)
"You have black on your eye!" (Kindergartner referring to the eyeliner I was wearing)
"PRINCESS!! MERMAID!!!" (Little mermaid leggings I had on one day)
"What is dad-gum?" (I choose to say Dad-gum as my swear word in front of students)
"I kick Santa Claus!" (This student didn't get legos for Christmas
"Meesta Chrees is the harlk (Hulk)!"  (His English tutor IS quite strong)
"MOOOSEECCC CLAAASSSS"
"You no have boyfriend? You no want to get married?! But NOW is good time!" (3rd grader that was outraged I wasn't already tied down)
"PUSH ME MISS MACLOORE! PUSH ME!!" (Swings at recess)
"We play freeze dance today?"  (Answer: NO!)
"Miss McClure. The drumset. There is a cymbal rusted. Can I take it? And fix?" (One of my highschool boys that plays drums and clearly knows more about the drumset than I ever will)
"We watch movie today?" (Answer: NO!)

These are ones I could come up with off the top of my head. Thought I would share.

Keep the Earth below my feet

This post has no plan in mind.  Except for the fact I am TERRIBLE at the Chinese language.  I really don't have any pronunciation problems but remembering any phrases other than, "I don't understand," and "I don't speak Chinese," I tend to have problem.  The main reason for this is because I really have no opportunity whatsoever to speak Chinese.  My students and coworkers and close friends all speak English.  In fact, outside of those employed by my school (who all speak English and Chinese fluently), I only know one or two native Chinese speakers.  It has only been since I've been back in China how much of a bubble I feel like I've been in ever since moving here.  It makes me feel very ignorant in this country that I now call my home.  Especially considering the fact that our Chinese teacher we had last semester has now moved to a different job and no longer works for YAS.  Please be yarps that I can find someway to continue to practice/learn Chinese.

In other news, I bought a guitar.  Why it has taken me almost 24 years to finally break down and buy one I'll never know.  I think I have a name picked out but we'll see how it fits after I've had it for a few weeks.  A nearby music store was going out of business and the man was selling everything he had for a VERY discounted price.  In addition, the man is a believer and was more than happy to give us a lot of extra things/accessories. For around sixty U.S. dollars I got a guitar, capo, 2 picks, 2 new strings, a guitar stand, and a truss rod wrench.  Tell me where you will find a deal like this in States.  Only thing I need is a case but that will be another purchase for another day. :)  For now I can tinker around with my uke AND guitar.  Plus now most of my friends all have guitars so we've talked about just having a jam session where we have 7 or 8 of us all play together.

I will be travelling this upcoming weekend so please be in yarps for safe travel and for my experiences.  It will be a post for another day.

The title of today's post is based on the Mumford and Sons song, Below my feet.  Right before I left the States to return to China, I got on a Mumford kick.  Mumford is not labelled as a 'Christian' band whatsoever but their lyrics definitely have some spiritual connotations. This song in particular discusses how the narrator has worked and worked but seems to see  no fruit from his efforts.  The cry is that through everything, to keep pressing on and SERVING and LEARNING.  Learning takes work and work takes time and effort something we never think we seem to have. My time is limited in China as much as I don't want to admit it.
"Do human beings ever realize life while they live it? -every, every minute?"     -Thornton Wilder, Our Town

A Ricktatorship

The first week back in Yantai was fairly uneventful. All luggage made it back to China, I was legally allowed to enter the country once again, school started with myself much more organized than in the previous semester and I'm still living out of my unpacked suitcase even after a week here.
I've restarted this blog in hopes my posts may actually be saved and somewhat more organized than on the previous blog.  I kept it up fairly regularly until the beginning of November only to discover the website had deleted almost half of my posts.  This event greatly impacted my want and motivation to continue blogging.
Anyways, aside from all that, I really do want to start up writing again on this forum.  Therefore I can write only what is on my mind.
Many times in China there are problems.  We fondly like to say, "Welcome. This is China. Where nothing can just be easy."  This includes everything from being unable to find COTTON BALLS at the local store to having to visit 3 places and have 5 days pass before I could get internet restarted in my apartment.  However, now having lived abroad nearly 6 months I have come to the realizations these things could happen anywhere; not just in China.  Maybe not the cotton balls things but problems in general.  My colleagues and I have to constantly question ourselves on whether the current unpleasant situation is a 'China' problem or a 'anywhere' problem.  Those that live abroad may know what I will say next.  So many times when we experience something unpleasant while traveling overseas we tend to like to blame the country in which we are present for ALL of our problems.

• No one can understand me when I speak. I hate this country.
• My work is so frustrating. I hate this country.
• I literally almost got hit by that guy on a moto. I hate this country.
• The bananas are too ripe to eat. I hate this country
• It's too cold to get out and do anything. I hate this country.
• I'm sick and have to lay in bed all.  It wouldn't be like this if I had cleaner air. I hate this country
• ...and so on and so forth

Hate may be a bit of a strong word in this context but trust me, it crosses every foreigner living abroad's mind at least once.  Honestly, I can solve all the above problems.

• I have many Chinese friends to call and help me plus I even speak enough Chinese and am an expert in pointing and grunting to get my point across.
• Work can be frustrating anywhere. Preparation, preparation, preparation.
• Look both ways before crossing the street
• There are numerous other fruits to choose from in this particular market.
• I own a warm coat, scarf, boots, hat, and gloves.  Getting off my rear and stop watching The Walking Dead or Modern Family may help that fact.
• There is a pharmacy about 50 steps from my front door and once again Chinese friends to call and help or simply pantomiming my symptoms works wonders.

All this being said, I apologize for my probably atrocious grammar and sentence structure in this post.  I promise they will get better.  These are just ideas that were swirling around that needed to get put down before I went to bed to have nightmares about Weeping Angels or Zombies or Weeping Angel Zombies.

Peace, Love, and Cupcakes,   <-----Good Lord, I should go to bed as I've no idea where that came from.

Mees Macklue