Look at the foreigner

The latest update is that we found a job that might actually work out for us.  Its not perfect, but honestly, I'm sick of going on interviews.  They take up the whole day and at the end I usually feel like it was a huge waste of my time.  Last Thursday we went on one that seemed like a happy place to work.  Let's just say I had a good feeling when I walked in the door.  Its teaching 3-6 year olds English but its not a kindergarten.  Its more like an afterschool program or a preschool.  They want me to teach a new class they are working on called "Baby sign".  It teaches babies to use sign language.  It looks like fun except they use English sign language instead of American sign language.  I already know some American sign language so it may be harder for me to forget what I know than to learn from scratch.  But we sing songs and the parents are with their child so I think I will enjoy it.  I start teaching at the school this Thursday.  Sam will start a little later.

 

After my last entry you would think I would have slowed down but I couldn't.  We had that interview on Thursday and we had invited friends over Friday night so even though I got a slight sore throat I continued at my usual pace.  By Saturday afternoon I was totally sick with a cold.  This Monday is a holiday here so we don't have school today. (Its Monday here)  I'm trying to rest up because we have another busy week ahead of us.    Last night I couldn't stand being in the house any longer so I decided to treat myself to a manicure.  It was fun.  Right off the bat the girls doing nails started to talk about me.  Its funny the way people talk about you right in front of you.  Then they act surprised when you can understand.  I wonder why they are suprised.  Back home if I see a person obviously not from America I don't automatically assume they can't speak english or that they won't understand anything I say.  And can you imagine nudging the person next to you and saying "hey look at the foreigner".  It sounds funny but that is what happens here to me almost everytime I walk out the door.  I suppose there are a lot of foreigners here who never bother to learn the language.  I however am not one of them, so when a person starts talking about me I just join the conversation...if I can.  The girls at the nail place were talking about how white I am so I told them how in America its not considered beautiful to be as white as me.  (Before you think to yourself that what I say is not true.  Think about how many tanning salons you see on a regular basis where you live.  So far, I haven't seen one tanning salon in China.)  The girls looked at me and said "you can speak chinese?"  I replied that I speak a little and from that point on they spoke to me and not just about me.  It was fun listening to them talk to eachother and seeing what I could understand.  They really were impressed by my white skin.  They told me any color would look good on me because I am so white.  I find that really funny after years of being embarrassed by my white legs.  Lets see what comments I get when I wear shorts.