old and new

DSC_0222.JPG
Originally uploaded by lemonblondie21

as you can see the old bruise is the brown colour underneath the nice new purple/red monster. I seriously will stop doing this to myself at some point.

Don't give me a laser

cause I know how to use it!


Oh yes! I can't believe two things: one that I haven't written here in about a month! Shocking really since I've had quite a few things happen, and two that I kick ass at laser quest!

Right let's back up and work our way to tonight. Uni is going okay, I have a genetics midterm on Monday. Quite scary as I haven't written an exam in years, but I'm studying my little (or should that read big???) butt off for it. So I'm hoping I come away with an 80% at least. Actually I'm looking for a pass, but 80% is where I am aiming for.

I have managed to get a job finally. It's great, I work for a really nice supermarket and everyone is really really nice. I actually was trained unlike my last job, which is a vast improvement. So I work the weekends as well I don't have time during the week with uni.

Did I tell you I took up archery??? Well if not I did. I should really post some pics of the wonderful aray of bruises I have managed to accrue. Not because I don't have a clue what I'm doing (funnily enough I do), but these are from my arm anatomy being completely wrong for the sport. So I have to compensate, and when I concentrate too much on everything else I go back to the way (the proper way) I was taught and get myself. When I do that I realise I'm concentrating too much on m,n,o, and q but forgot the p. You stop doing that quickly let me tell you. Bruise on this post is the first bruise, the second bruise has a bit to itself. It was fun let me tell you!

So that covers, job, uni, archery. Oh yes laser quest!

So our archery club is quite social and we went out tonight to do some laser quest. Never done laser quest before in my life, and the first game I did I was totally rubbish. Mind I'm a fast learner so I ended up in the top 5 out of 20 people. So well done me! I kept shooting our coach as he was as bad as I was during my first game. I had triple score on him! It was really good, so I hope we do that again.

What else.....I can't think of anything, but I'm sure it will come to me again. So lesson for today: don't give me a laser gun unless you want to have your ass kicked by a girl!

First week at the big school

Okay so I've gone back to school which is pretty cool. I managed to get out of one class (stats/dissertation) since I have already done a stats course, and I already have an honours degree so by default I've already actually done a dissertation. So that is one class that I don't have to repeat. Yipee!

You think that is great, more time to skive around you say. Well not entirely. I'm using the time to study more for genetics and law. I'm trying to be good you see, you can help me out by reminding me every once in a while that I should stop watching CSI and actually do some studying to be come one. I'm trying to convince myself that it is educational, yeah yeah it's also fun to watch.

So I'm in two classes with a bunch of people that are about 21 yrs old. So that makes me exactly 10 yrs older than them. What do we have in common other than school? So far nothing, which is why I sit by myself in every class, and no one speaks to me. Why should they? They've known each other for the last 3 years and I'm the new person. It doesn't bother me as I'm there to learn not to socialise. I've done that the first time around, I'm there to study this time. Okay having friends would be nice, but I'm quite a loner anyways so it's no skin off my nose.

Thing is I don't think my PDT (personal development tutor) likes the situation. She has been in two of my classes where it's obvious that I am by myself. Every time she seems me she asks me if I'm settling in etc. I keep telling her I'm fine and that it's interesting which it is. I feel bad for her in a sense as I think she thinks I need friends or something. It's only the 3rd week, which is now the proper week for actual lectures. I have tons of time to make friends.

So that's school, I'm still looking for work and I have an interview in a few hours. Just a part time weekend work which will give me enough to live on and pay the bills each month. I'm trying not to use my student loan as much as possible. I'll keep you posted on how that went!

A nosy that lead to an interesting

conclusion........

Now I have no idea where my other post went about this subject, but hey I'll write it again as I have had some new information.

So after thinking of everything and doing searches for vet schools, funding, and talking to people about it, I've decided that I'm not going to be able to go. Full stop, nothing is going to happen. In one sense I was sad, but in another I was quite happy as I know I'm good enough to be a vet as I got into a prestigious school, but the only thing holding me back is funding. If money was no object then life would be sorted.

I was speaking to one of my friend's at choir about this, and she was really sad for me. I told her not to worry as I'm happy as like I said before "I'm good enough" just piss poor! Something will come along as I totally believe in hmm what would you call it? Karma? Fate? Randomness? Well whatever it is called it came knocking on my door like I knew it would. Why? because these things happen to me all the time for whatever reason.

So about a week later, Wednesday to be exact, not this past Wednesday, but a Wednesday none the less I decided to go nosy around the other unis for something to do. I have no idea why I do this, filling time? Interested? Lusting? whatever the reason it was on my side that day.

I happened to go to another local uni, we have about 5 in town I think (haven't counted, not really that interested in doing so) and I came across clearing. Now for those of you who don't know what clearing is it's basically the University telling everyone aka students what courses still have openings. So if the student didn't get into their desired course, uni or whatever they can pick up a clearing course if they choose. Now, this doesn't work in North America where my previous degree came from which is why I was a little curious.

So I clicked on the clearing section to see what was available as I had resolved myself to work for the next year while plotting what the hell I was going to do with my life, yet again! So up comes the courses and vet nursing is on there. I thought, "hell I could easily do that, but I don't want to torture myself with knowing I could easily have been a vet" so passed that course over. I then came across one on herbal medicine, which I find very interesting as being in China for the last two years I've used pretty much for every complaint I had. Passed that one over as even though I'm interested, I'm not that interested to study it. I'm like that!

So scrolling and looking and came across one that I though might be interesting. I called the clearning hotline and spoke to a nice man. He took my details (name, address, previous education etc) and told me that someone would call me back, by this time it's approaching lunch. Now I called for information only just to see what I would need to do or what have you.

I get a call about about an hour later from a very nice gentleman and he was very interested in my degree (BSc Biology, honours Psychology - good old double major). He said that they were very interested in having me on the course, and from simply talking to me they would put me into year 2. Hey hey, bonus! So I agreed.

I got off the phone in a very shocked state as I was only looking for information not to sign myself up for starting uni. As requested I sent along my transcript, and had a lovely talk to another gentleman (must be high up in the course somewhere) and he said from reviewing my transcript they can actually place me into year 3, but I would have to take one course from year 2 as it is a pre-requisite. So I'm going into the uni tomorrow to talk to this very nice man about the course, and my feelings/abilities about doing over a full course load, and to be shown around. By the way I'm going next thing they will tell me is to simply show up for graduation as I seem to be knocking down years as fast as they come.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow and the strange thing is this course was something I wanted to do ages ago when I was quite young (well in my early twenties!). So off I go to uni, which by the way is fully funded! I don't have to worry about paying anything unlike my previous course.
Plus the course is something that I am interested in for years on a very round about way.

So here I go to Uni starting in 3rd year come the end of the month. What am I doing? you might be asking yourself............forensic biology aka CSI!!!!

So get out of my way Sara Siddle, you're annoying at least I've always thought so, cause I want your spot!

Gutted, but determined

I have applied to Vet school and did get in to do my post graduate degree at Edinburgh University. Sad thing is the tuition is 98,000.00 GBP which obviously I don't have. So of course off I go to find the money from the UK and Canada. No luck..........

So there sort of goes my dream which I've been working towards for about half my life. I'm pretty gutted, but at the same time I think I can reapply all over again and hopefully get in as a funded student which means the government would pay for me to go, and I'd accrue a debt of about
10, 000.00 GBP as that would be my living allowance.

I'm really hoping the second time around I'll get in as it's not a guarantee, but I'm willing to take the chance as this is what I want, and I can't afford the crazy graduate fee.

There is hope, I'm still a little upset about it. Dream was right there and the possibility of it has now diminished. What a horrible week!

Lazyness and the monkey on my back

At the moment, I'm not feeling that positive about work to the point where I wonder should I stay. Pretty much started last Saturday night with a wedding and last night too, let's go back in time....

Saturday night I had a wedding to bartend, not a problem at all. I'm used to being very busy as I used to work in night clubs, so I was looking forward to it. The guy I was working with was said to be lazy, so I was prepared for it, or at least I thought I was.

I get in to work and start by running around doing the small things that are usually done before I come in, such as white wine on ice. So off I go to get ice, and what not to try to 'open' the bar before people start coming up.

The guy, let's call him Frank wasn't starting till a few hours later, and he came by to get himself a drink of something on the dash gun. "Hmm... look's like there is something wrong with the gas" so off he goes to check it while I continue to cut the fruit etc. He comes back up and says "the gas is empty" and off he goes. So I think to myself, "he's gone to get someone to change it, excellent." So 5 minutes pass, 10 minutes pass obviously he hasn't gone to get someone to change it. So I call up the duty manager who we'll call Fred, and told him the situation. So he comes to show me how it's done (the only thing I don't know how to do in the entire bar by the way) and we get to the cellar and he says "You need to turn it on, that's your problem there." Excellent, I look like a right stupid blonde git because I trusted Frank! So I make my appologies for being so dumb, and off Fred goes.

So finally it's time for Frank to start his shift with me, and we're pretty busy which is nice. Every so often Frank just decides to go for a walk and leaves me with the bar of people to serve. Or better yet, he goes to have x fags while I'm still trying to serve people. A few points during the evening the functions manager asks me where Frank is and all I can say is "I don't know" and off she goes in search of him.

He's also lazy, and I mean lazy just like everyone warned me about. He won't do the glasses (put them in the dishwasher, take them out, put them away), he leaves his empty bottles all around the bar simply making a mess, he doesn't wash out the measures so before I can serve my customer I have to wash it out, then pour the drink, then wash the measure again for him (I'm considerate, and above his childish behaviour). He had too much drink in one glass and he pours it over the fresh ice I just ran to get (which he wasn't doing either). We ran out of martini twice, and he refused to call Fred because Fred hates him (I can see why now!)

Now I was putting the 20 pound notes into piles of 100, to make it easier at the end of the night and to free up some space in the till as they were popping out like mad. Now I know one of the piles wasn't completed because a customer came by. I was going to fix it at the end of the night when I counted the till. Frank decides he's going to count the till, assumes they are in piles of 100, and messes up the count. We also had a number of room charges which needed to be written down on the bar sheet, he refused to do that because he's lazy!

At one point during the night I had rung up two drinks, the customer called me back to order two more. So when I turned around Frank was messing with the till and tells me he 'thinks' he put his order onto mine. By this time he had already subtotalled it which you can cancel!!! ARGGGGGGHHHHHHH. So I say "let's cash it off and we'll void it later" so off I cash it and then go to make sure it was recorded on the till roll, and low and behold no till roll!! So off he goes to get it, and again I'm left with customers. He comes back with it, and can't put it in. I have a go and I can't do it myself as there are customers waiting etc etc, and ahhh! He tell's me we'll just do it later, fair enough he's been here months he knows what he's doing. Or does he????

In the back of my mind I keep thinking I should put that till roll in, but a queue of customers puts a stop to that thought, and I don't think about it again.

So end of the night, he's counted the till, Fred comes to count it, it's wrong. He asks me did I get 800 in 20s I say "no Frank counted the till" so he talks to Frank and asks Frank "did you get 800 in 20s" and Frank says "she put them in piles of 100 so I counted them like that" Fred says "she who?" and Frank points at me and says " She---Shera." Little bugger was blaming me for his lazyness in not actually counting the till properly. Couldn't believe it!

I then proceed to tell Fred about the void that has to be done and the story behind it. He asks for the receipt, I tell him that is when we discovered we had no till roll, and we couldn't put it in. So he says he can't void it off, and that there might be an investigation into the fact that we had no till roll. Frank at this point is saying how busy it was etc etc etc. At this point, I just give up because I fell like I'm being marked as a right idiot.

Fred asks where the room charges are as they aren't written down, so off I got to put them all in one by one cause Frank was too lazy. Everything that could have pretty much gone wrong did. But it get's better!

Now I've had most of my customer service skills taught to me in Canada, so in all honesty my standard service is above most British people's standard because in North America "the customer is always right" and you take any blame even though the customer was wrong etc etc. So I'm working my customer service, remember rounds, banter, friendly, smiling etc etc. So I come away with 14 quid (they don't know how to tip in this country either!), 4 of which I gave to two people because they were bar backing because Frank was lazy with the glasses, and they deserved it. The rest I had to split between Frank and myself. Talk about angry! He made like 50p and ended up with a fiver even though he was lazy, bad customer service (did I forget to mention he had an argument with a customer which the functions manager saw???), he said some shocking things, pointed the finger at me a few times, and in the end he gets rewarded for doing this by getting half of my money.

Now I'm not the best pleased about this because I feel like I was taken advantage of and my good customer skills were exploited for someone else's gain. So I'll be talking to another duty manager that is on when I get in as he's totally sound and very approachable unlike Fred who thinks I'm an idiot, which comes from Saturday and last night.

Skip forward to last night. The shift started at 3pm which is an odd time usually it's 10am or 5/6pm depending on what's going on at night. So at 3pm I start and my favourite bar staff who is also new and really young is on. He's cashing up his till, and I'm dealing with a customer that he's put onto me while he's doing the till. So I have to put the drink through the till and he says to go ahead. So I do, and take it over to the restaurant as that is only half the bill. I record the bill onto my till sheet!

So nothing is going on over the course of the night other than a little rush of a tour bus group. So at the end of the night, I count my till and apparently I'm 6.60 over. Hmmm I know I haven't made any mistakes, so I can't figure it out.

Now be aware that Fred must think I'm stupid because of Saturday, and now because I knew he was on I was extra careful not to make mistakes. So where did this mistake come from?? So he's going on in a tone of voice and saying things that subtlely are telling me he thinks I'm stupid. So I've given up at this point yet again. Once I'm out of there I realise what I did: firstly the customer's charge on my sheet should have only been for the drink, not the sanwhich so there goes about 4 quid off my 6.60. Then I realise that when my favourite staff member was cashing up, the then duty manager took the till slip, so my record was on there and not on my till slip. So the morning till would have been down the rest of the 2.60 where as mine was up. AHA! I'm not that stupid!!!

Having a monkey on my back isn't helping, and lazy people do not help in anything but making me look stupid! So I'm going into work early to discuss this with the best duty manager and see what he suggests me to do about all of this crap!

Weird interview...

that lead to something even stranger

Yes the last 24 hrs have been somewhat strange, but I can't actually complain about the way it turned out.

Yesterday my mobile was ringing and I figured it would be someone contacting me for a job, as everyone else I know is at work, and would call me at home. So I answer it and it is a job I applied for. They wanted to know could I come in in 4hrs time for an interview. Not a problem says I, and off I go on the bus/walking to find exactly where it is, and how long it will take me to get there. I like to be prepared for these things.

So I return home with a little time to spare before I have to actually be there. So I get ready, iron my shirt (I loath irioning!), have a bowl of cereal, brush my teeth, and run out the door.

I get there and have to fill in a paper with all the regular details. Then the interviewer comes along, and we start.

Now the interview was really strange, with strange questions that I have never been asked before. We'll see what I'm talking about in a minute!

I tell the woman when I'm able to work (full time summer, part time during Uni term) as I'm doing my post graduate in veterinary medicine. So she starts to tell me about her dog who had chemotherapy, which was interesting, and good developing some connection between us.

Then I get asked the usual questions of "why do you want to work here" and I give my honest answer, which she didn't seem to be interested in. I was wondering what I was supposed to say, since whatever I just did, didn't seem to work. Then I get asked "Why do you live in Edinburgh" "ahhh it's home???" I went on to explain that I was born here, but grew up in Canada, but here is home. I don't plan on leaving any time soon.

So my accent is right dodgy. I sound to Canadian for the Brits, and too British for the Canadians. I can't win. My friend told me before that if there was ever a country in the middle of the Atlantic, everyone would sound like me. Too bad there wasn't cause at least I'd fit in better. I find sometimes that because of this I get treated like a foreigner which is really annoying. Hello! I'm Scottish with a foreing accent. This in all honesty puts me at a disadvantage sometimes as I have had dealings about it in the past.

So she asks me a few more questions, and I answer. Again, nothing I said seemed to be at all interesting or scoring me any points. At this point I was pretty much sure nothing was going to come of it. I was asked did I have any questions, and I asked 1 question with two parts. Now the interviewer herself, actually didn't answer either of my questions. To which point I was wondering did she understand what I asked, or did she not understand because of my accent. She asked if I had any more questions, and rather than repeat what I had just asked her which would have ended up making her look like a right plonker, I said she answered everything I had thought of.

So that was it. Total bad feeling about this at it took less than 10 minutes, and after I put my coat on, and put my hand out to say thank you for your time, she was already walking away from me. Since I did have my hand out, she had to turn around, and sort of come back. Like I said one strange interview.

I went to eat tea with one of my mates and his family last night. Conversation came around to this interview. I said to Johnstone and his wife that I was sure I wasn't going to get this job because my answers didn't seem to be the least bit interesting, I was asked some really strange questions that didn't really have anything to do with the job, again my answers didn't seem to be appropriate, and the interviewer pretty much walked away at the end. Totally resigned myself to the fact that this job was a practice run for other interviews. I was convinced it was either she was really busy with things behind the scene to be focussing on me (give her the benefit of the doubt), or I had done one lousy interview that was actually strange and painful at the same time.

So this morning up I get to go to a job fair that is in town, and to run some errands. I'm waiting at the bus stop, just about to get on when my phone rings. If I want that job I can have it starting tomorrow!

Will wonders never cease. Makes me wonder how badly the other interviewers did! So yey for me, I'll be starting to make money which will come in handy, you know paying rent, bills, food etc etc.

I guess yesterday taught me a lesson in weird sometimes is good.

Told you so

See I knew if I said that the Chinese goverment hadn't found me, that sooner or later they would! And that is where I have been, locked out by the Great Firewall of China. See! Told you so.

Anyways I'm back in Sunny Edinburgh and I'm soooo happy to be back. China was really doing my nut in and it was time to go.

So at the moment I have no job, but I'm on the process of looking for one. It's going well....slow. Maybe not slow, but I'm getting a little tired of sending applications and resumes out, and hearing nothing, yes nothing, so far. I'm hoping the old adadge of "when it rain, it pours" will happen to me about some interviews jobs. I am employable, I know I am! I've never not had a job, it's just finding the correct timing for everything. That is pretty much all I've been up to since I got back more or less.

I decided to go back to choir last night and it was a good thing I did as that was the last night until the autumn. I ran into my favourite drinking partner who we all lovingly refer to as "Johnstone" when he is drinking as he sort of gets a new personality. Nothing bad or anything like that, just someone different. He's one of my best mates in the choir, as he's been looking after all my luggage for the last 2 yrs. So one of the other members (again a good friend) twisted Johnstone's rubber arm for a half pint at "The Real Ale" beer festival, he in turn twisted my rubber arm. So x amount of pints later, Johnstone and I were well on our way into our regular routine of me giving directions/keeping an eye on him, and him giving me money to buy drinks!

So since the festival is still going on tonight, I might be getting a phone call to go out an play again. This time me watching/giving directions to Johnstone and buying him drinks. We take turns at the buying part. I didn't have that much to drink yesterday, but I was 'jolly' then again I hadn't really had anything to drink in 2 years so I realised I need to get my drinking back up to where it was when I left.

Nothing exciting planned for the weekend, other than searching the internet for some more jobs. Like I said...nothing exciting for the weekend.

I'm getting restless

about everything pretty much

So I have my tickets out of here for the first week in June, and I had some good news related to that. I decided to check to see if the changes were on my e-ticket page, and they were. I also discovered that I'm allowed three 23 kg bags! Thank you, thank you BA!!! That totally helps me out as I have tons of stuff I have managed to get over the last 2 years, now I can take the majority with me rather than sending it in the post. The only bad thing is I have to buy luggage from Heathrow to Edinburgh, but I was going to spend that amount of money on 1 extra bag from Shanghai to home anyways. So basically I get a free bag worth 23 kg!

Not only do I get three 23 kg bags, but I also get 2 pieces of carry on luggage which is also fantastic. Now I don't have to wonder what I'm going to do with my laptop. Things are seriously falling into place with my luggage situation. Things are working in my favour for once!

So what am I doing? I'm packing! Yup, I'm getting ready, looking at how all this stuff will fit into one extra bag. So far, I've managed to fit pretty much everything in it, but if you know me you know I have a tendency to pack my luggage at least 5 times before I'm satisfied. I have a month basically to sort it all out on that front.

I've also finished writing up my 4 exams to be given to the students. I have to prepare two different copies of each exam (with answers), then one is chosen by the Dean of the department. I have no choice in which one will be picked which I don't agree with considering I am the teacher. I think they check because I could have put some crazy thing in it like a question about sex, or some other question that they think is morally wrong.

The only thing I have left to do is to finish teaching. That will take me about a week or so, then I have about 1-2 weeks of review which I'm hoping won't take that long, but you never know. This will basically bring me to the exam days, then I have to correct 100 8 page exams. I like giving real exams, Western exams, exams where you think and support it. Unlike Chinese exams where you memorize the material, then forget it, never to use it or understand it for the most part.

Then once all of that is finished, all I have to do is pack up the rest of my stuff, clean the flat, and leave! I'm starting to get restless as everything is basically done, and all I have to do is bring things to a close.

Holding onto the last bit of power

I'm in a very small Chinese city, 300 000 Chinese people to 20 foreigners. This province is in southern China, and known to be a very poor province. Everything is very traditional, and they resist change, and development at every turn.

Lately I've been hearing some crazy stories from the students. Stories where I just roll my eyes, and shake my head at the stupidity of it all.

The University itself is surrounded by a wall first off. Every Chinese University is like this, they believe in keeping students in. I'm living in the girls dormitory section, it too has a wall around it with glass shards on the top in case someone tries to climb over. The gate is locked every night at 11pm I won't even bother going into the hassle if you are late.

The powers that be, or the "leaders" as the students call these men who simply love dictating just because they can. They have come up with some pretty strange things in the attempts to keep hold of their power before change comes, and forces their traditional thinking out.

Each morning the music plays at 6:15am to get everyone up, the english majors and the international trade majors (no on else though!) have to be up at the front of their teaching building by 6:30am to do "morning exercises." Now this whole thing takes 20-30 min as I can figure out. They are like robots, long lines of students, each performing in unison. By exercise I'm talking about stretching. No running, nothing else, just stretching. (click on the pic above to see the excitement on their faces!)

After this they have to do their morning reading which should be at least 30 mins long. So where is breakfast you might wonder or cleaning yourself up? Well breakfast is on the fly if you managed to clean yourself up before having to go to class for 8am. Morning reading is a complete waste of time I have figured out. I ask the students frequently "did you remember anything you read?" "No" "Did you understand anything you read?" "No" so why bother?

The students are out by the side of the pond reading thing such as "the cat ran away" "the cat, the cat, the cat, the cat" "ran ran ran" "away away away" "the cat cat cat ran away away" This is morning reading, it drives me nuts when I have to walk by. Who cares where the damn cat cat cat is is??

The students live in rooms with 3/4/5/6/7 other people. No heat, no fan, a room simply made of cement, with bunk beds. So when it is 5C outside, you simply put on more clothes. The room itself reminds you of bare army barracks. No room is bigger than your typical Western living room. There is no hot water, whatever the ground water temperature is, that is the temperature of the water. Shower you might wonder? Well you have to go to a different building halfway across campus, to have a communal shower with about 100 other girls or boys.

There are inspections, oh yes! The more I look at it, the more like the army it is, but without the benefits that can be accrued. There can be no posters on the wall unless they are educational. So no cartoons, no pop stars, no celebrities. If you have one of these on your wall, you loose marks. Which ultimately means if you have a scholarship you could lose it. I'm wondering what does having a clean room, no fun posters on the wall actually do? The only thing I can come up with is "no distractions from memorizing your 150page book for the next exam."

Now think this is bad. A lot of students don't live in the dorm, they live outside the campus. Problem is they are not allowed to do this as it is against the rules of the University. They will get into trouble, the University will yell at them, punished etc etc etc. So they have introduced a new thing, random bed checks! Bed checks are made at 9:45pm!! 24 yr old students have to be "home" by 9:45pm!! My god if you're not in bed/your room come these bed checks, be prepared to be lynched by your teacher then by the head of your department.

The campus where I teach is only for the first years, cause you don't want the older students to corrupt them. You think the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year students have it bad at least they can go out. The first years are basically in prison. They have to stay on campus all week. They are only allowed out from 6pm Friday till 7pm Sunday. Don't forget the gate closes at 10pm on these nights. After that, you're locked in until the following Friday. Again, there is that wall around the campus with guards at the front gate. You want to get out, you better have a note from your head teacher, otherwise you're simply pointed back up the drive.

I'm so glad that I am not a student here. This is a typical University with all it's crazy rules, and regulations that make no sense what so ever.

Dental destiny and the hot iron complex

Today I'm getting my wisdom tooth out which is fine in itself as I've had this done 2 times already so I know the drill (sorry no pun intended!), but I'm a little nervous.

I found this dentist through my boss. I told him I wanted the best dentist in the city, in the best dental hospital, so this is who I received. I went down to visit with him last Wednesday,and I must say he's competent enough. He did all the usual stuff my "english" speaking dentist does when you first sit down in the chair.

At first he couldn't find anything wrong, and wondered what the problem was, he decided to take an x-ray which showed the problem of my upper left wisdom tooth pushing the one beside it. This has caused the rest of my teeth to shift a little too, and I know this because I used to have braces so I'm very aware of my teeth,. This is why I went to him in the first place cause I knew something had changed, and I knew it was my wisdom tooth cause I kept having these awful headaches. In the end, he agreed with me that it has to come out. He wanted to do it right then and there!!!

Now I'm the type of person that has to think about things before I do it, so I can be mentally prepared. There was no way I would have been able to do it right then and there. So we agreed to M0nday (today) and he wanted to put me asleep! Ahhhhhhh! I told the student (who was translating for me as the woman in charge of the foreign teachers Gina was busy) that there was no way I was being put to sleep. So they agreed to simply freeze me like my other two teeth were.

This phobia come from my mother (thanks mom!!!) as when my sister was born she was breech so my mother had to have a caesarian done. My mother tells me that they put her to sleep (this is almost 27 yrs ago now), but she wasn't fully asleep! She could feel them cutting into her and it was like being opened by a hot iron. So from hearing this story a fair few times in my life, I have now developed a phobia about anesthetic.

The other thing I'm worried about is the fact it's in Chinese! You don't realize how comfortable your own language is until something like this happens. Now Gina will be coming with me this morning so she'll be translating. I myself do know enough Chinese to get me through pretty much any day. I definitely know the word of "pain" so I should be safe enough, but I'm still a little iffy about the whole thing.

Anyways I'll update this when I get back from having this stupid tooth taken out. I was totally hoping that I could make it home for them to do it there!

The process was quite strange, but when looking at it they were doing what they would have done had I been asleep. First off they froze my mouth, and I told them they might have to do that a few times during the process (3 times in total) as I know I metabolize it quite quickly. Then while they were waiting for it to be ready, I had betadine (which is liquid surgical scrub) put around the inside of my mouth twice, and around my lips, mouth, and nose. Quite strange! Then I had a surgical drape put over my face, so I couldn't see anything which I found a little disconcerting, but I got over it.

The whole process took longer than the other two times as my tooth had 2 hooks on the roots. So it didn't want to go anywhere as it was quite happy anchored where it was. I had my jaw hammered several times, but in the end the damn thing came out. The doctor's exclamation "it's a big one" and I said to the hygienist, "it's easier having a baby!"

Anyways unlike the West where it would be considered medical waste, I was able to take it home. So I'm going to brush it, and keep it cause I'm weird like that!

I should have known

Yes hindsight is a good thing. Too bad I have done this 'mistake' a few times, when will I ever learn??

What have I done? Easy, I didn't pretend that China is great, Chinese people are wonderful, that I am Pro China. Every time I give my opinion, and it is a very watered down one told very tactfully, I get abuse.

The longer I stay here the more I realize that they are 'brainwashed' to some degree to believe that everything about their country is great. They grow up being force fed to believe these things, and to not dispute them. I understand that ones country is important, but the difference is if in the West, you don't like something be that the government, your job, a person etc. you can freely say so. Here, if it has anything to do with China, Chinese people, the government the only thing you can say is "how great it is."

I teach a class on Saturday afternoon, on my own time, with no pay because I believe the students need it. I have no problem giving my time like this for anything. We were discussing how from my point of view Chinese teachers abuse their power, and that Chinese students don't really respect their teachers, they more than likely fear them. A lot of the students agreed with these statements, and I went on to give many examples I have heard, or dealt with personally.

We then get side tracked a little, and talk about me, and my opinion about the country. Now I have been verbally abused by Chinese people because I'm different. I have been treated badly because I'm a foreigner. I have more stories about problems/bad situations than I do about good things. I was discussing these situations with the students, and one student asked me "name some good things about China." I had to think for a moment, and I did give various examples. Because I didn't name 1 billion reasons, and had far fewer than the bad examples, the student decided to argue with me. Not a problem, I don't mind debating or anything like that in fact, I relish it.

They are not used to being allowed to say these things or hearing these things. Mind I think sometimes they get angry because it is the truth, and they know it personally, but they don't like foreigners telling them their downfalls. So for telling them that I've had not so nice experiences, I get told that I should "change my thinking." I'm the one that is abused for simply being me, therefore I must change because it is my fault.

Just because I don't tell 1 billion happy stories doesn't mean to say that everything in China is bad, they don't seem to understand that concept. Apparently I should only be telling good stories. I apparently have to stop thinking about the bad things, and only think of the good things. If I did that, I'd have about 6 things to think about (if that!), but yet while I think about these 6 things while walking down the street I have people talking about me, staring at me, pointing at me, discussing how fat I am, sneering at me, or spitting in my direction (they do that a lot because they know foreigners hate it).

What really gets me is that I'm the one at fault, and gets yelled at because of how badly I've been treated. I have to defend myself repeatedly in this situation, and I'm getting tired of doing it. So I'm not going to give my opinion anymore, what's the point? I'm just going to be yelled at, told to change my thinking, and having people offer me things such as videos etc to watch to help out on that point.

I guess the old adage of "the truth hurts" actually does, because if it didn't I think I wouldn't have to defend myself quite so frequently.

Typical clothes of a country child

Typical clothes of a country child
Originally uploaded by lemonblondie21

Okay these are the clothes I was telling you about.

City children's clothes consist of a t-shirt, and trousers with this same split leg. Being a farm child he's allowed to go with less on!

Typical country school classroom

Typical country school classroom
Originally uploaded by lemonblondie21

That's my dad, ignore him!

This is a classroom for elementary school kids in a small village. Most students come from this type of educational background

Mountains to lhasa

Mountains to lhasa
Originally uploaded by lemonblondie21

greetings

greetings
Originally uploaded by lemonblondie21

Boat bridge

Boat bridge
Originally uploaded by lemonblondie21

House boats

PC070046.JPG
Originally uploaded by lemonblondie21

Things You May or May Not Know

about China that is.

I'm going to describe my life in this small poor city, in a very poor province. None of this is exaggerated (I wish I could say it is), and totally honest about everything. This is the REAL China!

My students ask me frequently why I didn't go to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong to teach, and my response has always been the same "I wanted to see the real China" and let me tell you I have and then some!

Now in this case I'm the foreigner, and I know life is not going to be the same as in the West. Even though these things bother me, make me angry, frustrate me, I'm actually in the wrong with my initial reactions. Having said that...... let's take a look at what I'm talking about. When I say 'everyone' read that as the vast majority.

Manners
Now I don't know from my Western viewpoint if Chinese people have any. So far I have yet to see any that I as a foreigner would consider appropriate in pretty much any situation.

Spitting: Yes everyone here spits! I don't mean a little more saliva in your mouth and you spit it out, I'm talking gut reaching, lung cleaning spitting to the point where I want to retch. It doesn't matter if you are young, old, a man, a woman, rich, poor, tall or short, pretty much everyone does this. So when you are walking you have to watch out for people spitting anywhere around you as it could hit you, and you have to watch out where you are walking cause who wants to walk in green phlegm?

I have one student that spits like this in my class, not just once a class, but at least 6-8 times during two 45 min periods. It is really disgusting cause I'm trying to ignore it, but how can you?

Urinating in public: yup, they do! Mostly the male population, but I have witnessed a few young girls do this. According to Chinese, babies (anyone under the age of 3) only urinate water, so it is perfectly safe. Huh?? Children here wear trousers that are split up the front and back to make it easier to use the toilet (I'll post a picture) so children when they want to use the toilet, just squat and go! It doesn't matter if it is in the middle of the supermarket where open fruit and vegetables are (I have witnessed this), it doesn't matter if it is in the middle of a store, it doesn't matter if it is in the train or bus. Children go where they like whenever they like.

I wish I could restrict this to very young children, but I can't. I don't know how many times I've been walking or driving by and witnessed a boy between 4-12 urinating on the side of the road into oncoming traffic. I have once been walking up the front steps to the local department store, and here a boy of 10 was urinating down the stairs towards me.

Children aren't the only ones that do this. I have witness older men, anywhere bewtween 40-75, urinating in public even though the public toilet might be 50 feet away.

Urinating in public, okay you say, better than defecating in public. Well I've also witnessed that as well with children 0-4.

picking their nose: Everyone here does it. Again doesn't matter if you are old, young, male, female, rich or poor, they pick their nose. And even worse than picking their nose is what I call 'snotting' which is where you place one finger on one nostril and blow out whatever is in the other nostril, then repeat on the other side. It is a beautiful sight to see this, and what boggles my mind is after they do this, they then take the tissue out, and wipe their nose. Why didn't they just do that in the first place?

Eating: Chinese people are always eating, seriously! They eat with their mouth open, chewing like a cow or pig which not only is it not pretty to look at, but it isn't pretty to listen to either. Apparently they have never heard of keeping your mouth closed when eating.

What is worse than this you might ask? Well here is something else about eating. When you go to a restaurant and order say a fish, the fish comes whole with all the bones. So what do you do with those bones? You take a piece, suck the fish off the bones, then proceed to spit the bones directly on to the table, or the floor. This goes for any meat as all meat is not deboned. This could be for anything you don't like, so if you have a chili in your mouth, and don't like it, you simply spit it onto the table. No problem!

Picking faces: I witness this when it is hot out as all the students are out with their boyfriends/girlfriends. So basically I see this 15 times in about a 30 feet walk from one end of the sidewalk to the bridge everyday. If a partner sees something on the other partner's face such as a blemish or dirt, they pick at their partner's face until the offensive item is removed. Not only does this go for the face, this also work for the hair. Even looking up their partner's nose.

This action alone reminds me of monkeys! Where monkeys sit with a partner, and remove bugs from each other's fur. This is the same thing, only in human form.


Obsessions
I don't know what men are obsessed about, other than money, but woman here are obsessed about 3 things; beauty, weight, and getting a rich husband.

Their definition of beauty is strange I think. A lot of girls shave off their eyebrows and pencil them in. Too bad they choose such dark colours, and draw the lines very wide. They end up looking rather clown like. Apparently this is supposed to be beautiful.

They also dress like prostitutes, I wish I could lie about this. Think micro shorts, with hot pink nylons, and cowboy boots/5 inch heels, tight tight shirt that they might as well not be wearing it as it's a second skin, mind they are pretty flat it wouldn't show much anyways (everyone wears padded bras). This is supposed to be beautiful.

Weight is another important issue. I don't know how many of my students have an eating disorder because this is 'normal.' I have been out to lunch, and the person might have 3 slivers of meat, a spoonful of soup, 3 pieces of vegetable,and 5 grains of rice then say they are full. They are always on a diet because their roomates have told them they are too fat, or they are trying to look beautiful. I didn't realize skeletons with flesh were beautiful, the things I learn!

Yup someone has come up to their face and told them they are too fat loose weight. I've had my students do this to me as well quite a few times. Now I'm not thin, nor am I particularly fat (okay I could lose about 10-15 lbs), but on my body frame you wouldn't really notice because I'm good at hiding it! I have been told this directly to my face about 10 times, indirectly about 200,000 times from students or people around the University. Don't get me started!

My body frame is a typical Western body frame, I'm not very tall 5' 6.5" (and yes that half an inch does make a difference!), but compared to the people in this city who are on average 5'2" and have body frames that look like 10 yr old Western children even though they are 18-90, I guess I do look huge aka Fat to them. I'm continually 'tisked' at every time I leave my house by students, other teachers, random uni workers, city people walking through the Uni because according to them, I'm FAT. It gets to the point where I don't want to leave to my house.

So being anorexic and looking like a hooker will get you a rich (controlling) husband! No thanks! I'd rather be fat, dress normal, and have a nice partner.

I can go on and on about this topic, but I'm sure you have other things to do other than read this. As I said, none of this is exaggerated. These are some of the reasons I can't wait to get out of here, 2 years of being verbally abused (I do know enough Chinese!) is not what I call good for an impression.

The good thing is, I can leave, most of these people can't!