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!