I think I have said that Renata and Luca get Chinese every other day in school and they are flying along both with speaking and recognizing characters. Victor and I are developing some street Chinese. We are at that point, now five months into this journey, where we drag the kids along to help us out. Luca helped us order space heaters for the apartment-- warranty, functions, etc-- he was all over it. Last week I dragged Renata to the seamstress in Old Shekou to help me order a table cloth and cloth napkins. Measurements, fabric, price-- we did it. Love the result.
So, about two weeks ago, I was at a Christmas fair and bought a book from a lady. Later, the book lady saw me talking to a student and his dad and interrupted and said, "Do you teach? Do you teach English?" Well, yes, as a matter a fact I do-- it turns out to be my one marketable skill. So she asked me to tutor her 8 year old son in English. I looked at her signs which read "Linda Lee's interactive Chinese" and said, "Well, do you teach Chinese?" She runs the school here in Shekou. You know by my previous posts, that the Chinese are all about bartering-- we struck a deal-- I will tutor her son, Andrew in English reading and writing for a hour a week and she will send a Chinese tutor to our house for an hour a week in return. Perfect.
Vic and I had our first lesson yesterday at Linda Lee's Interactive Chinese School. We had a lovely tutor named Cherry. But, Linda Lee, the big Chinese kahona, bursts into our lesson and asks if I will also tutor her 11 year old daughter in English. She is kind of pushy.... You know, I say, Victor is also a teacher and he taught 5th and 6th grade. You know where this is going-- we have worked out a good trade for all of us. Vic and I tutor her two kids in English individually from 9-10 am on Saturdays and in return we receive an equal amount of Chinese lessons. We are excited, but have watched innumerable colleagues start Chinese lessons and eventually drop out because of scheduling and life conflicts. I'll let you know. Zai jian, for now!!
My Chinese colleague has some great sayings: "The longer the string, the bigger the fish" and, "It's like playing the piano for the cow." We're working on a project with her and we've added our own to that collection, with phrases such as, "The crunchier the Dorito, the larger the cat," and "The smaller the cookie, the more wrinkled the napkin."
ReplyDeleteWe leave for Boston and Christmas mayhem tomorrow. Wish us a fun car ride.
H&G
Hey, it's Christmas Eve here -- is it Christmas already there (or is it yesterday)? It's nice outside -- sunny and cold, but not too cold to walk around. I won't be able to make my annual Christmas phone call, but we'll be thinking of you all tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteLove,
H&G
Happy New Year (of the non-Chinese variety!) Hope you all are doing well! We got blizzarded in up in Boston for a few days but are back at home safe and sound.
ReplyDeleteOn the way up to Boston, one of the cats threw up on the other cat. I laughed so hard I couldn't talk. The cat was not amused.
Take care,
H&G