This morning I went to 麦当劳 at 5:45am to find a quiet place to do some study. I just drank coffee, which was bottomless and better than the Australian equivalent. The above picture is of a few patrons that I found there. There are actually three in the photo, one being in the background to the right.
It’s a good time for the great taste of McDonald’s.
More photos to come.
Well, I’m nearly a quarter of the way through my stay here, and I look forward to being reunited with the family again.
The above photo is part of the view out my back window. It’s a bit hard to see, but just to the left of the bush, and slightly behind it, there is a host/ubiquity/quarrel of sparrows (麻雀). Asher and I love sparrows. He likes to chase them, but I just like to look at them.
I haven’t gone out to explore the park out the back of my place yet. It looks fairly small, but could provide a bit of space when I need it, which looks to be often.
我很庆幸拍了这个照片。隔天他们关门大吉了！现在就是一堆瓦砾。
Above is a picture of Asher doing his daily study. I’m so proud of him. I look forward to going home so that I can be with him again.
Although he speaks and understands the Mandarin language, culturally he is being brought up as a combination of Australian and Singaporean.
Hi all. I have found Jinan’s computer mall (above) and was surprised to find that it was much closer to home than I thought. It’s within walking distance. Also, straight across the road there is a Sichuan restaurant with lots of good food on the menu.
I didn’t buy any computer stuff. I don’t really need any more of that. I’m saving the luggage space for Chinese learning materials. However, I may get a small MP3 player (quoted at just over 100 RMB) as I’m working through a Chinese “reader”, which came with a mini CD with MP3s corresponding to the text, and it’s a bit of a drag having to use a computer every time I want to listen to MP3s. I also have the Pimsleur series with me, which I could listen to. But when in China it feels a bit basic to be listening to stuff at that level - but maybe I should stop kidding myself and admit that I still really need it.
I did get Asher a few DVDs though. So far I’ve got him 蜡笔小新, 迪士尼 (many Disney films on just 2 disks) and 火星娃学汉字, as well as a few 成语 materials and so on. He does need some new viewing material.
The place is called 赛博.
Also, some kind students have given me the address for a Brazilian Barbeque restaurant. For about 50 RMB you can have waiters coming to your table non-stop with skewers of meat. Totally indulgent.
This evening I was walking along among the traffic, looking for somewhere to eat, when a woman with a badly bleeding, and bandaged, head went past on her motorbike (or, possibly, electric-powered bike).
The blood was pouring out from under the bandage.
What made matters worse was that the traffic was appalling and there were pre-storm gale-force (I’m not sure if it was really gale-force, but bear with me) winds. She was also carrying a small child on the motorbike!! My guess is that she injured herself and was making her way to the clinic but had nobody to take care of the child.
She then had a minor collision with a pair of pedestrians, who, though having a green light, failed to continually look all directions as they crossed.
This country doesn’t actually have any footpaths for pedestrians, because if there is any larger vehicle than you (and that includes bikes, motorbikes or whatever) then they can honk you out of the way. That’s not what I regard as a footpath.
What a situation.
I raided the storeroom (a room in which supplies left behind by other International teachers are kept) and found some things that’ll make my life quite a bit more comfortable.
Also, I’ve decided to turn on the fridge and start using it. I wasn’t going to bother before, but the strawberry flavoured yogurt that they have here is the same as the yummy stuff we used to drink in Wuhan, so, I’m bringing some home.
I’ve got a feeling these posts are starting to be repetitive. Anyhow, this evening I went out looking for something for dinner. I ended up having Muslim food. I asked for 孜然牛肉 (beef with cumin), the cumin was a bit light on, and so was the meat, considering what I paid, but it was quite nice. Worth a second visit. But as usual I was quizzed about what I’m doing in China and so on. It’s such a bore.
Yes. The cafe with the sign pictured above had no milk. I advised the staff that the purpose of the photo was to tell the guys back home. I don’t know why the picture ended up so small. But it’s probably just as well, because it’s only a sign.
Melbourne is famous for its coffee. And rightly so. The streets and lanes ooze with latte, expresso, cappucino, iced coffee and long black. That’s one thing I really miss about home. For Christmas my sister Janne and Tyrone gave us a really nice coffee machine that we use at home. Beautiful.
Right now I’m in an internet cafe where the price of getting online is reasonable and they also have small tins of Nescafe for 3 renminbi each. I have just skulled three of them. I think the Chinese young guys sitting around me playing computer games don’t know what’s quite wrong with me. They are a good group, though. Their eyes didn’t pop out of their heads at the first sight of a Westerner.
This weekend I’ve got some correcting to do, which I’m happy to report I’ve made a start on. I also hope to go and check out the Walmart.
Today I went to a big bookshop and bought some Chinese learning materials for myself and Asher. I’d better not do that too often, as there is a baggage allowance for the way home. Perhaps if the money balance is good at some stage I’ll post a whole stack of stuff home.
I went with a colleague to a restaurant specialising in Nanjing food. The service was awful, the food was nothing to write home about and the bean drink was virtually undrinkable. We treated that as an entree and went next door to another restaurant which was far better. The latter deserved a repeat visit.
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