Huh? shen me??

This week I ventured onto the fun adventure of language study. Notice how I titled this entry 'huh? Shen me??' Those are often the three words that I use when I am out and about interacting with the general public. Well, you know 'huh?'...that's the reaction that quickly flows out when someone speaks to me, then I follow with shen me (which is translated to 'what?') for them to repeat what they were trying to relate to me. As I am entering into my 3rd week of being here, I am gradually picking up a few tricks to compensate on my lack of language. Such as when I go to the supermarket, I stand at a place where I can see the cash register for prices. I use sign language a lot...sorta like a deaf and mute person does. However, I am more relaxed when I go to the street market for fruits and vegetables. I watch others and follow what they do. Interesting how little kids emulate what adults do. Well, in a different culture, that works great too when I emulate what others do, the reaction from the local is not as adverse, at least I feel like it isn't. This is especially great when I am crossing the streets, shopping, etc. The beauty of being a foreigner who's of Chinese decent is that I can just blend in without much fanfares. Unlike my caucasian friends, they get gawked at and whether they like it or not, they get attention. It's funny yet it's tiring. I'm not them and I get tired of the curiousity. I can only imagine how it feels to get the attention at all times. I would probably scream (with my impatience). The upside though is that we get preferential treatment and the people are more forgiving for our lack of language, which I appreciate (less pressure on me and often when we are in restaurant, we get more napkins.) Well, starting next week, I will begin going to classes 5 days a week, and receive tutoring on a daily basis too. I am doing a crash course on the pinyin (phonics) since all classmates are ahead of me. Therefore, on monday, wednesday, & friday: I sit in on a low end of the intermediate level to learn how to listen, and on tuesday, thursday: I go to the elementary class to learn how to speak. After school, I go to the tutor to train on learning how to speak and recognize the 4 tones and how to read out loud from the book and have formal discussion over the topic we go over in school. Doesn't this all sound fun?? (not quite yet, at least not now); we shall see how it goes by the end of the month.

Well, this saturday marks my 3rd week here!! Tomorrow I am having a gal get together with couple of local gals, an Australian, & a Canadian. I'm making tacos! Yep, you read correctly, tacos!! How cool is that?? One of my fellow team mates who's of Mexican origin taught a local person how to make flour tortillas, now she makes those and sells them to foreigners as an extra income source. 15 yuan for 20 tortillas (equivalent to $2.50 for 20). Well, better than nothing. I'm also thankful my fellow american who gave me some taco seasoning mix, otherwise, I would have to pay double and triple of American prices to get such things in the fancy supermarket if they even have such a thing. I will use the fresh produce to make some fresh salsa. Yummm!! can't wait to see how it turns out. Too bad, no avocadoes for guacamole, I miss those things!!

Well, I was able to load one pic from our community day. Notice the beautiful path we were standing on...we did all that ourselves. It was just dirt road. Pretty cool, right?? Habitat for Humanity, here I come!!

Maybe next entry I will enter it in putonghua (the standard chinese) that I am learning and share some of my exciting learning with my dear friends, you back home, of course. We'll see how far I get. Until next time!! Hope you are all doing well. Thanks for reading. Take care!