A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner

First, to complete my last post about the REAL China-

Last week, after visiting Tianyi (and H&M), Mom and I wandered a little south to the huge market/bazaar area I mentioned.  This was the China I had been looking for - Dark winding passageways lined with stalls selling various goods of every kind, while breathing in the nasty reek of who-knows-what and, simultaneously, wonderful grilled foods and rice aromas, the energetic bustling of many Chinese running around, loud lively conversations, passionate arguments, animated bargaining... The passageways opened up to tiny squares with statues of robed elders or staircases winding up to yet other worlds of market euphoria I was itching to tour. Mom and I came out at the south end of this cultural experience, right onto the ancient Tianfengta tower (which we didn't go to). My time in the whole area was very limited, ten minutes perhaps, but I hope to return and bring the Katie with me so she can see the cultural mecca hiding just south of Capitalism-Central Square (aka Tianyi).  The Katies take on Ningbo again!

But, back to the present -

Huge ups and monstrous downs seem to be the name of the game in my China life.  I titled this blog with one of my favorite quotes - an English proverb that reminds me to deal with challenges, not succumb to them. Easier said than done, however. (This fact inspired me to try meditating this afternoon - not so easy.  But i think it might be the best way to maintain sanity here, so will have to keep at it.)

I was not at all in the mood this afternoon for my four huge Grade 5 classes.  And apparently, the universe noticed.  I got sent home early, only halfway through, because the students were at the movie theater!!! Rejoice! I take this as a sign that maybe things can get easier again for me.  And the two classes I did have this afternoon went pretty well, one even bordering on wonderful.  In my second class there was a mood of enjoyment and fun that I fed into and the time even went by more quickly than usual.I have started becoming friends with some of my Korean students.  We are very similar in age, and are therefore interested in many of the same things.  I've sat with them twice at lunch now (since they were moved into the teacher's cafeteria this week because of visiting German students eating in theirs'), yesterday and today.  It has given us the chance to see one another as human beings, and not as participants on two different sides of a struggle.  I'm really starting to like some of them. I was practically skipping home with delight yesterday, feeling I had crossed a huge barrier.  Today, I was enthusiastic and excited for my morning class with them.  However, the reality was that, no matter how good of friends we are, they still won't listen to me in class, and I felt disrespected, and therefore hurt (because of an apparent disregard of our newfound friendship, or merely the fact that I am simply another person and I'm trying as hard as I can).  For the time being, I'm just going to let it go and not dwell in frustration.  I don't have class with them again until Friday morning so perhaps I can have a new outlook by then.

No morning classes tomorrow and a long weekend (and trip), so it looks like things are good for Katy's China life at the moment.  And of course, there's always Star Trek: TNG and Ugly Betty to turn to when things get rough. I realize I hadn't mentioned that my dad sent us the whole TNG SERIES which has been keeping mom and me wonderfully occupied and content since it arrived!

Had a nice dinner last night with Katie and Dutch Manon last night at Ningbo's solitary Mexican restaurant.  After weeks of trying to get my Korean students to say "guacamole" correctly - I got to eat some! (It's no Franciscas, but hey, it did the trick.)

More soon!  Skype me!

besitos a todos!