I realize that in yesterday's posting I kind of talked about being "sweaty" a lot, and thought I'd better try and clear up a couple of things regarding same:
1) It is hot here! The mornings and evenings are beautiful...probably 20-25 degrees, but the daytime highs are 30 degrees plus. There is also very high humidity, and when the weather web sites give you that "30 degrees, but feels like" category....they always put "feels like 37 to 40 degrees".
Plus, even if my sweat does not exactly smell like perfume, I think I am safe. In fact, I think I could eat garlic and cabbage soup for a week, smoke 100 cigars, sleep in my same clothes and not shower or brush my teeth for two days and STILL not even be in the "top 10" of gross smells here.
There are times/places/locations where some horrific smell hits you, and you are pretty sure that it actually physically melted some of the hairs inside your nose! Thankfully these types of smells do not come from any people - rather they seems to come from grates/sewer/garbage type places. All I know is that I DO NOT want to know what is causing these types of smells.........anyway, I've got that working in my favour in terms of not being stinky when I sweat.
2) I walk A LOT. Even in addition to little adventures, my room is on the 6th floor of the dorm, and I go up and down these stairs 3 or 4 times a day. Classes are a 10 minute walk away, and every meal is a 20 or 25 minute walk....anyway lots of exercise whether you want it or not! The good news is that I am pretty sure I am losing weight and next time Tim, Claude, Darren and I have a biggest loser contest, I am coming to China for the sure win.
Some Other Observations/Comments about China
The June 6th holiday
- The student's gave me the low-down on what the Monday holiday was about. It is held every year to honour Qu Yuan - a famous poet and writer of long ago (the student's describe him as "their Shakespeare"). He committed suicide on June 6th drowning himself in the river (communication was a bit iffy here...but I think that is the story?). Anyway, every year on the date of his death they honour him by making and eating a traditional Chinese dish called Zong? (pictured below). One of the student's brought me some so that I could participate in the "festival" and taste Zong (FYI...."Zong" is Chinese for "tastes absolutely terrible"......but I was suppose to dip it in sugar which would have made it better....after all, what doesn't taste better dipped in sugar?). Anyway, technically people are suppose to throw Zong into the river so that the fish eat it instead of the body of Qu Yuan (if that sounds strange, just remember we have a Jolly old Fat Guy dressed in red and white who slides down every Chimney in the world once per year giving gifts!)
Qinhuangdao - history
The student's and I agreed that my Chinese is hopeless, and so we have given up learning a word or phrase at the start of each class. Now we start each class with a Chinese "history lesson" which is much less painful for both of us.
Today I learned that the city I am teaching in was named after the Qin dynasty. Qin was the very first emperor of China. Prior to his reign, China consisted of 6 different countries or kingdom's but Qin conquered these countries and united what is now present day China. These old countries/kingdom's are now the Chinese Provinces...for example Qinhuangdao is located in Hebai Province.
Qin was/is both respected and hated. Hated because he was really a bit of a tyrant.....but also respected because he accomplished a tremendous amount during his relatively short reign (I think it was only about 40 years). He basically set the stage for present day China, and in addition to the "whole uniting the country thing", his most notable accomplishment was that he was the one who started building the Great Wall.
The Chinese definitely have mixed feelings about "the wall" as hundreds of thousands of people were basically enslaved to build it. Further, it is estimated that some 100,000+ workers died during it's construction....which I guess made it kind of hard to maintain his popularity as a leader (and why his reign was so short)! He was overthrown by the next dynasty - the Han dynasty...which lasted for the next 600-700 years.
What the young kids/student's do
One of the funny things you will notice here is that young couples dress in matching outfits, and that the boys will carry the girls purses...no kidding, pictures attached as proof. (P.S. I am trying to find matching shirt/short outfits for Heather and I). Also all the young girls hold hands when they are walking together (this is tough to get a proper picture of because if you ask to take their picture, they "pose"......so you kind of have to try and get an action shot as they are walking) and the student's favourite place to go is K-TV........which is........Karaoke! They absolutely love it, and I have attached a picture of the popular "college K-TV bar hangout".
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