innocent blossom girl

Innocent blossom girl

Like a special pearl

Charming and passionate

Longing to find its destiny

– a sea shell

A shelter for future life

[for JP]

experiencing

Days go by… It’s been already one month since I am in China. I met so many people, experienced so much! … and I still want more.

I had lunch today with Alice, my another student. It was so delicious!! Chinese cuisine makes me feel so good. But… by accident I put a chili pepper to my mouth and bited it.  Oh, immediately I turned red and hot. It was damn spicy!! That was the punishment for my greed. Anyway, lunch with Alice was a nice event.

Yesterday my mum told me that my older brother was trying to persuade his wife to come to Hangzhou for summer holidays! Wow, I think he’s able to persuade her! It would be so great to see them here and show them the greatness of this city. Fantastic idea!

Nowadays I’m getting more classes. That’s also good. I’m experiencing how positive is to be a teacher. And I don’t have any problems with thinking about new topics. Kissing? Bad manners? Shyness? Left-handed people? There’s so many interesting things to discuss. Tomorrow we will deal with gossips.

I’ve already recovered from my cold. Thanks to Calvin… he brought some Chinese pills for me. Great friend, the best I have in China. Have I already told you that I’m lucky? Yeah, many times. I enjoy every moment of my life. At least I try!

lunches and dinners

Some students invite me to have lunch or dinner with them. So nice feeling! On Saturday I had class with West, 17-year old boy who is going to UK in May to study. He needs to talk in English with someone… After this class we went to have lunch in Korean restaurant (the day before I visited Japanese restaurant, wow, wow!). And he said that his mum invites me to have dinner on the next day. It was so busy day! And the buses were so full that I couldn’t get in! Crazy China.

I was 45 minutes late. Luckily West’s mum didn’t mind. She cooked a crab  and some fish. Very good but I didn’t know how to eat the crab… With chopsticks?? Anyway, the evening was quite pleasant. Well, I couldn’t speak to West’s mum, she doesn’t speak English. Smiles were all I could offer.

I met another Polish girls! Anna… there is also Klaudyna whom I met in the school. And I also met Polish tourists here. Incredible! Suddenly I’ve heard the Polish language in the street. WTF… I’ve run to those people and said "Dzien dobry" ("Good afternoon"). You should’ve seen how surprised they were!!! It’s a couple, they originally come from Krakow but now are living in Denmark. We were talking for a while, they are staying in Hangzhou for about 7 days. Great idea! I recommend Hangzhou as a place to visit for more tourists (especially those from my homecountry)!

I caught a cold. Sore throat, running nose…  Students are laughing when I’m trying to clean my nose. Haha, so funny!

busier

Recently I’ve been busier, that’s why my writing is not so frequent like earlier. Almost everyday I have some classes or discussions with my students. Oh, I feel so good in this role! I’m making friendships with some of the students (Oliver, Makiya, Alice, Pheonix and others – best regards and take care!). I do hope I can stay here longer. On Saturday I even had a dinner with Oliver, my great student… it was delicious. Who would have thought that I like sea fruit?

The weather is fabolous. So warm and sunny! Beautiful spring and everywhere is so green! I love it! I love many things, don’t I?

There was Easter 2 days ago and yesterday. Unfortunately (or luckily, judge for yourself) there is no Easter in China. I have been in school. I don’t regret, after all it gives me the sense of fulfillment. And one more: I have nothing to lose and so much to gain. I haven’t come to China to sit at home and do nothing. Sometimes my family asks me why I wasn’t online so often. Well, there’s so many things to do more… Being online all the time is not a good idea. Although sometimes I sit in front of the computer too long!

It’s been almost one month since I am here. Time goes by so fast!

sense of humanism

It was a great day yesterday… I met a Polish girl here! Joanna’s been living in Hangzhou for 4 years and feels very well here. Oh, we were speaking Polish so fast! Actually I don’t feel lonely here but it’s so nice to know that your compatriots also are here.

And after dinner with Joanna I had an English Corner in school. It’s a special class when a teacher involves students in the discussion. My yesterday’s topic was "Shoplifting".. and it was wonderful! Students had so many things to say! I haven’t even noticed that one hour has passed so fast. I could speak more and more. After the class one student came to me and said that it was great… what was the greatest award for my efforts. I was so happy!

This is the core of being a teacher: to share what’s good in yourself with others. Oh, I want to stay here longer. I feel like it’s a place for me. Destination.

Well, but it’s not that easy and I will have to face a lot of difficulties and tough moments. And even it seems to me that I am prepared to face them… but suddenly it turns out again that I’m still very naive boy. I’m learning all the time and I think this process will never end. Maybe that’s why the life is so excited? Gives the chances of facing the challenges – is this the sense of humanism?

great day!

Great day!

I love China!

I’m too tired now to write… so I’ll write something tomorrow.

Zhongguo!!! 

foreign schools and chopsticks

I’m visiting many foreign schools. I was told that a position of an English teacher is the most appropriate in the very beginning of the staying in China. I don’t wanna spend my whole time only sitting at home or doing shopping. Man’s destiny is to work and my destiny is to give people what’s the best in me – no, no, not physically!

Yesterday I had a demo class. My task was to lead the discussion with students. Funny thing was that there were only girls, beautiful Chinese girls… I guess this made my discussion easier and more pleasant. I was a little bit nervous but actually I expected more stress. The school director (who was always present during this discussion, also female) said that generally it was very OK – she asked students what do they think! – but I should speak a bit louder. Yes, I forgot that the voice is my tool now.

And today someone called me from this school and said that on Saturday I’m having classes!!

Apart this, tomorrow I’m having another discussion in another foreign school. And also next week I will be busy. Fantastic feeling! I can feel that they need me here.

Tell you what. Self-confidence is a key to success. If you don’t believe in yourselves, you will never get what you want because there will always be someone who knows how to get it. I tell you – you have to know you are excellent and valueable! And everything becomes so different.. and warmer and friendly.

I can eat with chopsticks! Haha, it was easier than I thought! Wow, I am so proud of myself and my friends told me I have a natural tallent if I could learn it so quickly! I’m becoming more Chinese… Now it’s time to start speaking Chinese!

life in China

Life in China is so different than this in Poland. I feel very good here, like it was always my hometown. It is also strange because compared to Hangzhou my hometown is just a small village. Hangzhou is bigger than any Polish city but I don’t feel it at all. It’s relatively quiet and very safe. People are so friendly! I smile a lot (I’m generally positive person) and many Chinese look at me. Some of them say "hello!", I even noticed that some has taken a photo of me.

Movie star?? I like it!!

What I like the most is to see the reaction of Chinese when I try to say something in their language. They just open their mouths and then smile very widely! It looks very funny.

The first thing I had to get used to was traffic jam. Here people drive like crazy!!! I couldn’t believe it! They don’t wait until people will cross the street but they are driving between them! It’s so dangerous! And it seems to be a miracle that there are no accidents… Chinese believe that Hangzhou is a "paradise on earth" – I could say that is because you can die so easily, hehe…

I have my own guides in China. Joyce, Lily and Calvin are so lovely and helpful. I am so lucky I have so bosom friends. I’m lucky!!

China!

I am in China! So many things have happened that I even didn’t have time to write here. Anyway, it’s nice Saturday evening, I’m sitting in front of the computer, installing software – I can write. I arrived to China a week ago. I had a flight from Warsaw on Friday. In Warsaw it was -7 degrees! Oh, so cold, this year’s winter is so long that I decided to run away to the East of the world… I had some fears if I find a way in London Heathrow airport but it turned out very easy. And after all I could always ask the airport service, right? Yes… but I was too excited about this trip to think properly. I had to wait 5 long hours in London. In the meantime something terrible has started to happen to my face… God, horrible spots! Now! It’s a bad luck, because just at this moment I wanted to look OK – not like a monster. Later it was even worse…. poor me. The aircraft to Shanghai was awesome. Wow, I have been in such lane for the first time. Boeing 777 – it was huge! Each passenger had his own screen where he could choose among 18 channels and 16 radio stations. Headset for everyone. Lots of food! And Siberia at night seen from high above is something I will never forget. In Shanghai I was on the Saturday morning. Quite tired, though. I’ve waited for a while for Calvin..

First I went to a bathroom to refresh myself after 11-hour flight. Then we went to eat something..but I wasn’t able to eat! So many emotions, and so many impressions! Stranger in strange country!

We went to Hangzhou – a city located 200 km west from Shanghai. Everything was prepared for my arrival – my flat is just… Chinese. The buildings are so close to each other that I can see what the people eat! Of course no one cares about the curtains!

Good thing that I have a computer. I’m OK. Still so excited!