mobile phone

Lili came back to Hangzhou. It was so nice to see her back. Unfortunately she had a bad luck because her mobile phone was stolen in the train. Her brother also had a bad luck (even worse) because somebody stole a few thousands yuans!! Anyway, Lili asked me for help in buying new phone. Ha! of course I helped her but… she’s a typical girl, so typical! After we had bought it, she realized that actually she didn’t like it at all. And she bought it only because I recommended it to her. My god! It was not cheap, it was even not so-so, to tell you the truth it was just expensive. She tried to gave it back but in the shop they told her that it was impossible since she’s already purchased it. She seemed to be angry and she suggested me to take her phone and she would take mine! Oh, no, I couldn’t agree since I like my mobile so much. I told her that her phone is good and nice, so she thought a little bit and then… she said: "Oh, OK, so I will like it!" How can I understand girls? Ha, they are so surprising.

catch you

"Run to where you want

Run to where you want
I am gonna find you
There ain’t no distance far enough
My love’s gonna find you
Run to where you want

Run to where you want
One day I’ll remind you
There ain’t no engine fast enough
My love’s gonna catch you"

[Sophie Ellis Bextor, Catch You, Trip The Light Fantastic]

Hitlist #312

February 26th, 2007

1. 1 (7) My Chemical Romance, Famous Last Words
2. 6 (3) Sophie Ellis Bextor, Catch You
3. 3 (6) 周杰伦, 夜的第七章
4. 2 (4) Mika, Relax (Take It Easy)
5. 4 (6) Within Temptation, What Have You Done
6. 15 (3) 30 Seconds To Mars, The Kill
7. 9 (3) Keane, A Bad Dream
8. 13 (2) Kaiser Chiefs, Ruby
9. 8 (4) Beirut, Postcards From Italy
10. 11 (5) John Mayer, Belief
11. 5 (16) Placebo, Meds
12. 12 (4) Enigma, The Alchemist
13. 7 (9) Late Night Alumni, Empty Streets
14. 10 (7) Incubus, Love Hurts
15. – (1) Sigur Ros, Glosoli
16. 17 (2) Smolik feat. Kasia Kurzawska, Close Your Eyes
17. 18 (5) Josh Groban, February Song
18. – (1) Snow Patrol, Open Your Eyes
19. 16 (10) Scissor Sisters, Land Of A Thousand Words
20. 20 (2) Damien Rice, Rootless Tree

Kevin, Jack and Oliver

It’s been a while since I wrote last time. I was not in Hangzhou; I visited Kevin in Zhuji (诸暨)… I also met Clark, my another student. It was great – playing basketball, singing in KTV, eating with others. As I was the only foreigner, everybody around me was very curious about me. Sometimes it makes me a little bit angry when I notice somebody staring at me. A bit embarrassing feeling.
I spent there 2 days and then I had a guest at my home. Jack came to me, also for 2 days. He lives in Ningbo (宁波) now, working there. Last time we saw each other in December… The weather was so good that we went to West Lake (西湖) and climbed hills around Hangzhou. Beautiful views.
Now the holiday is over. Most of Chinese people are working today although it is Sunday. I have my English corners again.
I also want to mention my Chinese brother – Oliver! We had dinner together with his family on New Year’s Day – Spring Festival. It is like Christmas in western countries so the families should get together… Thanks to Oliver I didn’t feel that I’m different than other Chinese. Atually I’m a little bit Chinese, aren’t I?
New Year has begun.

relax (take it easy)

"Relax
There is an answer to the darkest times
It’s clear
We don’t understand but the last thing on my mind
Is to leave you
I believe that we’re in this together
Don’t scream – there are so many roads left

Relax, take it easy
For there is nothing that we can do
Relax, take it easy
Blame it on me or blame it on you"

[Mika, Relax (Take It Easy), Life In Cartoon Motion]

Hitlist #311
February 19th, 2007

1. 1 (6) My Chemical Romance, Famous Last Words
2. 13 (3) Mika, Relax (Take It Easy)
3. 4 (5) 周杰伦, 夜的第七章
4. 6 (5) Within Temptation, What Have You Done
5. 2 (15) Placebo, Meds
6. 17 (2) Sophie Ellis Bextor, Catch You
7. 3 (8) Late Night Alumni, Empty Streets
8. 15 (3) Beirut, Postcards From Italy
9. 18 (2) Keane, A Bad Dream
10. 5 (6) Incubus, Love Hurts
11. 11 (4) John Mayer, Belief
12. 16 (3) Enigma, The Alchemist
13. – (1) Kaiser Chiefs, Ruby
14. 9 (5) Sandra, Around My Heart
15. 10 (2) 30 Seconds To Mars, The Kill
16. 8 (9) Scissor Sisters, Land Of A Thousand Words
17. – (1) Smolik feat. Kasia Kurzawska, Close Your Eyes
18. 12 (4) Josh Groban, February Song
19. 7 (8) Eric Prydz vs. Floyd, Proper Education
20. – (1) Damien Rice, Rootless Tree

新年

Happy New Year!
新年快乐！！
It’s the year of pig – 猪年. I hope it’s successful and full of interesting experiences for everybody. Take care and let the golden pig (金猪) bring you richness and satisfaction.
*****
Somebody wants me to get married. Strange feeling to know that… I’m not prepared for this and I don’t know if I ever am. Sometimes I think I could but it would mean that finally I became an adult. But the reason for getting married should be love, shouldn’t it? Maybe it’s naive thinking but the fact that somebody’s lonely doesn’t mean that we should do it.

I couldn’t sleep for the whole night – too many thoughts in my mind. Sometimes I think that my head will crack. Too many…

radio

It got colder again. That’s not very nice because for me it’s even too cold to ride my bike and I have to take bus again. Bleh. Anyway, it’s better here than in Poland where it’s awful sleet and the temperatures are around 0 degrees. They need to wait for spring much longer than in Hangzhou.
Spring Festival is coming. Everybody is preparing to get together with their families, that’s why recently there were just few students in my classes. It was interesting experience to see only 8-10 people in my English corner while I got used to see more than 30! Possibly after holidays there will be more new students, the new semester will start.
Because of the coming holidays I almost can’t arrange anything with my suppliers. They just tell me to wait patiently until it’s over and not to get angry. But how can I stay calm when my boss tells me that we can’t wait any longer? I know that the holiday is important but… it makes my work really difficult and annoying.
Everyday in the morning I listen to Polish radio online. It is my new tradition to keep in touch with my homecountry. It’s nice to know what’s happening there. Of course I also read news in Internet but Polish music is important, too. And staying in China, it’s hard to be up-to-date with Polish songs. Not anymore! Now it’s great!
For those who are interested in Polish radio: you can click here and listen. It is my favourite radio station… the third programme of Polish Radio. Enjoy.

invitation

There’ll be Chinese New Year this weekend. At first I thought that I’ll spend this evening at home, watching DVDs or reading books… But today something wonderful happenned! Oliver invited me to his family, to his home. I am very moved, it’s so touching. Friendship is gorgeous.

– Chris, New Year is coming, do you have any plan?
– No… I may go to West Lake at night.
– When?
– Saturday night.
– New Year is equal to Christmas Eve.
– Yes… and families should be together.
– Yes, family usually has dinner together. After dinner thy go outside to play with fireworks and firecrackers.
– Yes. So I’ll stay at home for dinner.
– No, please join us for dinner. Join my family and after dinner we can go outside together to see West Lake.
– Oh… Oliver…
– You know, you are we welcome by us. You will feel warm on New Year’s Eve.
– OK. So let’s stay together on this night.
– Yes! Friends living in Hangzhou can always be with you.
– Thank you.
–

famous last words

"Now I know
That I can’t make you stay
But where’s your heart
But where’s your heart
But where’s your…

And I know
There’s nothing I can say
To change that part
To change that part
To change!

 

I am not afraid to keep on living
I am not afraid to walk this world alone
Honey if you stay
You’ll be forgiven
Nothing you can say can stop me going home"

[My Chemical Romance, Famous Last Words, The Black Parade]

 

Hitlist #310

February 12th, 2007

1. 6 (5) My Chemical Romance, Famous Last Words
2. 1 (14) Placebo, Meds
3. 2 (7) Late Night Alumni, Empty Streets
4. 4 (4) 周杰伦, 夜的第七章
5. 10 (5) Incubus, Love Hurts
6. 3 (4) Within Temptation, What Have You Done
7. 8 (7) Eric Prydz vs. Floyd, Proper Education
8. 5 (8) Scissor Sisters, Land Of A Thousand Words
9. 9 (4) Sandra, Around My Heart
10. – (1) 30 Seconds To Mars, The Kill
11. 14 (3) John Mayer, Belief
12. 12 (3) Josh Groban, February Song
13. 15 (2) Mika, Relax (Take It Easy)
14. 7 (15) Muse, Knights Of Cydonia
15. 20 (2) Beirut, Postcards From Italy
16. 18 (2) Enigma, The Alchemist
17. – (1) Sophie Ellis Bextor, Catch You
18. – (1) Keane, A Bad Dream
19. 11 (8) Chris Cornell, You Know My Name
20. – (1) Fallout Boy, This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race

forgot!!

La la la – I want to sing!
Friday was not very good day. For the first time I forgot about my class!! Actually I wrote the time wrong – I thought that I had English corner at 7, while it was at 3! That’s why when there was 3, I was at home, working calmly with my boss. And then the telephone rang… "Where are you? Students are waiting for you!!" And then I realized my big mistake. Just because a week before I had a class in the evening, I thought that it is also this time in the evening. Oh, horrible. I couldn’t go and some other teacher had to replace me. This is called an emergency!!!
For the rest of the day I felt awful because I knew I had disappointed many people. I hate this feeling. Of course it was the first and the last time.

– My schedule for the coming year is not changed.
– OK. Still weekends? Or you can do more?
– I can do more.
– Students like your classes.
– That’s nice to hear.
– That’s true.

“I don’t know”

Teacher doesn’t have to know answers for all questions. Nobody knows everything. He can try to help in finding the source but much also depends on a student. When a student relies only on teacher’s knowledge, he may feel disappointed. Is it teacher’s fault? Both sides should be active in searching, I think a student should be even more active.
We always try to be helpful and share our knowledge but it’s difficult to lie – to tell that we know something which we actually don’t know. I think it’s always better to admit that I don’t know and to try to find the answer. "I don’t know" doesn’t mean that we are not prepared for classes.
It’s very easy to accuse somebody and make them suffer. It’s unfair.
Have you ever heard the quote "I know that I know nothing"? It is the key for humanity, a stimulus that we learn all the time and that this process is never finished. A neverending story.