going for holidays

I’m going for holidays tomorrow. The weather is just horrible now, raining – the same as last Sunday in Chun’an! Some people told me they had seen me in TV! There was a report about teaching activity in Chun’an, showing me and others… Wow, it’s a nice feeling.
I’ve had 6 English corners this week! This is my record. But as I go for holidays, and then my boss is coming to China – I won’t be available for more than 3 weeks. I will miss my students. That is true, I even told them that yesterday. They will miss me too.
I must pack my luggage. I’m getting excited.
I will go tomorrow afternoon, I’ll be in Thailand on Tuesday morning. Possibly without access to Internet, but who knows. I wish I could write some of my experiences right away.
I bought a new camera since the old one has been stolen. It’s better and I can take better pictures – even at night. So maybe that horrible theft had some positive effect…

Take a look at the photos.

we just don’t care

"Let’s go to the park
I wanna kiss you underneath the stars
Maybe we’ll go
too far
We just don’t care
We just don’t care
We just
don’t

Let’s make love, let’s go somewhere they might discover us
Let’s
get lost in lust
We just don’t care,
We just don’t care,
We just don’t
care"

[John Legend, P.D.A. (We Just Don’t Care), Once Again]

Hitlist #320
April 23rd, 2007

1. 1 (5) GARETH GATES, Changes
2. 2 (9) SIGUR ROS, Glosoli
3. 5 (5) JOHN LEGEND, P.D.A. (We Just Don’t Care)
4. 3 (7) MODEST MOUSE, Dashboard
5. 6 (4) TRAVIS, Closer
6. 8 (2) MAROON 5, Makes Me Wonder
7. 16 (7) THE KOOKS, Ooh La
8. 4 (7) THE KILLERS, Read My Mind
9. 17 (6) MIKA, Grace Kelly
10. 13 (3) 周杰伦, 黄金甲
11. 7 (11) 30 SECONDS TO MARS, The Kill
12. 19 (2) ARCTIC MONKEYS, Brainstorm
13. 9 (7) SCISSOR SISTERS, She’s My Man
14. 10 (4) GOOD CHARLOTTE, Keep Your Hands Off My Girl
15. 18 (3) JOHN MAYER, Waiting On The World To Change
16. 12 (14) WITHIN TEMPTATION, What Have You Done
17. – (1) LINKIN PARK, What I’ve Done
18. 20 (2) MUSE, Invincible
19. 11 (10) SMOLIK FEAT. KASIA KURZAWSKA, CYE – Close Your Eyes
20. – (1) YIRUMA, Kiss The Rain
    

found!!

Sunday was rainy. The weather was so bad since the early morning. I was in terrible mood as my bag and passport were stolen. Together with some WEB-teachers we went to Chun’an (in Qian Dao Lake – 千岛湖) – on that day we had some classes in local highschool. It’s a good idea to give yourself to others, anyway, I was not in the mood to go. On the way to Chun’an I got a call. Some man was speaking Chinese to me, of course I couldn’t understand anything so I passed the phone to my Chinese friend. And… that man said that he found my bag! Oh! He must’ve found my namecard, that’s why he knew my number. I called Calvin, gave him that man’s number… Calvin met him and his wife later and got back my bag. Unfortunately without money, camera, umbrella (yes, it was raining, so I’m not surprised). Even my mum’s photo was gone.
Anyway, I felt so big relief that I have a passport again. Otherwise I should go to Poland’s consulate in Shanghai, then to wait until they issue new passport, then issue new visa… oh, so troublesome. And I don’t have time to wait. Holidays are coming!
In Chun’an we all felt like movie stars. Students (18-19-year-olds) were so happy to talk to us. And in the end they asked us to sign their notebooks. They took a lot of pictures, there was also a reporter from TV – yes, yes, they showed us in the news!!
I came back home in the evening – in totally different mood than in the morning. I know I must be more careful about my stuff. I could have had so many troubles… A good story is with a good ending.

stolen bag

On Saturday my bag was stolen. I went to a restaurant for dinner and put it on the chair. I ate dinner, talked to my friend, and… I noticed that bag is gone! Oh my god, I had so many things inside! The most important: passport and my visas. Next week I’m supposed to go for holidays to Thailand – how can I go without passport? The second thing: my bank cards. Immediately I registered them, I even called to my Polish bank to do it… The third thing: camera, where I had many pictures from earlier picnic – in the morning I had very nice picnic with Pascal (French friend) and his students.
All is lost. My notebooks, my money, my mother’s photo….
I couldn’t sleep at night.

kites

On Sunday I was terribly tired. Maybe I was working too much? In the morning – as every week – I was teaching Chen Chen, I was also teaching another boy. Then I went to WEB, where I hosted the English corner about Finland. It was a good topic as I spent some time in that beautiful country. I showed some pictures to students, I told them about my experiences, sauna, snow, Santa Claus, polar night and so on. After the class I supposed to have a meeting with Jack – he invited me to Wushan Square (吴山广场) to fly kite! Wow, interesting idea!

But… I finished my lesson and I was about to leave – but I noticed that the teacher for next class didn’t come! Oh! I called the girl who is in charge of schedules. She just said: "Oh, my God! Oh, my God!". I suggested that I could stay longer… as long as the teacher arrives to school.

I had no topic. Anyway, students told me that it didn’t matter because they just wanted to talk freely. So we talked about colours, symbols, history. And to be very honest – it was one of my best classes ever!

Jack must’ve waited. I arrived to Wushan Square very late but luckily he wasn’t alone. He was together with Sophia (his cousin) and Jimmy (best college friend). We spent so nice time together flying kites which flew so high as the wind was quite strong. Great activity for Sunday afternoon!

Unfortunately after some time it started to rain and we decided to go home.

And today it’s been raining since the early morning!

Sometimes I like rain. I like listening to its sound, bumping on my windows… And I’m staying at home, safe and dry. This is my home. I can tell.

glosoli

"Now that you’re awake
Everything seems different
I look around
But there’s nothing at all

 

She is with the sun
And it’s out here

 

But where are you…

 

I’ve become so used to this craziness
That it’s now compulsory

 

And here you are…

I’m feeling…

And here you are
Glowing sun…"

[Sigur Ros, Glosoli, Takk]

 

Hitlist #319

April 16th, 2007

1. 1 (4) GARETH GATES, Changes
2. 4 (8) SIGUR ROS, Glosoli
3. 2 (6) MODEST MOUSE, Dashboard
4. 3 (6) THE KILLERS, Read My Mind
5. 7 (4) JOHN LEGEND, P.D.A. (We Just Don’t Care)
6. 10 (3) TRAVIS, Closer
7. 6 (10) 30 SECONDS TO MARS, The Kill
8. – (1) MAROON 5, Makes Me Wonder
9. 5 (6) SCISSOR SISTERS, She’s My Man
10. 13 (3) GOOD CHARLOTTE, Keep Your Hands Off My Girl
11. 8 (9) SMOLIK FEAT. KASIA KURZAWSKA, CYE – Close Your Eyes
12. 9 (13) WITHIN TEMPTATION, What Have You Done
13. 15 (2) 周杰伦, 黄金甲
14. 11 (11) ENIGMA, The Alchemist
15. 14 (13) 周杰伦, 夜的第七章
16. 12 (6) THE KOOKS, Ooh La
17. 16 (5) MIKA, Grace Kelly
18. 19 (2) JOHN MAYER, Waiting On The World To Change
19. – (1) ARCTIC MONKEYS, Brainstorm
20. – (1) MUSE, Invincible

plans for holiday

May-holiday is approaching. Any plans? Oh yes.
I’m going to Shenzhen, then to Singapore, then to Thailand, then back to Singapore, then back to Shenzhen, then to Hong Kong, then back to Shenzhen, then finally back to Hangzhou!
Totally I’ll spend 10 days travelling. I’m so excited!
I miss Hong Kong, it’s my favourite Chinese city (except Hangzhou) – so I couldn’t be in Shenzhen and not to visit Hong Kong.
I hope everything will be OK. Two weeks left! Should I start packing?

pot

It turned out again that I’m very poor cook. I wanted to boil eggs, I like to eat eggs together with mayonnaise. I put 6 eggs to the pot with water and turned on the electric oven. And… I totally forgot about what I’ve just done! I came back to my work, as recently it has been quite busy.
Suddenly I felt strange smell… I went to the kitchen to check. Oh my god, the water has totally vapoured, pot became red and the steel started to bend! I turned off the oven immediately and ran to the sink. But wait, wait… I realised that it might be dangerous to pour the water to the burning pot. So I took this smelly thing to the balcony. The eggs looked suspicious, I tried to eat one but the taste was not too good. My parents used to tell me that I behave like sleeping prince (instead of sleeping beauty). Yes.. but in my opinion I am the person who always swings in the clouds… My thoughts are wandering somewhere where the reality meets fantasy.
I’ve already bought the new pot.

read my mind

"The good old days, the honest man
The restless heart, the Promised Land
A subtle kiss that no one sees
A broken wrist and a big trapeze

Oh well, I don’t mind, if you don’t mind
‘Cause I don’t shine if you don’t shine
Before you go, can you read my mind?

The teenage queen, the loaded gun
The drop dead dream, the Chosen One
A southern drawl, the world unseen
A city wall and a trampoline

Oh well, I don’t mind if you don’t mind
‘Cause I don’t shine if you don’t shine
Before you jump,
Tell me what you find..
When you read my mind"

[The Killers, Read My Mind, Sam’s Town]

Hitlist #318
April 9th, 2007

1. 1 (3) Gareth Gates, Changes
2. 2 (5) Modest Mouse, Dashboard
3. 6 (5) The Killers, Read My Mind
4. 4 (7) Sigur Ros, Glosoli
5. 3 (5) Scissor Sisters, She’s My Man
6. 8 (9) 30 Seconds To Mars, The Kill
7. 9 (3) John Legend, P.D.A. (We Just Don’t Care)
8. 13 (8) Smolik feat. Kasia Kurzawska, CYE – Close Your Eyes
9. 7 (12) Within Temptation, What Have You Done
10. 18 (2) Travis, Closer
11. 5 (10) Enigma, The Alchemist
12. 11 (5) The Kooks, Ooh La
13. 20 (2) Good Charlotte, Keep Your Hands Off My Girl
14. 10 (12) 周杰伦, 夜的第七章
15. – (1) 周杰伦, 黄金甲
16. 19 (4) Mika, Grace Kelly
17. 15 (8) Kaiser Chiefs, Ruby
18. 12 (9) Sophie Ellis Bextor, Catch You
19. – (1) John Mayer, Waiting On The World To Change
20. 14 (4) Klaxons, Golden Skans
    

Easter

We have Easter now. It started on Saturday when people in Poland bless the food (eggs, ham, bread) with holy water. Then on Sunday they should share this food among each other wishing all the best and cherishing Jesus’ rebirth.. For my family this year’s Easter is not happy as usual. There was my grandfather’s funeral on Saturday. So… He’s really gone. I lit the candle on my balcony to memorize him and in that way to be together with my family, since I couldn’t go back to Poland.
I got an invitation from Anna, Polish girl in Hangzhou, to spend Easter dinner with her and other Poles. But I refused. I know it’s very kind of her and I’m a bad person to reject her invitation. But… I don’t know anybody except her. And now it’s a time I would like to spend with people I know, people who understand my twisted mind.
I talked to my family yesterday quite long. First they called me while I was on the bus, then we connected online. And it was ok. Maybe the fact that we have Easter – happy holiday – made us all not to grieve so much.
I worked during weekend. On Saturday I was terribly tired, I had some classes in the library, and 2 English corners in WEB. WEB is celebrating 4th anniversary in China, and there are some special English corners. I was honoured to have the first one. So many people participated in it! Teacher should prepare the topic about particular country – my topic was about New Zealand. Because of so many people (about 50!!!) I was very nervous and in the end I was not fully satisfied. Anyway, it seems like they generally liked my class – they even applauded me!
Sunday was also busy. I taught Chen Chen, and later I met my new friend, Ben. He works in the company that I have an English training in. He mentioned that he liked hiking… We visited Yue Fei’s tomb (岳飞, a general in ancient China), then we went to West Lake, which is amazingly beautiful at this time of year. I’m very happy to live in a such nice place.
And later I had dinner with Calvin in a Japanese restaurant where we go quite often. Sake (Japanese wine) tasted so good.
To be busy is a good way to forget about sorrow. Anyway, my grandfather will always stay in my heart.