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Snap - happy

30/9/2011

My camera died a few days ago. It's been having glitches for some months now, but finally refused to recharge properly or take any sort of decent quality photo. I bought it some 5 years ago and it gets near-daily use, so I can't complain. I've bought a new Lumix model - higher magnification, a lot more megapixels, smaller, lighter, with video and more auto-intelligent modes than I know how to use. Plus, the price was about the same as I paid for my old Samsung. If only the instructions weren't all in Chinese!

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Strike me down

29/9/2011

A group of 9 teachers from my school went out yesterday evening on what's intended to be the first of a series of social events. This one was ten-pin bowling, a sport new to many of the chinese. Everyone, including me, did pretty badly (the gutters have never seen such action), but I did manage to win 2 of my 3 games. Strangely, the two girls who scored the least all night were also the only two to get strikes! It was a fun time and a chance to spend time with colleagues outside of the office.

Double century

28/9/2011

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Last week was the first time more than 200 people in one day took a look at my blog! Thank you all for visiting ... and please do sign my Guestbook (see tab above) if you haven't already.

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Square meal in a round restaurant

27/9/2011

Over 80 school staff gathered for a "Ten Year Celebration" meal yesterday evening in a revolving restaurant atop one of Kunming's four star hotels. It took me two hours to get there by public transport however - the first bus did a u-turn after 15 minutes for reasons I never fully worked out. Then we hit tailbacks from two separate accidents. I tried another bus which was suddenly redirected by a traffic policemen due to roadworks and a third bus stopped 2km short of the hotel due to a massive traffic jam which had brought the whole thoroughfare to a grinding halt. But at least (and at last) I got there!

The food was a buffet and had plenty of delicious options to choose from. Then there was a party with "hilarious" games. I'm sure it wasn't just the language barrier - it's occasions such as this where western and chinese cultural expectations seem to diverge the most! After 2 hours of "fun" we finally got to head home. I found a taxi this time and was back within 30 minutes.

Poster post

26/9/2011

Here are some of the 40+ posters produced by the teachers.
Mine is the "ROBERT" poem top left.

Man! Eeek! Manic!

25/9/2011

Weekends are always busy for me, but this one was perhaps the most hectic ever! Last week I was asked to think up some fun activities for the school's tenth anniversary and they were all implemented. So, for example, this weekend we've had 3500 students playing a treasure hunt game, tracking down eight animal posters hidden around the school which together spell out "Robert's School of Languages".

And each class has also been competing to build the highest "Jenga" tower, (representing building the school ever larger). My classes only managed up to 27 but I was told the overall record was 33!

Then, for older students, there was a multiple-choice quiz about the school's history (...our school has taught over 15,000 students over the ten years, and has a current staff of 95!)

Each class was also tasked with creating a poster reflecting their thoughts about the school, plus there's also been a staff competition to design a new logo for the school.

So it was a bit of a breather to simply monitor an exam for one of my classes [see below], especially as the other two today were "Open Classes" with parents observing their kids being taught and then quizzing the teacher (me)! I'm so looking forward to the next two weeks of holiday!

Crew but effective

24/9/2011

A "Kunming TV" crew arrived at my house at 10am today wanting to trail me on a typical working day. Interviews in both English and Chinese followed, with some method acting thrown in ("...pretend you normally water the plants"!). Then they wanted to film me driving to work and, after a brief lunch, teaching a couple of classes. A further interview with me and my students and they left to edit the footage into a "National Day" documentary. I'm told the likely audience is in the millions!

Weakened weekend

23/9/2011

This school weekend looks set to be the most manic ever for me. I have one class doing an exam, two "Open Classes" (with visiting parents), games and activities for "Robert's School's 10 Year Celebrations" (which I've been involved in organising) and also I'm due to be followed by a Kunming TV crew all day tomorrow for an upcoming documentary.

Crispy bowel, anyone?

22/9/2011

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I'm indebted to fellow English teachers Peter and Monique for these fabulous Chinglish photos which they took at a restaurant recently. My favourite? Probably "Palace Blasting Cabbage". The mind boggles!

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100, not out!

20/9/2011

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A huge "Happy Birthday" to my granddad who turns 100 today! He's not as mobile as he once was (...climbing a tree at 85!) but still he has a quick mind and a genuine interest in all his children, grand-children and great grand-children. He's also the most humble, gracious and courteous person I've ever met. A true inspiration to all who have met him through his long life. I was so happy to meet him "one last time" (again!) earlier this year [see photo]. Have a very special day, granddad!

Granddad and his children (L to R: John, Liz, Mum, Graham)

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About to Di

19/9/2011

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I got some photos sent through yesterday from the Sams family - a reminder of a fun day in Harrods, Hyde Park and ...errr something else beginning with "H"? This photo was taken by the Princess Di Memorial. Aled and Ben were exhausted after a "pulling silly faces" competition (which I won incidentally ....yeah!)

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Blog blip

18/9/2011

So where were you all on September 2nd? I haven't dipped as low as 25 "unique viewers in a day" for many years. But then, on September 3rd, as many as 175 of you had a little look-see. Did I miss a Royal Wedding or a Wimbledon final or something?

Crafty boxer

17/9/2011

Jiajia brought back a little flat pack craft kit from Shenzhen on her last trip there but, frustrated by instructions in Japanese, she soon passed it over to me to complete. Five minutes later I have the "tidy box" all completed (helped by a series of pictures on the back of the Japanese instructions. Don't tell her - I'm still basking in the glory of finishing it so quickly!). Hmmm... "flat pack craft kit" - now that's not easy to say!

Falling down

15/9/2011

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Chinese stereotypes of England and the English are sometimes really hard to break down. I forget how often I've assured students that London is not "a foggy city". And the English are not all "gentlemen" (half of them are women, for a start!). And the bridge that opens up for ships is Tower Bridge, not London Bridge, despite what their textbooks say (or, indeed, this mug [see photo] spotted in a shop recently). I do assure them we all wear bowler hats though! Haha!

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Ten ten

13/9/2011

Ava and I put this afternoon aside to visit some hotels and restaurants to see if anywhere grabbed us for our Chinese Wedding celebration First in line was the five-star, well-located (but surely too expensive) Grand Park Hotel, one of the best hotels in Kunming. But after half an hour with their "wedding sales manager" we both felt we needed to look no further. Their buffet price was half what we expected it to be, with lots of little extras thrown in (free drinks, invite cards, night in the honeymoon suite, etc). I was also impressed by the large "PH" on their rotating restaurant (they say it's for Park Hotel group, but I know it's for Paul Hider) and their fundraising links with "World Vision" - a charity I have long supported. So Ava paid our deposit [see photo below] and we are all booked in for Monday evening, the 10th of October. Plenty of organising still to do, though a lot less than a western wedding.

He needs your support

12/9/2011

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I can't claim to have seen, or photographed, this Chinglish myself. My boss, Robert, snapped it from his moving car and, knowing I'm rather partial to the odd Chinglish pic, sent it on to me. Why the bike rider is wearing a T-shirt with "YOUR BRA" printed on the back is one of those mysteries that will stay with me for at least a half hour, or until the next Chinglish comes along. Gotta love China!

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Take your pic

10/9/2011

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The Gallery section of my site has had a little revamp of late. As well as some general photos showing life in S.E. China, there are the best of our wedding photos and a selection of my favourite Chinglish pictures. Do click the tab above to check it out.

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Vinda loo, perhaps?

8/9/2011

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Newly opened here in Kunming is the "Modern Toilet Restaurant". This is (genuinely!) a toilet-themed restaurant, where you sit on toilet-shaped seats and eat food and drink that looks like... well you can guess! Apparently it's a booming fad in Taiwan. I really want to try, but Ava is not so keen!

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Pan, sanpan and pram

6/9/2011

JIajia is back from her latest monthly business trip to Shenzhen, laden with the usual shop stock - mink coats, wedding dresses, shoes, clothes, handbags, etc. There should have been a box of leather coats too, but the courier company seems to have lost (or stolen?) this en route which is potentially a big financial loss for the store and therefore causing a lot of stress. Apparently "delivery insurance" is not common practice here.

Ava also brought back the usual mixed bag of "inspired purhases". I fear the charity shop experiences in the UK have left her vulnerable to any perceived bargains out there. Thus we now have a frying pan clock for the dining room, an ornamental sailing ship ("...it was the same price as the fridge magnet boat from Deal lifeboat station"!) and a pushchair for "Dorta", which Ava has been merrily racing around the house".

Take a deep breath

4/9/2011

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Ava and I
are thinking of donating ours
to the local sandwich
shop!

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Up and running

2/9/2011

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With the current warm, dry(ish) weather and an improvement in my gout, there's no excuse not to get out for a run every day or two. Right outside the house there's a shady, flat oval which is 125m a circuit (160 laps for a half-marathon, Dave!). So no 20 minute walk to the gym any more - I have the running track on my doorstep! I just have to avoid the neighbours who stroll around it, do TaiChi, play badminton or take their dog/child for a walk.

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Snap - happy

Strike me down

Double century

Square meal in a round restaurant

Poster post

Man! Eeek! Manic!

Crew but effective

Weakened weekend

Crispy bowel, anyone?

100, not out!

About to Di

Blog blip

Crafty boxer

Falling down

Ten ten

He needs your support

Take your pic

Vinda loo, perhaps?

Pan, sanpan and pram

Take a deep breath

Up and running

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