Global Jim in China

And so it has begun...China.

It is everything I dreamed it would be and in some ways nothing like I could imagine.


To be a foreigner in a place where people have never seen a person like you is a strange thing to say the least.

To be in a place where nobody knows what you are saying and you have no idea what they are saying either.

They look...They smile....At least most do.

Everybody stares...It is so strange.

I guess I think back to when I was young and saw a foreigner for the first time. One can't help but be curios. At least I couldn't.

I guess one of the reasons I am here is because I have always been fascinated by other cultures.

Even as I sit here in the park writing this, I am surrounded by Chinese kids.
Watching me and looking at my things. Old folks are walking up and staring...I know they are saying"Look....A foreigner...Isn't he funny looking"?

It is a very strange thing to be the foreigner.
This could take some time to get used to.

Well I've signed up for six months so I guess I have the time.

Ok...A man just offered me my first Chinese cigarette. I don't know the brand but it taste like a Marlboro red.

There must be at least 12 of them now...I'm creating quite a crowd.


The apartment is OK, I spent most of the day cleaning it up a little

It has a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, dining room and a den plus a laundry room... No drier. I think I'm supposed to just hang my clothes out the back window to dry.

I spent a couple of hours at the school today. I taught my first class. I wasn't sure what to do so I just mimicked what I saw in the training video.
Sucia said I did a good job. I don't think she knows that I haven't taught English before.

I'll have to go back up to the apartment and get my camera and take a few pictures...I thought I had brought it?

I don't think they have seen very many laptops. I just put some music on and the think it is just great. It seems they like the police.

This is going to be one wild adventure.


I went to the bank today and opened an account and got a bank card.
I also went shopping today for groceries, got a cell phone and had lunch with the headmaster of the school.

I think the school is mostly at night after the kids get of regular school.

That gives me plenty of time to practice my Chinese and get to know everybody around here.


Jim