Thought I'd share a little of my life with you.... some of you may think that I've done a lot of drinking alcohol while I've been here. It's true... I've consumed more alcohol in 6 months in China than I have in probably 3 years in Sydney.... most of it Baijio.... all of it horrible. But even then it's been maybe three drinking sessions in as many months. Such is the custom over here. You get invited out by many people and they all love to drink the evil juice.
I'm now suitably NOT new on the block... So I am now exercising my right to not go within a five block radius of the Devils Nectar. I enjoy a beer maybe once a fortnight if I'm lucky! I'm back to swimming, cycling, running.... the usual activities, in a more interesting environment than I have been for years.
So, NO MORE DRINKING TALES!
I've met some wonderful people here in Karamay since October 2003. I'll introduce you to some of them.
Arkin: Arkin is a Uyghur man, 27. If I've sent you some photos recently of my trip to the mountains he is the strong guy with the white t-shirt. He is a Prosecutor.... or should I say.... was a Prosecutor up until last Tuesday, when he quit his job to follow his dream of studying English in Shanghai. We change jobs all the time.... nothing new for us..... but in China, many people get a job through their university and there they stay. They are often in long contracts and have to pay a hefty fine if they break that.
Arkin is one of the most respected Uyghur men in this city. He is a great personality... strong willed, calm, honest and very funny. He'll argue you around in circles if he gets the chance... the whole time with a wry smile on his face to let you know there's plenty more ways he could mess with your mind if he wanted.... but at the same time letting you know he's not going to make you lose face or feel embarrassed. He is a thorough gentleman to the ladies.... and seems entirely unaware of how they swoon over him. If there was to be a champion for the Uyghur people.... many would choose Arkin.
He has just had a break through.... A Canadian-Chinese joint mining venture has just employed him. This is a pioneering move for a Uyhgur man to be employed by a non Chinese company. He was also lucky that his employer let him break contract without penalty. In a word... it's Brilliant for Arkin!!
Renae: We hold an English Corner at the local KFC once a week. There I met a very elegant, graceful and calm woman that had a beautiful energy about her. After several weeks of talking with her she asked me to give her an English name. I named her Renae.... don't know why.... just like the name.
Renae and I have a strange chemistry I don't fully understand. I am very affected by her. I admire her courage and commitment to her work. She has been a teacher of deaf children for the one school for 15 years, in a country that is still very much in the "dark ages" when it comes to providing services for anybody with special needs. She gets almost no pay, her school is in a bad state of repair and yet she keeps the children as happy as can be. She teaches signing, Chinese and English and I think embodies all the positive attributes of a teacher.
See my entry "Classical Serenity" for more.
Pat and Chris: My two crazy Canadian neighbours! These guys are great fun and intelligent guys to have a conversation with. Pat can mix it well. I love having a deep chat with him about life and then we both interject some irreverence to lighten it all up and make a nice end to it all.
Chris is a little more reserved on the surface, but that's only a smoke screen to allow him to get away with more while your working him out.
Krystal: Somewhere along the line my family thought I was seeing Krystal. Well I am... everyday... I work with her. Actually Rob is seeing Krystal and they make a good couple, for she is outgoing where he is slightly reserved and he is..... Well he just is.... They're good together!
She's slightly crazy outside of work.... Her nickname is Monkey or Beerbucket... depends how flattering I want to be! But she's smart, funny and has been a real saviour to many of the foreign teachers, myself included. She helps everyone to find their feet in China. A big thankyou lao shi!
That'll do it for now I think..... More as parts of stories.... a little each time.
I'm now suitably NOT new on the block... So I am now exercising my right to not go within a five block radius of the Devils Nectar. I enjoy a beer maybe once a fortnight if I'm lucky! I'm back to swimming, cycling, running.... the usual activities, in a more interesting environment than I have been for years.
So, NO MORE DRINKING TALES!
I've met some wonderful people here in Karamay since October 2003. I'll introduce you to some of them.
Arkin: Arkin is a Uyghur man, 27. If I've sent you some photos recently of my trip to the mountains he is the strong guy with the white t-shirt. He is a Prosecutor.... or should I say.... was a Prosecutor up until last Tuesday, when he quit his job to follow his dream of studying English in Shanghai. We change jobs all the time.... nothing new for us..... but in China, many people get a job through their university and there they stay. They are often in long contracts and have to pay a hefty fine if they break that.
Arkin is one of the most respected Uyghur men in this city. He is a great personality... strong willed, calm, honest and very funny. He'll argue you around in circles if he gets the chance... the whole time with a wry smile on his face to let you know there's plenty more ways he could mess with your mind if he wanted.... but at the same time letting you know he's not going to make you lose face or feel embarrassed. He is a thorough gentleman to the ladies.... and seems entirely unaware of how they swoon over him. If there was to be a champion for the Uyghur people.... many would choose Arkin.
He has just had a break through.... A Canadian-Chinese joint mining venture has just employed him. This is a pioneering move for a Uyhgur man to be employed by a non Chinese company. He was also lucky that his employer let him break contract without penalty. In a word... it's Brilliant for Arkin!!
Renae: We hold an English Corner at the local KFC once a week. There I met a very elegant, graceful and calm woman that had a beautiful energy about her. After several weeks of talking with her she asked me to give her an English name. I named her Renae.... don't know why.... just like the name.
Renae and I have a strange chemistry I don't fully understand. I am very affected by her. I admire her courage and commitment to her work. She has been a teacher of deaf children for the one school for 15 years, in a country that is still very much in the "dark ages" when it comes to providing services for anybody with special needs. She gets almost no pay, her school is in a bad state of repair and yet she keeps the children as happy as can be. She teaches signing, Chinese and English and I think embodies all the positive attributes of a teacher.
See my entry "Classical Serenity" for more.
Pat and Chris: My two crazy Canadian neighbours! These guys are great fun and intelligent guys to have a conversation with. Pat can mix it well. I love having a deep chat with him about life and then we both interject some irreverence to lighten it all up and make a nice end to it all.
Chris is a little more reserved on the surface, but that's only a smoke screen to allow him to get away with more while your working him out.
Krystal: Somewhere along the line my family thought I was seeing Krystal. Well I am... everyday... I work with her. Actually Rob is seeing Krystal and they make a good couple, for she is outgoing where he is slightly reserved and he is..... Well he just is.... They're good together!
She's slightly crazy outside of work.... Her nickname is Monkey or Beerbucket... depends how flattering I want to be! But she's smart, funny and has been a real saviour to many of the foreign teachers, myself included. She helps everyone to find their feet in China. A big thankyou lao shi!
That'll do it for now I think..... More as parts of stories.... a little each time.