Thursday, March 02, 2006
EGA* writes:
"Today was our midterm. For the past few days I have been all worked up about
preparing for this test (or as worked up as I ever get about tests, which is really
not very -- it’s mainly for show) because you know what? I have learned a lot of
Chinese since I’ve been here. So much that I sometimes find myself wondering, “How
did I ever communicate before?” And then I remember, oh right I SPOKE ENGLISH THEN.
(Have I mentioned that two people received warning letters for speaking English at
the ACC party awhile ago? Three guesses who. And of course this is ACC’s policy:
get caught speaking English three times and it’s back to America for you.) But I
mean, think of it! Two months ago I could never have said in Chinese that my life
was like a pool of stagnant water! Now I say that all the time! (And wouldn’t you?)
That’s what I call progress.
"Anyway, test test test and now tomorrow morning we are off to Sichuan, where the
teachers have warned us that wild monkeys will try to steal our belongings. I find
it rather incredible that I’m in a country that has wild monkeys. Also pandas, which
is pretty awesome. I am psyched for seeing pandas even though I find their
reluctance to survive kind of irritating. "Mate, dash it! Also, don’t evolve to only
eat one thing!" Sichuan is very far away -- thirty hours on a Chinese train, heaven
help me. That is the sort of situation that makes me wish I had an iPod or
something. But I shall resist. I have "What Maisie Knew" and "Anna Karenina".
"I expect I’ll be out of touch for about a week, but I’ll have lots of stories
(possibly involving monkeys) when I return."
*Her Blogger access was iffy, so she asked me to post for her.
"Today was our midterm. For the past few days I have been all worked up about
preparing for this test (or as worked up as I ever get about tests, which is really
not very -- it’s mainly for show) because you know what? I have learned a lot of
Chinese since I’ve been here. So much that I sometimes find myself wondering, “How
did I ever communicate before?” And then I remember, oh right I SPOKE ENGLISH THEN.
(Have I mentioned that two people received warning letters for speaking English at
the ACC party awhile ago? Three guesses who. And of course this is ACC’s policy:
get caught speaking English three times and it’s back to America for you.) But I
mean, think of it! Two months ago I could never have said in Chinese that my life
was like a pool of stagnant water! Now I say that all the time! (And wouldn’t you?)
That’s what I call progress.
"Anyway, test test test and now tomorrow morning we are off to Sichuan, where the
teachers have warned us that wild monkeys will try to steal our belongings. I find
it rather incredible that I’m in a country that has wild monkeys. Also pandas, which
is pretty awesome. I am psyched for seeing pandas even though I find their
reluctance to survive kind of irritating. "Mate, dash it! Also, don’t evolve to only
eat one thing!" Sichuan is very far away -- thirty hours on a Chinese train, heaven
help me. That is the sort of situation that makes me wish I had an iPod or
something. But I shall resist. I have "What Maisie Knew" and "Anna Karenina".
"I expect I’ll be out of touch for about a week, but I’ll have lots of stories
(possibly involving monkeys) when I return."
*Her Blogger access was iffy, so she asked me to post for her.
// posted by Bill @ 11:32 AM 
Post a Comment