This morning I woke up feeling incredibly rested. I went to the bathroom and then walked back in my room with a calm presence over me, somewhat hyper-aware, admiring the way the carpet felt on my feet. Kind of in a surreal state where random thoughts just pop in your head, like "I'm so thankful my feet and legs work." I laughed to myself and looked at the clock to see what time it was.
It was fucking 2 a.m. At this point I really started acting like a grandpa and I started chuckling. Immediately I thought of the last time this sort of phenomenon occurred, I was alternating between staring at the ceiling and peeking out the blinds in a serviced apartment in Shanghai, the first night/morning after I arrived. My travel partner was asleep but I was already seething with the desire to get out and explore this crazy new place, filthy with lights, filthy with people and filthy with general uncleanliness....
Showing posts with label research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label research. Show all posts
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Friday, April 1, 2011
fruit time!
JOB OFFER!!
Straight from contact with a university in Hángzhōu. The offer seems OK and I have talked to a few people from the school who say it is a great place and teacher friends at other schools envy them. Of the handful of schools I've talked to, this one has had the most and most prompt communication with me. However I would still like to see what other schools might offer. The offer I received is good for two weeks so I have some time to decide what I want to do, maybe even longer depending on whether or not the deadline was a tactic of some sort or if it was legitimate.
Either case, I feel pretty good about it. Always though, it could be psychological, wanting it to work out, wanting to think I received a decent offer. Harder to be objective when you are really hoping for something. Man certainly has the capability to delude himself.
Hopefully I can eek out some more later, maybe it will be more interesting instead of such a straightforward account.
Straight from contact with a university in Hángzhōu. The offer seems OK and I have talked to a few people from the school who say it is a great place and teacher friends at other schools envy them. Of the handful of schools I've talked to, this one has had the most and most prompt communication with me. However I would still like to see what other schools might offer. The offer I received is good for two weeks so I have some time to decide what I want to do, maybe even longer depending on whether or not the deadline was a tactic of some sort or if it was legitimate.
Either case, I feel pretty good about it. Always though, it could be psychological, wanting it to work out, wanting to think I received a decent offer. Harder to be objective when you are really hoping for something. Man certainly has the capability to delude himself.
Hopefully I can eek out some more later, maybe it will be more interesting instead of such a straightforward account.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
no thanks Wendy
The past few days I have felt I'm starting to make another breakthrough concerning my move to China. I have been applying to numerous university positions, pretty much any locations where I have been able to find direct contact with the school. I'm very excited.
The "direct contact with the school" thing has become more important to me as people have repeatedly warned to be wary of dealing with recruiters, companies schools hire to find teachers. Recruiters are known to use bait-and-switch tactics to lure potential teachers in with a nice-sounding job but when the teacher arrives that job is no longer available...but the recruiter has a different job available. The replacement jobs are where many teachers' horror stories come from...small towns away from civilization, bug-infested apartments and salaries nowhere near the original quotes.
The "direct contact with the school" thing has become more important to me as people have repeatedly warned to be wary of dealing with recruiters, companies schools hire to find teachers. Recruiters are known to use bait-and-switch tactics to lure potential teachers in with a nice-sounding job but when the teacher arrives that job is no longer available...but the recruiter has a different job available. The replacement jobs are where many teachers' horror stories come from...small towns away from civilization, bug-infested apartments and salaries nowhere near the original quotes.
Friday, February 25, 2011
jobs
Spending hours a day looking for jobs in China is a hell of a lot more fun than spending hours looking for jobs in America. Somehow it is exhilarating. Eventually I have to tell myself to stop saying "one more page" as I wade through pages of job postings. Half of the stuff I've looked at so far is shit but it's still kind of like opening presents on Christmas.
I've applied for a handful of jobs in Hángzhōu, Qīngdǎo and Tiānjīn. I will probably have an interview sometime Saturday with a school and their recruiter. So with the possibility of having a job soon, it is time to get some more last-minute details in order.
I've applied for a handful of jobs in Hángzhōu, Qīngdǎo and Tiānjīn. I will probably have an interview sometime Saturday with a school and their recruiter. So with the possibility of having a job soon, it is time to get some more last-minute details in order.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Hángzhōu, Zhèjiāng
I believe that this time I have found a city to go to. Hángzhōu was one of the cities I originally looked up and then somewhat discarded after focusing on dialects. With the help of some friends and some random people I met on couchsurfing who reside in Hángzhōu I think this will be a good choice. The climate sounds nice, public transportation looks to be plentiful and also there seems to be a mixture of city life and nature nearby.
City life...imagine me in a city. I've never really lived in a city. Oh, also important about Hángzhōu is that there are a lot of schools, so maybe I can even get a job and have a reason to go.
City life...imagine me in a city. I've never really lived in a city. Oh, also important about Hángzhōu is that there are a lot of schools, so maybe I can even get a job and have a reason to go.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
dialectal struggles
Well, it turns out I don't have as much figured out as I originally thought. In my search for a new home I assumed I could use temperature as one of the main determiners: Warmer latitude = warmer heart = good home. Doesn't entirely work that way I guess. Part of my goal in going to China is to study Mandarin. From my detailed internet research, most of the cities that I had been considering speak dialects that are not "mutually intelligible" with Mandarin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_dialects). According to the map Chóngqìng speaks standard Mandarin but further research has suggested Sichuanese Mandarin is spoken there. A handful of expats in China have recommended moving toward Běijīng or Tiānjīn.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
126 yuan and getting closer
The other morning I went downstairs to scan a map and print it out. Only problem was my dad was at computer looking at tennis matches or finances or something. He started talking...and in general I don't just interrupt and change the subject...but really I wanted to not hear him talk. So I shared with him that I was researching Nánchāng and seriously considering it. I mentioned I saw flights from Nánchāng to Shànghǎi for what would be around $40. I knew what would happen next. He pulled up ctrip.com (a Chinese airfare website) and started plugging in destinations and asking questions with his trademark investigative journalist tone. This was almost worse than listening to him talk about whatever he talking about before and I began to question ever opening my mouth.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
practice
Today I went with along with Andrew to Dallas to run an errand. After waiting in the office for a while I went outside to take medicine for a blooming headache. out in the car I picked up one of my books about living in China and started browsing it. It begins...
"Is China right for you?" was the first sentence of the book's introduction. I mentioned in of my first entries how I know many things will be hard for me. According to what I've read about people who will enjoy or adapt to living in China, I am the perfect candidate to not go. I don't mind people staring much; that happens a lot here with my long hair and rebel-look. But, "you'll have a rough time if...you have high standards for cleanliness and service"...I really like cleanliness, I would even say if it could be, it would be a hobby of mine. As much as I try to be laid back (and have even become more laid back over the past few years), poor customer service is irritating. There have been times I have ended up walking behind the counters at restaurants because I got tired of waiting for refills. Also, some people call me patient...but others don't, if you know what I means. Oh yeah, personal space is always a hobby of mine....
"Is China right for you?" was the first sentence of the book's introduction. I mentioned in of my first entries how I know many things will be hard for me. According to what I've read about people who will enjoy or adapt to living in China, I am the perfect candidate to not go. I don't mind people staring much; that happens a lot here with my long hair and rebel-look. But, "you'll have a rough time if...you have high standards for cleanliness and service"...I really like cleanliness, I would even say if it could be, it would be a hobby of mine. As much as I try to be laid back (and have even become more laid back over the past few years), poor customer service is irritating. There have been times I have ended up walking behind the counters at restaurants because I got tired of waiting for refills. Also, some people call me patient...but others don't, if you know what I means. Oh yeah, personal space is always a hobby of mine....
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Nánchāng, Jīanxī
I will revise this later tomorrow with more info. Look it up and let me know what you think about it!
See entry on dialectal struggles.
Friday, January 14, 2011
will to focus
I have been struggling to focus on projects for a long time now. Photography, music, writing. I sit down and get started only to get sidetracked and have more than a dozen tabs open in two different browsers.
I have wanted to publish a book of my writings and photographs for years now.
I have wanted to record certain pieces of music for years now.
Previously I thought I was not accomplishing these goals because I didn't have the know-how or equipment. Now, I basically have both or the means to acquire both but still I haven't seemed able to finish even a small book or one song. Part of the issue is a perfectionist attitude toward the work. Part has been because of troubles focusing and seeing a task through. Some things just seem to be so big and encompassing that I have no idea where I to start and I get frustrated before I even begin. I know, this is a horrible attitude.
I have wanted to publish a book of my writings and photographs for years now.
I have wanted to record certain pieces of music for years now.
Previously I thought I was not accomplishing these goals because I didn't have the know-how or equipment. Now, I basically have both or the means to acquire both but still I haven't seemed able to finish even a small book or one song. Part of the issue is a perfectionist attitude toward the work. Part has been because of troubles focusing and seeing a task through. Some things just seem to be so big and encompassing that I have no idea where I to start and I get frustrated before I even begin. I know, this is a horrible attitude.
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