Stop Griping Already

This transition period is excruciating!

Classes ended a week ago and this was my first full week of tutoring. A student at Yunnan Normal University, majoring in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, is tutoring me Monday through Thursday, 2 hours a day. It’s such a luxary to have someone’s undivided attention for such a long time. I’m talking a whole lot more than I’m used to, and of course making all kinds of mistakes. She’s already really helping me work out some of my bad habits I didn’t know I had. Hehehe. We are working through the next book in the first year of the Beijing Language University series (汉语教程：第二册 （上), ISBN 7-5619-0747-8). The plan is to get through about two lessons per week, learning to write all of the vocabulary and practicing the grammar points. I’m also writing a very short essay each week explaining something from my own life. My writing is definitely improving. So far so good.

I still haven’t decided what to do with myself for next semester. Classes start up again at the end of February, but I’m still thinking it might be better to find a job and hire a private tutor. Actually, I received a really great job offer, but had to turn it down in the end. I’m still reeling from that a bit — unfortunate, but I’m positive I made the right decision. There are definitely plenty of other opportunities around Kunming. It’s just a matter of seeking them out.

I’m substitute teaching this weekend for a friend at an afterschool center. I went with her last weekend to check it out, and it was a whole lot of fun. I really liked the group of 7-year-olds I met. It was a mercifully small class, only 9 kids, so very manageable. God, kids have a lot of energy! I must make sure I’m well-caffeinated before arriving tomorrow. If I’m not, I won’t be able to keep up with them. But anyway, this opportunity to substitute teach, makes me realize that I should maybe consider a similar gig. Previously, I had totally ruled out teaching kids, but if the circumstances are right I think it could be a lot of fun.

I had another random English job land in my lap last week. It was also only temporary, but good work. A woman approached me outside of the foreign student dorm and hired me to record English readings for some class materials developed for local middle school students. Whoah, it was really a lot of work, but they were a sweet group of people and they paid well. Their hourly wage was a bit of a trick — it was based on time actually recorded, not total time invested. So, I was at their office for two and a half hours, and was paid at their hourly rate for the 1 hour and 45 minutes of material I recorded. I was totally exhausted afterward, but overall it was a good experience.

Yeah, last week was a little hectic. These three gigs (the full-time job offer, the substitute teaching, and the recording) all arrived at my doorstep about the same time and with no warning. The job offer in particular gave me a lot to think about. We’re also planning on moving to a new apartment. It’s so stressful planning out the next 6-12 months of your life all at once. But it would be more stressful back in the US for sure. In fact, the decisions I face here are much easier to handle. And it only feels uncomfortable because I’m usually almost completely worry-free in China. Spoiled. I should stop my griping.