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Well I am not bombarded with Christmas carols when I go shopping but many places have made the effort to put up decorations so we are getting a bit of a festive feel. Even the ayis in our apartment building have taken the effort to decorate the entrance for us and as it seems I'm the designated "style queen" they were all waiting yesterdy for my show of approval.....in Chinese of course!! Anyway I managed to convey my thoughts is rather halting, basic Chinese and it was worth the effort for the big smiles I got :)
Last Friday night we had the Canilx 9th Anniversary party but all the foreign teachers managed to turn it into our own xmas party. Turned out to be a great night - a wonderful feast of delicious food accompanied by some "ho hum" Chinese wine (one thing that is not good here!), performances by staff and students and some lottery type games. Must have been my lucky night...She who cant win a chook raffle managed to win a couple of things! First prize I won and had no idea what it was...everything written in Chinese...it looked like a tag to put on my mobile phone.......Anyway turns out that that is exactly what it is but it gives me discounts at various shops and attractions around Nanjing. I just have to work out how to read all the instructions to get the benefits - guess I'll look on it as an incentive to improve my Chinese!
Then I won a pair of ear muffs which seemed to excite my Chinese friends no end (yes, Dianne I remember vividly making fun of you wearing them in Europe!) My fellow Aussie teacher took one look at them and declared they looked like "Mr Bean's" teddy bear - must admit there is a certain resemblance!!! Now you might not get too excited about winning this prize but I'm telling you in this freezing cold weather they just might turn out to be a godsend!! I really dont care how stupid I look at least I wont end up with frostbite on my ears!!!
The NMU School of Nursing has given me the most divine silk scarf for Christmas (to be seen in upcoming photos no doubt) and so many students have wished me a happy day despite their exam preparations so I'm starting to feel a bit of the festive spirit. I have been invited to a Provincial Governement function for Foreign Experts tomorrow night in celebration of Christmas and on Christmas Eve I am spending some time with one of my Chinese friends at a small primary school telling the children all about how we celebrate Xmas. Apparently they have been excited all week knowing they are getting a "special" visitor so I'm sure I'll have lots of fun. Christmas day will probably be spent quietly in my apartment relaxing....fingers crossed that Skype will be working so I get to talk to my family...especially as it seems I've lost FB yet again!!!
Well I will be thinking of you all on Christmas Day and hoping that you are all having a wonderful day celebrating with family and friends. Merry Christmas and bye for now. xxx
Last Friday night we had the Canilx 9th Anniversary party but all the foreign teachers managed to turn it into our own xmas party. Turned out to be a great night - a wonderful feast of delicious food accompanied by some "ho hum" Chinese wine (one thing that is not good here!), performances by staff and students and some lottery type games. Must have been my lucky night...She who cant win a chook raffle managed to win a couple of things! First prize I won and had no idea what it was...everything written in Chinese...it looked like a tag to put on my mobile phone.......Anyway turns out that that is exactly what it is but it gives me discounts at various shops and attractions around Nanjing. I just have to work out how to read all the instructions to get the benefits - guess I'll look on it as an incentive to improve my Chinese!
Then I won a pair of ear muffs which seemed to excite my Chinese friends no end (yes, Dianne I remember vividly making fun of you wearing them in Europe!) My fellow Aussie teacher took one look at them and declared they looked like "Mr Bean's" teddy bear - must admit there is a certain resemblance!!! Now you might not get too excited about winning this prize but I'm telling you in this freezing cold weather they just might turn out to be a godsend!! I really dont care how stupid I look at least I wont end up with frostbite on my ears!!!
The NMU School of Nursing has given me the most divine silk scarf for Christmas (to be seen in upcoming photos no doubt) and so many students have wished me a happy day despite their exam preparations so I'm starting to feel a bit of the festive spirit. I have been invited to a Provincial Governement function for Foreign Experts tomorrow night in celebration of Christmas and on Christmas Eve I am spending some time with one of my Chinese friends at a small primary school telling the children all about how we celebrate Xmas. Apparently they have been excited all week knowing they are getting a "special" visitor so I'm sure I'll have lots of fun. Christmas day will probably be spent quietly in my apartment relaxing....fingers crossed that Skype will be working so I get to talk to my family...especially as it seems I've lost FB yet again!!!
Well I will be thinking of you all on Christmas Day and hoping that you are all having a wonderful day celebrating with family and friends. Merry Christmas and bye for now. xxx
- comments
Wayne Like the ear muffs very fashionable......have a great xmas Samand Ben have goneto New Zealand with their mum for xmas so it will be prettyquiet here too.Sams band are playing at Falls and has just got a Govt grant to produce a cd with the help of some guy.....ex little River Band an Ben is living back here now.......I am working on a friends Blueberry farm for awhile down at longleyWishing you all the best for Xmas, New Year and Birthday
Ray H Wishing you a Happy Christmas and New Year Kate. Keep warm. Oh... by the way.....24 degrees and sunny in Hobart today. Ha! Ha!
Di Loving the earmuffs, a very practical fashion accessory when the temps drop below zero, I say from experience! Enjoyed our skype chat yesterday, Christmas isn't Christmas without family connections.Thinking of you with a birthday approaching too. Enjoy