Its christmas here in China and it has certainly been busy for us!

A couple of weeks ago we organised an English christmas party for students to come to in which we played games, sang songs and ate chocolate money. It went well depsite it being sabotaged by this Chinese teacher whose english name is Sophia. She is a complete control freak and kept making impossible demands on Matt and and I and then really stressed herself out when we were trying to console her and tell her the party would be fine. That wasn't good enough, it had to be "brilliant" and she wanted students to do performances in order to impress the leaders of the school whom she invited along without us knowing 2 days before. When I pointed out that the students only had a day to practice so we would have to settle for the performances (which I thought were very good!) not being as 'perfect' as she had planned, she gave me a sarcastic laugh and said "This is China, the leaders will not be as forgiving as in your country". As well as her truly unhelpful comments she also suggested that we reschedule the party for Sunday 25th and when I reminded her that that was in fact christmas day and Matt and I had planned to go away for the weekend to rest and enjoy our most important holiday she actually asked us to return a day early so that we could come back for the party on christmas day!!!! I couldn't believe it, needless to say I refused. So anyway, we are glad that the plans for that are over and we know now to avoid agreeing to being involved in anything to do with her.

We spent our christmas weekend in Changsha where we met up with other english teachers who we met in Beijing during the summer training camp. It was so nice to chat in fast colloquial English and catch up with them all to compare stories. We ate a delicious meal at a German restaurant and all got quite drunk and then went to a bar where they were playing christmas songs. Interestingly, China has cottoned on to the commercial value of christmas and there are gory decorations everywhere and traditional songs blaring at you from every shop. However, they haven't quite mastered the feeling or the spirit of christmas which is what we really missed. I think what I mainly learnt from speaking with the others was how lucky Matt and I seem to have been with our placement in Leiyang. For although it is a very basic apartment and our town is quite boring, we have had great support from a number of chinese teachers which is far from what many of the others have experienced I'm sorry to say. Our two friends Rachael and Joanna have had a very opposite experience to us. They have been hassled and constantly leered at by many men in their town, perhaps largely due to their blonde hair. They have been tricked into attending uncomfortable dinners with men who have offered them up to 1000 yuan each to 'play with them'. I was appalled, and not at all surprised by the news that Jo has booked a flight back home in February because she said she has never been more unhappy in her life. I feel really angry for them, because why on earth should their hair colour and their sex have become such a negative factor to their experience in China? They have hardly gone out during the day for fear that they will catch unwanted attention. I just feel very sorry for them and fortunate that I am here with Matt where I have never felt unsafe or uncomfortable.

The Chinese cultural trait of giving people 'face' by not refusing any requests is also quite hard bearing. This basically means that if someone offers you something or wants you to go somehwere with them, you really shouldn't say no because you would be embarrasing them. Our lovely friend Jelly invited us to her Mum's birthday dinner on 26th which was the day we got back from Changsha, so we were tired, wanted to wash clothes and open some parcels that had turned up for us. But half an hour after we got in we were asked to go and meet them at a restaurant which was fine, but then afterwards we said we're so sorry but we cannot stay long for the reasons above, and we obviosuly said it is the most polite way. But her mum wanted us to go back to their house and have cake and tea and spend time with them. We reeeally didn't want to as we still had to plan our lessons for the next day plus all the other stuff that we needed to do but it seems that in china, your personal desires and needs take less priority than what others want you to do. This is such a shock and a frustration that comes with living here. In England, your friends or family would understand if you were too tired or had something else to do, they would not be offended as much but the chinese are very different and they make it extremely difficult to say no! Oh well, I suppose its character building and it will strengthen our tolerance levels! So in the end we did go back to their house for a while and didn't get back in till 9:45 p.m and had to be up for 7 a.m the next morning with four lessons each to teach!

Its very cold here but we have been given many christmas gifts by students, chinese friends and it was so lovely to receive parcels form home including english chocolate, perfume, earrings, and decorations, thank you! Matt and I only have 9 days more working and then we are leaving for our month long travelling holiday around the south of china! Cannot wait, especially for the better weather. I will write again after we return in February with I'm sure the best experiences that we will encounter on our chinese adventure! Miss everyone at home very much, but I am fine and trying to make the most of this place we're calling home for the next 7 months.

Lots of love xxxxxxxxx