Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
I'm currently writing this hundreds of feet up in the air above Hull (or close enough), but will be posting in Heathrow. So, this is actually happening? I'm going to to use this blog for aims and expectations; then review when I'm doing the same flight (in reverse) in a years time!
First and foremost, what are my aims for this year?
1. Get to a reasonable level of Mandarin. Probably the most asked question before I left was some version of "Do you speak Mandarin?", well no I don't. Not even close. And while I don't expect I'll come back fluent; I hope I can at least order the Chinese take away in Mandarin.
2. Live life one week at a time. I'm a terrible planner, I plan everything. I already know my career, my future dogs name and where I'm going to live for the majority of my life. I've picked up this trait from my parents certainly; I reckon its a farming thing. I aim to be a person who 'goes with the flow' and is spontaneous by the time I get back (although they both sound very alien concepts at the moment).
3. Become more independent. Almost got through without any cliches! This aim alludes to a more general point that there isn't going to be anyone to 'push me on', so to speak, while away. No teachers setting me work, no parents making sure I do that work and no friends encouraging me to skip the work and go out. I'll have a head teacher making sure my lessons are going well, and of course Alex (the volunteer I'm staying with) will be wanting to go out. Yet I do have a 'dog off the leash' feeling even now in this highly pressured cabin.
Right then; expectations. These will most likely be way off, but I think it's a good exercise so that I can see what I thought without it being tainted by my experience. If that makes any sense...
1. I will stand out. To be blunt; I'm a six foot Caucasian male going to a country where there aren't a whole lot of six foot Caucasian males. I'm going to stand out, and no matter how hard I immerse myself in my community.
2. The kids will be well behaved. Wow, I'm going to regret this one... My image of a Chinese classroom is 60 children, squeezed in like sardines, who are eager to learn and unused to the teaching I'm used to. That is; they will learn for their exams without much else.
3. Cities will be polluted, noisy and busy, the countryside will be beautiful, varied and untouched. I'm excited to be proven wrong about the cities, and right about the countryside!
Right then, I think that'll do for now. I'll post again in Beijing!
Stephen
P.S. I've already made a fool of myself; opening my sparkling water (which I thought was still), subsequently spraying the old lady next to me and three people across the aisle. It's only uphill from here...
P.s.s. Hope mum and dad are feeling better, what an abrupt goodbye!
- comments
Mum Well, we are no good at goodbyes in any circumstances, but this one was especially challenging....xxxxxx
Dad Tough goodbye alright but feeling more positive now- good luck and remember 1 enjoy yourself 2l look after yourself 3 we are proud of you're ambition
J Can't believe you're away already! Completely forgot to skype, the timezones and my work hours were definitely not on our side. Enjoy it so much. Bet you will always look back on this first day of freedom and wish you were reliving it, so embrace every moment! See you also got the talk from Dad- what a classic! Very proud of you. Go forth and have a belter! xxx
Padmore I don't know how to break this to you... but they speak a dialect of turkish in Xingjiang, but good luck on the Mandarin anyway!
Stephen Padmore: Well the town I'm in actually has a large Han Chinese population so Mandarin is quite prominent around me. The Turkish dialect you speak of is called Uighur here. I've already started some Uighur, like thank you, hello, goodbye and "No I don't want to dance." The last one has certainly been the most useful. Family: Thanks for all the messeges!