A New Tutor and A Bus Trip in Beijing

So since we last spoke I’ve not done much of note. I’m starting to get used to living here. It’s never going to get better (i.e., diapers are no where to be found, and it ain’t ever gonna be clean), but I’ve begun to get used to it. It’s really the shower situation that has me most uncomfortable, but I’ve sworn to think of it as one long camping trip! The little girl is cute, but unfortunately screams a lot all the time. And when she screams they give her what she wants, so me thinks it’s not going to change any time soon.

One weird thing I’ve noticed here is that no one introduces themselves. I moved into the house and I still don’t know the name of the Ayi or the baby. Three days ago the mom finally told me her name was Yuan. That was apparently a huge breakthrough. I’ve also met Yuan’s younger brother, his wife, and their daughter and had dinner at their house last night, and no one introduced themselves there either. I just find that very odd. I guess since they know who I am they don’t think they have to introduce themselves? Who knows…

I have a new tutor as well. My old tutor is still my morning tutor, but now I have a new tutor for the afternoons who is a teacher, and I suddenly find myself much less frustrated with the way things are going. It’s amazing what having a teacher that actually knows how to teach and organize a lesson will do for your ability to learn. Of course the lion’s share of the work is still in my ballpark, as I have to try and remember all those darn words and grammatical structures, but it’s a huge start towards feeling like I can actually make some progress in the next 5 ½ weeks.

Bus Trip:

Ok, so in the United States when you take a bus, even if it’s crowded (i.e., the Orange Line during rush hour when it’s raining) there’s still some sort of awareness of feeling awkward about being pressed up against other people. Most folks will try and gain a little bit of personal space if possible even in the crush. In China, not so much. Today on the way back from my tutoring up at the Beijing Language and Culture University it was rush hour in Beijing. You think a couple of million people make for a crazy rush hour…try 12 million. I got on this bus that was already packed, and thought I’d be the last one on because I couldn’t see how anyone else would fit…boy was I wrong wrong wrong. About 7 more people got on behind me, some of whom blocked the doors from closing, so the bus started driving and people were hanging out the doors. Then there was the argument between the money-taker and one of the passengers…she got thrown off at the next stop, when about 4 more people got on. I guess riding in a bus in Beijing during rush hour defines what it means to feel like a sardine. Couldn’t move an inch of my body. When I finally got out I had to push people out of the door to do it…guess I don’t have to worry about seeming rude!