Just when you think you've gotten used to living in China, it hits you in the back of the head with a snowball, which is quite the apt description as my students did that plenty the first day it snowed here. Luckily, I was wearing the quintessential "GUILFORD SWIMMING" hat, which has been proven to reduce snowball-thrown-by-Chinese-students-who-have-a-snow-vendetta-against-their-awesomest-and-handsomer-foreign-teacher-Mr. Miner-who-is-so-nice-but-they-still-pelt-him-unmercifully impact by 45%. I should know, I was one of the test subjects.
Most recently, China has decided that they could use a little more air pollution, which, believe me, they were not short on before. As a result, the air the past few days has been almost a bit chewy, not really the way I like my air, but they do things differently over here. Now, I'm not using this as some sort of example to prove how the western world is vast superior to China and other developing countries. I only intend it as an observance and a comment on air pollution in general. If we went back to England during the Industrial Revolution or to the U.S. manufacturing towns in the 50's and 60's, I'm sure we would see something similar. Naturally, the pollution is magnified because we now have a larger population demanding many more manufactured good than we did 50 years ago.
To make matters worse, my own health took a nose dive just as the air quality did. At least my immune system is synched with the weather, I'm pretty sure that means I've gone native. Or is it when your health doesn't decline as the weather does that proves your nativeness? your nativity? I don't remember what the air pollution was like for the nativity scene. Was Bethlehem big into manufacturing? This is what happens when you zone-out in Sunday School. In my defense, it was the weekend and I had probably stayed up late playing video games.
Needless to say, being sick so far from family is no fun. Luckily I have a few friends here that helped me out a lot. After a few days of shivering under my blankets with a fever, I am back to shivering under my blankets without a fever. It is a great improvement. The whole indoor heating thing isn't very big at the school, thus my room is probably in the 50's at the warmest right now. Layering is key.
On an unrelated note, I read a new English word today courtesy of a Chinese friend: invigilate. To be honest I had never heard of it before, and even doubted whether it was a real word. My dictionary proved my suspicions wrongs. It did, however, indicate that it is a British word, which only proves my lack of reading in British Literature. In the end, I was ashamed of my ignorance, as it should be.
That's all for now. Stay warm, everyone!
Most recently, China has decided that they could use a little more air pollution, which, believe me, they were not short on before. As a result, the air the past few days has been almost a bit chewy, not really the way I like my air, but they do things differently over here. Now, I'm not using this as some sort of example to prove how the western world is vast superior to China and other developing countries. I only intend it as an observance and a comment on air pollution in general. If we went back to England during the Industrial Revolution or to the U.S. manufacturing towns in the 50's and 60's, I'm sure we would see something similar. Naturally, the pollution is magnified because we now have a larger population demanding many more manufactured good than we did 50 years ago.
To make matters worse, my own health took a nose dive just as the air quality did. At least my immune system is synched with the weather, I'm pretty sure that means I've gone native. Or is it when your health doesn't decline as the weather does that proves your nativeness? your nativity? I don't remember what the air pollution was like for the nativity scene. Was Bethlehem big into manufacturing? This is what happens when you zone-out in Sunday School. In my defense, it was the weekend and I had probably stayed up late playing video games.
Needless to say, being sick so far from family is no fun. Luckily I have a few friends here that helped me out a lot. After a few days of shivering under my blankets with a fever, I am back to shivering under my blankets without a fever. It is a great improvement. The whole indoor heating thing isn't very big at the school, thus my room is probably in the 50's at the warmest right now. Layering is key.
On an unrelated note, I read a new English word today courtesy of a Chinese friend: invigilate. To be honest I had never heard of it before, and even doubted whether it was a real word. My dictionary proved my suspicions wrongs. It did, however, indicate that it is a British word, which only proves my lack of reading in British Literature. In the end, I was ashamed of my ignorance, as it should be.
That's all for now. Stay warm, everyone!