Sam Burkett in the Land of Tomorrow

Hello all! New Blog entry at sburkett2.travellerspoint.com don't forget to subscribe to it if you wish!

Sam

Sorry it has been so long sice I wrote last!

So much has happend!

Before I start I will be begining a new blog because I can only have 14 entries on this one. It will be at sburkett2.travellerspoint.com The Adventure Continues...

Well, last I left off things were good and I was teaching at the private school. Well, I am no longer there and that is a great story in itself. I was not making as much money as I know I can here in China at that school. I was exploring other options and when I told my boss that he said "Well, if you want to leave then I will not help you renew your visa, and I will bring the police back with your passport (for it was at the PSB getting renewed) and have them fine and aresst your for you are now past your due date by five days! You will have been here in China Illegaly. Would you like to leave or stay?" I had no choice I told him I would stay. "I will also hold onto your visa and passport." Oh... Well, I guess I can't get it back and leave... So I called the US Embassy and they are HEROES!! They called him and he explaind to him that this was all a big missunderstanding. So I went to the PSB and loeand Behold, there was my passport and visa! I Got is back and I texted him a message saying I am gone! Then the phone started to ring and ring and ring and ring! I didn't want to talk to them because they would only want to intimidate me to get me back. I don't understand. Instead of trying to work this out and pay me more and convince me to stay he had to play dirty! So I finally talked to him and he tried to pull a guilt trip, but I said I am no longer interested in talking to you. Well.... About 2:00am a knock on my door at the hostel. I get up and am asked to the office of the hostel and that I need to talk to the Hostel Boss. She was not happy, I couldn't figure out why, because my Chinese still isn't good enough to understand or express my self as effectivley as I would like and the translatro that was there was doing a great job. Then she started asking me questions about my prommis to my last school and said they contacted her and told her that they feel they wasted their time with me. And I had to explaing how they wasted my time!!! The she said well go talk to him. What?! He is here?!! Yes. I told her that I didn't want to and she agreed that this wasn't a good time for a face to face. I had brought my Hostel Boss back to my side! YES! I am the man. But apparently my school boss was out in the parking lot DRUNK off of rise wine! So I told my Hostel boss that I would call him. I talked to his girlfriend who was my manager and the guilt trip began! But THANKS MOM for now I am immune to them. She said "But what about the children that want to see you and want you to teach them?" I said "You should have thought about them when you promised to pay me too little and play dirty." Freedom!!!

So, my next step was to go to another city called Nan Chang. Liu's cousin had said that the University that he worked at wanted me to work for them. I get there after a 21hr train ride east. We talked to the Dean and Visa people. They all said it was too late, the semester had started already. CRAP!! Now no job. So we went to another school...... Same Thing......
Well, my time is running out on my visa I only have 5 days left. Well, I guess I will go see my friend in Chang Sha. I have to go to Chang Sha to get to Hong Kong any way. I will go to Hong Kong and buy a new travel visa I guess. So my friend is teaching Japanes at an Economice University in Chang Sha. He gives me an introduction and I am able to get a face to face with the Dean and Vualha! I now have a job teaching enclish at the same university. WAHOOO!! But I still have to go to Hong Kong....

Well, I am now in Guang Zhou, on my way back from Hong Kong.

I am a happy man right now! A new visa in my pocket and I am headed back to my school. But I will have to make another trip to Hong Kong to buy the work visa.... You ever feel like you have been here done that? Well, that seems to be my life right now....

But I still have more to say! Even though amongst the return and been here done that, I would like to talk about the freshness that China has brought me....

Liu Ying is a Fabulous cook! I tell you her food is to die for! I am a lucky man! So she asked me to go to the market with her. We are buy ing things for our next meal and then she asks me what meet we should have. And well, I love to eat chincken so I said-- Chinkes. She said-- OK.
We keep buying vegitables and spices so on and so on. We walk around back and I see some chickens in a cage. Being an American I thought that this is where they keep them but we can buy one that is already processed. Liu Askes me which color I like in chikens and I said "Oh, that one is cute." The lady in the shop grabs it and turns her back, sliced the throut, and tosses it into a tub of water.... My Japanese friend and I stand there in Awe! "Oh, my God." He says, you would never see that type of thing in Japan... I agreed and said you would never see that in the Sates either! The bird is moved from the water into a "defeather" device and pops out naked at a jay bird. Liu smiles at me and hands me her bags rolls up her sleaves, grabs a big meet cleave and has at the bird. Shopping it up into tiny peaces.... Wow, talk about fresh I thought to my self. Then she looks at me and chases me arouns with her bloody hands... I think I love this girl! She is used to this type of thing. I.... am not.
Please hold your stomachs! It was the best tasting chicken I have ever eaten!! MOm, Dad, when you two come don't worry, you won't have to witness this. I already told her that you might not enjoy it as much as she does!
China is a different place. Well, not just a different place but a different world.

So I think I have more to say, but I gotta get to the train station to buy my ticket to get back to Chagn Sha. I am excited to start teaching and see my frineds!

To every one at home! I love you all and please remember my new blog will be at sburkett2.travellerspoint.com If you can't find it there try this spot again it might give a link or tell you how the story continues.

Happy New year!

The Chinese New Year finaly ended this last sunday. The celebration lasted for 15 days. There were a lot of fireworks going off for the first few days, then they subsided. But on the last night that is when the people went CRAZY!!! Firworks and booms and pows were heard all night all over the city! My boss from the Hostel （高明）, took me to see a traditional chinese festival during the day. There was a short parade and many people wearing yellow out fits, baning symbols together. What a racket they made! The people were haveing a great time, enjoying a tick of sugar cane. I think I was the center of attention though. This festival was in a smaller town about an hours drive south of Xi'an. I don't think they get many foreigners there. I was deffinatley haveing a bad hair day and it was sticking out in all directions. It was too hot to wear my hat, so I kept it in my pocket. People came from every direction to get a picture with me!
This festival was right out side of a Chinese Zoo. As soon as the parade was over every one rushed the gate and forced their way in! And soon enough I found my self with all of my friends strolling up into it. I didn't see any animals but there was a bumper car arena and a climing wall. They also had the Superman ride, the same one that Elich Gardens has. We walked all the way through the Zoo and through another gate. We began to walk up a valley into the mountains and we came up on an entrance to a Temple. I had to put my hat on because I have yellow hair.
When I got back to Xi'an (西安）I went to a friends house and had a wonderful diner. Then we took a bus back into the city bought some Bian pao (Fireworks) and Feng pao (set them off!)
I go home fairly late, around 10pm and there wasn't any guests at the bar. So it was ok that I wasn't there.
Yesterday was Valentine's day here and the Chinese do Celebrate is. It is similar but with some differences for the States. They will give one rose to their lover if that is the only person they love. They give 9 roses to their lover to mean they will love them for ever. They give 11 roses to say that they will love them for their whole life.... I am still a little confused on which is more important, life or forever. But in Chinese the idea of 1 and 1 together is more important. And they meaning they use in chinese is very difficult to explain. Esspecialy since I don't completely understand.
Valentine's day is celebrated mostly by boy friend and girlfriend, married couples don't really celebrate it. Families don't celebrate it either. The Chinese Valentine's day is on July 7th though. There is a stiry about a woman that lives in heaven and a man that lives on earth. They are in love but because they are so far away that the Chinese God allows them to be together on that day. And according to the Lunar callendar it is a special day.
Now I would like to talk a little about fashion for the chinese. The women wear dress boots that come up to the undersides of their knees and have very high heels. The men all wear suits of black and nice dress shoes, even if they are construction workers. When it is cold the women wear long coats and the men just bear it with their suit jackets. The men also have a long pinky nail on their left hand. I don't know why but many of them do. It has proven useful though when digging out a fuse for the fireworks!
That is all I have to say for the moment. I am sure I will think of more later and smak myself for not saying it. But I can write more later! So I say good bye for now!

再见
何赛经

Good by
Sam

I think this is where you all can see my pics!

http://www.travellerspoint.com/photos/gallery/users/sburkett/

HAve a look and let me know what you think! I am going to try to get some night pics tonight! So keep an eye out for them eh!

I am having a problem with snap fish, it keeps failing my uploads. If any one has any suggestions I would like to hear them! Plus I am still trying to find out who would like to be on my list of shared people. If you would like, please e-mail me and I will put you on it! I am not responsible for any junk e-mail!

Eh!

HooDiHoo!

I know it has been a while since I have written again.. I seem to say that every time I write but I am a little busy and don't always have access to a computer.
I want you all to now that I am well though. I have been a little stressed but I think things are begining to go my way again. At the School I teach at, many of the Foreign teachers have been released as well as most of the Chinese english teachers. I didn't know I still had a job until the night before I was to return to work. I feel that I am fortunate in being able to continue on here.
I was treated to a day of skiing at the local mountain near 西安 Xi'an. It was a tiny hill. I wasn't able to catch any speed But I still had a great day with new friends. I am meeting people every where I go! 99% of the people at the mountain couldn't ski. They are so funny! Even though they can't ski, they point their skis down the hill and bomb it! Gotta love it! Out of about 200+ people there was one person snow boearding and one other guy who knew how to ski! The lift was a... I don't know what it is called, it is similar to a rope tow, but it has a bar that hangs from a cable and you place the little seat between your legs and it pulls you up the mountain. The mountain was a bunny hill and only about 200yrds long and about 50yrds wide. Because there were about 200 people on this small hill the line to the tow was rather long and took a while to get on, so I would wait a little higher on the mountain and wait for some one to fall off and take their spot. So I was able to get plenty of skiing in! I will get some pics up as soon as I can!
We are quickly approaching the Chinese new year and decorations from Christmas are finally coming down and traditional chinese ornaments are going up to celebrate their favorite holiday!
Every day I am practicing my chinese and learning to write it! It is so hard but it is a challenge that I am enjoying!
Many people have been giving me the same advice on learning chinese, find a chinese girlfriend, so I did. I'm sorry Mom that this is the way I tell you and dad but well..... There it is! She is an artist and was working at fashion magazine her name is 刘英Liu Ying and she only knows very little english so communication with her has been fun and challenging. We are constantly thumbing through my dictionary. and well Her eyes drive me crazy! She is going to be moving to Xijiang soon though to study ancient Chinese painting. And well the advice I have been getting has been true! I am learning Chinese quickly from her! I love it!
我想你门多．我要你门来．　越来越我喜欢中国．　每天我越来越有多朋有．　因为我喜欢学中文所以我不要回美国．我喜欢喝中国啤酒．　科罗拉多啤酒比中国啤酒好喝．
Well gotta run! I am going to go have kunch with a beautiful woman!

Sam