Search and rescue mission

Well, you found me! Thanks to my friends, I've found a new blog home. The "Great Firewall" has blocked my last site, and I had to find a new place to put my thoughts. Same thoughts, new space. In some ways, this is a nice home, but the colors etc. are not as customizable as my last site. So bear with me while things go through upheaval.

I still get many of my friends' updates from X. The emails still come, but I can't go to your sites, comment on anything, or read others' comments. I'm hoping this is temporary, but it may not be...

Anyway, hope I still get some fun comments on the new posts... Sorry for the inconvenience of the move!

~bitsyinchina

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To inagurate this new site, that oddly has no spell-check, I thought I'd post a conversation my friend and I had yesterday. The first time I came to China, I taught English for a month in a west-central city. Chris was one of my students that summer, and he and I still keep in touch off-and-on through text messags. So yesterday I was thinking of him and his classmates, and I sent a message. Here's what transpired (translated by yours truly):

Me: Hi, friend. How are you? I hope you're having a good day.
C: Yes, today's great! How are you?
Me: I'm really good! What are you doing?
C: We're playing (something Chinese I don't know) [the word 'play' in Chinese just means 'not working'-- he was just playing around w/ friends.]
Me: Are you winning?
C: What do you mean am I winning? It's just exercise!
Me: I know. I'm just kidding!
C: Oh. What are you doing?
Me: I just went and bought some food. I'm on my way home now.
C: Oh. So why did you decide to go to your city to work?
Me: Because I like mountains! :) I like this part of China, and I couldn't go to your hometown, so I came here.
C: Why couldn't you go to my hometown? Is it because it's too backward? I'd love to see you again!
Me: I want to see you again, too! [It's been about 3 yrs since I have seen these students.] There were no jobs in your hometown, so I didn't go. It's definitely not because it's "backward." Your hometown is not backward!
C: So when are you coming to my city to play? I miss you! [He's in uni in a new city now.]
Me: I don't know! I'd love to go. Is Sophie still there, too? [Sophie's another student of mine.]
C: Yeah, she's here. She misses you, too!
Me: Are you guys at the same school still? Are you studying the same major?
C: Same school, different major. Actually, we don't get to see each other often.
Me: Oh... tell her I said "hi," ok?
C: No problem!
Me: thanks :)

**to this point, a normal conversation...**

C: Don't be so polite! I have to go make dinner soon. Oh yeah, when are you going to get married?
Me: Me?? How can you ask me that? I don't have a boyfriend. What's there to do??
C: Come to my city!! I have tons of friends. I'll introduce you to them, haha!
Me: Haha! They're probably all way younger than me!
C: Some are. I have a lot of foreign friends!
Me: [To go along w/ the joke] Really? Find me a guy from Ireland, then! ;) Haha!
C: Ok, I'll find you a nice guy from Angola!
Me: No! That's not what I said! :-P
C: Then forget it. Marry me.

**huh??**

Me: Haha! Do you have a lot of money? Can you speak English??
C: [he writes in English] Yes! I can speak English but i do not have money!
Me: Hmmm... I'll think about it.
C: Yeah, you think it over. Haha!

What a funny conversation! I laughed outloud! :) My students are so crazy... each in their own way. Now I'm just trying to think of something to send him to freak him out a little... something like, "so, have you called my father to ask for permission yet?" Any ideas? Leave a comment.

Hope you enjoyed the story. Stay tuned for more stories from the nuttier side...