Swimming was great today, especially after my class. I like days where the air temp is warm, because it's just enjoyment, no suffering. When the air is cold it's really just a brutal time. Today it was Mikey, Nick and I. Mikey's daughter Kiki came along to watch, she's adorable!!! but still warming up to me. So I was able to take some pictures (Mikey had to go for a swim after Nick and I. It was warm weather, but very very foggy, which made things a touch eerie. granted we never go out very far so it wasn't dangerous or anything, but as you go out you can see less and less beach and well , you stay close. Some pics: Nick with his towel and Mikey in the fog!
After coffee I had to brave the train station to buy my ticket to Harbin. I was nervous 1 about my Chinese and 2 about the lines. But I only had to wait 45 minutes or so to get a ticket. THey guy in front of me, I thought he was letting some women jump to the front of the line, but he was really just asking the clerk if the tickets to where they wanted to go were sold out, nice guy! Then he stuck around to watch and see if I got mine okay. I could understand the clerk but she spoke sooooo fast I had to pause and digest what she was saying, so this guy helped speed things along, and when she asked me if I wanted a seat or a sleeper, i didn't know the word for sleeper so I said something like " I want the kind of ticket where I can sleep" and the guy had a jolly laugh and helped me a bit there. I love nice people!!!
Football practice was this evening, oh man I"m out of shape. Was talking to one of the guys, Peter, and he told me about a pool not too far from where I live, man I'd love to start swimming again! 7 weeks til the competition in... Shenzhen I think. need to get it together!!! Be Aggressive!
Alright, so my Chinese class. My teacher has been running late the last few classes, but it doesn't really bother me and she usually goes over our time together anyway. but today she wouldn't let me pay her!!! Not only did she take a taxi, which is half of what she'd amke teaching me anyway, but then She wouldn't accept money! Ridiculous. She said because we talked about Spring Festival, not my book, that it was more jsut chatting. but I learned a lot of realy useful vocab for the next week, and it was certainly a class, no question. She's only a couple years older than me, and we've been to lunch a few times, but I've tried to not cross the line of the teacher/student relationship. When she said "it's okay we're friends," I said "yes but for this hour you ar emy teacher and you should get paid for your time." We argued for like 10 minutes, half in Chinese half in English and I finally lost. sigh, going to have to take her out for lunch a few times I guess? I really don't understand why she didn't accept the money, just was very frustrating! As a teacher especially, i understand.... i guess, maybe I don't!
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