(T.D. Polo-Sanchez' letters to his brother in America -
pasteurized somewhat for Magic City Readers.)
Greetings Celestial Brother from the M.S.G. capital of the world!
Imagine learning Italian and then landing in Spain. Here in Jiangsu they speak a Chinese dialect called Wu. Standard Chinese is the language taught at the schools to bring unity. Younger and middle aged people speak Standard Chinese but many of the older people only speak Wu.
In the beginning I was confused since what some people told me did not sound like Standard Chinese - well surprise, surprise I was learning words in Wu. I get my Chinese lessons now from the students and teachers at the school where I work.
The tones are what give me a lot of trouble. One teacher instead of calling her a "Mei Mei" or younger sister, I called her a "Mei, Mei" or beautiful girl. Well I have shelved that particular expression.
The Chinese are always in a hurry. To get around a person, persons, or any object they try to navigate around or through in a swift, quiet motion with a brush or bump in between. In the West we usually, "usually" being the key phrase here, say excuse me. The students in the class do the same thing around me as they try to squeeze or get through me.
One time when I was at a chalkboard writing, one girl was trying to get past me. I put my arm between myself and the chalkboard so that she would say "excuse me." No such luck, she ducked under my arm and kept going. You can't change 5,000 years in one chalkboard encounter.
Near the school I get my shoes polished by some of the locals. They always like to ask me questions like what do I like to eat and such. One of the women asked me if I knew about Mao Tse Tung. I told her that of course I did. He was my great-great uncle twice removed on my mother's side.
A lot of people always ask me where I am from. After one month here I stopped telling them that I come from America. They should know by now. I just tell them that I am Korean. This answer satisfies most people, but some insist that I am not. We Koreans come in many shapes and sizes.
Last week I got my first Chinese bath. Its just a standard sauna and bath western style at a club. A little Chinese man gave me a massage to relieve some tension. I don't know if I want to go back. He was trying to break the table with me on it.
Take care, and don't be a stranger.
T. D. Polo-Sanchez
Assembled in the United States from parts made in Mexico and exported to China, T.D. Polo-Sanchez (pseudonym) has taken a year of absence from his post at an American high school to teach Oral English in China.
He hopes that you enjoy his posts and remember that he writes with a deep love and affinity to the Chinese people. In this world while we laugh at others and at ourselves, we laugh together. T.D. Polo-Sanchez Email: eslinstructor33@yahoo.com
