My third (successful) time abroad, though not a piece of cake, has certainly proven to be a more relaxed experience. Homesickness is a non-factor, and compared to Europe, money isn't nearly as much of a problem (the price of living here is very cheap). Better still is this new sense of purpose that I am suddenly feeling. In Jiaxing I am not just studying--spending long hours trying to master a language nobody really needs to learn (no matter how grand a Sprache it is). No, instead I am filling an important niche by teaching college students oral English. I admit that I am not a well-qualified grammarian and, to be frank, I don't believe I speak all that well to begin with. Still, many here are so eager to learn from a native-speaker that you can't help but feel appreciated. Not to mention that this is certainly one of the most helpful things I think I have ever done (though by taking pride in said benevolence, I am probably negating any karmic merit...rats!). Sure, some don't care that much about learning English. In fact, one thing I've been told is that Chinese students never work as hard in college as they do in high school. Fortunately I've found that I'm not half-bad at this thing called "teaching," and even the most indifferent student can't help but stare in wonder at a goofy "lawei" attempting to explain synonyms.
Oh, and I'm also trying to improve my painfully rudimentary Mandarin while I'm here. I have the feeling that in twenty or so years Chinese is going to be the most important language on the planet (outside of English). Don't quote me on that, but it's my feeling. Now try to understand that this place isn't Europe were every other four-year-old has already read and critiqued Wuthering Heights. No, no. Here English is a lingua franca that is only just beginning to catch on amongst the literati and is consequently in very high demand. Now you can imagine the benefits of being both fluent in English and equipped with a good grasp of Mandarin. Well, I suppose we'll just have to see how that pans out. First I've got to study the damned language.
That's enough for today. I don't want to bore what few readers I get. I'll be back in a week.
Leb wohl!
