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Xin liao ni de xie. This is a phrase that pays in Wuhan. I’m not exactly sure of its proper usage, but its a fun one to say because when you say it, it sounds like you have dropped out many parts. It’s meaning, “You’re ridiculous” and is not exactly a compliment or an insult. Actually, I think it may be an insult, but I don’t use it as one.

It is also the chorus to a Wu Han Hua (local dialect of Mandarin) rap song. The video is below. All I know she is saying in the chorus is “You’re ridiculous. You’re face is red like a tomato.”

And it is example time:

Linda: (Bunch of fast, unintelligible Chinese)
Me: “Shenme?”
Linda: “You don’t get my meaning. Ni shi sao.”
Lee: “Wo bu shi sao. Ni er bai wu.”
Linda: “Ni er bai wu.”
Lee: “Xin liao ni de xie.”

Found in , china, teaching, words 2 Comments »

When I began teaching, I was given a 2-book set with a set of cassettes that I constantly ignore. Also at my disposal, is a set of 200 to 300 8.5 x 11 photos portraying fruits and vegetables, sports and activities, and lots of other things. However, some of them are just ridicuous; one of these strange pictures comes with the word “German” and instead of describing it, you should just see it.

I haven’t met a lot of Germans in my days, but I’m sure some are women, some have straight hair, some shave their stubble and, oh yeah, I don’t think they always carry beers around. Do you know a German? What is he or she like?

Found in , china, teaching, wuhan 7 Comments »

So to be honest, the title suggests that my rhymes are an attack on something or someone. However, that is pretty far from the truth. I’d describe this rap as an explanation of my weekend that includes some of my best friends and favorite places. So please enjoy.

Five flowers rolling deep in a paddle boat
I’ve taught lessons on cock, cod, and goat
By 5pm, I’m booked for the weekend
Chinese and American, I’ve got so many friend

We roll down the river on the 721
Stopping by York just to have some fun
Sugar is crazy, he says “F***ing American”
He’s got an ugly dog and kid under 21

11pm marks the move to Soho
Dance on stage for free some mojo
I don’t think mojo means booze
However, it does when I choose Read the rest of this entry »

Found in , entertainment, teaching 1 Comment »

Today is part two of “Have you seen a child cry today? I have.” I saw a child cry and was in the presence of the former cry-inducer. It was any normal day, teaching some adorable 2nd-graders about guessing games and choosing students to guess.

Then all of a sudden, without any action from the cry-creator, a boy got really mad at me, when I chose another student to come to the front of the room to participate in what I thought was a totally wu liao you xi or using my favorite chinese word, a boring game. This game involved me standing a student in front of the class and spouting out questions like “Who is he? How old is she? What’s his favorite animal? What’s her hobby?”

Apparently, this boy really wanted to play and was quite insulted when I didn’t choose him. He threw a mini-fit that turned into telling my assistant that I hadn’t chosen him for any games in the last three classes. In about a minute, he broke out into tears just in time for the bell to ring and for class to be over.

The moral of the story is: kids cry from meanness, but also from lack of participation in poorly planned games.

Found in , china, stories, teaching, wuhan No Comments »

Kids can be naughty, even Chinese children. And teachers can get mad, even happy, happy Lee. When the other teachers get mad at students, they berate them in Chinese until the kid is red as a tomato or even occasionally cries.

However, most of the time, I am a jovial, jump-around-the-room teacher. On this certain, there was a different story; I was all alone in a 4th grade class. This class has my favorite student, Annie, but also some of my least favorites.

One boy, whose name I don’t know was drawing, drawing, drawing and would hide his paper when I came by. Then on the last time, I asked him to give me the picture and he said “no.” When I told him to give it, he said “no.” I walked away.

5 minutes later, he pulled the paper back out, drew more and I caught him. I told him to get out of the class. He didn’t understand because on top of being a misbehaver, he also doesn’t do well at learning English. So, I went to his desk made him stand up and then I walked him out… as we got to the door, he tried to grab onto a desk, but I just kept him moving until he was outside.

He was too scared to move from the position right outside the door and I never let him back in. The other students were impressed with this effort and I got a mini-applause. It was kind of awesome.

Found in , china, stories, teaching, wuhan 2 Comments »

Tuesday of this week was December 25th otherwise known as Christmas Day; however, I was at work, teaching the kiddies some crazy new words. I taught a mini-lesson in each class about Christmas describing the tree with decorations, Santa being fat and delivering gifts to the good children, and letting the students sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas and Jingle Bells. In the fourth grade, I told them about Rudolph as well, but they seemed less than impressed.

We decorated the tree together, I would draw it on the board and then ask what to put on it. One class wanted toy giraffes and other zoo animals, while some classes just wanted gift boxes and lights to brighten the beautiful tree.

I used this description of gifts to move on to my lesson of clothes. I told them about my blue trousers (yes, I needed to describe my jeans as trousers) and asked them if they were cool. They aren’t according to 8-year-olds and neither are my hip hip hip glasses. Then I came to school with my new coat and new hair and the kids believe that I am the coolest. Thank God.

Found in , china, stories, teaching, wuhan 4 Comments »

My boss’ name is Rebecca and she is one of the crazy people that I see on a daily basis. She is what I would consider the English Department Chair. She sounds scary when she speaks Chinese at speeds undetectable by man or machine.

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Found in , china, teaching, wuhan No Comments »

Today in one of my classes, my assistant, who will remain nameless for if she ever sees this blog, made a student cry. At our school and many others, I assume, this isn’t rare at all. In fact, these kids are dropping like flies to tears.

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Found in , china, stories, teaching, wuhan 3 Comments »