Mid Dec in Xi'An

It's cold and I have one.
English teaching is one of the most energy sucking things I have ever done. I have seen near 1000 students in the last week and gradually realised that I can't relate to all of them in the limited time I have here. In fact, I am getting quite lazy and sort of relating as it stikes me instead of the 24/7 attitude I started off with. Probably healthier.
The teaching team is a bit in chaos. I spent nearly every waking hour on the weekend with them, touring the Terracotta Soldiers and then in a friends apartment for 10 hours straight and by the end of it I just wanted to run away and retire to a life of hermitude. Instead I went to a coffee house, then to a piano bar where we had impromptu karaoke. Denise did some of the worst singing I have ever heard in any language. I nearly threw peanuts at her.
Amelia and I attempted to sing amazing grace, but we didn't have any fold-back and I couldn't tell which was my voice and which was hers because we sound similar. Well, they clapped anyway.
The classes have been great though, and we keep recieving gifts from them. Teachers really get respect over here.
Well, gotta go.

Zai Xi'

Bethel Orphanage

Yesterday's wake up was a bit abrupt. We piled into a smoky, suspension-less mini-van and sang the two hours out to Lang Fang, Hebei Province. Our host was Guillame (pronounced Gui Om) co-founder of the Bethel Orphanage for the Blind. He was much younger than expected (28).
Our first encounter with the kids was quite awkward. 7 Aussies and I stood around shuffling in massive overcoats as the nannies tried to introduce us as 'Aiees' and 'Su-Sus' (Aunty and Uncles).
The care taken of them was amazing though. 1 nannie to 2 kids, cheerful interiors (even if they couldn't see it) and wooden floors with heating through their whole house, plenty of toys and warm clothes. This young couple Guillame and Delphinne had an amazing story of just kind of stepping out and starting this 3 years ago with no money, just vision.
Many of these kids have been pretty badly abused, just cause they are considered sub-human because of their disabilities. We met a 15 yr old boy who was blind with autism, he had only come this year to this place, before he was shuffling because he ahd never been taught to walk; his meals were thrown to him on the concrete floors; he had cigarette burns all down his legs and he had no decent human interaction. He is learning English now.
One little girl kissed everyone in the team - she was a little kissing machine! It actually took me back at first (I was the first kissed) because this kind of behaviour would be actively discouraged in Aust. due to child protection laws, but for these kids deprived of love for so long, I think it's actually really healthy.
4 of the girls sang an old folk song to us and they had more volume than most choirs! We took the older ones out to have 'Bingqiling' - ice-cream at dairy queen. We had to hold their little hands and lead them on and off the bus. I think they had an increbile amount of trust to let us, who didn't even speak their language, just lead them around. I told my little girl, Fu Ling Ming, that she was very pretty and sat with my arms around her while she scooped from her cup so that she could feel her way to the table and ice-cream.
The little girls were very impressed with our long hair because in other orphanages their heads were shaved so it's a little hard to tell whether they're girls or boys sometimes.
I think I have to support this when I get back.

Last night out on Beijing

Quick post about the girls night out. Well after the orphanage the boyus crashed. I think they had to lift the kids and pretend to be aeroplanes one two many times. So the girlies trooped out on a shopping mission!
We negotiated for two rickshaws to Wangfujing, but then they dumped us 5 mins away from it and we had a large argument about their dodgy dealings! Well, we lost because I couldn't remember the words for 'But you agreed...' so we paid and walked on.
Two girls came up to us, students, spoeaking good english and we thought 'Oh no, here we go again with the art gallery stuff'. But actually, they were really patient, translated the whole night and helped us tell our cabby directions without asking anything. It restored our faith in finding nice people I think.
The waiter at the underground tavern where we had late night nibbles fell in love with Renae. He gave us free tea, drew a picture of himself on a baloon and gave it to her and snuck a kiss on the cheek when we were taking a photo! We were in absolute hysterics.
He ended up giving her his email and ICQ ao he can get that photo.