Sam Came Back!

May 18

Let’s start this blog with Great news

Sam came back to the academy on Tuesday!!
He is not my roommate yet. My old roommate leaves on the 23rd of this month, so i told Sam not to unpack yet so he can move in with me on the 23rd. He has been gone for 6 weeks so this past week of training killed him. I know how he feels because i was dead when i came back from my month long break.

I told Sam i needed to do some shopping this weekend and since he had to buy a few things so we decided to go to Muping on Saturday. Saturday morning we tried to book a taxi. The academy had no more taxi's because everyone already booked all 3. They usually have 5 or more taxi's so when the translator told us they only had three we were confused. well that didnt stop us. I told Sam we can take the bus.

Since we had to take a bus into Muping, we decided to get a taxi from Muping to take us to Yantai. When we got into Muping i got a taxi and told him to take us to Walmart in Yantai. I spoke to him in Chinese and he understood and asked me something. I recognized the word Nali, which means where, and Ren which means people. So i thought he was asking where we are from. So i responded back in Chinese that i am American and Sam is from England. He nodded his head like i answered his question correctly. I guess i haven’t lost my communication skills. Then he asked if we did Kung Fu. I said yes and he asked if we trained in Kunyushan. I said yes. Apparently, or what i could manage to figure out is, he drove a few students back to the school once. I guess I am picking up the language a little.

We got into Yantai and he taxi took us to Walmart. In chinese it is pronounced War Mar. Sounds just like Wal Mar to me but slurred. WwarrrllllMarrr. same goes for Mcdonalds, pronounced-Mc Donaaallll.

We shopped around for awhile and then i got a text from a friend i met in town once. She goes to school at the University and her text stated that their school needed some English teachers. I texted her back and she asked if I wanted to be a teacher and i said “Sure but i can only work on weekends because of training”. She called me back and said they wanted to meet me around 12:30 and they can tell me about the job. So i asked Sam if he didn’t mind meeting some people with me. He didn’t mind so we waited to meet them.

Before I continue, this story I have to tell everyone yes, I thought it might be a scam of some kind. So I told them that we would meet in a place where I am familiar. The KFC restaurant next to Walmart. I was not going to ‘go anywhere’ with anyone for this ‘job’ or give any money for this ‘job opportunity’ if anything looked suspicious.

A lady named Lisa called and said she will be there in a little to meet us. Lisa was a short Chinese lady, who spoke English very well and came with her driver. Her driver was a tall Chinese guy who was about 6'5 and named What, I am not sure how to spell it but sounds just like WHAT. They met us and asked if we wanted to go to their office, since we were inside KFC. I said sure. We got in a Lexus SUV, the nicest car i ever been in since i been in china. Went to some tall building. Lisa said it is government owned building so it is closed on the weekends so we had to go in the back door. Sam and I exchanged glances like, ‘What are we getting into’. All i know is i am a faster runner than Sam, so i was not worried...JUST KIDDING!

We took an elevator up to the 7th floor and it was pitch dark. We were getting a little nervous now. Then we went to a door with a metal gate that opened sideways. Sam said," Oh this is a good way to keep people out...or IN." And looked right at me.

Luckily it was just a regular office. Lisa offered us something to drink but i said no, Sam did the same. Of course it would not be drugged….. but I just was not feeling thirsty right then. She explained that she needs more English teachers because some are leaving for the summer. I told her i would be willing to work on weekends since i train during the week. We discussed pay, curriculum, and requirements, then she asked if i could send her a resume to her email. i said sure...if i get out of here alive.

I looked up part time teaching jobs here in China before, but they all required a college degree to teach. so this time i didn’t get my hopes up because 1.I haven’t even started college and 2. I am kinda young. I turn 19 next week. She never asked for my age, nor did i tell her.

After we finished the meeting we said goodbye and Mr. What lead us out back the back door. We caught a taxi to Parkson Mall. During the whole taxi ride back, I told Sam ‘I could not believe what we just did. Got in a car with total strangers, went to some building, went in the back door, and some weird office. HOLY CRAP!”

We didn’t get kidnapped. When I told my dad that I was going to meet someone for this ‘job opportunity’ he did warn me ‘not to give my passport to anyone’ because it could be a scam to get US passports. It was not. They really do want english teachers because China does so much business with the USA. How come America does not need Chinese teachers?

Well we finished shopping and headed back to the academy. Had dinner next door with Ash, Sam, Raven, and a few other guys from the academy. Raven said he needed help to sneak ‘a friend’ into his dorm room. Since I was still feeling like 007 from the morning interview in the dark building… I agreed to help. I told Raven and ash to go first and see if there where any shifus around. When it was clear, Ash came and gave me the signal, i then signaled to Mathieu to bring the ‘package’ in. Worked perfectly. Good job ninja turtles! But, I told Raven it won’t be “mission accomplished” until after Monday’s training. because that would be the time when master Guo would beat him for bringing a friend in. Last time he did it he got caught and Raven was beat in front of the whole school. But this Monday it was a mission complete. No beating!

Well, we have to end this blog with bad news.
I heard back from Lisa today. I did not get the job. They wanted someone who is here longer than a year and since i am here only for 5 months more that makes it a problem. Well, i have another friend who said if I want to teach i can work for them so i might check that out.

-Scott