Graduands

WHEN RAHS POP CHAMPAGNE TO CELEBRATE "HOW HARD THEY'VE WORKED"

I may have jumped the gun here, considering that a graduand is someone who's actually 100% "about to graduate or receive a degree," but I think you get the point: EXAMS ARE OVER.

I woke up at 11 yesterday, eleven. Well, actually I woke up at 6:30 (thinking, when do I have to be at the library?), 7, 8, 9, 10:30 and then finally got up at 11. It was great. I have done nothing for three days, I had a real meal - albeit cooked by someone else, but we'll take it - and I've played video games at leisure, as opposed to snuck in between reading over revision booklets.

Unfortunately, life doesn't end at 'nearly graduated'. Having found myself in possession of a job, as well as several holidays and the realisation that I will have to move back to my permanent home at some point, I do, indeed, have things to do. Then there's 'spacial issues' for sharing suitcases (as well as convincing friends that, being of Nigerian blood, I can fit as much stuff into one suitcase as physically possible and more), waxing appointments and even a friend's birthday before we even leave the bloody country.

Of course I'm excited about the Folder Making. What is Folder Making, you ask? Why is it in capitals? Let me tell you. As well as having to collate some 'teaching materials' so as to impart my Western knowledge unto my Eastern students more easily, I've also decided to take up knitting, Japanese, and looking for a permanent job whilst in China. All of these require their own folder. Don't question it, just let it happen.

I've also got to buy an entirely knew wardrobe and real, grown-up makeup in light of the fact that 1. Everything I own is 5 years old or older, 2. I am no longer a student and need material possessions that reflect this fact, 3. Almost everything I own has a hole in it. Good friends of mine will be shocked by this knowledge. It may relieve you to know I will also be buying new video games on this shopping trip.

But for now I'm just chillin'. And it feels really good. 

WHEN I REALISE I STILL HAVE AN ORAL EXAM LEFT TO DO

What does '什么' mean again?

I think it says something about the decline in one's language ability when - upon opening a practice paper - you get stumped by the first 4 characters. In my defence, I haven't really read anything in Chinese or practiced my characters (or been to Chinese class) for a few months. Wait, is that a defence?

I can practically feel your shock through the screen. The title of my degree is, indeed, "Chinese MA Hons", but did you know friends that the actual language portion of my degree counts for only 20 credits out of 120. 20/120. 1/6 (<<<<<maths). At least for this year - I'm not actually sure how much of our degree rests upon our year abroad/ actually being able to speak in Chinese. Anyway, when I get to my oral and they find that I can't remember the word for 'language ability', on their heads it will be. Maybe you should put the oral at the beginning of the year, huh?

Or maybe I should actually make some more effort? I am planning on going back to China....and how I do in this section of the exam diet (occurring oh-so-imminently) will probably affect the rest of my grades too. I think I was kind of assuming that I'm gonna do well in everything else. And you know what they say about assumptions....

So, need to get my sh*t together, in short. How have I only just come to this realisation, you ask? I'm usually a bit more aware of my limited capabilities, and much more willing to do something about it (you know, 笨鸟先飞 and all that), but recently I've been a bit more of a 闲人 (now, although this literally translates as 'idler', I'm gonna take a less literal approach and interpret it as 'wasteman'). Well, again in my defence, I've been concentrating a bit more on my seriously overbearing, often boring, and in some cases far too confusing, content courses.

Those who study Politics and Policy in Contemporary China, can I get an amen?

But no more. With what feels like 48 hours until my whole world comes crashing down, I've decided to re-open the ol' pack of flashcards-I-made-in-China-when-I-was-super-keen-and-apparently-a-lot-smarter-than-I-am-now. Man I've forgotten a lot. Too late? Never. I am determined. Library from 8am everyday from now till forever!!

Now I've just got to add all these extra flashcards from this year, figure out why Structure and Agency are important, and essentially re-learn everything about China and Chinese (not forgetting traditional characters w/ancient meanings for literature :D) by the end of this month. Seems legit.

No death threats necessary

I got a job! Yay! Remember that time I threatened to throw myself out a window if I didn't get British Council - I got British Council. Yay!

What am I going to be doing for them...? Well, something about teaching kiddies English. For a year. In China. Yes, China is a big place but, no, I don't know where I'm going to be placed yet. I had, in a fit of excitement, chosen Sichuan (commonly know as Szechuan or something) as my preferred location. After realising that I may not be placed in my preferred 'environment' (which, coming from London, is obviously 'city or big town') I soon started to feel apprehensive about my choice. Far from the rapidly developing coastal boom-provinces of Fujian and other places near Shanghai, Sichuan is one of the poorest, most densely populated provinces in China. Having taken away Chongqing (one of the most developed parts), the government has left approximately 1 place where anyone not obsessed with being 'that-foreigner-who's-too-cool-to-hang-out-with-other-foreigners' would possibly want to live - and no, it's not the border of Tibet.

I just wanted to see some pandas man.

Sichuan: Famous for spicy food, not being in North China and, of course,
where the pandas are.

"What about the law stuff, Edi?", I hear you cry. Well, that search isn't over. As this contract only lasts for a year and is hardly gonna provide me with enough savings to fund a master's (apostrophe? No apostrophe?), I will have to return to the UK or some equivalently developed native-English speaking country to find a real job.

I'm hoping that this stint in China will allow me to 'find' myself as it were, but productively - I can't stand doing anything unproductive. Hopefully I'll develop some sort of research interest and improve my Chinese, whilst also having something to put on my CV besides 'extensive travel and deep connection fostered with the Far East'. I'll have something like 20 hours a week teaching time, so that'll give me plenty of time to do other stuff, right? Not that my salary will allow for it, but that's a story for another time I suppose.

Previous teachers of Chinese students: your advice and comments are more than welcome!

Ups and Downs

Due to incessant travelling to and from London over the past month, on top of a ridiculous amount of work I've had to do and competitions I've had to take part in, I literally have not had a moment to myself to update. Now that I'm at home for 'Easter' (because that's a thing now) and my parents have actually banned me from doing any work, let me fill you in on March. I'll try and intersperse the good with the not so good.

Despite numerous interviews for all manner of positions, I still don't have a job. I'm still waiting to hear back from British Council - which should be any time at the beginning of April - but as for Law stuff, I think I'm giving up until I've actually achieved this degree thing that people also expect me to do well in. I've decided it's no longer something to despair over - something will come up (surely?) and my friends and family have a disproportionate amount of faith in me, which I'm, again, going to take as a positive sign. If not I'm just gonna quit life and be a model. That's a viable option right?

I came 3rd place in the UK final of an international Chinese speaking competition. Yaaay. I know you guys have been on tenterhooks waiting to find out what the hell this Chinese Bridge competition actually is, so let me break it down for you. It basically involves some awesome uni kids saying a speech for 3 minutes, answering 5 out of a possible 190 questions (again, in Chinese), and having some sort of 'talent'. Because I'm amazing I played the recorder. Minds were blown. It was a good day, if a deal too long and entirely too stressful. At least we got fed good food, unlike some of the 'lunches' provided when I go for interviews...

Me and the Edinburgh ladies at the comp,
 with our teacher Zhu zhu!

This is the piece I played on the recorder - obviously not with guy's ridiculous super-saiyan skill levels, but you get the gist. I also won £100 and a scholarship for 6 months study in China....so...yeah.

My classmate Meghan came in 1st (which is actually 2nd because there's some sort of very confusing 'Grand Prize' thing that only the Chinese could come up with), and if you want any more info about the comp you can visit the web page here.

I got a 1st in my Dissertation, yay. For those of you who aren't aware what it's about, the title is "What does the Wukan Incident tell us about the prospects for democratisation in China?"... which still doesn't make it 100% clear what it was about, but that's not important. What is important is that I got a 1st, which means that there's obviously this expectation that I'm going to get a 1st overall. Well, we shall see.

I also attended the Ballroom Dancing Ball which, as loyal flatmates, Sophie and I have attended every year to give Lucy support, despite our severe lack of Ballrooming skills. Beautiful food, beautiful dresses, beautiful dancing - that's all that can be said really. It was a good excuse to get out of the house and not think about work for at least one evening.

If you're wondering why this is a meta-photo, the photographer
was slightly overzealous and was taking surreptitious photos
of unsuspecting ladies all night.

That's all really. I'm not really doing anything besides work atm. My friends and I have booked a holiday to Albufeira (Portuagal) for the end of May, but I can't really think about that till I've got these 500 exams on a country I know nothing about in a language I don't quite comprehend out of the way. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some covert character learning to do...

First World Problems

Ergh, my life is so stressful right now.

After the 'stress' of having to get my dissertation done and handed in, which only happened like 3 days ago, I've now got a whole new set of problems to deal with. So, I've been forced to take part in the  internationally recognised, way-too-much-of-a-big-deal-for-the-Chinese-speaking-community Chinese Bridge competition against my will. Forced is a bit strong I grant you, but I think this situation warrants at least some recognition of my coercion. What is this competition, you ask? Well, they'll be a separate, much more riveting, post with the full details later, but needless to say between the daily practices at random times of the morning/evening, it's taking up way to much of my time. Time that could be spent in the library.

Good thing I can cancel one of those meetings though, as I've got a job interview on Thursday. "Great!" I hear you say. "no." I reply. They only told me today, which means that train tickets are gonna be however many thousands of pounds, plus i know next to nothing about the company, so the time i could have spent researching (or doing other work) is now taken up with 'panic!' time.***

Even better, I'll be coming to London AGAIN for another 5, lemme say that again, 5 days from the 15th because, hip hip hurray, the Chinese competition's on the 16th....and then I have yet another interview on the 19th. Because things only happen in London. I live in Edinburgh. thank God I've got family there otherwise I'd just sack it all off.

I've also got a presentation next week, plus two essays due in some time this month, so, in short:

So, if you'll excuse me, I've got speeches to learn, presentations to write, plans to cancel and trains to book. My mum was not sympathetic.

*Quick amendment - I've just seen that this interview start at 8:30 as well!!! What is happening!!