Chinese lesson--Beauty session
Classes are over and its time for exams! Ordinarily, I would be making colorful note cards and outlining potential essay questions, but it appears the tides have turned and this time I will write and administer the exam. Next week is oral exam week. Each student will come in for five minutes and discuss a topic of my choosing. I dreaded my Spanish oral exams and I really liked the idea of being the teacher in that situation until it occurred to me that I would have a five-minute meeting with 250 students! On the week after that, I will give the listening and writing portion of the exam. Merry Christmas!
As for the studious side of me, I have found a magnificent (and terribly indulgent) new way to practice Chinese. There is no shortage of hole-in-the-wall beauty salons around here, each with two or three older women out on the front steps trying to entice passers by to come in for a facial treatment or foot massage. Months ago, I slowed down and looked in the direction of a beauty shop to see what would happen. Sure enough, within seconds, three smiling women came over reaching out to touch my hair and my hands. They pulled me into the shop where other young ladies were in white coats and white masks, and then they all spoke Chinese to me at once. On my first visit, I was still an overwhelmed newcomer around here and when people spoke Chinese to me I would repeat Chinese for “I don’t understand” over and over until they gave up on trying to communicate. But nowadays, the trick is to keep pretending you understand so that they won’t stop talking. Twice now, I have gone into the shop with my Chinese textbook, notes and dictionary and when I lay down on the cot for a facemask, I place the books on top of my stomach. Initially this was for my reference, but now three or four of these friendly young ladies pick up and pass around the books. They flip through searching for questions to ask me (“Do you like to sing?” “Do you have a boyfriend?” “What do you like to eat?”). I learn some new vocabulary and get a chance to work on my pronunciation. In addition, they offer to massage my hands, head, shoulders and even feet! What could be better? As a final touch, two young ladies will apply some makeup to my face and I get a great review lesson of colors and parts of the face. Granted, when I leave I have bright purple eyelids and red orange lips…but it’s completely worth it.
As for the studious side of me, I have found a magnificent (and terribly indulgent) new way to practice Chinese. There is no shortage of hole-in-the-wall beauty salons around here, each with two or three older women out on the front steps trying to entice passers by to come in for a facial treatment or foot massage. Months ago, I slowed down and looked in the direction of a beauty shop to see what would happen. Sure enough, within seconds, three smiling women came over reaching out to touch my hair and my hands. They pulled me into the shop where other young ladies were in white coats and white masks, and then they all spoke Chinese to me at once. On my first visit, I was still an overwhelmed newcomer around here and when people spoke Chinese to me I would repeat Chinese for “I don’t understand” over and over until they gave up on trying to communicate. But nowadays, the trick is to keep pretending you understand so that they won’t stop talking. Twice now, I have gone into the shop with my Chinese textbook, notes and dictionary and when I lay down on the cot for a facemask, I place the books on top of my stomach. Initially this was for my reference, but now three or four of these friendly young ladies pick up and pass around the books. They flip through searching for questions to ask me (“Do you like to sing?” “Do you have a boyfriend?” “What do you like to eat?”). I learn some new vocabulary and get a chance to work on my pronunciation. In addition, they offer to massage my hands, head, shoulders and even feet! What could be better? As a final touch, two young ladies will apply some makeup to my face and I get a great review lesson of colors and parts of the face. Granted, when I leave I have bright purple eyelids and red orange lips…but it’s completely worth it.
posted by B | 2:44 AM
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