Thursday, December 28, 2006
Last night we talked about the New Year schedule. It looks like we don't have school until next Thursday. So how will you spend all this free time? I think I will be working on improving the website. Even though most people can't access the website right now because of the effects from the Earthquake, I can still work at it at home. When the Internet starts to work as normal I can use it.

Most of my students have to work through Sunday, then they get next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off.

Next we talked about New Year's Resolutions! I am excited many of the students have thought seriously about what they will try to accomplish next year. I think the higher the challenge, the greater the resolution, the more of a positive effect it will have. I was excited about Sissy's resolution to write a English diary. Janet also said she liked the idea of memorizing words evryday to help her improve her English. Other students wanted to graduate smoothly or get a good job. And other students wanted to improve their health and body.

I think it will be exciting to see the results of these resolutions next year!

Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Well, we first talked about how none of us can access foreign websites, MSN, Messenger, Hotmail, or Yahoo. Because of the earthquake near Taiwan, Internet access has all but stopped or become horrendously slow. I spent the early morning trying to fix my computer thinking there was a problem with my computer. Then I went to China Telecom to pay my bill, thinking that maybe I was late. Finally, I was able to check out a Chinese website and read that the earthquake was responsible for cutting several undersea cables that link Asia with the US. I read on the news this evening that repairs are expected to take from 1 to 3 weeks. That has effected my website, no one here in Asia included myself can access my website at this time.

In the second class we talked more about New Year's Resolutions. Another resolution I want to start is to memorize 10 new words everyday for all of 2007. This is a tough challenge, but the results could be great. I talked with the students to try to figure out how to involve them in this, and get anyone to match me by studying 10 English words a day similar to my challenge. We also discussed that a New Year's Resolution should be special. Though finding a job or graduating smoothly from college is a good resolution, I challenged the class to give me special life changing resolution, ones that require hard work and persistence to achieve.

Finally, we chatted about the post office and sending gifts and cards for Christmas, New Years and the Spring Festival. I learned that in China it's ok to give cigarettes as gifts. I always thought that was an unhealthy habit, so why give that as a gift, but I hear that is common here.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006
We first talked about our Christmas weekend. What were all the fun things that we did. I guess some students heard that the party last week was very fun and were curious to ask me questions. Some even spoke about people dancing on tables! Well, all I can say is, you had to be there to see it.

I discovered most of my students worked or went to school on Christmas day. Fortunately, my English school and university classes that are for westerners in China, were closed. I would have felt so sad to have to work on Christmas day, it just would not have felt right. It would be like Chinese people having to work during the Spring Festival.

Later, we chatted about what if they canceled Christmas in China? There was a discussion about that on the forum. See here. So I asked the students there feelings. I also asked why do they think Christmas is more of lovers and commercial holiday than a family and religious holiday in China.

In the second class, we chatted about the Post Office. When was the last time you used the Post Office and what for? I had one student who said she went to the Post Office on Christmas day to send her Post Cards. I thought that was strange, wouldn't she want to send them before Christmas so wish someone a Merry Christmas in advance? But no, she thought she was supposed to send them on Christmas day, that it would be more meaningful. How interesting I thought. In the US we want to send them before Christmas so they arrive before Christmas.

Finally, we talked about New Year's Resolutions. We discussed what they are and why we have them. Resolutions require will power and fortitude. We gave some examples of resolutions such as improving your life and health or fulfilling a dream or goal, or instilling some kind of habit such as memorizing 10 new words a day to improve your English!

I challenged everyone in the class to prepare to tell me one New Year's resolution. So I will expect everyone to give me one over the next two weeks!

Saturday, December 23, 2006
Saturday, Lydia was still feeling sick, so I substituted for her. In class, we first talked about politics and country influence. We discussed issues ranging from currency to the military. I know some of my students enjoy talking about that and some do not, so I tried to mix it up with other things such as…
If someone cooks dinner for you, but it tastes terrible, what do you do? This happened to me recently. I tried my best to eat it, but it was so difficult. Many students said it depends on who cooks it. If it is their family, then it would be ok not to eat it. However, if it was a friend, than one should try to eat as much as the can and not complain. One student said though that he is trying to learn to cook, so he would be welcome to suggestions on how to make it better.

During the lunch break, Ken took us to a fantastic Korean restaurant. It really helped me feel better. In the second class we discussed virtues. We first discussed the traditional Chinese virtues such as hard work, filial piety, friendship and more. I asked what is the benefit of virtues, why are they so important. I also challenged the students to debate weather making money was a virtue. In today's society, isn't so much of what we do based on making money. Is making money not a something we should strive for?

Finally, we talked about what to do for the holidays! Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Thursday, December 21, 2006
Wow, can you believe it's only 4 more days until Christmas? Well, last night we first talked about pets. The students told me that it is popular now for girls to buy a robot dog, or raise an animal online on QQ etc. They feed the animal, buy it food and get it cleaned etc. They spend QQ cash, which is bought with real money! I was shocked at first because I thought that sounded silly, but then I realized it's just like a video game that people put their money into.

So we debated in class, which is better, this robot/online animal or a real live pet. Well, both have advantages and disadvantages.

In the next class we discussed traveling. I had everyone in the class tell me a place they would recommend going and a place they would recommend people avoid. We had some interesting places mentioned both good and bad about Shandong, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Shenzhen, and Beijing. It was very informative and interesting.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Well, we had our 2006 Christmas party last night and it was fantastic! We partied and played games until late in the evening, enjoying lots of food and singing. We went to a KTV at Jinyuan Mall. The room was great and the food was alright. Everyone sang some songs, danced, blew up baloons and made new friends. I was happy so many people were trying to use English and even some people took a shot at singing in English.

The games were particularly exciting, with lots of drinking and punishments for losers. Remember, drinking = fun. Right?

Tuesday, December 19, 2006
First we discussed our day. I like to ask the students how there day was and get them to talk about what they do. I think it will be useful for them if they meet a westerner. They will know how to talk about their work and lives. I know the students think it's not interesting because maybe they do the same things often. But for someone who doesn't know about their job, it may be very interesting. I encourage students to be able to talk about their daily lives and work, even if they think it's not interesting, because I think it is also useful to be able to describe what they do in English.

Today we talked about Beijing Taxis. Beijing Taxis come in two types, legal and illegal. We talked about the good and bad points of both, such as both can rip you off. The students said they sometimes the taxi drivers even fix their meters so as to charge more per kilometer. Additionally, they will drive slowly as to charge more. However, Cici said one time she injured her head and used a taxi to get to the hospital and the driver said she need not pay, but Cici did pay him the fare.

We started a new chapter on discussing vacations. I asked the students to be able to make a recommendation about a place and where to go, as well as a recommendation to avoid a certain place. By the way, tomorrow is the Christmas party, so we will not have our regular class.

By the way, I have added the first listening lesson to the My English Class website. And I will add a section in the forum about getting a job and employment.

Monday, December 18, 2006
Tonight we first discussed Santa Claus. It's about a week before Christmas and kids have written to Santa, who lives in the North Pole, not Finland as some of my students thought, to tell him what they want for Christmas. I told the students that Santa goes to work on Christmas Eve on his sleigh led by flying reindeer. Santa lands on people's houses and this fat man in a suit goes down the chimney.

I talked about one of my favorite Christmas days, when just days before my Mom took me to the toy store and we looked at the things I wanted. Mom told me not to have high expectations, but on Christmas day, everything I wanted was there, I was so thrilled I could not believe it.

We looked in the textbook and read about ordering a meal. We discussed some of our favorite foods. I told the students I like Mexican food, but it seems most Chinese just like Chinese food. In the second class we discussed a case of a two-timer from a chapter in the book.

Friday, December 15, 2006
On Friday, I was substitute for Quinn again. First we discussed the upcoming Christmas holiday. I asked the students what they wanted for Chrsitmas. Some students said they would like a new car, world peace, and even a trip to Canada to learn English.

Next we talked about complaints. For example, what happens if you don't get want you want from Santa Claus? Isabella said that she would not be upset, because she would be satisfied with what she has. She reminded me of a saying, "Attitude is everything", meaning that your attitude toward anything including problems has a huge impact on what comes about from it. We next talked about customer service. What do we expect from companies and how to file a complaint if we are unhappy. I discovered in China, you only have 7 days to return a good you purchased, and only if there is a quality problem. Ususally in the US, for whatever reason you're not happy with the product, you can return it upto 30 days after you purchased it.

Thursday, December 14, 2006
I had some important business to attend to, so I had to tell the school I wasn't gong to make it. A substitute teacher taught in my place Thursday. If one of my students would like to tell me what happened in Thursday's class, please write to me at mark@getpowers.com and I will add it here.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006
We discussed First, we talked about one of the student's job situation. The student wanted some vacation time, but the company would not give it to him. Then the student said if the company refused he would be forced to quit. Upon hearing that, then the company relented and offered to give him the vacation time he wanted. However, because the company has not been supportive of him, he will quit the job anyway. I think the he (the student) may be right about this. If the company thinks it can get away with using and abusing its employees, often it will. That is another reason I am pro-entrepreneurship. I believe if you feel you are being treated unfairly at work, it's reasonable to walk away from that job. Fortunately for my student, his decision was supported by his family.

We finished the chapter on finance, dealing with mortgages and loans. Mortgages are loans used to buy a home. The students were interested in the US system and how a loan is repaid. I explained that a loan is a combination of interest and principle. When one makes a monthly mortgage payment, a portion of the money goes toward paying off the principle (the original amount of the loan) and the rest goes towards the interest. Over time, as you steadily pay down the loan, more and more money goes towards the principle and less towards interest.

In the second class, we discussed mustaches. Mustaches are a very manly thing, and I have started to grow one. I wanted to get the students opinion on it. However, most of the students recommend that it be shaved off!

Finally, we talked about being busy. I asked the students, is it easy to stay busy during the day? Most students said yes. They said that in today's society, you feel a lot of pressure to stay busy because of competition from others. Matter of fact, if you are not busy, you feel like you are wasting time. We also discussed how sometimes we pretend to be busy to avoid doing something we don't want to do.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006
In the first class we discussed how to handle our money. One of the students mentioned that he was about to get a big bonus from his company, but would put it in the bank. Of course many people would say that is a good idea to save money. However, my feeling is that putting money in a regular bank account maybe safe, but the value of the money after interest and accounting for inflation. However, for him, he needs to show stable income so he can travel to the US and be a student. Then I realized just how difficult it is for foreigners to go to the US. The US has much higher and stricter restrictions on going to the US than China has for visitors to China.

We later discussed going to the Zoo. We talked about the various animals, protecting the animals, and their interaction with humans. We talked about the fercious tigers and lions. We also talked about how animals in other parts of the world were in danger of becoming extinct and what is being done to protect them.

Finally, we finished our discussion on ending relationships. We read a conversation out of the book and discussed the two sides, the man and women, and how we felt about what they said. We talked about the need for people to be open and honest in their relationships.

Monday, December 11, 2006
We first discussed my new cat, since I recently got one. The students say that I paid too much for it, 200 RMB. We discussed why someone would get a cat instead of a dog. I tried to explain that cat have certain advantages now, such as they are relatively clean and quiet. Many students said that cats can make good companions, but in a different way than dogs.

Later we discussed finance. I asked the students what are attributes of people who are good at handling money. The students said a person who know how to get more than they spend. A person who knows how to spend money in a way that is worthwhile, such as an investment. A person who can buy things at a cost lower than its true value, or someone who can appraise the real value of things. I wanted to say a person who can budget and plan how to use their money seems to be a common attribute of those who know how to use it well.

In the second class, we talked about Christmas. I was reminded of Christmas by the lights and Christmas scene in front of the Huayu department store near our school. I told the students how in the US, one could drive around the neighborhoods and look at all the houses decorated with Christmas lights this time of year. Sometimes houses have over 50,000 lights on and draw a lot of attention. I talked about Christmas trees and using a real one versus using a fake one. It seems that more and more people are using fake ones because real ones tend to become fire hazards after the holiday is over.

Finally, we discussed a chapter from the book on ending relationships. We will end that chapter in Tuesday night's class.

Thursday, December 7, 2006
In my first class, the students are pretty talkative, but in the second class, sometimes I get total silence. I am not sure why this occurs. Could it be because there are too many people? Or is it because people are too shy to speak in the second class? Is it me? What can I do to help students speak out more, to participate more, and to learn more? Maybe I should discuss this in the forum?

In the first class we talked about Internet game addiction. I have been to Internet "bars" in China, and was surprised to see dark, smoky rooms full of young people playing video games. The students told me that many young people spend long hours and a good deal of money playing games. Though the government has tried to curb game addiction because of its bad effects on society, it continues to be a problem.

We also discussed what is happiness and how do we get it. We talked about how a person can envy another person's happiness and not enjoy their own. Also sometimes we can not see how happy we are until after we are not in that condition any longer.

In the second class we discussed love feelings and romance. I asked the students what do they see around them in their daily lives that is romantic. The students gave me examples such as when an old couple walk holding hands, or a young couple are making out in the park, or when a couple is walking under an umbrella in the rain. I said I thought a couple riding a bicycle looked romantic, but the students tended to disagree.

Finally, I am looking forward to a long weekend of relaxation.

Wednesday, December 6, 2006
First we talked about what it is to be successful. I tried to get my students to define what success means to them. What symbolizes success to them? Is it graduating from a top school? Is it money, cars, houses property? Is it a big family with 10 kids? I tried to get to know why people pursue school education so earnestly. I assume that in China, most people believe that going to a good school is the main means of being successful. However, I wondered if there are any drawbacks to this thinking. Putting so much pressure on people to succeed solely by going to the top schools seems unhealthy. I also wondered what happens to those who don't make it, are they considered failures?

Later in class we continued are discussion of what is to feel run down and depression. We talked about the differences between the US and China regarding the field of psychiatrics. I think it is a much broader and more common field in the US than China. Many people in the US will tell you they are being treated for mental problems, while I think Chinese, in general, will feel embarrassed by this. Tomorrow, we will discuss how we can overcome any feelings of depression.

Finally, we chatted about movies, in particular, Kung Fu movies. I asked the students if there was anything unrealistic about Kung Fu movies. Most of the students said Kung Fu people can't fly, walk on water or the tops of trees, jump from buildings without getting hurt, and deflect thousands of arrows shot at them.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Tonight we first talked about internships. Internships allow a person, maybe a student still in school, to get first hand experience inside a company. This experience may be quite useful to see if that kind of job is right for them. Some of the students have had this experience and said it was quite useful. An internship can also help someone get their foot in the door at a company when looking for a job. If the person can show their talents and abilities at the company, the boss or other may take notice and help them can a full-time regular position at the company. However, one problem with internships are that they don't pay well, maybe not at all, and there is no commitment by the company to keep you after the internship has finished. Internship Information Site 1

In the second class we talked about movies, another fun subject. I was surprised though that many students prefer to read the books rather than see the movie. So, we had a class debate. I divided the students into two groups. One side for movies and the other for books, and we debated which one was better. The pro-book group said that books could be taken everywhere, they have more detail, and if you don't like the actor or actress you don't have to see them. The pro-movie group said that movies offer more for the imagination because they are visually exciting. The sound and music can also make scene for interesting and exciting. Finally, movies are shorter, for example to read Lord of the Rings could takes weeks or months, while you can watch the movies in less than a day.

Monday, December 4, 2006
Tonight, we first discussed customer service. I went to store and the staff didn't say anything to me, even welcome or thank you or anything. So I asked my students, what kind of service do they expect when they go to a store. Some students say they don't expect anything. I asked the students does customer service matter, is it important? Students said that for some industries or companies, depending on the economic situation, that it could be very important, but not always.

Later we talked about one of my favorite subjects, food. I asked the students if there are foods that are delicious but for their health? Some answers included chocolate, coffee, and fatty foods. Also, are there foods that taste bad but are good for your health? The students had a hard time thinking of such foods.

Finally, we talked about date conversation. Should we give compliments? What kind? Also, when we end a date, what should we say or do? I said that if I was interested in the girl, I would ask for another date. If not, then I would just be polite, thank her for the date, and say farewell.

Friday, December 1, 2006
Today, Quinn was busy with a meeting so I filled in. I discovered though the students really like having a Co-teacher. Matter of fact, when it looked like the co-teacher may not come today, some students got quite upset. That surprised me, because I thought the imporant thing was the native speaking teacher. But how wrong we can be sometimes!

Anyway, a co-teacher did come, Gloria, a nice girl who had lived in Canada for a couple of years. So, considering this experience of living in cold weather and the temperatures in Beijing dropping, I decided it would be good to ask what the students do during the winter. I got similar answers to last night, go sking, swimming, badminton and some other indoor activities. In truth though, I think most people just work and go home, like me. Maybe I should really consider joining a fitness center?

Anyway, we read started the chapter on eating out, always a favorite topic of mine. I asked the students what kinds of restaurants are in Beijing. Mainly the mentioned the ethic restaurants such as southern and western Chinese food. Is there such thing as Beijing cuisine, besides Beijing duck?

Thursday, November 30, 2006
This evening I first mentioned the forum. I would like to build an online community with current students, former students, and any cool people. It takes time, but I think I can make it happen. It always seems like the students generally support my ideas, so that makes me feel great.

Speaking of feelings, we later began the chapter on feelings and emotions. I asked the students what different kinds of feelings do they have during the week. Some said they may not feel anything, others said they feel a sense of accomplishment or disappointment, but rarely anger. We discussed how women have strong sense of feeling, but agreed how feelings can change. We will continue this discussion next week.

In the last class we discussed date conversation. Again it seemed the students had a lot to say about this topic, maybe I have some experts in my class? I asked the students why dating is necessary or important. The students generally agreed it was necessary to get to know the other person before getting romantically involved. So I asked, then during the date, what do you want to know? The students suggested the other person's occupation, family, interests, etc. They want to know if they have anything in common.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Did we talk about something tonight? I know we were talking, but what was it about? I remember, we chatted about Happiness. Yes, Happiness, the somewhat elusive but always desirable feeling that we get occasionally. Well, it seems that some people get it more than others. That makes me think of the Chinese proverb, Zhi Zu Cheng Le, which means to know contentment brings forth Happiness. Well, I wonder if that is really true? If you were to accomplish all your goals, would you be happy? Or would you just go out and look for new ones? I was surprised tonight because when I talked with my students many of them seemed very confident in what makes them happy than I do.

Anyway, later we dicussed Chinese names and American names. I thought it was interesting to hear that Chinese people call each other Xiao, or Lao, meaning little or old. But to Chinese people, they feel this is warm and endearing.

In the last class we just got started on Date Conversation. Tomorrow, we will continue working on it. So I would like all the students to remember what they talked about in their previous date experience and be prepared to share stories!

Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Today we discussed the downloading music and books from the Internet. As much as this is common in today's society, and I admit to downloading my favorite songs, this is a bad habit that really should stop. The students and I talked about the pros and cons of downloading your favorite books off the Net rather than paying for them. The students said that it is still beneficial for artists to allow their music or works from the Internet because it will make the artist famous and they can make money from selling posters, selling their autograph and such. I agreed that putting music on the Internet could be beneficial for a new band or artist trying to market them selves. However, I think what happens is that the artist the will then spend their time selling their posters and autographs in the future rather than making more good music or art. If you don't buy art or music directly from the artist because you download it for nothing on the Internet, then that takes away incentive from the artist to continue to make music and use their energy to sell other things, like their posters and such. To get artists to continue to make music and art, you have to pay them for it.

In the second class we talked about Ghana's favorite topic, asking for date. We practiced in class asking each other for a date with such colorful date ideas as going to the park, supermarket, and sauna.

Monday, November 27, 2006
Well, tonight the students were pretty quiet. I wonder if it's because it's Monday and people are tired after the first day back at work, or in some cases partying all weekend. First we chatted about what we did over the weekend. I was surprised to hear Alyssa played video games all weekend, I guess I didn't think girls did that, haha. Also, Sissy said she met Ghana at a career fair over the weekend. They were surprised to see each other. When that happens, we usually say, what a small world!

Later we discussed ideas on how to prevent getting a cold. The students said they will often drink hot water and eat healthy food, as well as exercise to strengthen their immune system.

We started the chapter on Job Jumping, but got caught up in another conversation about the Internet and using credit cards.

In the second class we talked about asking for a date and where to go. Some of the student suggestions were to go to the supermarket, a bar, a sauna, and a teahouse. I have a difficult time knowing what places are good for a date in China, but I want to thank the students for their ideas. Hopefully, those will really help.

Saturday, November 25, 2006
Today we first dicussed the website. I told the students how I got had business cards made to promote my website and many students had suggestions for me on how to improve it. Especially, how it would be useful to get advice and consulting from experts and people with experience in this field. I tried to explain that I would like to try to do things my way until I hit a wall and need help. I also need to come up with my own unique method to teach English, like Crazy English. I have to come up with the Mark Way to Learn English. So I will invent my own method based on my experience studying Japanese and Chinese.

In the second class we dicussed asking for date and nervousness. I asked the students if and why they get nervous on a date. We discussed ways to overcome nervousness on a date. My idea was to simply make the girl laugh. If you can do that, it really helps ease any uncomfortable feelings.

Friday, November 24, 2006
First we introduced ourselves. I have not met many of the students who study Friday mornings, so I wanted to get to know them. Since this week was Thanksgiving, we studyed the chapter on saying Thanks/Thank you. We discussed the background of Thanksgiving and why we give thanks. We also discussed how Chinese and Americans differ on when and how to express their thanks. Often, many Chinese tell me its unecessary to express your thanks because if you are friends of family.

Thursday, November 23, 2006
Happy Thanksgiving! In the first class we talked about what to talk about with foreigners. Some students said that when they meet a foreigner, ever though they would like to speak with them, they don't know what to say or how to make friends. I can understand their difficulty. In a country with over a billion people and few foreigners, I can feel people must be frustrated to find opportunities to use the English they work so hard to learn. If I can come up with any ideas to help the students I will put it up on the website. What I told the students tonight is they have to find common ground with foreigners to meet them and talk with them. Get into the same circles that they are and you will have some opportunities and topics to discuss. Here is a really good article I found about making friends with foreigners Click here to read another foreigner's viewpoint

In the second class we talk mainly about Make-up. I asked the students if there were any differences in quality the brands of make-up. The students said some kinds of make-up can be bad for your skin. I also asked had did women get make-up a thousand years ago, such as in the Tang dynasty. The students said that people made make-up from natural substances such as lead. I read some history on make-up and discovered men in Europe wore make-up as well, up until about the 1850s! Here is a good website I found on the history of make-up. Make-up History

Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Time flies when you are having fun! We chatted about learning English tonight, such as how do you improve your listening and speaking. I kept telling the students that they should study based on their goals. If they want to make friends and communicate in spoken English, they should work hard on that. If they want to improve their listening they should listen to the radio and such. English is a means in an end, but not the end itself. We chatted so much, I almost forgot to take a break in the class.

In the second class, we talked about make-up, a favorite subject for girls, however I don't know much about it except that some girls won't even go out until they apply their make-up. I've also heard that some make-up is unhealthy. I always feel that if I see a girl for the first time with make-up on, then I become afraid to see her without her make-up. So I always suggest girls to not wear make-up and don't scare anybody.

For a guide on how to apply make-up..Click here

Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Tonight we first talked about Thanksgiving. If it was not for Jennifer and Cici reminding me, I might have completely forgotten. Thanksgiving is a Holiday celebrated in America on the fourth Thursday of every November. I think about all the Thanksgiving dinners and family get-togethers I have gone to over the years and it makes me miss home and my family. It was difficult to teach the students about Thanksgiving because the event is more of a happy feeling of being with the people who care and love you rather than such a action-packed event. But the eating part is certainly a big deal, with the turkey, ham corn, veggies, potatoes, gravy, pies and all the other goodies. I explained that Christmas and Thanksgiving are both family holidays, but Thanksgiving is not specifically a religious holiday like Christmas, and we don't exchange gifts on Thanksgiving. I also explained some of the background of the holiday. But I found a website that explains it well. Please check this out to learn more about Thanksgiving Thanksgiving History Site One, Thanksgiving History Site Two

Later, we finished reading a conversation about fraud and robbery. Remember there is a difference if someone says your zipper is open, or your zipper is broken!

We also talked about the IC cards. In the past I remember when the system was first implemented some students didn't like it and some did. So I asked the students how do they feel about it now. Most students say they like it because its faster and more orderly than before. I told the students I'm still confused about when and on which buses I should swipe my card once or twice.

Finally, we talked about supermarkets again. We talked about the store baggers. At most stores we have a choice of plastic or paper, plus the bagger can help us talk the goods to our car. But in general, food in America is much much more expensive than China.

Monday, November 20, 2006
Tonight we started off by discussing the website details such as memory and bandwidth. I am very happy students like the website's development. I feel like a store owner who watches with satisfaction when customers come into his store to check things out and make a purchase. I was very pleased the students said that the website loads up quickly, that is important to me and one reason I started paying for a good website host.

I have to try hard to build up this website before February. That month an interview I did for a magazine will be published and I expect many people to visit the site. I was told this magazine has a readership of about 380,000 people! SO I have to work hard and do a good job.

In the second pat of class we continued our discussion about crime and fraud. The students told many news stories they read about people cheating money out of other people. I was surprised how much fraud was related to apartments and homes. Be careful everybody! Especially make sure to get a contract and check the ownership of the property before you rent or buy.

Later we discussed saving money. I told the students that Chinese are famous for being good savers. I wanted to know if that is true and why. The students said that one reason they have to save so much is because they are expected to pay for their children's education starting from primary school. Even the first 6 years of primary school costs about 50,000 to 100,000 RMB! Even I think that's expensive! I felt a little bad because I told my students public education through high school is free in the US.

Finally, we talked about supermarkets in the US and the money back guarantee. It's interesting that in China you should return things within about 7 days, but in the US most stores have a 30 day return policy. I think US stores are flexible about returns because they want you to keep returning to their store and build a good relationship with customers for the long-term.

Thursday, November 16, 2006
We first discussed my ideas about Ask Mark, the all new Mark Knowledge Database. I explained how it would work and what it could be used for. It's still under development but should be available within the next 24 hours. I was also able to interview my fellow teacher, Lydia in a three part series. The first part, where she discusses her feelings about China and learning Chinese are available in the Video Lessons.

Back in class, we continued our discussion on fraud, however this time we focused on deceptive advertising. Fraudulent advertising includes ads for products that promise if you use their products you can lose weight, get rich, stay fit, become more beautiful, etc. I have seen many such ads in the U.S. and in China such as a helmet that shoots light beams onto your head to make hair grow on bald people or shoes that will help you lose weight. Carol said she saw ads for skin creams that women can use to make their breasts bigger. Cici bought a machine that shakes her body to make her slimmer, but said it was too strong and she stopped using it. I think I saw that machine on a TV commercial too. There are even commercials for products to help men have a bigger manhood, which some students suggested I should advertise on GetPowers.com! However, all the students agreed that these products are usually worthless and a waste of money.

In the next class, I raised a question about how I have seen many men with long fingernails in Asian countries. No one could really explain what that is, however most of the female students in class said they did not like that because it seemed dirty.

Finally we talked about Supermarkets, and I asked the students to compare foreign-operated supermarkets to Chinese ones. Students mentioned the variety of products, prices, the size of the buildings and carts, and finally the bags. It seems I offended some students by referring to the size of the carts and available selection of bags, just plastic, in Chinese stores as limited, adding that China is a developing country. Actually, to me, Chinese stores are about the same as they are in the $US. However, the kinds of foods are different. In the US, we usually have more junk food and soda pop available which may contribute to making Americans the most overweight people in the world.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Today I asked the students if they had a camera that their parents had given them, and it was expensive and valuable to you, would you lend it to your friend if they asked you? The students disagreed on this. Some students said that it would be better to make up an excuse so as to not have to lend the camera, such as saying it's broken. Other students said they would let their friend borrow it depending on how close the relationship was with their friend. Other factors to consider are would be if your friend broke it, would you ask your friend to pay for repairs. Pony said he would not ask his friend, because that person is his friend. His response makes me think that how westerners and Chinese view friendships are different.

Later, we discussed robbery and fraud in the textbook. I talked about my experiences getting robbed in the US. However, it seems in China there is a lot of petty cheating, such as lying to people to get money. For example, a person says they are from the countryside and need some money to get home. Most of my students have encountered this kind of deception.

In the second class we discussed whether or not the students were camera shy. It seems most of the students are not. So I suggested that next week we do video interviews. In a unused room I will video tape students answering some questions in English and put their results on this website. The students can see how they did and compare to other students and see ways to improve their English and speaking. Many students said they liked this idea, so I will start next week doing interviews.

Finally, we chatted about the marvelous Post Office, how inexpensive and useful it is. Even in this world of hi-tech communication, the Post Office provides a valuable service to the public.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006
I only taught one class last night since I had a hot date. We did discuss doing business in China. I told the students about my apartment troubles, specifically how the real estate agency is trying to force me to pay the taxes on my apartment, even though the police ssay that is the responsibility of the owner.

I asked the students if they were working at a restaurant and a foriegner came in, had a meal, and then discovered they didn't have any money to pay, what would you do? Some students said they would pay for the meal, but make the foriegner teach them English. Another student said they would take the foriegner to the bank and make them pay. I asked the students if the foriegner said they would go to the bank, but did not return, how would they feel? All the students said they would be upset that a foriegner cheated them. Next time the met a foriegner they may not trust them. However, I suggested that its important to look at people as individuals rather than collectively.

Also, how would they feel if someone judged you based on the actions of someone else who did something bad before, but looked like you or was from the same family. Is that fair?

Monday, November 13, 2006
First we discussed swimming. Leon said he enrolled his daughter swimming classes because she really enjoyed it. I asked the students if they believe everyone should know how to swim. The students disagreed. Some students thought that a person never know when he might be in the water, its better to know at least how to stay afloat. Other students said they thought they would never be in the water, so it would be unnecessary to learn how to swim.

Later while discussing addictions we talked about different kinds of drugs from moderate to intense. Such as coffee and steroids, both can be addictive as well as bad for your health. Coffee contains caffeine, which gives your body an energy rush. I don't drink coffee, not only because I don't want to get addicted, but I don't think it tastes so great. But addiction can come in many forms I suppose, included using the Internet all the time.

In the second class we discussed a wonderful topic, the Post Office. I think many people didn't realize just how important and useful the Post Office can be in today's world full of electronic communications and e-mail, as well as overnight delivery by companies such as Fedex or DHL. There are some valuable services the Post Office provides such as registered mail, insurance and post dating.

Thursday, November 9, 2006
On Thursday night we first discussed addiction to the Internet. It was amazing that most of the students in class admitted that they had some kind of Internet addiction. I also feel that I have a moderate case of Internet addiction. But how does a person know if he is addicted or not? I asked the students to try to imagine if they could not access the Internet after for 48 hours, how would they feel? Some students said it would not bother them because they keep busy doing other things. Others students said they would not have anything to do. Some students would be in trouble because they are looking for jobs and need to be able to check their e-mail for any potential interview opportunities.

In the second class I took Jennifer's suggestion and asked the students who is there idol and why do they like that person? I forgot to ask what would be their reaction would be if they met them. Maybe I will ask that tonight. I got all kinds of interesting answers including: Mao Ze Dong, Jesus, Zhang Yin, Jack Welch, David Beckham, Andy Liu, some Argentine soccer star, Murakami Haruki, a famous psychologist, etc. What diversity! The reasons the students gave for these people were also varied, such as because these people were successful, kind, sacrificed themselves, creative, talented etc. So now ask yourself, if you had a chance to meet the person you admire, what would be your reaction. And moreover, if you could ask them a question, what would you like to know? We'll talk about it next Monday, have a great weekend!

Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Oh what a beautiful day! First, I was late to class, because of traffic. I started about 5PM to get to school from Xiaoxitian, but cars and buses were so backed up it took over an hour to get to school. Finally when I got there we discussed the new teacher, Yan, who is from England. He is British born Chinese so his accent is native. I did not ask my students which is better, I simply asked them how is the British and American accent different. Ken said that British people do not open their mouth as much, or much narrower than Americans. Did he mean that Americans all have big mouths?

We also discussed the recent election in the US. I said that Democrats have scored a major victory against the Bush-led party, and foresee a change in US policy going forward. We later discussed getting hooked or addicted. We discussed the types of additions people can have: chocolates, video games, TV, alcohol, putting on make up, buying shoes, etc etc. Cici expressed her concern that I was addicted to surfing the Internet. I assured her that only because I am trying to start a business do I spend so much time in front of the computer.

I asked students if they were interested in an Internet business. But I heard alot of negative feedback, such as its too expensive, or not stable, or you need to have a very unique product.

Finally in the last class we read the chapter on Travel Talk. I asked the students if what place would they be interested in hearing someone else's travel experiences. Several students said Tibet, Daisy said Jiuzaigou in Sichuan, Ken said Qinghai Lake in central China. I would like to hear stories from someone who has traveled to Yunnan or Guilin.

Tuesday, November 7, 2006
Last night we discussed Phishing (pronounced Fishing) scams. These are when people are sent e-mails or visit websites that try to trick them to get their names and security information. This has been a problem around the world.

We also discussed helping me to choose a name for my website business. I am trying to think of a name that is short, easy to remember, has deep meaning, and functional in English as well as other languages. If anyone has any suggestions, please forward them to me! We finished the chapter on Advances in the book. We discussed which gender is more aggressive. Some students agreed with the book that men are more aggressive, however I suggested that maybe women are more aggressive but are more discreet and that men simply do not realize it.

In the second class we discussed saying your busy to avoid having to meet people. I challenged the students to compare that to a white lie and tell me what the difference is or if there is a difference. Also, if for example, a man says that he is busy in order to cheat his girlfriend, is that the same as a white lie? The students flatly objected to that, and said that if a man has found another women he should admit it rather than saying he is too busy to meet his former girlfriend.

However, I did bring up the idea that often people use being busy as an excuse to avoid meeting someone they are not interested in having a relationship with. For example, girls often will say they are busy to a man that tries to ask them for a date.

Monday, November 6, 2006
Today we dicussed the cold blast of air that hit Beijing this past weekend. The students said it came across the flat plains of the Mongolian grasslands and signified the beginning of winter. I mentioned the Wind Chill Factor in the US. Whatever the temperature is, the Wind Chill Factor can make it feel even colder.

We also discussed the recent Sino-African Summit. Some 50 presidents and dignitaries came from Africa to Beijing to meet with leaders. It was interesting to hear the students say that government workers were asked to ride the bus during this period to reduce traffic congestion.

Later, I asked the students to tell us three words that described their hometown. Then the other students and I would try to guess what their hometown is. That was a fun game. But sometimes the other students could guess just knowing one word.

Ken	Family, Car, Film	Changchun
Alyssa	History, Beautiful, Capital	Beijing
Jennifer	Cold, Dumplings, Botanical Garden	Shenyang
Linus	Comedian, University,Sea	Tianjin
Daisy	Clean, Hot, Wine	Luzhou
Simon	Air Polution, Beef Noodles, Yellow River	Lanzhou
Name?	Spaceship, Cold, Desert	Jiuquan
Leon	Responsibility, Disorder, Hope	Sunhe, Beijing

Finally, we talked about being busy. My students said that one reason Chinese are so busy studying is because the competition for jobs is very fierce. While people in other countries may have more time to play hard, Chinese must work hard, develop themselves, gain valuable skills and experience in order get any opportunities, promotion, or good benefits.

Thursday, November 2, 2006
Tonight we first discussed the kinds of movies we think might be helpful for learning English. Leon suggested the Lion King, as the voices are very clear and the story is not too complicated. Cici said she would like to learn English by movies, but usually falls asleep while watching. I added some more movies to the Movie list that I think are good, so you can check them out.

Cici asked Taka about his eyelashes, if they were real. He said they were. But that brought up some news I read recently about a popular new type of surgery in the US in which you get your eyelashes replaced with permanent longer ones.

We also discussed how we can better make use of this website and what kind of problems there were and what students wanted to see. The students gave me some good ideas that I will try to implement soon. The students seemed to particularly like the Making Friends page and Common Problems pages. The students particularly wanted a Lesson Plan page were they can see the topics I plan to discuss and on what day, so they can prepare. That is something I will definitely be working on in the future.

In the second class we discussed being our jobs and being busy. Particularly, how much free time we have on our job and what we do with it. Also, do we want to have free time or be busy? As some students said, it depends on if we like our job. I thought maybe there is a program somewhere that will help us hide our games, MSN chat etc, when out boss walks by so we don't get in trouble. As soon as we see him or her coming, we can just press a button and the screen will be filled of work-like spreadsheets and documents to make us look busy! How's that for an idea?

Wednesday, November 1, 2006
We first discussed if the students had the choice, which company would they like to work for and why. Daisy and Ken said they would like to for McKenzie (Spelling?)Global Consulting, a famous company, but I have not heard of before. Daisy said she would like to meet many interesting people, make money in an exciting job, and travel the world. Ken said he would like to get valuable experience and eventually start his own company. Yolanda said she would like to work for Google, the famous Search Engine company and get international experience. Leon would like to work for China Merchant's Bank, as he believes they have good management. Sissy liked Lenovo, the computer manufacturer. Alyssa liked IBM because they have a women-friendly environment. She said many women work in top level positions there and even have a Women's Management Club. No one asked me who I would like to work for! Too bad, so sad.

Later we had a heated discussion about the limits set by the government on having children. We took both sides if that was a good or bad idea, was it good or bad for the country and for who. The important thing is it challenged the student's thinking and they had to use English to discuss and explain their opinions.

On a lighter note, we discussed movies and entertainment. I noted that I have seen televisions in at least two banks in China that only show Tom & Jerry cartoons, which I thought was strange for a bank. Normally in the US, we might find TV shows on financial news. None of the students could explain the purpose of showing cartoons.

By the way, Leon sent me an interesting article I think we will talk about tomorow night about strange people at Beijing Shopping Malls! Good Job Leon, thank you! To read click here

Tuesday, October 31, 2006 Happy Halloween!
Tonight was a lot of fun as we shared SCARY STORIES! We played a game where a student told a story, and everyone else tried to guess if it was a true or not. Jennifer started with a really great story about a patient in a hospital who ate corpses of dead people in the hospital while he was sleepwalking! Wow, great story, but was it true? Jennifer said she made it up, good job! I can't remember all the stories, but Alyssa, Cici, Taka, Sissy all told some good stories. Ken told some stories too, but everyone already heard those before! I told a story about when I was in an elevator and heard some terrible sound and suddenly a bad smell filled the air, but there was no one in the elevator with me. Now that is scary!

We also discussed the theme of Chinese scary movies. The students said that many Chinese movies are ghost stories. Such as a man will fall in love with a girl and then discover later she is ghost. I said that is not scary at all, that frequently happens to me. Everytime I meet a girl I like she quickly disappears!

Finally, we talked about actors and actresses we like in movies. Sissy said she liked Tom Hanks and Johnny Depp. Other students said they like Julia Roberts. I like Russell Crowe, you can find him in the movie Gladiator!

Monday, October 30, 2006
Leon said that he read about a group of people who were offering free hugs in Wangfujing. The people said they were doing that to make friends. I wonder why they decided to offer hugs though? Sometimes do we need a hug? I asked the class if they were offered FREE hugs, would they take it? Everyone said no, because they said it would make them feel uncomfortable. In this world, I am sure that some people do need a hug. What is does a hug mean? why do we do it? I think it gives us some feeling of security, of caring and attention. However most of my students say that don't hug people. Also they don't often express their feelings to others physically. More often, people will by a gift for someone they care about. Ken said, if a girl offered to hug him, he would try to accept it. Also, the students suggested that I start selling hugs, maybe I could get 100 RMB per hug!

We later discussed marriage in China. Students told me that if a man gets engaged to a girl, he may have to give something to her and her family, as Leon said, like a deposit. Cici suggested gifts such as a diamond necklace or jewelry. I challenged the students to try to answer how a man or woman's parents could say no to a marriage. Isn't the man or woman's happiness more important than if a parent doesn't like their partner.

In the last class we talk about Halloween traditions in America, including making Jack O' Lanterns, trick or treat, costume parties, etc. It made me miss home a little.

Finally, we began dicussing movies. Ken was about to ask me a question at the end of class, but time ran out!

Please see our lesson plan for what will do tomorrow night, it will be fun!

Thursday, October 26, 2006
We first discussed minority groups, because Ken said that the girl who sings "Beijing Olympics" on the bus TV was from a minority group. But, I asked, how could he know? What does a minority group look like? Some students said you could tell by the skin color, hair, clothes, etc. But some students said that some minority groups look just like the majority Han people. If that is the case, why can't they just switch back and forth. Maybe a Han could be a minority and someone else could be a Han for a day, if they wanted. However, the students said that was against the rules. What rules I wonder…? I also understand that minorities get certain benefits, so most Chinese prefer to be a minority than Han.

We later discussed evaluating performance of employees, namely, English teachers. Amy said that the most important criteria for evaluating English teachers was how much the student's English improved. However, I felt that from a business standpoint, student satisfaction and staying with the school was a higher priority.

In the second class I asked the students how often do they have food delivered to their home. Many students said seldom, because it sometimes the food would be cold, or they didn't know when the food would arrive. Cici said that Li Hua Kuai-Can is famous for food delivery. I mentioned in America, food must be delivered within a set time, like 30 minutes or it's free. Same with Li Hua, but Sissy said she wouldn't have the heart to not pay a delivery boy for food, because they have to work so hard.

Finally, we talked about movies, which do the students prefer, watching movies at home or at the theatre. One student suggested it was better to watch at home because he could practice listening to English! What a good student! Ghana said that she preferred to have a friend take her to the movies or borrow movies from friends, either was ok. Ken said he had no other option but to take girls to the theatre.

Finally, I asked students to prepare to talk about movies next week.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Sissy said that she had some computer trouble. She tried to solve the problem herself, but it took too long, so she asked a friend for help. The students suggested sometimes we have to ask others, especially when it comes to technical problems like computers. Sometimes computer viruses are involved, and we need expert advice.

Regarding computer viruses, worms, or adware, fortunately there is anti-virus software that can help us such as Norton Anti-virus and McAfee (which is popular in the U.S.)

I mentioned the foreigner I saw on the street today in Xiaoxitian(~r). He was a big, fat white man in a suit with bright white shoes talking on his cell phone. He looked very out of place walking this part of Lao Beijing. So I asked the students what they have seen or when they felt out of place?

Martin said he saw two foreigners who just wore T-shirts come to a formal meeting with hundreds of people in suits. Yolanda said she wore the dark colored clothes to a wedding. Jennifer said that she was with friends from Shanghai who only spoke Shanghai dialect, and could not join in the conversation. Another man said he saw a KFC in Beijhai Park in Beijing. He said that the KFC was very modern and brightly colored and that it clashed with the natural beauty and traditional feel of the park. I mentioned that I saw a StarBucks inside the Forbidden City and how it stood out like sore thumb!

We also discussed American pre-school students studying Chinese in America. You can find the news story here.

In the second class we discussed if we were to join a health club or gym, what kind of equipment or facilities would we want most before we would join. Ken wanted a personal trainer so he could learn what exercises are appropriate for him. Other students wanted convenience, affordability, and interesting dance lessons by a handsome teacher. I said I would want a clean locker room where I could change and clean up. Finally, I asked the students, if someone asked you how they could lose weight, what would you tell them? We will talk about that tomorrow!

Here is the website Alyssa suggested to choose a name http://www.57name.com/

Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Leon mentioned that his eyes hurt from using the computer to much at work. So we discussed what to do when our eyes hurt. Cici suggested that you take a five minute break and walk around after every hour of computer work. Another student suggested using eye drops (to drop water in your eyes and moisten them) as well as massaging the area around your eyes. I suggested using a radiation screen that you can buy at the store to filter some of the radiation from the computer. I recently bought one for 30 RMB at Hailong in Zhongguancun.

We also discussed my friend who works as an extra on movies and TV shows in Hollywood. An extra works in the background and does not speak, just to make the scene look real by having real people moving in the background.

I also discussed that people who work as extras and actor who have speaking parts get different pay. Even if someone only speaks a few words, he or she can make much more money. The reason that people who have speaking roles get more money is because they are members of the Screen Actors Guild, a workers union, that helps keep salaries higher for their members. In the second class I asked everyone “What do you do to stay in shape?” Stay in shape means to be healthy and have a nice and fit figure. I wanted to hear just exactly what students are doing to maintain their health and body. Some students said they exercise regularly such as swimming every weekend, or going dancing, or jogging every morning at 6 am! Other students get exercise by walking to the bus station or eating healthy food. Takaaki suggested that people drink two cups of green tea everyday!

Monday, October 23, 2006
Today we talk about some interesting things. Cici's school had a jump roping competition. Her school tried to see how many people could pass through a jump rope swung by two students in three minutes. She said over 300 people got through! I wonder if that set some kind or world record.

Alyssa said she went to the zoo and saw some animals. Her favorite was the leopards. She didn't go see the Pandas because it cost 2 RMB extra.

Jennifer said that she has volunteered to be a host for foreign students in China. Many of the other students were interested in this topic. Jennifer said she applied to be a volunteer at a school that has five years of experience with foreign students. The school will have their students stay will Jennifer for three weeks, or even a year! She said she was interested in being a host family for a student because she possibly could make good friends and learn about other cultures from the students. The requirements to be a host family was that the family can speak English, give the student their own room, and make three meals a day for them! Wow, I hope Jennifer likes to cook? I wonder what she will make, Sichuan food?

We talked about some of the problems or concerns of having a student live with you. Some people were concerned they would not get along with a foreign student. Or maybe the foreign student would have hygiene problems!

In the second class we talked about Exercise. I tried to compare Western exercise style to Chinese style, like Taijiquan.

Finally, we talked about a 2 yuan store that opened near my apartment.I've seen 99 Cent stores in the US. I've seen 100 Yen stores in Tokyo. But I have never seen a 2 Yuan (about 25 cents) store until one just opened in an empty commercial space down on the street. The store owners just slapped a sign over the previous owners sign, brought in their goods and started selling. It has all the same stuff you would find at a US 99 cent store, but for one quarter of the cost, just 2 Yuan! And they still can make a profit? Though I did not see any problems with the store, some of the students said that these stores often do a kind of bait and switch. Once you go to purchase something, it may not be 2 yuan, but rather 8 or 10 yuan.