I've been teaching a lot more lately, and the long-term exposure to Chinese people trying to speak English has seeped into my subconsciousness. I had a dream the other night, and everyone was Chinese speaking heavily accented English. It's not the first time I've been influenced by the country I'm living in, when I was in Spain and Argentina, I dreamed of people speaking to me in Spanish. But here in China, I should be dreaming of people speaking to me in Chinese, not in broken English! I bet I hear more broken English these days b/c of all my classes and students than I hear Mandarin.
This also brings up an issue that's disturbed me lately. I sometimes feel a little used by my students and friends. It's terrible, but I often find myself wondering if a person wants to be my friend b/c she/he likes me as a person or b/c he just wants to practice English or get free English tutoring from me. I know I should be generous with my time, but I recently became a little upset when a student texted me wanting me to meet with him every week to help tutor him in English. First of all, he knew that I have other part-time teaching jobs, that I charge a lot for my time, and that I'm busy, yet he wanted me to meet one on one to help him with his English every week. I already listen to Chinese people speaking broken English for 6 hours a day, it's really tiring to sit there and wait while they stutter, pause, and try to think of the word. I'd rather they just say what they want to say in Chinese b/c I can understand them better that way. I wouldn't mind helping different students with a specific question, but his English is very very bad (making it especially tiring to listen to) and he sounded like he wanted private tutoring for free. In the end, I told him I was busy that week, but that I could meet him for lunch this coming week, no promises of other sessions though.
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Hi! I hear ya with your teaching frustrations...I have many of the same, and, unfortunately we do get used for "English practice." Don't be afraid to say NO! :)
Where are you teaching?
And, about the pizza dough...I bought one of those pizza kits that comes with the sauce, and a mix for the dough. Had to then buy cheese and toppings. You can find the kits at some of the foreign food stores...have you been to the Mighty Deli or Heping?
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