So English Corner is quite cool, actually.  We as teachers, are required to spend a couple of Tuesday nights sitting with anyone who wants to come by and talk in english.  We have a Chinese teacher counterpart who will help us (the students AND ME) with translations of hard words or concepts sometimes. 

NO

We don't talk about business, economics or finance - unless the students REALLY want to ... we talk about whatever THEY want to talk about.  Like marriage, family, life in the US, traveling, kids, America, Turkey, etc. etc.  Actually quite mundane but very exciting as they are all soooo excited and effervescent!!!  I believe that they are just absolutely happy to be able to communicate and be understood - and understand at the same time!!!

BELIEVE ME - I UNDERSTAND!!!  Trying to make myself understood that I want something with beef in it and hot (spicy - la) but not TOO hot!  Can I get some broccoli in that?!!  WHAT - No!  Some snow peas - shoot, I have no idea (YET) how to say those words in Chinese.  OK - so how about some GREEN VEGGIES, EH?!?!

YES!!!  COOOOL!  Whew - another meal ordered.  Now what will I get?!!?

LMAO!!!

Actually, I bring it on myself as there are many, many ... TOO MANY, restaurants that have pictures, english words (though not always what the chinese says ... grinning - and OFTEN misspelled!!) 

OH - yes, we can ALWAYS go to that CHINESE of places, KFC!

YES

KFC!

MAC Has NOTHING on KFC!  There are more KFCs in this world (I believe) than McDonalds now.  If not, then they only have one less!!!

I never, NEVER, EVER go into KFC - and I DO go in to Mac's - for one thing!  Yes, to use the restroom!!!  Doesn't matter, Nicaragua, Tegucigalpa, Kunming, Nei Mongol, or here in Jia Ding - the RESTROOMS ARE A GODSEND  -  Seriously.  And if you've never traveled in a developing country, let me clue you in - you'll thank you're lucky stars that time when you REALLY need a clean restroom and there appears McDonalds!  I do not disparage either of these establishments - goodness knows that when I worked on the railroad for 5 years, that was sometimes the only food around!  Though I LOVED those Iowa rural towns with Blue Plate Specials, eh Steve?!!?  I ate two and part of Steve's OFTEN!!!

Oh, so back to English Corner - I brought my computer - so we had TONS to talk about.  Aunt Pat and Uncle George, their three Great Grandchildren, Grandchildren and children.  YES, I NAMED ALL OF YOU!!!!  Laughing - even got to a picture of Kathy in Kamloops with Aunt Agnes, Uncle Larry and Linda.

So I covered marriage, kids, life, Vancouver (my Chinese counterpart went to Simon Fraser and LOVED Burnaby!), Grand Junction, Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia and Genghis Khan), Nepal and Everest Base Camp - by birthday ...

AND SO MUCH MORE!
  FUN!