Nei Hou!

This week I managed to call just about everybody in Hong Kong, as all calls were free when using a post office phonecard-and will be this Saturday and the next Saturday. It was great to catch up with everyone, but of course it made me feel homesick. If you want me to give you a call, email me your phone number, as I definitely don't have it unless I called last week. As ever I spend half of my time fiddling around with mobiles. I cannot charge up my HK 3G phone as the universal charger that I bought in ShamShuiPo broke(or was broken by kids).This has pissed me off as I have photos and videos on it which I haven't been able to transfer to a computer yet,as I don't have a computer.I always use the public library to access the internet, although my home phone can now access the net on a screen, but is limited in it's capabilities.I can also access email on my TV, but not Yahoo, and not attachments of any great size or complexity.
I had my Mandarin class last night, which I am really enjoying.Unlike my Cantonese class it is quite challenging, but I always walk away with a greater understanding than when I arrived.I took the bus home with a young BBC(British Born Chinese) girl. Her grandfather comes from Shanghai, but had largely forgotten Mandarin until she has started to remind him.This girl also tried Cantonese but felt the students were not as serious, so opted for Mandarin. She said she likes the Mandarin class better because I and a couple of others seem to ask the teacher the right questions and so then he explains it clearly.In the Cantonese class I find myself spending a lot of time helping the teacher to explain things to the students or giving the teacher shorter phrases rather than the more long winded ones he often gives us.A good example of this is 'How do you spell....?' to me it is '....Dim Chuen?' but the teacher gave a much longer version which I can't remember.To give him his due-because he is a good teacher , he does often agree with me and tells the students that they can also use my example.What he is thinking at that time is anyone's guess.