Thanksgiving, 2002

Happy Thanksgiving! 
    I had a premonition while I was eating more cats: at the same time you were all devouring succulent turkey smothered in gravy, mashed potatoes drowning in butter, homemade stuffing and applesauce, and cranberry sauce and delicious pumpkin pie... ohh, I can't bear to say more!  I'm just joking... I'll get to savour all these tasty items on the American Thanksgiving: our school has a grand feast sometime in November.
   Actually, I had a peasant surprise yesterday, so I suppose the cat incident has been balanced out.  I was getting grub at the local stirfry bar...again, and I passed upon some chicken.  I must admit I was a bit apprehensive at first, but chicken or cat, it did look appetizing and I was craving meat.  I selected a small serving (just in case) and proceeded home to eat it.  As I feared, it was not chicken... but guess what it was.  It was large pieces of turkey sautted in a sweet and sour sauce!  It was soooo good!  I went back today, but obviously it was a popular item: it was gone.  But it's sweet, sweet taste persists in my memory.
      I also had a "not-so-pleasant" surprise today.  While teaching my class, a student interupted me to ask if he could "go to vah baffwoom.'  I responded "no."  I wasn't trying to be cruel, but he had just gone twenty-five minutes earlier and I was in the middle of an important lesson.  He asked again... not ten seconds later.  In cases like these,  asking twice in a row, I figure they REALLY DO have to go, so I allowed him to leave to the lav.  WELL,  as soon as he left, my other students were complaining of a horrible smell.  I made my way across the room to investigate, and yes, it did smell; but I just figured he let a little fluff slide on his way out, so I continued with my lesson amidst various comments of disgust.
   He soon returned and stood rigid, back flat against the wall with a strange look on his face.  The kids said he smelled like "poo poo".  Sure enough, he reeked of it!   I tried to take him out of the room but he refused to budge.  I went to talk to the Chinese helpers and said "Kevin had a little accident."   "Oh, did he go pee in his pants," they replied.  "No,  it's worse," I timidly informed them.  A sour look spread across their faces.      
   Before heading back to into my classroom to oust Kevin and deliver him into more suitable hands for the messy procedure, I happened to glance down the hall: on the floor were three loonie-sized feces fragments,  clearly marking a trail towards the bathroom.  Just then another student (not mine) rushed past without noticing this yucky violation lying on the floor and stepped right on one of the turds.  "Oh shit," I exclaimed quietly (pun not intended... at the time).
    Kevin, along with the innocent girl who happened along his "little accident," were soon duly cleansed.  (Kevin's parents were a godsend for they had packed in his bag an extra pair of knickers and shorts... although this begs the question, is this a well-established and recurring event)?
      I think the most unfortunate part of the story is that Kevin, who is not well liked in the class to begin with, returned to a barage of taunts, cackles and crude comments... all in Chinese.  Luckily, class was almost over and hopefully it will be forgotten by tomorrow.
   Other than that, not much new.   I have tried to change my attitude  about my roomies since my last e-mail.  Sure, I may not be "buddy-buddy" with them, but I'm stuck here for a year so I need to make the best of it... and I do have other friends.  Jamie actually is pretty cool, but he follows Andrew everywhere.  Andrew is pretentious, cocky and selfish.  I very much dislike him.  (Aunt Donna, I think I agree with your diagonsis... as do quite a few others around here)
  Not much planned for the weekend.  May go see Red Dragon, or perhaps go bowling with a few teachers.  Some are going to a large waterfall, but I have no scooter and I have to work on Saturday (Boo!).   I'm confident I'll find something to do.  the roomates are leaving all day Saturday, so I won't have to worry about them.
     I'll be sending some stuff home soon.  I'm putting together a large envelope of knick-knacks, pictures, postcards... anything small and funny that I can stuff into it.  I hope everyone get a chance to see it.
    Well y'all, I'm out.