Different Teaching Opportunity In Handan, China and Chinese Proverb

https://www.facebook.com/aaron.pierson.73 http://tanukichamptranslation.net/
I love a good Chinese proverb when I hear one. Zi Xiang Mao Dun Self-Contradictory. There was a weapons peddler long ago. (The ancient Chinese word for "weapons" was mao dun which currently means "contradict".) When he first arrived in town he would do a performance to attract a crowd then he would proceed selling his wares. "This is the best spear in the world it can go through anything." He would say. Then he would present a shield. "This is the best shield in the world nothing can go through it." Shortly after this someone from the crowd called out, "If you take the spear and throw it at the shield what will happen?" Since that time someone who self-contradicts themself is described as zi xiang mao dun.I would like to thank my friend Helen from Handan for telling me these wonderful Chinese proverbs. Here is a link http://discoveringmandarin.blogspot.com/2009/08/daily-chinese-proverb-self.html

I received a call from Chen inviting me to assist a high school boy with his preparation for an interview with an official from Edinburgh University. The boy needed a native English speaker and someone who spoke very clearly but at regular speed. And I guess I was that guy. Very lucky me! Chen told me we will meet at this very nice restaurant down the street on Congtai Lu. The boy and his father will treat us to a meal. He also told me you will probably be paid for this. I had always wanted to eat at this restaurant just never had the opportunity and now I am going to eat there and for free. UNREAL! I walked to the restaurant that night it was about a 10 minute walk down Congtai Lu and I met Chen at the entrance. We went upstairs to a private dining room where the boy and his father were. I asked the boy some real basic questions like "Why do want to go to Edinburgh University?", "What do you want to do in the future?" "What do you want to major in?" Maybe there was a couple of other questions but nothing difficult. If you would like to advertise on my blog or if you would like information on teaching jobs in China contact me here tanukichamptranslation@gmail.com

I just checked his ability to answer these questions in English and that was it. I enjoyed a great meal with wine and beer and I thought to myself how lucky I was. When we were getting ready to leave the father presented me with an envelope. He told me "thank you very much I feel very good now about my son's chances to be accepted to this university." I told him thank you very much and it was a pleasure meeting you. Walking home that night I opened the envelope and there was a nice amount of money there. To think I got paid for something like this and treated to a meal was hard for me to believe. Turned out the father was an important government figure in Handan. Teaching in Handan, China was quite a remarkable experience.