How is Catherine doing?

[Catherineli]

Hi Friends,

How is everyone doing?

It's been three years and 20 days since I was settled in the United States. I went through many difficulties beyond my expectation. Driving is still a challenge for me, I still can't drive on highway. Fortunately, I've never had any trouble on the street with policemen. Speaking English is another challenge. I'm really helpless and hopeless as far as the Chinese accent is concerned. Being a certified ESL teacher, I have to teach English. Sometimes I wonder if the foreign children will follow my accent and speak English as I do? Some children purposely mimic my pronunciation for fun. Some teachers don't like me to be a teacher among them. I must work hard to earn trust. I have made it! I've successfully taught ESL for a year so far.

 

I'm also certified to teach Chinese. But there're not many schools who open Chinese class. So I'll go on teaching English as a Second Language next school year.

 

Now the teacher-walk-out event brought me to OKC where my son is. So I took the advantage of the school bus to come to spend time with my son. The school has closed since Monday.

 

I can't stop myself being a mom to my son. I love to baby him no matter how old he is. Now I'm praying for his future wife. Hey, who has a beautiful girl for my son? Please life up your hand and sign up to me LOL . My son is the most handsome young man in the world!! He has been an engineer in FAA, Federal Administration Aviation. He makes more money than I do He drives a very romantic car as well!

 

Wishing everyone the best!

 

Catherine

[amberjack1234]

So glad to hear that he is doing so well. It sounds like he will continue doing well. Don't worry about the wife thing it will happen just don't rush it and get the wrong one no matter how long it takes.

 

Good luck to both of you and may the sun shine on both of you all the time.

 

Larry

[wawster]

Hi Yajie!

 

Do not worry for your son. He is intelligent and the right woman will come to him quickly!

 

And i am proud of you for your work as an ESL teacher. You are helping many students learn what they will need to know here in the US. Rose is still taking ESL classes, and is trying hard, but her English is improving very slowly, because she works in a Chinese restaurant, so she does not speak much English at her work. Kerry's English is much better, and he is improving rapidly.

 

Enjoy visiting with your son! You will always be his mom, no matter how old he gets.

 

Keep smiling, my friend!

 

Warren

[Catherineli]

Thank you Warren and Larry. I always report positive things. As a matter of fact, I am not brave anymore. I don't talk much unless I have to. It seems all my curiosity to a new culture is gone. I don't like to build friendship as I used to because I realize that I'm living on the margin of the society. I failed many times trying to get a teaching position in a university. There're many things I still don't understand when people talk. Sometimes I'm depressed. But I won't give up the American life. I'm trying to figure out if I should join in the citizenship.

 

Rose doesn't have to use English because she has Warren! Young people adjust easily to a new culture. I try hard to practice speaking English but I don't see myself improving.

 

Good night everyone!

[True Blue]

Number one piece of advice that I gave my wife for driving and will give my step daughter when she arrives and her fiancé whenever he arrives is this.......

 

Pick a lane and stay in it. The people who weave from lane to lane get in and cause most of the accidents.

 

On the highway stay in the right lane if 2 lanes and center lane if 3 lanes or more.

 

Drive a little slower (say 5 miles per hour less) than speed limit. That gives you a little more time to react.

 

Signal lane changes early then look, then edge over then look again in your blind spot before moving over.

 

Anticipate where you are going at get in the correct lane to turn off early - well before the exit.

 

If you can't get in the correct lane in time drive on past, make a u-turn and go back. There is nothing worth risking your life and the lives of others have that can't wait for an extra 10 minutes. Leave 10 minutes earlier for work and other appointments so you have plenty of time and don't have to rush.

 

Don't speed up to run through every yellow light. Take your time and drive safely. Better to arrive safely than to risk hurting yourself, others and crashing your car to get there 5 minutes early. Old American saying, "people who drive like they are going through hell will soon get there"

 

Practice highway driving on weekend mornings in lower traffic areas as there is less traffic and you can build your confidence and skill.

 

Good luck!

[Randy W]

. . .

Don't speed up to run through every yellow light.

 

 

Something I've found VERY refreshing is the Chinese system where the light blinks green for three seconds, before turning yellow for three seconds, and only then turning red. It makes it VERY easy to judge whether you can make it through, or should just coast smoothly to a stop during the time the yellow light is on.

 

Hello there, Chinese Catherine. Glad to see you back and I hope you can come by more often.

[Allon]

When Catherine posts, it is like someone turned on the lights.

 

Remember Catherine, that when they do not understand you, most often it is them, not you. Often, it is the most sensitive, the most gifted, and the most intelligent ones, who feel it is their fault for a miscommunication. The greatest hurt for them is to be misunderstood.

 

Walk your own path, at your own rate. It is the way of the Tao, a true Chinese way of life.

 

Many of us Americans wish we had that moral groundwork.

[amberjack1234]

Thank you Warren and Larry. I always report positive things. As a matter of fact, I am not brave anymore. I don't talk much unless I have to. It seems all my curiosity to a new culture is gone. I don't like to build friendship as I used to because I realize that I'm living on the margin of the society. I failed many times trying to get a teaching position in a university. There're many things I still don't understand when people talk. Sometimes I'm depressed. But I won't give up the American life. I'm trying to figure out if I should join in the citizenship.

 

Rose doesn't have to use English because she has Warren! Young people adjust easily to a new culture. I try hard to practice speaking English but I don't see myself improving.

 

Good night everyone!

Some very thoughtful insights but as you say don't give up. Yes, you are a positive person for sure. Once you have done that all is lost and you will never gain anything. The wife for the last 5 years drives me everywhere and of course, she makes mistakes and so would I if I was driving. She always speaks for me now too. Folks look at us a little funny sometimes but it is the way that we have adapted ourselves. I have very bad hearing loss. 70% loss so I have to depend on her not the other way around. I have found in the last 18 years if there are 5 people that she is talking to 4 will understand EVERYTHING that she says and one will not understand 50% of what she says. A lot of it depends on the listener. Some folks are just better listeners than others.

 

Again so glad to hear from you as always.

Larry

[Catherineli]

I really appreciate your ideas or tips about driving.

I'm too cautious when driving. True Blue tells me to leave ten minutes earlier so I won't have to rush. My first job interview in the summer 2015 asked me to be there at 10:30. I left home before 6:30 after the dawn. I gave myself four hours extra LOL but it's the only time.

 

During the spring break, I screamed as soon as I started on highway. I can't even hear the wind when driving very fast. Thank you, friends, for the wonderful tips of driving. I must practice and make the theory you give me into practice. Some friends complimented me on driving. They said that I already drive very well. I'm just afraid of driving fast.

 

No matter how frustrated I am, I still love American culture and its people who speak English. Randy has become Chinese now. Do you speak Chinese in your daily life?

Hello Allon, Hello True Blue, Larry, Randy!

 

Enjoy your weekend!

[Catherineli]

Thank you for the "likes" you give me, friends. I've got 3 more credits. Now it's 193 points

[Randy W]

I really appreciate your ideas or tips about driving.

I'm too cautious when driving. True Blue tells me to leave ten minutes earlier so I won't have to rush. My first job interview in the summer 2015 asked me to be there at 10:30. I left home before 6:30 after the dawn. I gave myself four hours extra LOL but it's the only time.

 

During the spring break, I screamed as soon as I started on highway. I can't even hear the wind when driving very fast. Thank you, friends, for the wonderful tips of driving. I must practice and make the theory you give me into practice. Some friends complimented me on driving. They said that I already drive very well. I'm just afraid of driving fast.

 

No matter how frustrated I am, I still love American culture and its people who speak English. Randy has become Chinese now. Do you speak Chinese in your daily life?

Hello Allon, Hello True Blue, Larry, Randy!

 

Enjoy your weekend!

 

 

I understand enough to sometimes know what is being talked about, but usually not enough to participate, or to be able to DENY that I speak Chinese.

[Catherineli]

Randy's Chinese is just opposite with me. I can speak, read and write English more than I listen. Listening is the worst for me. Listening comprehension needs environment to to nurture. I will buy a TV to watch next week. Shameful of me that I didn't get myself a TV or a radio. So I'm living a Chinese life in America.

 

One more question: My brother has a gout in his foot lately. He has to be careful not to eat some certain food. He asks me to bring him some supplement or medicine for his gout. I know that a prescription by a doctor is needed. Are there anything else that you recommend me as a placebo for him? It seems there's no medicine for him. Are there something that I can pick from a pharmacy?

 

Thanks a lot.

[danb]

Hi Catherine, We are glad to hear from you. Gout is sometimes called " a rich man. disease" It can be very painful. It attacks the joints. Often it in the toes. Some things to do to get rid of it or to at least to get the pain to go away: To drink more water. Drinking cranberry juice may help. One thing that helps me is Aleve medicine. You can get that any CVS or Walgreen store. I have heard that drinking cranberry juice may help get rid of gout also. One thing to do is learn what trigger gout attacks in your Father. I hear that eating shellfish ( like shrimp and scallops) broccoli. I have heard that also drinking beer may bring gout on.. Stress may bring on gout also. For different people, different things can bring gout on. Once one finds out the triggers then one should avoid them. As far as learning to speak English better I think watching TV is a great aid. I suggest find some old TV shows and watch them. Comedy shows can be good. I think a TV so like I Love lLcy or the Dick Van Dyke Show. These are some what dated but they speak English well and they are animated. They will help you understand better. May be some other could suggest better and newer shows. Ok? Have a good day.

[Randy W]

Hi Catherine, We are glad to hear from you. Gout is sometimes called " a rich man. disease" It can be very painful. It attacks the joints. Often it in the toes. Some things to do to get rid of it or to at least to get the pain to go away: To drink more water. Drinking cranberry juice may help. One thing that helps me is Aleve medicine. You can get that any CVS or Walgreen store. I have heard that drinking cranberry juice may help get rid of gout also. One thing to do is learn what trigger gout attacks in your Father. I hear that eating shellfish ( like shrimp and scallops) broccoli. I have heard that also drinking beer may bring gout on.. Stress may bring on gout also. For different people, different things can bring gout on. Once one finds out the triggers then one should avoid them. As far as learning to speak English better I think watching TV is a great aid. I suggest find some old TV shows and watch them. Comedy shows can be good. I think a TV so like I Love lLcy or the Dick Van Dyke Show. These are some what dated but they speak English well and they are animated. They will help you understand better. May be some other could suggest better and newer shows. Ok? Have a good day.

 

 

from Google and the Mayo Clinic - https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gout/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20372903- these are readily available in China

 

 

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs include over-the-counter options such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve), as well as more-powerful prescription NSAIDs such as indomethacin (Indocin) or celecoxib (Celebrex).

 

Your doctor may prescribe a higher dose to stop an acute attack, followed by a lower daily dose to prevent future attacks.

 

NSAIDs carry risks of stomach pain, bleeding and ulcers.

 

 

I've always kept a home medical "encyclopedia" handy, and now have a couple on my phone. They're hard to reference, though - Google usually works just as well.

[amberjack1234]

Yaji, Liren learned much of her English speaking skills from watching ole Cary Grant movies (and the like) when she was younger. Such movies are not compliceted to understand as some movies of today. They were very simple to understand and follow along with. Today they are much more complicated. That is the way the younger Americans like it as it gives them a challenge. That along with her schoolwork really, really paid off big for her and when we started our business her English speaking comprehension and speaking ability really shot up to even my standards but now that we have stopped the business for about 6 years now and don't have any friends her English abilities have regressed somewhat. Another thing that doesn't help is that she is a reader and does not talk VERY much.

 

Get yourself a TV girl. Get Netflix, Amazon, Hulu or one of the others and you can pick some of the old movies at your leisure and if you don't like it just pick another one they have thousands of them. It only cost about $9.00 a month here to join up for the streaming but if you want the DVD's it will cost you more if you combine them into one package but then you can only get about three DVD's at a time (I think) and they have to be mailed to you and then back to them. Kind of a hassle but more of a selection I think.

 

All my best as usual. Liren says Hi.

 

Larry

 

Edit: Hope your brother gets well or at least better soon.

Edited April 8, 2018 by amberjack1234 (see edit history)