Today I STRONGLY DISLIKE (we try to say "strongly dislike" instead of "hate") taking Mandarin Lessons!!! I walked to my class....very nice because the weather is "fall-ish", I stopped at Starbucks on the way for nourishment, I arrived early instead of 20 minutes late, AND I had all my homework done. End of "happy blissful" morning. My lesson was hard, I did not understand half of what the teacher said, the other student is much more advanced than I am, AND I think my brain stayed at Starbucks because it showed no signs of participation. At the end of class the teacher wanted me to repeat a story about Beijing that was very long.....it was so long I couldn't even repeat it in English. I actually "bubbled" after my class today........I can't believe I cried over Chinese lessons.....I am rolling my eyes as I type this....

The "internet man" came to our apartment today. He was supposed to have an interpreter with him but he arrived much earlier than scheduled. I do not know any Chinese words that relate to unstable internet connections and wireless routers....this is what they should teach in Mandarin class...who cares about the weather in Beijing!!! Back to "internet man"......If you could see our "cord situation" relating to our telephone, internet, wireless, printer, and computer you would freak. It looks like spaghetti....it comes off our desk oozes onto the floor and then splits in all directions. On the other side of the room is the same situation...some of it is hidden inside a bookcase but it also looks like spaghetti. Those wires are connected to the IP telephone, the router, and a bunch of other stuff. In walks "internet man".....he is overwhelmed....then he starts pulling wires out and unplugging things and I am having a heart attack because I have not idea what cord goes where. Tim is the mastermind behind all the spaghetti and keeps it running......he is not home. "Internet man" speaks as much English as I speak Chinese. He replugs some things.....gets on my computer....types a bunch of stuff...watches a black and white screen say blah blah blah timed out. The "timed out" line gets his attention and he stands up and leaves the building. Meanwhile...we have cords strung across our room with a box thing hanging out of our bookcase. Xiao Zhang says "internet man" will be back. Then...."interpreter girl" arrives.....Yeah!!!....we wait for "internet man"......and wait.....and wait.....finally after all small talk has dried up with "interpreter girl" "internet man" returns. They have a long discussion.....he gets on my computer again....watches the black and white writing....gets excited about "timed out" lines.....has more animated discussion with "interpreter girl". After several minutes of this I ask "Well....what did he say?". She said (and I am not kidding) "he said it is a router problem". No wonder I am not "getting" Mandarin!!! It takes an entire 8 minutes to say "It is a router problem". Okay...a router problem.....I am happy we have identified the problem (although I am still skeptical)...I say "how do we fix it?". He does not know because "internet man" does not fix "router problems". We have to call "router man". So..."Internet man" plugs everything back in and stuffs the spaghetti back into its places and leaves with "interpreter girl". This evening...Tim comes into the office and says...."The IP phone is not working". I am shocked!!!!