Little Star Magazine and Tian'amnen Square

I have to laugh. I got an email from Little Star Magazine this week, which is a publication that reviews schools in Beijing. They were in my class on the first day of school snapping pictures (at the time I thought he was a school photographer). They want to interview me about teaching art at BIBA. Now, in the Calgary Board of Education, such a thing would not be permitted without checking with twelve people first, but Marketing wants me to go for it. Oh dear. I have requested an email interview because I am such a bone head when on the spot. Wish me luck. I have no desire to do it, but the school is excited about it. Yikes.
We are being sent back to Canada to get our Z visas. Unfortunately, for anyone hoping to live and work in China, the process just got a whole lot harder. Everyone who is new and who was hired near the end of spring is having to go through a very challenging process to get everything done. A word to the wise, if you want to teach in China next year, get a job as soon as possible. Don't wait until the last minute, because it might not work out.
Paul, Brody and I decided to get out today. Paul made friends with a driver who speaks some English, so we called him and asked him to take us to Tian'amnen Square. I have been looking forward to going...it is a really big deal for the Chinese people. Beijing is the capitol, and the Square is the center of it. It was PACKED. It was our first Crowded China experience. And right as we approached the entrance, an explosion went off. It was some sort of fireworks and paint prank, but it was pretty freaky. I was already feeling freaked, because of course, as a child, I watched the T.S. nightmare on TV and it was one of the main reasons that I USED to say that you couldn't pay me to go to China. Again, the universe is laughing at me since I live here now. Anyway, I have to say that it was actually kind of chilling being there and imagining that day. But other than that, quite dull. Also annoying as our blonde hair brings out every wacko who wants to be our guide for the day, sell us goofy umbrella hats, or insist on showing us the beautiful souvenier book. We took a side exit and ended up walking along what I think of as the moat that surrounds TS and Forbidden City. That was a much more interesting part of the day to me, as we saw  fisherman catch a turtle, wandered in the shade and near empty Boardwalk. After that experience we made it to Sanlitun for a bit of expat lunch and bargain hunting. Then called it a day and came home.
Tonight I wandered to Houshayu Market to see if I could find some gifts for home. After an "antique" dealer tried to sell me half a dozen trinkets for 2000 Yuan (350 bucks...totally insane, even for here) I decided that I had had enough of being an expat for one day, bought some eggs, and came home to make dinner.
Next week is a three day week and then a four day weekend for the Moon Festival. I hope we can make cool plans and do something interesting for it.