Speak Chinese

I have a couple of new flatmates now. I thought it would be alright since we're all girls and we're Asian right. Well boy was I WRONG!!!! Don't get me wrong I have no problems with having flatmates and I really can get along with people quite fine.

Here's my problem though...they don't speak English in the house to each other. They speak Chinese all the time. When I mean all the time, it's constantly, all I hear in the house is Chinese all day long. Now I wouldn't have a problem with them speaking their native language because I speak to my family in my native language also, but when I speak to them it's in ENGLISH. They sometimes respond or speak to me in Chinese and expecting me to understand. Yeah the American accent gives it away that I speak and understand fluent Chinese.

I sometimes think that they're secretly talking about me behind my back...well not so much behind my back as to in front of me and me not knowing what the hell is being said. I want to just shout at them "Hey I'm not Chinese so please speak English"!!! Gosh I speak 4 languages and I can't pick up Chinese in 2 weeks now. A little English does help me understand or not even English just use hand signals if need be.

Do anyone know any kind of Chinese to prepare me??? I want to be able to pick up little bits...a word here or there...just to see if my flatmates are talking about me or not. If they are give me some phrases or words in Chinese so that I can retaliate...HA!!!

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Lions, Tigers, Bears...Baby Showers

I had gotten a baby shower invite from one of my co-workers a couple of weeks back and I just threw it on my desk (to be buried with the pile of garbage that's already there). Well I had forgotten all about it til a co-worker asked if I was going to attend and what I was going to get this person's new bundle of joy.

I'm not the type of person to get all giddy about going to a baby shower. It only brings up the question about when I'm going to have one on the way. If you've read my earlier post about marriage you'll see why I'm in no hurry on this part either. Don't get me wrong I'm all for babies but what is it that baby showers bring out in people? They go gaga over onesies, pacifiers, diapers & so forth. It's all cute but nothing like a LV handbag...ha!

Well this upcoming baby shower has got me thinking of other baby showers that I've been to for friends. My question is "How many baby showers is one person allowed to have"?

The friends that have invited me to their showers in the past has had more than one shower. Are you allowed one shower per person? Or is it a shower for every kid you have? Shouldn't there be a limit? If I counted all the showers I've been to it won't even come close to when and if I should have a kid. I think I spend more money on other people's showers than anything else. These people are like baby making machines.

For instance a friend of mine has had one kid every 2 years and she now has 4 kids. For every one of her kids she's had a shower. Wouldn't you get what you wanted during the first 2 showers?

My co-worker told me that "normally" a person is suppose to have ONLY one baby shower and ONLY for their first kid. Can I get this in writing or something? This needs to be distributed to my friends that are popping out babies and having showers left and right.

We single non-parent people should be allowed showers and able to register for things. Lets register for wine, wine glasses, or lingerie if possible. Wouldn't that be nice for us to do that? We can only dream.

What is the baby shower protocal?

Photo Credit: cutest-baby-shower-ideas.com
formomsandkids.com
parentweekly.com

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Life in Sydney

Alright so I've been in Sydney on and off for a little bit and I haven't said a thing about being in Sydney so let me say something now.

To start Sydney is such a metro place. It seems like it's such a big city from what others say like East Sydney, Paddington, Surry Hills, Darling Harbour and so on. Well let me tell you it is a big enough city that you can get lost in. You'll turn the corner and BAM!!!...you're like where the hell am I??? Yeah so as you can see I've done this a couple of times in the beginning, I know blonde moments right lol.

I swear everyone is like basically here in Sydney. If you want to see the Chinese, Japanese, Germans, Thais, Laotians, and so forth it's no problem. Walk down any street in Sydney and you'll see like 5 different nationalities within a 2 minute walk.

If you're ever in Sydney you'll have to walk down Oxford Ave., Elizabeth St. and Pitt St. Those are where the shopping is at. Elizabeth St. is more of the posh boutiques with all the higher end qualities. Pitt St. is a variety of different stores. You can find basically anything on Pitt St. Oh let me tell you about Oxford Ave...this has to be one of the most eccentric streeets yet. They have gay pride flags hanging everywhere and it's quite awesome. People here are more open to being out and about with their partners without being persecuted.

It's just as busy or maybe even busier than everyone thinks it is. When people think of Sydney what do they think of? Beaches right? Well there's much more to Sydney than the beaches. They have some clubs that are open 24 hrs a day...I haven't ventured out to see those quite yet but maybe one of these days I'll have to give it a go.

I think for us Americans we should have like a Aussie slang book. We Americans do not talk the way people on this side of the world talk at all. I find myself having to really pay attention and sometimes having to ask the person to repeat themselves. Can someone come up with an American to Aussie language book???

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