Ok so it was inevitable, this was bound to happen sooner or later. I get up in the crisp morning on 7am to go and take a hot shower and prepare for my day. I get in the shower... I turn on the water heater... I turn on the water...I begin to lather... BOOM a crawling object sprints up from the drain and runs in one of the corners of the bathroom! Yes people, it was a roach about the size of my wrist watch (as seen above). This little thing was so fast! So I run out of the bathroom and yell "Pablo!" (my roomate) for backup. I was about to torch the whole room with my foggers but you cant go back into the room for hours after u unleash one. Luckily Pablo restraind my World War II mentality and brought out his Roach killin Spray...trust me it didnt take just one spray... it took half the bottle, then the roach (we will call him Herbert) flipped on his back and the war had ended...needless to say I need to talk myself back into showering... its just that scary.
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Now for the interesting part. So I am looking for jobs in Shanghai, here is the online convo I had with one employer... the names have been held for obvious reasons...just thought it was interesting; you can make your own assessment on what you think about this, and see if you can pick up on what I was thinking during this entire convo:

(small segment out of a 30 min online convo)

Employer says:
Let me preface this with I am the complete opposite of a racist
Employer says:
You, as I recall, are black
Vertigo says:
ha i was expecting this
Vertigo says:
yes I am black
Employer says:
While Chinese are only racist when it comes to Japanese, black people are just beginning to be accepted as REAL native English teachers
Employer says:
I hired a good teacher a year ago. She was technically a good teacher
Employer says:
Her problem was that she figured every time someone looked at her sideways, they were racist
Employer says:
She was very defensive and offensive
Vertigo says:
ha
Vertigo says:
well, given that I am a black man who has basically been in every setting imaginable racially....such issues I dont react to
Vertigo says:
(I went to college in Maine)
Employer says:
The Chinese, while curious, a little afraid and a little suspicious that I had hired a cheap copy of a native English speaker made in Africa, were accepting until they got to the point that they couldn't understand why she was always suspicious and offensive
Employer says:
Main! Impressive
Vertigo says:
so i mean I am a very approachable person, while also quite genuine
Employer says:
What I am trying to tell you is that you would have to be understanding and also 'prove' you are a great teacher and real native English speaker
Vertigo says:
I can assure you that I have an idea of what you experienced with that former teacher, and can assure you that I am not a repeat
Employer says:
thank you
Employer says:
I am a little uncomfortable trying to explain the situation but I figured you seemed smart enough to want to know the situation
Vertigo says:
oh totally
Vertigo says:
i totally get what you are saying
Vertigo says:
immediately when people hear that I am black they incorrectly assume that i speak a certain way etc.
Employer says:
Be assured, although the result is similar, the motovation is not racist
Vertigo says:
given my vocal and written ability, I am quite above par
Employer says:
more a fear of being cheated and an ancient fear of black people
Vertigo says:
oh i totally understand
Employer says:
Great
Employer says:
about 700 years ago China began trading with west Africa
Employer says:
Imagine a culture that felt they were in the middle of the world as they knew it and that EVERYONE was 'yellow'
Employer says:
Then they get to africa and see these huge people who are black
Employer says:
Not sure if you're aware of this but, at the time, most of west africa was inhabited by cannibles
Vertigo says:
scary stuff
Employer says:
so these little yellow people meet these huge black ghosts with white eyes and teeth and then discover that they could become lunch at any moment
Employer says:
looking at it from our perspective, it would be a hell of a stand-up comedy plot
Vertigo says:
yea i see! haha
Employer says:
but the fear goes back hundreds of years and almost all Chinese dont even know why, just that all are (were) afraid.
Vertigo says:
Such barriers I can trandscend however.
Employer says:
The last 2 or 3 years has changed but not completely yet
Employer says:
cool
Vertigo says:
I am as "American" as one can get
Vertigo says:
which i feel is important
Employer says:
I am thinking Drew Carry
Vertigo says:
ha not exactly, but ok
Employer says:
sorry but the idea of him going through the story has me chuckling
Vertigo says:
haha
Vertigo says:
but I just feel that I can bring alot to the table there
Employer says:
American is ok but try for western. More flexible
Vertigo says:
well, in terms of terminology i would definately say western
Vertigo says:
but I am 'American' in terms of my culture
Employer says:
so, lets see what you have in your bag of tableware
Vertigo says:
my linkage to "Africa" is only restricted to my pigment
Employer says:
Culture?
Employer says:
Gets me laughing everytime when I hear it from Canadians and Americans (I'm Canadian)
Vertigo says:
ha
Employer says:
We DON"T have a culture
Employer says:
a couple hundred years
Vertigo says:
well, if I was a culture...i definately am not African
Vertigo says:
so whatever we consider the melting pot of The United States..I am that
Vertigo says:
Employer says:
most of which we only grouped 100 or so vastly different cultures together and gave them a name
Vertigo says:
haha very true
Vertigo says:
I am sorry I have to run to class
Vertigo says:
will you be online later?
Employer says:
ok. Nice to chat. Look fwd to mtg u
Vertigo says:
likewise
Employer says:
probably
Vertigo says:
have a good one!

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There is not much else to say...obviously... till next time!