After a hard day at work, most people are ready to kick back and relax. But where to begin? Do you feel so consumed by your g.ngzuo (goong dzwaw; work) that you can’t seem to switch gears? Get a life! Better yet, get a yeyu aihao (yeh yew eye how; hobby). Play some y.nyue (yeen yweh; music) on your xiaotiqin (shyaow tee cheen; violin). Paint a hua (hwah; picture). Kick a zuqiu (dzoo chyo; football) around. Do whatever it takes to make you relax and have some fun. Your outside interests will make you more interesting to be around, and you’ll make new friends at the same time — especially if you join a dui (dway; team). And if you’re into lanqiu (lahn chyo; basketball), just utter the name Yao Ming (yaow meeng) and you’ll instantly discover hordes of potential language exchange partners from among the many fans of this Shanghai native who made it big as a Houston Rockets superstar.
Yao Ming, the 7-foot 6-inch former Shanghai Mavericks basketball player, earned fame and fortune as an NBA player with the Houston Rockets. With the 2008 Olympics set to take place in Beijing, basketball is sure to be of keen interest to the local spectators. If you find yourself in that city, check out the Sports Bar at the Gloria International Hotel, where basketball takes center stage.
