Everywhere we go, it seems that the local people want to take our picture. I didn't get why people wanted to take our pictures. Brad asked, and the Chinese people responded with, "Yes, we see white people a lot, but never this pretty!" Not sure what that meant.
And about the food, yes. I've been perfect at actually trying to, at the very least, taste a bite of every single thing. Even the pig's foot! And a lot of random unidentified meats they shove my direction. Although I do make Saebra taste stuff first, usually. They don't refrigerate milk or eggs here. The first time I tried milk, I found lots of little chunks in it -- which freaked me out (even though they were supposed to be there, apparently). I won't be drinking milk anymore. Plus I don't trust the fresh veggies ... and I can't find frozen or canned.
I may end up losing a lot of weight before this trip is over.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
China Journal Post 8 - Day Before Classes Start
Classes start tomorrow. Tomorrow’s gonna be fun, I can tell!
In less crazy news, I met several of mystudents today and I just LOVE them. They are so little and adorable. I was the only one brave enough to teach elementary school, so I have all students 1-4 years. Kammi has the 5th and 6th. Adam has part of 6th and all of 7th, and Saebra has all the 8th graders. It was funny when they handed us the curriculum books (we’re not teaching out of them, but they just wanted us to know what the kids are learning in their English classes). Kammi, Adam, and Saebra each got one book.
And then there was me. I got three packages of books complete with toys, DVDs, cassette tapes,and little cardboard cut outs. So funny!
The Primary English teacher went over them with me, or at least tried to. But she doesn't really speak English, so we had Daisy translate. I feel bad that even some of the English teachers don't really speak English that well... I guess that's another reason why I'm here!
Mom, I was looking through one of the books and they have an entire lesson on saying, "I've got" and "You've got" and it just made me laugh and think of how you said you hate the word "got."
In less crazy news, I met several of mystudents today and I just LOVE them. They are so little and adorable. I was the only one brave enough to teach elementary school, so I have all students 1-4 years. Kammi has the 5th and 6th. Adam has part of 6th and all of 7th, and Saebra has all the 8th graders. It was funny when they handed us the curriculum books (we’re not teaching out of them, but they just wanted us to know what the kids are learning in their English classes). Kammi, Adam, and Saebra each got one book.
And then there was me. I got three packages of books complete with toys, DVDs, cassette tapes,and little cardboard cut outs. So funny!
The Primary English teacher went over them with me, or at least tried to. But she doesn't really speak English, so we had Daisy translate. I feel bad that even some of the English teachers don't really speak English that well... I guess that's another reason why I'm here!
Mom, I was looking through one of the books and they have an entire lesson on saying, "I've got" and "You've got" and it just made me laugh and think of how you said you hate the word "got."
China Journal Post 7 -- Playing Games
You see adults playing games here more often than the children. The kids in China have it very, very rough. They are in school or have other responsibilities literally from 6am til 10pm sometimes. They warned us that our biggest problem with misbehavior would be students trying to do another classes homework in your class because they just have so darn much of it! (Thank goodness they don't expect foreign teachers to ever assign homework; I'd just feel terrible adding to that load)
Anyway, people are always playing badminton or card games or whatever this sport is. I kept calling it hacky-sack, but it's obviously not a real hacky-sack. Meh. Whatever. Also, oddly enough, this picture was taken in the Summer Palace. They paid 10 yuan to get in here, and then all they do is play this game? Weird... but there were several groups doing it. And yes, the white guy(s) in this picture are people from our group who joined in. The Chinese people LOVE it!
Anyway, people are always playing badminton or card games or whatever this sport is. I kept calling it hacky-sack, but it's obviously not a real hacky-sack. Meh. Whatever. Also, oddly enough, this picture was taken in the Summer Palace. They paid 10 yuan to get in here, and then all they do is play this game? Weird... but there were several groups doing it. And yes, the white guy(s) in this picture are people from our group who joined in. The Chinese people LOVE it!
Saturday, September 1, 2012
China Journal Post 6 -- Settling In...
Beijing was incredible! Words can't even describe.
People here really do spit everywhere. They also pick their noses. No shame here... none.
They also stare at us, all the time. White people really stick out. We even had people ask to take pictures with us. That mostly just happened in Beijing though, not so much here in Guiyang.
Babies here don't wear diapers. They just have slits in the bottoms of their panties and go when they go. Kids pee in the streets. Again, no shame.
But really quick I just wanted to fill you in about my city, Guiyang. Foreign teachers really are treated like gold here. We had three people pick us up at the airport with a sign that read, "Jean Forham and Ann Muller" (our middle names, and both were misspelled). One to drive, one to interpret/translate and one to help carry bags.
We drove all the way to our apartment building and found out that we're teaching at a private boarding school, full of well-to-do kids and also ones from the poor families who are the smartest ones who took piles of tests... five year olds who had to take tests to get in!
We live on the 9th floor of a high rise apartment complex and we not only have a Western toilet, but two balconies and a washing machine! (Um, no dryer, of course, and also no oven, A/C, or heating, but still!)
It's an extremely prestigious school, and I'm very excited and extremely nervous to begin.
Tomorrow morning we have a meeting with both Headmasters and the other English teachers. They are "interested in our ideas for American ways of getting the students to retain information." Yeah... no pressure... I said repetition, but apparently they want more than that.
Well, more later. We don't have unlimited reliable internet yet, and even if we did, we don't have a lot of time for social networking.
People here really do spit everywhere. They also pick their noses. No shame here... none.
They also stare at us, all the time. White people really stick out. We even had people ask to take pictures with us. That mostly just happened in Beijing though, not so much here in Guiyang.
Babies here don't wear diapers. They just have slits in the bottoms of their panties and go when they go. Kids pee in the streets. Again, no shame.
But really quick I just wanted to fill you in about my city, Guiyang. Foreign teachers really are treated like gold here. We had three people pick us up at the airport with a sign that read, "Jean Forham and Ann Muller" (our middle names, and both were misspelled). One to drive, one to interpret/translate and one to help carry bags.
We drove all the way to our apartment building and found out that we're teaching at a private boarding school, full of well-to-do kids and also ones from the poor families who are the smartest ones who took piles of tests... five year olds who had to take tests to get in!
We live on the 9th floor of a high rise apartment complex and we not only have a Western toilet, but two balconies and a washing machine! (Um, no dryer, of course, and also no oven, A/C, or heating, but still!)
It's an extremely prestigious school, and I'm very excited and extremely nervous to begin.
Tomorrow morning we have a meeting with both Headmasters and the other English teachers. They are "interested in our ideas for American ways of getting the students to retain information." Yeah... no pressure... I said repetition, but apparently they want more than that.
Well, more later. We don't have unlimited reliable internet yet, and even if we did, we don't have a lot of time for social networking.
Friday, August 31, 2012
China Journal Post 5 -- Location, Location, Location
I'm in the city of Guiyang, in the province of Guizhou. The city is pronounced: Gooey- yong, and rhymes with "long". The city motto is: "No more than three steps without a hill; no more than three days without rain; and no more than three coins in anyone's pocket."
We are exactly 12 hours off from Eastern Time. Oh, and half the time, it's already tomorrow here, which means you're living in yesterday half the time, from my perspective. When you're getting ready for bed at 9 pm, I'm already at work at 9 a.m. the next morning.
See the pin in the map. Beijing is to the northeast of me, about as far as Washington D.C. is from Houston.
We are exactly 12 hours off from Eastern Time. Oh, and half the time, it's already tomorrow here, which means you're living in yesterday half the time, from my perspective. When you're getting ready for bed at 9 pm, I'm already at work at 9 a.m. the next morning.
See the pin in the map. Beijing is to the northeast of me, about as far as Washington D.C. is from Houston.
Monday, August 27, 2012
China Journal Post 4 -- Forbidden City
The Forbidden City ... isn't forbidden anymore.
Here I am with my roommate, Saebra.
The internet here sucks. Bigtime.
Here I am with my roommate, Saebra.
The internet here sucks. Bigtime.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
China Journal Post 3 -- Great Wall
Guess Where I Am?
No, this isn't the WDW railroad at Disney.
No, this isn't I-81.
No, this isn't the Appalachian Trail.
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