So today is Tuesday and I'm going to talk about yesterday and today.
So in the morning I got up for the flag raising ceremony (8:10 am every Monday) and was first told that I need to go, then about 2 minutes beforehand, they said I didn't need to go, but I could if I wanted to. I decided to just go because I had woken up just so that I could go because I was originally told I had to go every week. Anyway, I went and some of the other English teachers leaned over and asked me why I was there. I didn't really have an answer for that. Then the vice principle came up to me and told me that they were going to "introduce me" and then have me say a few sentences in English. (5 minutes later, another guy came and told me the same thing). Anyway, the flag ceremony was nice and it was pretty interesting. The principle ended up talking for what felt like a really long time (it felt like 10 minutes, but it was probably only 5). After he talked they had me come up and talk. I had absolutely no idea what to say, so I just said hello and that I was excited to be there and to meet them. And then I was done.
Afterward, I went back to the office, and they gave me my schedule and stuff like that. So this school only has 3 grades (1, 2, and 3). I really have a nice schedule-- I teach 6 classes twice a week. Every day except Tuesday I only teach 2 hours a day (from like 1:40-3:45 or something like that) and Tuesday I have 2 classes in the morning, though the first one doesn't start until 10:20. So I really have a pretty nice schedule at the moment!
Well, the morning came and went and then it was time to teach the 2 grade 2 classes. Just as I was about to go to my first class, 王蕾 came and told me that Jacob had come to check out my apartment and stuff. So, they had me go to my apartment and I met up with Jacob and Chris (one of the other teachers in my area- he actually teaches at the school that's right across the street from my school). It was fun seeing them here. When they left, class was already halfway over, so I just taught that class during the next period instead.
Catherine (one of the English teachers) sat in the back of the class, and I was really glad because she was able to help me explain a few things. It really is different teaching kids rather than high school/middle school students. The students here know a decent amount of English, but sometimes they don't know some basic words that I tried to use. My first class loved to talk. Seriously though, they talked a lot. The second class wasn't as talkative, though. Which basically meant that they were more well-behaved. I'm still getting used to the whole Chinese discipline style, so after I taught my classes, each of the English teachers (each one sat in the back for different classes) told me I should be more strict with them. I'm really not good at being strict. Seriously, I think that is one area I don't even know where to begin in. But I guess I'll have to work on it a bit more so that I don't completely lose control of the classes.
Anyway, after my second class, I went shopping for necessities with Chris. I helped him get what he was wanting (speaking Chinese really is quite useful!) and I got some stuff I needed (like a towel, toilet paper, bottled water, etc). When I was checking out, the girl behind the counter and I had a little conversation and she told me that she though my Chinese had a bit of a Chinese flavor to it. I was surprised because I had the impression that my Chinese had more of a Taiwanese flavor to it. I'm still working on changing some of the wording I use and stuff to be Chinese rather than Taiwanese, but it's really been fun being able to just talk to all these people who I'm sure aren't very used to talking to foreigners. For instance, when I was trying to figure out which shampoo and conditioner to get, I was able to ask the lady there and so she helped me figure out what one would probably be best for my hair (since I don't know the characters that they put on hair product bottles). She was also really good at making sure I knew which one was shampoo and which one was conditioner. It was really nice of her because she seemed to actually care about helping me.
Afterward, I realized that I missed dinner time in the cafeteria. They generally eat pretty early (dinner is served between 5 and 5:45) but I'm used to eating later, and I'm not usually that hungry at 5. So, Chris and I took our groceries back to our apartments (first mine, then his) and then we went to a restaurant across from his school. I got to eat curry!! It wasn't as good as the curry I would have in Taiwan, but it was still pretty good.
So, everything tends to calm down as soon as it starts getting dark here, so as we went back, both of the schools had kinda closed down for the night (the guards still let us in, of course, but the gates were closed).
Anyway, so that concludes Monday, and Tuesday (today) started pretty much the same. I woke up, got ready, and went to the office. Then I went to my first class at 10:20. This morning I taught the 2 3rd grade classes. They knew more English, but there were also more that were 'naughty' rather than just being excited to speak English like some of the 2nd graders had been. The lesson I had prepared didn't seem like it covered enough material for them, so at the end I felt like I was scrambling to fill the time (each class is 40 minutes long). After my 2 3rd grade classes, I went to lunch. On my way one of the teachers walked with me and clung to my arm. It's actually a really common thing for girls to hold onto each others' arms, it just kind of shows closeness. I was really happy to talk to her and she and I sat together at lunch and everything. I hope that as the semester goes on we can become good friends.
After lunch, I had an hour of a break and then I went to my 1st grade classes. Again, there are only 2 classes in the first grade. They were so cute- as I went to their class, they all came up to me in the hall to ask me my name and give me a high five. I hope that I can help them learn English, but I mostly just hope that I can help all of my students have confidence in themselves and in the English that they do know. I'm already beginning to love them, even though I don't really know them that well yet. Since I don't have that many students, I hope I can learn all of their names and be able to use their names when I talk to them. The only problem is that I tend to be bad with names. Oh well, I just have to work a bit harder then.
When classes were over, 王蕾 and the driver took me to the police station. I didn't really have any idea why I needed to go or anything like that, they just said I had to go. When I got there, they took us back by an office, but the guy wasn't there so the person that took us back went to look for him. Anyway, across from the office were the "interrogation waiting rooms" which were just cells that only had slits in the walls for light. It did not look like a very nice cell. Well, they filled out the paper work that they had to do to say that I was living there or whatever, and on the way out some of the policemen told me I am very beautiful. 王蕾's reaction told me that he felt it was kind of inappropriate for them to say that. I don't think he realizes how often people say things like that to me (or other foreigners).
Well, when I came back, I just got to hang out in my apartment again until about 8:30 when 王蕾 came by and told me that the boss was coming to meet me. The school is owned by a Taiwanese man named Sebastian. Anyway, when I met him he was really nice and told me that he had gone to school in Kansas. I also talked to him in Chinese a bit, and he told me my Chinese was really good but that with the students I shouldn't speak in Chinese very much. I understand why of course, but it may be a bit more difficult because my first reaction when they don't understand is to try explaining in Chinese (when I actually know the Chinese). Oh well, I guess I just need to do better at playing charades. :)
I'm finally caught up! Obviously I have been spending a lot of time alone so far because the other teachers all have to be in their classes and I just have a lot of time during the day. Anyway, my hands are freezing cold as I'm typing this, so I'm going to just call it good and find a way to warm up my poor fingers.
Until next time, 再见！
So in the morning I got up for the flag raising ceremony (8:10 am every Monday) and was first told that I need to go, then about 2 minutes beforehand, they said I didn't need to go, but I could if I wanted to. I decided to just go because I had woken up just so that I could go because I was originally told I had to go every week. Anyway, I went and some of the other English teachers leaned over and asked me why I was there. I didn't really have an answer for that. Then the vice principle came up to me and told me that they were going to "introduce me" and then have me say a few sentences in English. (5 minutes later, another guy came and told me the same thing). Anyway, the flag ceremony was nice and it was pretty interesting. The principle ended up talking for what felt like a really long time (it felt like 10 minutes, but it was probably only 5). After he talked they had me come up and talk. I had absolutely no idea what to say, so I just said hello and that I was excited to be there and to meet them. And then I was done.
Afterward, I went back to the office, and they gave me my schedule and stuff like that. So this school only has 3 grades (1, 2, and 3). I really have a nice schedule-- I teach 6 classes twice a week. Every day except Tuesday I only teach 2 hours a day (from like 1:40-3:45 or something like that) and Tuesday I have 2 classes in the morning, though the first one doesn't start until 10:20. So I really have a pretty nice schedule at the moment!
Well, the morning came and went and then it was time to teach the 2 grade 2 classes. Just as I was about to go to my first class, 王蕾 came and told me that Jacob had come to check out my apartment and stuff. So, they had me go to my apartment and I met up with Jacob and Chris (one of the other teachers in my area- he actually teaches at the school that's right across the street from my school). It was fun seeing them here. When they left, class was already halfway over, so I just taught that class during the next period instead.
Catherine (one of the English teachers) sat in the back of the class, and I was really glad because she was able to help me explain a few things. It really is different teaching kids rather than high school/middle school students. The students here know a decent amount of English, but sometimes they don't know some basic words that I tried to use. My first class loved to talk. Seriously though, they talked a lot. The second class wasn't as talkative, though. Which basically meant that they were more well-behaved. I'm still getting used to the whole Chinese discipline style, so after I taught my classes, each of the English teachers (each one sat in the back for different classes) told me I should be more strict with them. I'm really not good at being strict. Seriously, I think that is one area I don't even know where to begin in. But I guess I'll have to work on it a bit more so that I don't completely lose control of the classes.
Anyway, after my second class, I went shopping for necessities with Chris. I helped him get what he was wanting (speaking Chinese really is quite useful!) and I got some stuff I needed (like a towel, toilet paper, bottled water, etc). When I was checking out, the girl behind the counter and I had a little conversation and she told me that she though my Chinese had a bit of a Chinese flavor to it. I was surprised because I had the impression that my Chinese had more of a Taiwanese flavor to it. I'm still working on changing some of the wording I use and stuff to be Chinese rather than Taiwanese, but it's really been fun being able to just talk to all these people who I'm sure aren't very used to talking to foreigners. For instance, when I was trying to figure out which shampoo and conditioner to get, I was able to ask the lady there and so she helped me figure out what one would probably be best for my hair (since I don't know the characters that they put on hair product bottles). She was also really good at making sure I knew which one was shampoo and which one was conditioner. It was really nice of her because she seemed to actually care about helping me.
Afterward, I realized that I missed dinner time in the cafeteria. They generally eat pretty early (dinner is served between 5 and 5:45) but I'm used to eating later, and I'm not usually that hungry at 5. So, Chris and I took our groceries back to our apartments (first mine, then his) and then we went to a restaurant across from his school. I got to eat curry!! It wasn't as good as the curry I would have in Taiwan, but it was still pretty good.
So, everything tends to calm down as soon as it starts getting dark here, so as we went back, both of the schools had kinda closed down for the night (the guards still let us in, of course, but the gates were closed).
Anyway, so that concludes Monday, and Tuesday (today) started pretty much the same. I woke up, got ready, and went to the office. Then I went to my first class at 10:20. This morning I taught the 2 3rd grade classes. They knew more English, but there were also more that were 'naughty' rather than just being excited to speak English like some of the 2nd graders had been. The lesson I had prepared didn't seem like it covered enough material for them, so at the end I felt like I was scrambling to fill the time (each class is 40 minutes long). After my 2 3rd grade classes, I went to lunch. On my way one of the teachers walked with me and clung to my arm. It's actually a really common thing for girls to hold onto each others' arms, it just kind of shows closeness. I was really happy to talk to her and she and I sat together at lunch and everything. I hope that as the semester goes on we can become good friends.
After lunch, I had an hour of a break and then I went to my 1st grade classes. Again, there are only 2 classes in the first grade. They were so cute- as I went to their class, they all came up to me in the hall to ask me my name and give me a high five. I hope that I can help them learn English, but I mostly just hope that I can help all of my students have confidence in themselves and in the English that they do know. I'm already beginning to love them, even though I don't really know them that well yet. Since I don't have that many students, I hope I can learn all of their names and be able to use their names when I talk to them. The only problem is that I tend to be bad with names. Oh well, I just have to work a bit harder then.
When classes were over, 王蕾 and the driver took me to the police station. I didn't really have any idea why I needed to go or anything like that, they just said I had to go. When I got there, they took us back by an office, but the guy wasn't there so the person that took us back went to look for him. Anyway, across from the office were the "interrogation waiting rooms" which were just cells that only had slits in the walls for light. It did not look like a very nice cell. Well, they filled out the paper work that they had to do to say that I was living there or whatever, and on the way out some of the policemen told me I am very beautiful. 王蕾's reaction told me that he felt it was kind of inappropriate for them to say that. I don't think he realizes how often people say things like that to me (or other foreigners).
Well, when I came back, I just got to hang out in my apartment again until about 8:30 when 王蕾 came by and told me that the boss was coming to meet me. The school is owned by a Taiwanese man named Sebastian. Anyway, when I met him he was really nice and told me that he had gone to school in Kansas. I also talked to him in Chinese a bit, and he told me my Chinese was really good but that with the students I shouldn't speak in Chinese very much. I understand why of course, but it may be a bit more difficult because my first reaction when they don't understand is to try explaining in Chinese (when I actually know the Chinese). Oh well, I guess I just need to do better at playing charades. :)
I'm finally caught up! Obviously I have been spending a lot of time alone so far because the other teachers all have to be in their classes and I just have a lot of time during the day. Anyway, my hands are freezing cold as I'm typing this, so I'm going to just call it good and find a way to warm up my poor fingers.
Until next time, 再见！
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It's so fun learning about these new people in your life. They'll just love you! Keep letting your light shine. :) If you remember take pictures of these new friends and tag the pictures w their names. I love reading along...it's like I can kinda picture your adventures.