Finally!!

Korea

Day 1

Well ... I am here!  These past few days have been a blur.  I feel like I lost a day, and I pretty much have when you consider the 14 hour flight and the 13 hour time difference.

The flight was good.  Other than being crammed in a window seat I have little to complain about.  The meal was great (steak and potatoes with green beans, followed by cheesecake), and so was the complimentary beer. The flight attendants were really great about making sure my food had no peanuts or peanut oil, and came around constantly with juice and water. I give Asiana Airlines a thumbs up. Travelhub, not so much.

I was skeptical about booking with one of these online companies and I was right to be (I have used Flight Center in the past, but had trouble with the website that day, and having just got my visa on May 26, my employer wanted me in Korea on June 2, so I had no time to spare).  While the price was right, you don't get much in the way of service.  For example, I originally booked my flight to Seoul via NYC.  At around 11PM on the day I booked, I realized that my connection from Toronto arrived at Laguardia (this is the itinerary that they gave me), yet the second leg of my journey departed from JFK. Not a problem normally; though I'd have to collect my bags and take a shuttle to JFK - 11 miles away - then go through the whole process of checking in, clearing immigration, and security all over again.  Flighthub, however, didn't alert me that I'd have only 2 hours to make that connection.  Not humanly possible, especially since check-in closes 1 hour before take off.

I was lucky, however.  When I booked, I paid for (unbeknownst to me until later) Purchase Guarantee, which allowed me to cancel the booking provided I had done so before midnight. So, with 40 minutes to spare ... I cancelled and re-booked at the same price, losing only $20.  I flew via Chicago, and arrived in Seoul on June 2, at 4:00PM. Cleared immigration with no problem, collected my luggage, and found my recruiter, Alistair, within about 20 minutes. A travel agent would have alerted me that 2 hours would not have been enough.  A travel agent would not have booked that flight, knowing it wasn't possible.

I slept in a guest house that first night, in Incheon.  The airport is on an island, and everyone who lives on that island pretty much works for the airport, or for businesses that service the airport.  Many pilots and flight attendants stay in the guesthouse I was in, the O'ville. I had a roommate, Amaal, who is from South Africa.  We had 2-3 hours to rest up before we all met for dinner.  Since I wasn't feeling for spicy food, Alistair suggested a soup with beef and noodles.  It was awful. No taste, and not filling.  I left dinner absolutely famished and headed to a corner store where I bought cereal and milk. I also bought yogurt and bread for the next morning.  Alistair paid for our breakfast, but since we had to leave at 8 am, breakfast was happening at 6:30, and there was no way I was getting out of bed any earlier than I had to.  I managed to get about 4 hours sleep that night; not nearly enough, since I'd been awake for about 36 hours (with only a 2 hour nap on Sunday morning).

Day 2

I may as well have went for breakfast because I was awake at 5am anyway.  I took my time getting ready, and at 8am we all set out.  We spent all morning driving; Alistair brought Martin, a British teacher, to his school in a suburb of Seosan (I think that's how it's spelled).  He seemed pretty bummed with his placement. 20 minutes outside the city, his town appeared to be a run down industrial suburb.

I had NO IDEA what I was in for.  We get little say in where we are placed.  Our preferences are considered,  but the decision is not ours.  I did tell them I wanted to be in an urban area with as many western amenities as possible (I learned from my mistake in China), but all I knew was that I was going to a small city. Gyeryong is twice the size of Grand Falls - Windsor.  That's still pretty deceptive, since I am a 20 minute bus ride away from a city of 3.5 million.  Sorta changes things. Originally, I was placed at a middle school in Gongju, but since I had to fly to Canada for paperwork, my arrival was delayed. That school needed a teacher as soon as possible, so I was placed at an elementary school in Gyeryong instead. Turns out that this turn of events worked in my favour.  I cannot imagine a better placement.  Gyeryong is Korea's smallest city, but it IS a city. It's got a cute little downtown, dozens of coffee shops, restaurants, a gym, my school, great parks (a national park, too), and a train station; the KTX train can get me to Seoul within an hour, and I'm 20 minutes to Daejeon.  What more could I ask for??

I met the principal, vice principal, my co-teacher, and several other teachers.  They helped me settle into my desk (in the grade 6 classroom), showed me to my flat and helped me carry all my things, and took me shopping so I could get a few things I needed right away: a kettle, milk, sugar, coffee, a mug, and some yogurt, cheese, and a few other snacks to hold me over until I had more energy to shop.

That evening, the Chinese teacher (I cannot remember her name, oops) joined me for dinner.  After 2 meals of Korean food, I just wanted pizza.  Luckily, we ran into Ifan (a teacher from the UK), who suggested we go back to Home Plus, as the pizza at the food court is the best in town.  Turns out it was pretty good, better than Czech pizza, in fact. After dinner I tried to stay up until dark at least, and I believe I managed to stay awake until 10pm.  I'm really lucky.  My bed is cozy, my room is nice and dark when I need it to be, and it's so quiet.  It's the complete opposite of my Prague situation.  No more noisy junkies and crying/barking neglected dogs. Sleep was glorious and undisturbed that night, as I managed to sleep a solid 8 hours.

Speaking of Prague, since I left I have been feeling fantastic.  Now that I can finally sleep like a normal human being, I feel like myself again.  Further, the minor health issues I had all but disappeared, my foot included.  The body needs rest in order to repair itself, and I feel like it has. I have heard the term "emotional vampire" before, but have never truly experienced it until now. It feels great to have that evil person out of my life. It has been an expensive month, and I've traveled many miles; Europe to Canada, and Canada to Asia, but it was worth it. It's too bad I didn't get to see my family, but it was great to reconnect with old friends; in addition to my body, my spirit feels replenished.

Day 3

Up bright an early, Wednesday entailed a visit to the hospital in Daejeon to have a medical exam.  I need this for my Alien Registration Card, the document that allows me to remain in Korea (and get internet in my flat and a cell phone). After a short bus ride, I was led around to many different queues for various things and after paying about $160, giving 2 vials of blood, having my vision and hearing tested, and chest x-rayed, I was told I need to give 2 urine samples.  Anyone who knows me would expect this to be easy.  Less than 48 hours after my flight, however, I was still dehydrated; I drank over a liter of water and still needed to wait around to give them what they needed.  :(  My co-teacher Libby treated us to lunch, and we took the bus back.  I grabbed a little cash at an ATM, and headed home.  I had a date with my pillow that I managed to prolong until 8PM!!

Day 4

It's been a busy few days.  I am grateful to have a few days to settle in before I have to go to work.  My flat is furnished, but there are no dishes, cooking utensils, pots, pans, etc.  I've had to make a few trips and I still don't have everything.  I had to buy cleaners (this place was really dusty and I need to mark my territory), a laundry rack (no dryers here), a kettle, bowls and cups, cutlery, paper towels, toilet paper, slippers (no shoes permitted in school), an adapter, new earbuds (because my existing ones decided to break).  Also, I don't have wifi, so I feel a little cut off from the world.  I've been spending time at Home Plus, using their wifi, and I'll be heading over later to call the family.  I'll update more later.

Cheers!  

Personal space, privacy, and the individual.

One of the most difficult challenges I face here in China is adjusting to the lack of privacy.  Yes, I knew this coming here.  Yes, I am aware that I am in THEIR country. Yes, I knew it would be crowded, and yes, I knew that due to the cultural differences, I'd be more reliant upon others and was prepared for the "idea" of having less privacy; but that doesn't make it any easier.  In fact, I wasn't even fully aware of how privacy and individualism/personal autonomy go together at all until now.

When I lived in the Czech Republic, one of the first observations made by myself and some of my American friends was how Czech people (and likely other Europeans) appear to be very quiet and reserved in public (on the subway or tram, for instance).  I remember thinking at first, "Why do they all look so grumpy?" Contrast this to us North Americans, who are very open with our emotions in public.  We chit chat, laugh, and joke around (often very loudly) with our friends on the subway, and it's often very obvious what kind of day we had, or what sort of evening we are about to have.  We see very little wrong with displaying our feelings in public, and to an extent, have little trouble striking up conversations with others in public, strangers or not.  A Czech person (I don't remember who, perhaps one of my adult students), explained to me that Europeans just aren't as free to express their emotions in public, and that it was a private thing.  Striking up a conversation in public with a stranger was viewed as an infringement on that person's privacy.  Having said that, Europeans are more willing to help a stranger in public, or give their seat to an elderly or disabled person.  I enjoyed having that sense of privacy while still feeling like I was part of a community (like in Canada, people WILL come to help you if needed)  I enjoyed sitting quietly on the subway with no one to talk to after work.  It's my way of shifting gears from "work mode" to "non-work mode".  In fact, one of the first things to irritate me when I came back to Canada was all the talking in public. Go figure.

Privacy as I know it, has almost no meaning here in China. I don't know if this is the result of culture, communism, a combination of both, or any other number of forces playing out, but I have felt very little privacy since I arrived.  I'm not talking about the invasion of privacy that I expected, like having my employer bring me to have my visa physical done, or having her help me shop for food, a gym membership, or bringing me to the pharmacy.  I'm talking about privacy on a different level.  I feel like my privacy is invaded to a level where I know longer feel like I am even a human being.  There is no separation of professional and personal.  There's no separation of the individual and the community.  When one person has to do renovations, they make as much noise as they want, and everyone suffers. No one says anything, and "disturbing someone's peace and quiet" is an alien concept.

My utilities in my flat, my decision not to take Chinese medicine for my cold, what I am having for lunch, and what I did on my days off have been topics discussed in our meetings.  I've received text messages on my days off about work, asking me to check my email (non-urgent issues).  What I see as private issues of other staff members are discussed in our meetings.  Changes in my work schedule are not communicated to me (changing the class schedule requires the school to contact 40 students but no one thinks to contact the ONLY teacher).  Why?  Because I am not an individual, I am an object that someone "owns."  When the time comes to teach that lesson, someone will come and get me and command me to teach, like a trained seal.  Why tell me that the lesson times change when they think they own me 24-7?  After all, I am in Sujiatuo, where could I possibly be but in my apartment?  (The few times I did go into the city, the police contacted my employer just to make sure I didn't move, after I checked into a hostel for the night).

When I go out, people stare at me.  Not just one discreet glance like we all do when we see something a little different (I'm thinking a drag queen in downtown Toronto ;)).  They stare, almost to the point where they might walk into an oncoming bus if not careful.  People shout "Hello", just to see what they'll get back.  If you reply to be friendly, they will follow you.  Not to hurt you, but it's as though you're an alien from outer space, and they want to take a photo with you as if you're some strange phenomenon that no one would believe existed were it not for the evidence (like a 3-breasted woman). I've had experiences in restaurants where parents (while they're eating, and I am trying to), force their kids to come stand at my table and practice their English with me, with no consideration for my feelings (or the child's).  Again, I am not a person, I am this THING for their kids to amuse themselves with, or practice on.

If the landlord or a worker needs to come to my apartment, they'll ring the doorbell first, but if that door isn't locked, they're coming in; they don't wait for you to let them in.  On the bus, people rub up against you, crawl over you, push you, rub their sweaty, smelly bodies up against you, and make no effort to avoid it.  I feel violated every time I go out. (It's much easier to tolerate in February than it is in June when its 38C.)  Again, I am not so much complaining, as I am describing.  I knew it would be this way, but it's hard to get used to; in fact, I think it's impossible to get used to.

It's all about the little things ...

Having been here for almost 4 months, and having now lived on 3 continents, there are definitely a few things that I miss about home, and about western culture in general.  In no particular order :

1. Coffee.  The coffee in China is awful.  At best, you can get ground coffee beans at Starbucks; not exactly my coffee of choice.  Most supermarkets have instant coffee; either Maxwell House or Rich Blend.  Very expensive, and not that great.  
2. Coffee shops/cafes.  Canadians like their coffee, and it goes without saying that cafes are a part of European culture.  Not so in China.  One of the simple pleasures in my life include sitting at a cafe, watching people, sipping coffee while I read a book or surf the internet.  It's a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon; it's something to do after a walk, or just something to kill time and experience a change of scenery, or to catch up with friends. I cannot do that here and I miss it.
3. Tea.  You'd think that being in China, I'd find a tea that I liked.  I bought a Chinese green tea.  Didn't like it.  Black tea is different here; what we call black tea, they call red tea, and I haven't been able to find any.  They drink milk tea, which is OK, but it's generally powdered, and instant.  No thanks.  I managed to find Lipton tea here, but it's not my favorite.  I'm surprised that there isn't a Mark's and Spencer's in Beijing (there might be one in Shanghai), since its a city of 20 million people. 
4. The weather.  I miss going for a walk or jog in the rain.  It rarely rains here.  I also miss bundling up on a cool day and going for a walk.  The air is so dirty here, that there really is no pleasure derived from being outdoors.  Summer Palace was nice; I enjoyed smelling the juniper trees - lord knows there are few pleasant smells in this city, but I'm not travelling an hour by bus and paying $5 just so I can walk trails packed with tourists.  
5. Clean bathrooms.  I've seen what I thought were dirty bathrooms in Canada, the USA, and Europe, especially at 2am in a bar when people have been drinking.  Nothing can prepare you for how filthy public bathrooms are in Beijing.  People urinate on the floor, fail to flush after number 2 (and with the squat toilets, it just kinda sits there, no water or anything, so you can imagine the smell), and throw the toilet paper - after using - on the floor in the corner of the stall.  There's no reason for this, it can be flushed down.  It's gross.  Public bathrooms don't have hand dryers or paper towels, soap, OR hot water. 
6. Diversity.  For a city of 20 million, Beijing really isn't international (at least, that's my impression) Toronto is international.  No matter what you feel like doing: belly dancing, yoga, tai chi, going for dim-sum, it's all there. Mexican food? No problem.  Foreign films? Why not?  Not here.  Maybe it's because I'm in the 'burbs, but beyond a couple McDonalds' and pizza joints I've seen, I really have no clue where to go for Mexican food, fish and chips, Karaoke, to see a film, or to do anything other than what Chinese people do, which isn't much.  The buses and subways shut down early.  Everyone goes to bed early and everyone is up and about by 7am.  They do Chinese dancing outside, play ping pong and badminton, but that's about it. I'm pretty certain this is due to censorship from the government.  I don't have a clue where to buy music.  My phone's app for downloading tunes won't work here.  It's pretty isolated from the west.  I'm certain it will change eventually

A Cold Per Month ...

As the three month mark slips by, I slip into my third cold.  I started feeling it last night after I came home from classes.  Didn't feel good at all when I woke up today, and have had a sinus headache all day.  I'm hoping this turns out like the other 2, and lasts only a couple days.  The worst part is feeling terrible in the morning.  I'm sure I'll live though.

May has been more exciting than the previous months.  I've been to Summer Palace, went onto Beijing to meet some teachers for quiz night and beer at an Irish pub, stayed in a hostel all night, and visited a hair salon operated by a group from Paris where I paid way too much to get my hair cut and highlighted.  The only thing french that's not expensive is french fries, it seems.

The teaching is coming along; I enjoy getting to know my students and especially love watching them change from shy little things with no confidence or ability to concentrate, to children who are actively participating in and enjoying my activities, making friends, and learning what's expected of them in the classroom.  I receive hugs and kisses all the time; they fight to be the student who gets to hold my hand when we do the "Hello" and "Good-bye" songs, bring me snacks, and follow me to my office on our break.  Not a bad gig at all.  Granted, I do have a couple of terrors, and it seems like every class has an alpha male, but they're just competing for my attention.

3 months down .. almost

I haven't blogged much lately, because there really isn't that much new happening.  In one week I'll hit the three month mark, and I must say I am much more comfortable here than I was before.  I'm still creeped out by the hygiene issue here (many people don't wash their hands after using the toilet), but oddly, I haven't gotten sick.  The noise from the renovations in my building has died down, so it's much more peaceful.

I'm eating a LOT less meat than what's typical for me.  I've been eating eggs, and tofu.  Occasionally I'll eat pork, which tends to be pretty lean, but even then, not in large amounts.  Chinese dishes that do have meat have it in much smaller portions than what I am used to seeing.  Works for me.  The 8 pounds I'd put on over the fall and winter (due to lots of drinking and NO exercising) have melted away.  Also, like in Europe, processed foods are rare.  It's easier to eat healthy here.

The teaching is coming along.  I have a couple of naughty students; both boys. One flat out does not like me (he receives NO discipline from his mother - I saw that for myself); probably because at home he is King, and in my class he's not.  The other just  seems to want my attention.  It's all good.  The classes are fun for them; they're learning, and the parents are happy, so I guess that's all that matters.

It's beginning to look a lot like summer.  We've had temps in the 30s this week, so the sandals and summer dresses are out.  I still have not done any tourist things, and I really should, since I'll be busy soon and won't have the time.  I keep saying I'm going to Summer Palace, but on my days off I just love to hang in my flat.  I'll get there eventually.

Nothing else new to report.  Peace and love to all.  The latest photos are here.

Today's Lunch

Late lunch, early dinner ... it's all good.  Freshly made hand-cut noodles with tomato, egg, and baby bok choi; washed down with a HUGE (600ml) Chinese beer, for a grand total of $2.12CAD.  It really is cheaper to eat out than to cook at home.

Games People Play

I had a pretty good day today; not as productive as usual, but good nonetheless.  I went to school with every intention to plan lessons.  Instead, we (Amy, Eva, and I) played Jenga and held an impromptu meeting.   I suppose it was productive in the sense that there's no longer a need for meeting on Friday, but I didn't get much else done.  We had bought Jenga for school, and spent some time talking about how we could incorporate it into the English lessons for the older groups.  We also discussed how we would deal with a  particular problem student (a 10 year old of course; the toddlers are actually a breeze to handle).

I got a letter in the mail today from Mom and Dad.  They sent it mainly to see how long it would take to arrive, if it arrived at all.  Of course, Mom decided to throw in a few Tetley tea bags, one of which I will be savoring later tonight, and a few pairs of foam earplugs so I can try and get a little sleep with all the noise here.  Funny thing:  The mailman said they had trouble reading the address as it was written in English (of course!).  Eva told them that we had to do this, since the Canadian postal service would likely be unable to read the Chinese address.  We all agreed that next time, we'd put both.  Being the only anglophone in the area, something tells me from here on in, I probably won't have much trouble anyway now that they know where I am.

I decided to take my TA, Eva, for noodles this evening.  A new restaurant just opened here, downstairs from the school.  The noodles are hand cut, delicious, and cheap.  I had a HUGE beer (600ml) along with noodles with tomato and egg.  Eva had beef noodles.  The bill? 21RMB; exactly $3.43CAD.  At that price, why cook at home??  I think that restaurant will see much more of me.  They have rice dishes on the menu too.  I can't wait to go back again.

Speaking of food, I am almost a pro when it comes to eating with chopsticks.  In fact, I ate my noodles with them today.  I did ask for a spoon, but I didn't use it until the end, when I wanted to fish out the last remaining yummy noodles.  I was finished my meal before Eva, and she's Chinese!

The knee feels great today.  In fact, many times I forgot it had even hurt at all.  I may even go to the gym tomorrow.  Treadmill only though.  I'm not gonna push my luck with squats, lunges, burpees, or anything with too much bending.  I'll give it another week, just to be safe.  

Nothing else to report today.
Until next time, Zaijian! XO

Week 7

So, I've been here for 6 weeks, and am heading into week 7 here in Sujiatuo.  The initial culture shock has worn off; at least I think it has.  Last night I woke from a deep sleep to find myself thinking, "Holy shit, I'm in China!!  Have I lost my mind??"

I'm becoming a little more independent. As the saying goes, "If you want something done right, do it yourself."  That applies here too.  I sprained my knee.  Not sure how, but I woke up with pain on Sunday.  Saturday I did a lot of jumping around with the kids, plus we went picking strawberries.  I may have done it it at any point that day.  Anyway, Amy sent Tracy to the drug store to get me something, and they came back with a medication for joint pain.  Not what I needed, and of course it didn't work.  So ... I used Google translate, and went to the pharmacy myself today.  I'm still not convinced how rubbing odorless brown liquid on my leg will help, but I guess it can't hurt.  What I really needed yesterday was an ice pack.  Anyway, I have some Bufferin and an ice cube tray now.  Between that and my Chinese medicine, I should be OK in a day or so.  Luckily I don't have to teach until Saturday so I have a few days to rest it.  So much for sightseeing this week.

There are renovations going on in my building; have been since I moved in.  Hammering and drilling every damned day.  A lot of these units are unoccupied, and are new.  Unlike in Canada where condos are likely sold before a shovel even hits the ground, these were built before they were sold, and as a result, there are quite a few still empty.  Here, empty means the interiors haven't been completed (no flooring, no fixtures, no baseboards, no kitchen and bathroom fixtures, etc); the owner does that after it's purchased, at their own expense and to their specifications.  Up on the top floor, someone bought multiple units and removed some concrete walls (noisy).  In 302, next door to me, they're renovating this week.  I am hoping they hurry up and finish.  I've heard so much hammering, it's almost like white noise now, but the noise from drilling concrete might be the thing that pushes me over the edge.  They begin at 7am and work non-stop until 7pm.  China has been a noisy place for me so far.  Between my apartment, the school, and on the bus where the TV is always blaring, there's never much peace and quiet.


I've posted a few more photos, including some from the field trip with the kids: Click here to view them.


Until next time, love to all. XO

Today was my Saturday.

The last of the red tape has been completed.  I have my residency permit, and provided a copy of it to the police today.  I'm good until mid-January 2014.  I'm not sure why a one-year residency permit is valid for 10 months and I am not going to ask why.  Just like the time I asked about why there is no 14th floor in office buildings (for those who haven't read my earlier post:  # 4 is unlucky here), yet there's still a 4th floor, I am not going to understand the answer anyway.  And ... it's not my problem.  My employer covers all expenses related to my visa/residency permits for the remainder of my time here, no matter how many years I decide to stay.

I'm still teaching 2 days a week.  I'm not sure when that will change.  The weekend will always be the busiest time, since kids are our biggest (and littlest :)) clients.  As of April 6, I'll have 4 classes on Saturday: 3 preschool classes, and a class with elementary school-aged kids.  Each class is 90 minutes. I'll be pretty pooped in Saturday night, but it's all good.  So far, I have just 2 classes on Sunday, though I am sure that will change soon.  Even then, to have half of my work week completed in 2 days is pretty good.

I had a really good weekend.  The kids are learning more and more all the time, and are warming up to me, and I to them.  Our "crier" didn't cry this time; turns out granny had been letting him nap, and would not give him enough time to wake up before dropping him off at the lesson.  I'd probably cry too if that happened to me.  I happen to think 5 years old is too old for a nap at 1PM, but maybe granny needs the rest.

Teaching kids is so exhausting.  The more lively, silly, and goofy I am, the better they learn, pay attention, and become engaged in the activities and the material.  "Coasting" and "killing time" is not an option, nor is having a "bad day".  If they see that I'm stressed out, it affects them, and they act up.  So, I have to act happy and energetic even when I am not.  I'm so grateful for my TA.  She helps me keep them rounded up, looks after the naughty ones, and handles the kids who need extra help, not to mention grading the homework and preparing the classroom.  I plan the lessons, and teach them.  That's it; though that's enough.

I'd still rather teach snotty, sticky, germ-infested kids than have to deal with a bunch of backstabbers in suits any day of the week.

I've started another album of photos.  I'll add more eventually, but for now I've posted a few from the grocery store :)  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101702276616092.1073741828.28108784&type=1&l=64083a39cb

I just don't get it ...

I went into our Beijing office today for a meeting, to grab a teacher's manual, and to pick up my passport and visa (I am now entitled to stay here for a year, YAY!).  I was in the elevator, and noticed that the building does not have a 13th or 14th floor, but 12, 12a, 12B, 15, 16 etc.  I inquired as to why this is, and asked if it was common here.  In China, numbers are pretty important.  Some numbers are good luck (8), while others are bad.  This is evidenced by the cost of phone numbers.  Many 4s in a phone number will be cheaper than a mobile number with many 8s (highly sought after).  I am not sure why 8 is so popular, but 4 in Mandarin is "si", which sounds almost the same as "die", ("si" but with an accent on the "i"); hence the bad luck.  Also ... 13 is unlucky in China just like it is unlucky in most other places, hence the absence of the 13th floor.  There's no 14th floor because 4 is an unlucky number.  I have to wonder: if this is true, WHY is there a 4th floor????  If 4 is an unlucky number, why is there a 4th floor, but no 14th floor? For the record, a Chinese person explained this to me.  When I asked him why there's a 4th floor, he just didn't know.

Helicopter Parents

So, I taught my first full weekend. 3 classes both today and yesterday.  I had three brand new classes this weekend; 2 yesterday, and one today.  Of the three, two of them are pre-schoolers.  I cannot say for certain if parents are any different in Canada, but I have to say I was pretty creeped out yesterday.  My classroom has 2 windows; they're sliders that have a frosted coating on the bottom half for privacy, and open into the hallway outside.  They lock, but they can slide open very easily if one's intent on doing so.  On several occasions, parents had opened the window, peering in on the lesson (they'd been to the demo last week, have met me, and know fully well what happens in the classroom).  Amy had walked up to the window and closed it, and yet they opened it mere seconds later.  Their hands and faces were literally plastered to the window (it reminded me of a horror movie I'd seen somewhere!), as they tried to peek inside.  From the noise, it was clear that the children were 1) happy 2) having fun and 3) learning English. What's the problem? It's creepy.

Parents know that they are allowed to attend the demo, OR the second class.  They are also allowed to attend the last class of the semester.  They sit quietly in the back and observe.  Occasionally we'll have the odd parent who will attend with their child and audit a class, to see if they want to enroll their child.  This is understandable, and welcome.  The problem is that parents of the other students (regular students), who are sitting outside waiting (where they should be), think that they can come in and sit in on the lessons also, at any time they wish.  We had a granny that creeped in last week, and we asked her to leave.  They don't speak English, so I am not sure what they expect to gain from hanging around.  I don't think the kids enjoy it, and it's distracting to them, and to me.

Then there are the parents who send their child to school half asleep and/or without breakfast. It's always the same kids, and they also happen to be the ones who have the most trouble learning (in our school, AND their regular school).  Of course some parents think the answer is to take them OUT of school because it's a waste of money (and don't dare suggest the sleep/breakfast thing, because it's NEVER a problem in the home - like it's not obvious anyway).  OK. Let's look at that option.  You're taking you're child OUT of English lessons because they're not learning at the same pace as everyone else (and yes, everyone else is learning.)  Isn't that all the more reason to keep them in? No one ever learned a second language without work.  How about putting them to bed on time and making sure they have food in their tummies in the morning?   Might be a good start.

Hump Day

Today's my Sunday actually.  My official "off" days this week are Tuesday and Wednesday (normally Wednesday and Thursday), but since I have to go take care of some visa issues tomorrow, I took Tuesday off.  In addition to enduring Chinese bureaucracy tomorrow, I have to stop by the Beijing office and pick up a teachers' guide for one of my lessons and have my photo taken so that they can put it on the wall at the school.  I have a cold and will likely look like hell.  If I have time, I may stop for a hot pot lunch.  The menu is in Chinese and I usually need someone to order for me, but I kept the receipt from the last time I was there.  So ... I'll order the same thing as before (tomato broth, tofu, spinach, mushrooms, and noodles) haha!!

There's not a lot happening here this week.  My cold has kinda knocked me off my feet, so I haven't been to the gym.  Maybe on Friday I'll feel up to it. Yesterday, I went to the mall and bought some sheets.  My bottom sheet was a double flat sheet, and since my bed is a queen, I'd wake up several times a night lying on the bare mattress.  That was driving me INSANE.  I've done all my lesson planning except for one lesson on Sunday.  It definitely helps when that's all done in advance.  I HATE lesson planning. It's necessary, and my classes run smoothly as a result; but I hate it.  I'm being smart about it though.  So far I am teaching 3 levels. Each level has a text.  Eventually I'll have lessons planned for every unit in the book, and won't have to spend a lot of time planning, because it'll have been done already.  So: much work now, but little work later.  Works for me.  I'd love to be one of those teachers who doesn't need to plan, but I'm not there yet. One day.

That's all for today folks. Love to all! XO

Teacher, Teacher, Can You Teach Me??

I taught 2 days this weekend, and it's only going to get busier from here.  In fact, we need to get a move-on and hire a second teacher. Considering it took 2 months to get me here - 2 months exactly from the day of my interview, December 17, until the day I arrived in Beijing, on February 17 - by the time our next teacher arrives, I'll be pretty busy.

On Saturday, I began the day with my preschool-ers. It's a big class, at 9 students, and the entire lesson lasts 90 minutes.  It was a success.  It's difficult to get them all on task at the same time, and the activities need to be changed quickly as they get bored very easily, but I managed to get them all seated and doing book work at the same time, for about 20 minutes consecutively (which is the time allotted for book work).  I think that deserves a pat on the back!!

The rest of the day I spent teaching demo lessons.  Demo lessons are shorter - 30 minute - lessons, intended to demonstrate our teaching style/methodology to parents of potential students.  Parents observe the class and watch us introduce the target language to the students, and if all goes well, have the children produce the target language. I was fairly nervous, as the first class had a few students under the age of 3, and many have not learned any English prior to this (I have very little experience here).  The second class was pretty much the same, except there were a couple of 4 year-olds. The third demo had a few 5-6 year olds, many who have already taken English lessons in school.  Overall, I'd say it was a resounding success. In fact, my workload has doubled.  My schedule has jumped from 3 lessons per week, to 6 lessons per week. It doesn't sound like much, but 4 teaching hours, with kids under 6, is exhausting.  It's fun, but man is it exhausting.

Today I taught 2 lessons.  My group of 5-6 year-olds, and the 7-9 year-olds.  The big kids are tiring too, because they're loud, disruptive, and hyper. They are almost as tiring as the toddlers, but not as cute :)  I am not sure if I have a favorite yet, since after every class I find myself thinking, "That was my favorite."  I'm sure after a few months  I'll have a more definite answer.

I'll be going into the office for an hour or 2 tomorrow, but I pretty much have the day off.  I'd like to get to the gym in the late morning/early afternoon of at all possible.  It's 10PM, and my eyelids are getting heavy, so I think it may be an early night.  Until next time, peace and love to all! XO

Water, Water, Everywhere!

While we're on the topic of fluids, I saw public urination today. Old man, about 70-80, in all his glory, at about 3PM.  Granted, he turned away so no one could see his junk, but he was still taking a whiz in a bush, about 10 feet from the side of a busy street. I guess when you gotta go, you gotta go!

Had a minor crisis last night.  Apparently I'd set the water pressure on the water heater too high and busted a couple radiator gaskets; one in the bedroom and one in the bathroom.  Also had water coming from the actual heater, which kinda freaked me out.  Turns out, Amy mistakenly told me that the water pressure should go no higher than 3, when 2 is actually the limit.  Anyway, it's fixed now.  Between that and my washing machine debacle, I'm fed up with water problems.

Didn't do a lot today; went to the school to print some things, followed by a trip to the gym, and then the supermarket. Managed to grab some tomatoes and oatmeal (with dates!!).  Tomorrow: lesson planning for the weekend.  I'll be teaching on Saturday and Sunday this week.  I'm moderately stressed about lesson planning these days since I don't have everything I need.  I am just now getting copies of the teachers' guides for the classes I am teaching, only to hear we may add a 5th grade class.  I have NO books for that.  Also, I am just getting a key to the school today.  I like the idea of planning my preparations on my own time, and not having to coordinate it with the owners and their schedule.  I like being able to go into my office when I feel like it so I can work quietly at my pace. I have to stay patient, though.  It's a brand new school, we're all trying to get ready, and we're all a little stressed. Luckily, it's the minor details causing the stress; the teaching is the easy and the fun part, and that's why I am here.

Teaching and living in China is already so different from my Prague experience, but being away from home before has definitely helped me. In Prague, I was a new teacher, and away from Canada for the first time.  That in itself caused a bit of stress, but I believe it's helped me settle in here and deal with the culture shock a bit.  I'm glad it did, because I am so much more dependent on others here than I have been in a long time.  In Prague, I found my own apartment, got lost several times and found my way home (my first day there in fact), bought my own mobile phone, opened my own bank account, went to the post office by myself etc.  I was in China for almost a week before I dared go anywhere alone.

Living here will be very different from Prague, and from anything I am accustomed to.  In Prague, I often joke that I did a lot of drinking with a little teaching on the side.  I had many English-speaking friends, mostly teachers, and a few new Czech friends too.  One had to merely send a text message or two and 20 minutes later there'd be a few us hanging out for beer at a pub or beer garden.  In Canada, I always did my own thing, went where I wanted to, when I wanted to, without a second thought.  Here, I am the only teacher, and the only people I know are my colleagues (the academic director and the school owner).  They're great people, but I don't really have a social life, and am not sure how active my social life will be here (I like to have my work and social life separate too).  I'm a 45 minute bus ride from the city, and the last bus comes out here at 9PM.  I'm also the only foreigner in the community.

I'll likely spend my free time at the gym, and maybe in the city doing some shopping or sight-seeing, but there won't be any occasions where I stumble home at 3AM on a Wednesday morning like in Europe, or even take in a movie on a Saturday night.  I am not complaining.  I knew all of this going in, and I am prepared to experience it for what it is.  Beijing has a lot to offer and a lot to see, and I'll take advantage while I can, but there are pros and cons to everything.  If I were closer to Beijing, I'd be paying 3-5 times the rent for a smaller, older, likely dirtier, apartment that I'd probably have to share with others.  My apartment is a palace by Chinese standards, and pretty nice by my own standards I might add.  My expenses are minimal (in fact, most of my utilities are already paid for the next 6-12 months), so I'll be able to save a little cash, which was a big problem in Prague.  I also have a better opportunity to develop as an EFL teacher.  I've never taught kids before until now (except teenagers), and we're a brand new school (with a LOT of academic support), so it's a chance to build something from the ground up; a great thing to say on a resume.

So you see; you really can't have it both ways.  Soon, I'll be able to say with more certainty what's the most important to me (those who know me know where my heart truly is).  Until then, I'll enjoy the peculiarities, appreciate how good I have it to be able to do all of this, and no doubt learn and experience many new things. Speaking of which: I now am a lover of tofu. Tried it and hated it in Canada; loving it here.  Fresh, frozen, tofu noodles. It's all good (except duck blood tofu; no thanks). Until next time, Peace and love to all! XO

Click here for the link to this week's photos, the newest ones are at the end.

Tuesday's Gone With the Wind

Well, Tuesday's not quite gone yet, but it will be in a couple hours, at least in this part of the world.  Slept late today; until 11.  Turns out I slept 10 hours.  Felt great when I woke up, but I'm exhausted now and it's barely 10PM.  Granted I went to the gym and did 45 minutes of cardio, spent a couple hours at the mall, and endured a one hour bus ride there and back. I guess that would make a lot of people tired.  Apparently it was 22C today.  I finally saw birds today too. Lots of them. I was afraid that Beijing was so polluted that even the birds had better sense. Speaking of pollution, it reached record levels on the night of the lantern festival, just over a week ago. The city had asked people to take it easy on the fireworks, but people didn't listen.  They really love fireworks, apparently.

Did a little shopping at the mall.  Bought a power pack for my phone.  I hate when I am out and my battery dies.  It's not a problem back home, but I rely on it here so much.  If I get lost and my phone is dead, I'm in big trouble.  Also bought a french press, some socks, a lint shaver (I HATE lint!!), and yogurt.  Except for the yogurt, I managed to talk the price down on everything I bought.  Mind you, Amy would probably have talked them down even further as she has a better idea of what the prices for certain things should be, but I am starting to to develop my negotiating skills :)

'Til next time! Love and peace.

This week's photos are here.

Settling In

I'm slowly settling in.  I finally found a gym and paid for a 6-month membership today, which worked out to around $25 a month. Not bad considering it also has a pool. It's not a fancy place by any stretch, but it has what I need, and will keep me from having to exercise outdoors, which I am opposed to due to the air quality.  I don't mind walking outside, but I am not OK with doing anything which will require me to take deep breaths of the smog; though it IS much better in Sujiatuo than it is in Beijing (you can actually taste it in there), it's still more than what I am used to.  Anyway, I must work off the beer belly I've developed over the past 6 months; besides, it'll help me keep up with the kids.

I have no classes until Saturday and Sunday.  I'll prep on Thursday and Friday; tomorrow I have to go into Beijing to take care of my residency permit.  If I have time, I'll swing by the gym ...

Went to a Chinese mall today with Amy, Kevin, and Tracy. They bought stuff for the school, and I grabbed a yoga mat and a swim cap (a must here, apparently).

Week 3 photos here:  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101657750047692.1073741826.28108784&type=1&l=15d03d73b3

Day 1 of Teaching in China

I am going to hurt tomorrow; I can feel it already.  I taught three 90 minute classes today (a full day).  Started out with the toddlers at 8:30, then the bigger ones (7-9 years) after that.  After lunch we finished up with the 5-6 year olds.  The last group, though older than the youngest group, are the least advanced in their English. This makes it difficult, since they're too mature for the lower level class, and are not able to keep up with kids their own age. We'll see how it plays out.  I spent much of the day having them play games and do drills related to the material, but since they don't understand, I have to physically demonstrate.  And I haven't been to a gym in 6 months. Need I say more? I am in NO way complaining, though. It's good to end a work day tired when you love your job. It's worse to be tired from doing something  all day that you hate. This still does not feel like work. It's fun.

I don't have any classes until Saturday, so I am off for 5 days. I have 2 demo classes on Saturday (potential new students), and the usual three next Sunday.  By next month I should be up to working 2 full days a week.  Thank god I have a minimum guaranteed salary.

Tomorrow: Shopping with Amy. She knows of a gym, and is going to take me there.  I HAVE to get back into it.  I enjoy it too much not to.  There's also a pool nearby; I may check that out too. Living in Sujiatuo is nothing like living in Prague where I did a whole lotta partying, and a little teaching on the side. I'm far from the city center; the buses don't run out here past 9PM, so it's a more quiet life.  I'll need to keep busy during the times I am not working.

Now? A cold one while I wait for dinner :) Life is pretty good here.

Random Observations in Beijing ...

• Squat toilets.  That's right, squat toilets.  In most public places, including my school, there are squat toilets.  While I am grateful for the standard western-type toilet in my flat (and the occasional "water closet" in some shopping malls), as far as public restrooms go, I think I may even prefer the squat toilet.  Beijing has a different concept (if any at all) of hygiene, so you can imagine how nasty public toilet seats would be.  Not an issue when you use a squat toilet (though you still want to watch where you step and try not to let any hems touch the floor).  There are a few precautions one needs to take, though, such as emptying or zipping all pockets -  no one wants to fish out their smartphone, if that'd even be possible. Also, I am constantly fearing that I am gonna step into that hole in the floor. Lets hope that never happens.  
• All backpacks, tote bags, and purses must be put through an X-ray upon entering a subway station. Fortunately, it's a lot faster than at the airport.   
• Some restaurants require payment upon ordering your meal. Not all of them, though, but at least 50% so far.
• Chinese bread is awesome.  
• I was expecting little green-space, and while that might be true of the city center, it's a myth for the most part.  
• There are SOOOO many bikes; from motorcycles, to scooters, to mopeds, to bicycles.  Almost nobody wears a helmet. Some bikes are carrying trailers filled with various things, and it's not unusual to see someone loaded down with a couple hundred pounds of stuff.  All of these bikes use the street, bike lanes, AND the sidewalk. Some go the wrong way, most don't obey traffic rules, so if you manage to avoid getting run over by a car, you'd better watch out for an oncoming bike.  
• Crossing the street is very dangerous (cars and bikes do not stop for pedestrians). I've taken to crossing the big, busy streets along with large groups of people; I'll wait until they go.  I've also gone across alongside bikes (on the pedestrian crossing with the "walk" signal, of course); thank god I can manage to run a decent speed just to keep up. 

"I wish you a tolerable Thursday. That's all any of us can hope for."

Yesterday I got my washing machine delivered.  After nearly flooding my apartment 3 times, we managed to get everything installed correctly. Mind you, just like anywhere else, China is no different in that no one listens to the woman, even when we say, "That's not a good idea; we will have water everywhere ..." or, "That's not meant to go there, that part needs to come off."  The machine itself, and the instruction manual, is in Chinese.  I can't read it, and translating doesn't always work, so I am kinda helpless, and am forced to sit by and watch the "oncoming train".  We finally have it installed and it appears to be working fine.  It did, however, take up most of the afternoon. So much for lesson planning.  I managed to go into the school and organize my office.

Today I am going into Beijing.  They're taking me to open a bank account, then I'll be observing another lesson.  Tomorrow? I am not sure what's on the agenda, except lesson planning. To my knowledge, I have three classes on Sunday. Not sure about the rest of next week, but I should find out soon. Today I am having dumplings for lunch.  Yummy!  I think I am addicted :)

Monday; Bloody Monday!

Actually, Mondays aren't that bad when you love your job.  Mondays also aren't bad when you have Tuesday and Wednesday off, which I happen to have this week.  Thursday, I'll be going back into the city to do some lesson planning, and to observe Robert teaching a class.  Tomorrow and Wednesday, I'll get a jump start on planning the lessons myself.

Today I found a store where I can buy body lotion, toothpaste, hair products, etc.  Kinda like a mini Shoppers Drug Mart without the drugs, haha. Skin care products are imported here in China and can be expensive as a result.  I picked up a huge bottle of body lotion for about $4, which is pretty good!!  The bus was packed during the ride home; so much so that you really felt it when one person stepped off the bus - we all had a little more personal space.  I hate being so close to someone that I can smell their breath, but that's part of life in Beijing during rush hour.  Luckily, this will not be a daily event for me, since I won't need to commute to work.  It does mean, however, that I may want to plan a bit when I feel like making a trip into the city.  I'd rather NOT get caught in rush hour if it can be helped. It's not fun to wait 15 minutes for a bus and have to wait for the next one because it's too full to get on.

Bus/Subway fares are cheap.  You load up a card, then tap it when you get on, and again when you exit the bus; same process when getting on and off the subway.  This means that the further you go, the more you pay (some buses you tap twice, some only once).  It's still cheap though.  I pay 8RMB to get into the city, which is about $1.30 CAD.

Another new thing today: Used the ATM for the first time.  Citic Bank of China's ATMs aren't in English, but have pictures, so I was able to withdraw money with minimal guessing.  Big relief.  Pretty soon i'll have a Chinese bank account that Amy will be opening for me.  That's all for today. Dumplings again for dinner. Peace!

Photos for today:  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101649648099062.3076232.28108784&type=1&l=12f97560a2