#93 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College- My Last Semester Feb-Apr

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Hello from Riga, Latvia and welcome to the second installment of my four installment wrap up of my last semester in Taizhou. As always, it was a very busy one, with some very special events and always lots of variety! I will keep the text to a minimum and let the photos speak for themselves!

I will be publishing fairly frequently from now on, otherwise my adventure will be over before you get to read about it! There are 17 blogs to date (I am currently about half way through my trip) , so you have been warned!

To my wonderful students and friends in Taizhou, welcome back to another semester. I trust it is a successful one and I encourage you to keep in touch. Messages while I am travelling are very much appreciated and I am interested to know how you all are.

Take care and smile often!

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Photos

International Women's Day Celebration
Following the initiative of some of our English Department colleagues, we were invited to attend an International Women's Day "run" through the streets of Taizhou. Here I am "captured in action" by a local journalist. Front page of the local evening Taizhou News no less! So funny!

Spring walks through Taizhou
Taizhou is really "coming of age" with the development of a number of new public parklands based on historical data of times gone by. Behind me is a reproduction of the once famous Seascape Watching Tower. Well, Yangzse River, perhaps!

Foreign Language Festival
Our annual foreign language festival was presented somewhat earlier this year. Here are some of my students "dressed to kill" ready to perform.

International Women's Day 2
Stef waits with the students for the bus to take us to the public square where the celebrations will begin. It's a bit nippy!

International Women's Day 3
"Schoolgirls" hamming it up!

International Women's Day 4
English Department colleagues who arranged our participation in the event.

International Women's Day 5
We were the largest contingent with 500 participants. The banner identifies us.

International Women's Day 6
The performers begin!

International Women's Day 7
A closer look...

International Women's Day 8
Women from all walks of life (almost) were there to celebrate. Here are our hard-working nurses.

International Women
The construction workers were also in attendance. With brand new work gear, of course!

International Women's Day 10
..and the street cleaners......

International Women's Day 11
Hospitality staff from nearby fancy hotel.

International Women's Day 12
This year the celebration theme was "sport for health", being the Olympic year and all. Local dignitaries dressed accordingly!

International Women's Day 13
We're primed and ready to go! It's cold and we have been waiting almost 2 hours to start!

International Women's Day 14
We're off on what I was told was going to be a "long run". I must admit I was a little surprised when I was told my students were going for a long run. Many of them don't even walk anywhere, never mind run! It turned into a jog/walk, mostly walk- all of just over 1km! I had to laugh, but many of my students were "exhausted" after it! So much for the "Running is good for your health" chant they were yelling at the top of their lungs!

International Women's Day 15
Back at college there were a number of staff activities based around the "Sport for Health" theme. Here one of the Dance teachers shows her expertize in a traditional Chinese sport which involves tapping a type of shuttlecock with a flat base up in the air as many times as possible in a certain time period. Sorry, forgot the name!

International Women's Day 16
The education department (they train early education teachers) wowed the crowd with their group skipping prowess!

International Women's Day 17
As with anything happening at the college, there are always members of the public crious to see what is going on. These youngsters just haven't quite got the knack of the skipping rope yet!

Socializing 1
February brought a surprise addition to our social crew in Taizhou. "Yogi" is a hashing mate from Bribie Island and was working with my friend Marg in her English Language consulting company.

Comments

[Hans]

We did have a wonderful spring-semester 2008..
Thanks for your wonderful photos of our last semester together. Those who are hiding at home, in front of their TV, don't really know what they are missing in this wonderful city of Taizhou. So glad we had these two years together, and your students often ask about you. The photos will be lasting memories of special moments, and words are not enough to describe the emotions of the moments. I wish you continued joy on your great adventure, and please stay safe. Thinking of you often, and thanks for being such a good friend, always, Hans

[Jacque]

End of a chapter!
I can't believe it's been two years since you first asked all those questions!! I'm ecstatic you had such a wonderful experience and are left with a lot of wonderful memories. I told you the students would be great!! Still a lot of years left under the belt yet, Sue... the world's a big place.

[phone ranger]

Are you losing weight?
Hi Treadie, Thought you were losing weight - no wonder with the photos of some of the foods on offer - very interesting!