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April 22nd 2010

Published: April 22nd 2010

Yesterday was a very busy day as I left home at 10:15am to go teach my one class for the day. After class I met Pete at the bus stop to take the express bus into the city center. We arrived at the subway around 1:15pm and quickly took the next train to meet the travel agent to pay cash for our plane tickets to Taiwan May2-9th. Then we got back on the subway to go get some lunch before our 3pm interview with Shenzhen Middle School, the BEST high school in Shenzhen.

50,000 students in Shenzhen take the HS entry examination each year only the best 1,000 get into Shenzhen Middle School. (don't be confused as it is a senior high campus)

The interview was pretty interesting as we met with one lady who was just appointed the Director of International Studies the day before. We met Lin, Senior 3 student, that attends this school who introduced us to the lady. Lin will be attending college at University of IL in the fall. We have gone to dinner with him a few times as he loves to speak English and learn as much as he can about college life in the USA. He doesn't have to take the dreaded Gao Kao test since he isn't attending college in China.

Back to the interview they basically wanted to know if we are interested in teaching any of the selected subjects as an AP course next year. Currently they only have Physics AP which the lady we met with teaches, her wish is to expand into Micro and Macro Economics and English Language Composition. I would teach the econ and Pete would do composition. My parents know this but English was much worst subject all throughout my schooling B's or C's. We told her we would be interested and we actually would be considered teachers, not just White Faces at our school.

After our interview we went to Starbucks for a treat and I was to have a phone interview with a college in Hangzhou. Pete had his phone interview with the college in the morning and it went very well. I called the college contact multiple times and his phone was turned off, bummer. We met up with our friends to go have a drink or eat since Staci's 24th birthday was on Monday. Happy Birthday Staci!!!!

While sitting at dinner the college called me at 6pm stating anytime after 8pm we could have a phone interview. Then we enjoyed chatting and eating until it was about 7:30 and we all had to head back home. Pete and I got to the express bus around 8pm and had 2 people try to cut the line(MAJOR PROBLEM in China) I stood strong and motioned for them to get back in line and actually put my hand out in front of one guy that tried to hop on the bus as I was getting on. Elyse 1, China 0. LOL

On the way home I text Adam, college contact, stating the bus was full and to loud to talk that I would call him when we got home. Once we got back to our apartment I called him for about 10 minutes and his phone was busy. Now you know why I get frustrated in China?????

Pete typed up a letter to Shenzhen Middle School outlining what we discussed in the interview and our interest for the positions along with what our expectations are as this is a new program. I was exhausted and was in bed around 10:30pm.

Today I am supposed to teach 4 classes plus English Corner after school for those students who love English or just want to practice more. I left home at 10:15 for my 11:05 class due to the buses taking awhile to get to school. I showed up to class on time and the door was locked with no students inside. WHAT?? Two boys approached me and said no class today Miss Elyse we have duty. Thank you teachers for telling me this. Back on the city bus I went to get home for lunch.

During our lunch break the wind got really crazy and it rained sideways for about 30 minutes. Fun, we get to go out in the rain back to school and get soaked. Pete and I both teach 3 classes in the afternoon and went to get on the provided school bus at 1:30. As we walked out our back gate to the stop I noticed the bus was a block past us and we missed the bus. DAMN!! I was thinking to myself at this point that I should have gotten back in bed.

My 3 classes this afternoon went GREAT as I am teaching the students about the Environment this week as today is the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. I learned online that it was founded by a senator from WI, recycling 1 aluminum can will provide enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours, only 27% of all American newspapers are recycled and if we recycled them all it would SAVE 250 MILLION trees a year from being cut down. Think About It.

I was told by Class 4 and 8 students that next week our classes "MAYBE" canceled since their class have Duty next week. "Maybe we have duty next week so maybe we wont have class maybe." I told them probably they do have duty and we probably won't have class. China uses the word maybe too much. Duty is required by each class once a term. They do janitorial things around the school all day instead of having class. I am told by the teaches the students learn how to be independent by having Duty.

By the end of the day 2 of 3 three classes for tomorrow(Friday) are canceled as other teachers need my classes to prepare the students for their upcoming midterm exams on May4-6th. I am expecting more classes next week to be canceled because of this. I actually can't remember the last time I taught all 10 of my classes in one week. For the past month one class has been canceled for some strange reason or another. Oh Well, I am not complaining I get paid the same no matter what. It is the students that are missing out and some actually come up to me to say how much they wish they had my class instead of their other teachers.

One more exciting thing today. The last 2 weeks of class I had my students do group presentations and threatened them if they didn't do I would tell their English teacher and no reward lesson on Lady Gaga(they LOVE her). Out of my 10 classes=about 550 students I only had to go to the English teacher on 1 student. Today that student came up to me in the hall and said "Miss Elyse, do you remember me?" I replied "No, what class are you in?" He said "Class 2, I didn't do the test and I know that was bad. What can I do to make it up? Yes, score for me this student realizes that he shouldn't tell me no and now he wants to make it up. His English teacher is also the Head Teacher of the class who the students are terrified of. I will also mention that this is the first time I have had to go directly to a teacher on one students performance or behavior, not bad since we are in Week 9 of 2nd semester.

Phone interview with Adam, college contact, Friday morning hopefully we will get in touch with each other this time. Have a great weekend as we are off to Yantian to hang out with friends.

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