GZL Fair and Meeting Rex

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Such a treat to have a sleep in this morning. Well, getting up at 7.00am anyway. So nice to not have to be anywhere until 9.00am and not have to check out. Set off with Denise to pick up our brochures. After the drama of who could copy what last night, it was a pleasant surprise to have both sets of marketing material waiting for us. A short stroll back to the hotel and a stop at a massive fashion trade fair. I've never seen so many people shopping in one place and the noise level was deafening. Hundreds of small stalls selling all kinds of wares. Shoes, bags, clothes, bedding. So much stuff. Left with a pair of shoes as my everyday working heals have almost lost their sole. Denise also left us this morning to attend the fair in Shenzhen and then return home to Melbourne. Shall miss having a laugh with her!

With marketing material and Australiana in tow it was down the lift to the Diamond Ball Room for our first fair and my demonstration lesson. GZL, Go Abroad had organised the event and it was well attended, although most of the students were looking for tertiary or postgraduate courses. I had a lovely translator Leah, who helped me set up and chat with interested parents. Many parents stopped at the booth but many just wanted to have their photo taken with me. Not sure where all these photo's are going to end up?? A bit freaky!

My demonstration lesson went down well for both the senior high school and university students. I am astounded at how my lesson on area stumps these kids for qute a while until I explain with an example what it is. The language really does pose huge difficulties for these students even when it very simple mathematics. The kids loved the mars bars and one very sweet girl said she wished she was still in high school so she could come and study in Australia, as she found the lesson so much fun.

A quick freshen up and then down to the lobby to meet our past student Rex Zhu (remember the twins Gavin and Rex??) He came to the hotel to pick me up to take me out for a spot of sightseeing and dinner. It was great to chat with him and ask him about his college studies. He tells me he doesn't like it but also that he just doesn't like study at all. No wonder his time at Reservoir High was so difficult. In talking about Guangzhou he tells me that about 100 cities of Melbourne would fit into the city of Guangzhou. So hard to even imagine the size of these cities and their populations. There are as many people in this city as there are in the whole of Australia! We shared a delicious dinner of fish, small morsels of pork that tasted like KFC and a really tasty beef and eggplant dish. When asked what he misses from Australia, it's fish and chips and chicken balls from the fish and chip shop near the school. He agreed that it was hard to be excited by Australian food because the food in Guangzhou is so tasty and there is such a variety. Off to bed after another long day.

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