Children's Day

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Every June 1 is Children's Day in China. That means that anyone in primary school has no school to celebrate being a child. This was wildly obvious when I went to meet my tutor at the local Starbucks.... located inside the bookstore... which was hosting a variety of fun activities for the kiddies today. The kids were lined up and running amuck while their guardians seems to be non-existent. Yes, please, stare at me, I love it. And yes, tell your friends. I didn't sleep very well last night and it shows.

My school is a middle school, but we still celebrate. Seventh grade is the last year one is considered a child here in China, so my school puts on a carnival of sorts for them in the afternoon. Children's Day is the only day students are allowed to wear regular clothes instead of their uniforms.

We all started in the auditorium with some singing and speeches and confetti cannons. Roy and I both wore traditional Chinese clothes, as did most of the faculty. (The school loaned me my chipao, or "Chinese dress.") Then we all headed outside for some fun. The teachers are worked at game stations until the "money" ran out. My school prints up fake money for the event and students earn it over the past few weeks and then playing games today. My "game" had them unscrambling sentences... some of which weren't correct because words were missing. Roy was stationed at a game where the students had to act out what was written (in English) on a card. Some of them were pretty silly.

All of the classes set up booths to "sell" things that no one really wants to buy with their "money." I could buy a variety of Chinese books, all used. I could buy ugly stuffed animals. I did buy some watermelon, which was delicious and messy, but I passed on the goldfish, even though I would have loved a pet. (With the move coming up, it just didn't seem like a good idea.) My favorite were the pastel pink post-its that the boys were thrusting in my face. I asked them why I should buy them ... and their answers--while not memorable--were amusing.

One booth was a coffee shop with lemon tea, milk tea, and coffee. They had a few students in the class there to play music and serenade us while we sipped. I didn't hear the guitarist, but the violinist was quite good and I "tipped" him for his efforts. He was quite grateful.

Then it started to sprinkle, and then rain a bit harder, and I ran for cover, conveniently located in my quiet, pink-post-it-free room. It was time for a nap.

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Photos

Ducks!
Spring is here! (though, it feels like summer.)

Roy and me
Our school wanted us to dress up in traditional Chinese clothing for the event. (The school loaned me the chipao.)

My fan club
Some of my 7th graders.

Booths
The students set up booths to "sell" things.

2 of my top students
An excellent violinist and a swayer...
I "tipped" the violinist since he kept playing after I asked for an encore.

security... hard at work
The city police were there with their batons.... just in case.

The best hawkers I've met
I've never had pastel pink post-its shoved in my face with screams of, "Ms Kris, buy it!!!!" done quite so well.

The jealous 9th graders
9th graders still had classes

I can shop where?
Grade 7, class 7's booth