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Published: September 17th 2012
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Ni Hao! So I have left it so long since my last post that I don't even know where to start! However, due to popular demand, thought I better post another in order to appease my many fans ha ha!
Teaching is great fun! Lots of cuddles and smiley faces on a regular basis is always good to be met with everyday! On arriving at school on my first day with no expectations due to having no idea what was expected of me, to be met by many awestruck children who frantically greeted me (...and still do, the novelty still doesn't seem to have wore off just yet!) in the corridors, flaunting their english made me forget all my inhibitions instantly! My first ever lesson saw me thrown into a classroom with 40+ children with no co-teacher and absolutely no idea of what english they knew already but I just tried to get stuck in and get on with it. The whole teaching malark seemed to come quite easily as I tested their existing knowledge by asking them to name animals, countries, colours, etc. I still find myself surprised at how amazing the kids are... For example, the other day
I was playing true and false with one of my grade 5 classes so I thought I'd ease them in gradually with statements such as 'I am a girl...true or false?'. I was met in response with 'the Empire State building is the tallest in America...true or false?' by one of the students when I later asked them to come up with their own statements! Obviously this was just an exception but overall, the students are really keen to learn and really do love to show their abilities in english which is really rewarding to see, especially when you've been involved in helping them towards grasping a thread of conversation! I teach the whole of grade 5 and a couple of grade 3 classes who are all so adorable and miniature!!! I helped my grade 5 classes construct a conversation where they talk about what they are going to do on a particular day of the week, with a response 'I'm going to...' followed by some buzz words such as Cool! Awesome! Amazing! Ha ha they really pick up on the way you say the words so their wow's are pronounced wooooow in the exact same tone as how I
say it! This proves potentially problematic when I pronounce words with R's as being a southwest girl through and through, their R's inevitably also become very elongated and remind me of the Wurzels! I'm giving the world a southwest accent, one classroom at a time..!
Things which were once trivial become difficult in China. For example, crossing the road often takes me a good 10 minutes due to there being no system! Also mopeds are a popular mode of transportation whereby there seems to be no rules whatsoever as they frequently jump red lights, drive on the pavements and even nonchalantly beep their horn at you if you are in the way... on a pedestrian pavement! I made a trip to the walmart the other day for some food shopping (was a very disappointing trip indeed as food will be remarked on later...) and I was waiting for the 903 bus which usually would take me there! i was waiting at the bus stop and what comes tootling by, but a little transit van with a frantic chinese lady waving a scrap of material with the number 903 on shouting something which I can only assume was 'get in,
get in' so there I was sat shoulder to shoulder with loads of other people in the boot of this otherwise unidentified transit van. Soudns dodgier than it actually was and anyway where's your sense of adventure?
My chinese is developing slowly, now have a grasp of number and a few other words which come in handy in day to day life! I know how to say water which is obviously pretty important given the heat here in Wuhan... but still very minimal, have booked a taster session for some lessons so hopefully will be fluent before you can say chicken chow mein! ha ha
At first the food was definitely a working progress! However, slowly realised that it was only the canteen food that I don't like and it is certainly not entirely indicative of chinese food in general! Have found a few local places where the food is amazing. Wuhan have a speciality type of noodle called rè gān miàn which translates in English to hot, dry noodles. The level of spiciness is hit and miss though as on two occasions I have had to give up half way through due to my head literally about
to explode from heat! I definitely think by the time I get back to England, I will have worked my way up to Extra Hot in Nandos!!! I have also eaten abundant amounts of tofu in every single variety! I would confidently say that about 85% of the food I haave eaten here, I have not known what it is on first appearances! The flavours are pretty exciting but the texture is sometimes a bit freaky! The food is mainly great but at the same time, its often disgusting! There is never a happy medium... They like to eat fat and meat off the bone which would be ok if a pork bone wasn't floating ominously in your soup! Weirdly enough they also like to eat gluten on its own, a Coaseliac's worse nightmare! Luckily am not Coaseliac but still... I'm trying to taste everything though!
In China they celebrate a National Teacher's Day which if ever I do decide to become a teacher, I will definitely be appealing to the board to implement in the UK too ha ha. After all, It involved lots of presents for me. i was given some lovely chopsticks from one of my
students, a weird thermus flask which is meant to keep your food warm and many many flowers! Oh and a cheeky 500 yuen handed out to all the teachers from the school also didn't go amiss and was greatly appreciated 😉 The downside to teacher's day, however, was that we were involved in a ceremony where all the teachers had to do a performance with their fellow teachers from their grade. Some grades wore beautiful chinese dresses while others were involved in a chinese rendition of Cinderella. My grade did a scottish dance which required me to wear the full scottish attire and dance out of time to some fast paced scottish music. This was only made worse by the fact that due to my height obviously surpassing any of the other chinese teachers, I had to take the role of man which inevitably meant a male scottish outfit rather than one designed for women! Was good fun anyway and again was followed by some nice chinese food which of course I had no idea what it was but tasted nice nonetheless!
I probably haven't even mentioned half of the stuff which has been going on here but overall,
have been teaching. eating and exploring lots! Oh and even rode a pedalo for the first time which was my first dose (...and probably also last) of exercise in China! Heading to Mulan mountain this weekend due to missing the bus last weekend. No doubt I will be humming the soundtrack all the way there, will let you know if Disney offers an accurate depiction in time to come. Watch this space!
Oh by the way, am missing everyone at home but am having lots of fun! Think of everyone often... Xia ci jian! 😊
Ria x (or alternatively 芮雅) = cotton wadding, elegant ha ha
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