Blogs from Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China, Asia - page 4

Photos: …..inured; to habituate to something undesirable, especially by prolonged subjection.....such a great word, it deserves to be in common currency. “Si le” is a great little Chinese idiom that easily translates into English, in fact we use exactly the same phrase, “to death”. Not as much though. In Chinese you can say, “E si le”, (Hungry to death), “Bao si le”, (full to death), “Wu liao si le” (bored to death), etc, etc, …... …..after more than two years in China I am inured to the following: people, even on occasion, young women, hawking & spitting in public, pillion passengers carrying babes in arms on the back of e-bikes & scooters, (with no head protection, of course), total disregard for traffic lights, lane discipline, the use of mobile phones while negotiating busy junctions while others ... read more

Photos: …..why would anyone in their right mind want to translate the Proclaimer's song, “I'm gonna be”, commonly known as “500 miles”, into Chinese? Why should I be that person? Here's why. Teachers have been asked to express interest in a 60km walk around Yangzhou, in teams of four over Saturday & Sunday. It's not clear, (as usual), whether it's for charity or fun but two teams are assembled from among the foreign teachers. I am not allowed to take part as it's a “Youth walk” with a cutoff age of 45. No complications thus far.... …..of course that can't last. I suddenly find I'm involved as they, (I'm still not sure who “they” are), want us to perform a song at the opening of the event. Patrick suggests the Proclaimers' song, “I would walk 500 ... read more

Photos: …..the changing of seasons is marked by the weather's undecided shifts from clear & sunny to very cool & damp, with corresponding incidences of colds, sore throats & being caught out at night as the cold wind comes in from the west while still wearing the tee-shirt that was quite adequate when you left the house earlier in the evening..... …..apart from a collection of black cars & SUVs around the new Canal Convention Centre last weekend & a possible lowering of the level of internet blocking, not by much, the visit that THEY made last week, those people from very high places, appears to be over. The street cleaning truck at least has not been heard on the west road near the school this weekend. Last week it was on constant patrol & I ... read more

Photos: …..you can all have a rest this week as I prepare to start teaching my Grade 8 students for the first time next week. After two years of teaching Grade 3 & 4 it's time to see what the older kids have to offer by way of methods to drive teachers insane. The little ones do it using a combination of relentless energy & an aversion to boredom coupled with the attention span of a sub-atomic particle. I am not necessarily expecting the middle school students to be easier to deal with, just different..... …..there is the stress associated with the unknown, exacerbated by the absence of any schedule or timetable; no one has any idea on Sunday morning what their week will look like. I'm also concerned that, like Peter & Steven last year, ... read more

Summer Camp photos in 2 albums, mainly for the teachers who were here but feel free to browse: url=http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg311/draftwrite/China-Summer%20Camp-2011/China-Summer%20Camp-2011-1/ url=http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg311/draftwrite/China-Summer%20Camp-2011/China-Summer%20Camp-2011-2/ …..unseasonally we revisit Halloween during the camp. I resurrect my Gu Tou (skeleton) costume. Along with some inspired outfits from the new teachers, including Paul, a huge American from Rhode island, in a blood soaked facemask carrying an axe, & Michael, an African American leaning out of windows in the corridor in attire similar to mine. Even some teachers & helpers are scared witless & there are reports of one boy needing to change his wet underpants..... There are some photos from t... read more