Summer school… strikes again!

Yes, it’s that time of year again folks… summer school is upon us.  For the third summer running I’m spending my time educating teens who would like to be anywhere else but stuck in a classroom!  And I can’t blame them, Chinese kids never get a break in term time – the least their parents could do is cut them some slack during the summer holidays.  C'est la vie, at least in my classroom they're guaranteed to have some fun.

 

As with the summer school course I taught in Vietnam, I used a bit of nous and requested to teach an intense version of one of my regular courses, making life easier for myself, as I have soft copies of all my lessons plans and resources.  It’s a lively and interesting course, that I enjoy teaching the most, including lots of videos, audio and IWB games as well as my own competitive and creative elements thrown in for good measure and a few laughs.  It will be taught on top of my regular teaching schedule, meaning an extra 6 to 9 hours of teaching time per week over the next 2 months.

 

During teachers’ meetings and trainings over the past few months we’ve all been warned just how gruelling this period will be.  We'll be supplied with lunches, fruit, medication and throat lozenges to help along the way.  Honestly, I can’t see it being any more challenging than last year; rightly or wrongly I’m going in to this feeling it’s just a small 8 week hurdle before my well earned holiday.

A xx

Anji antics!

It’s been a few months since our last official regional team building event.  The social scene in the city is such that you quickly become acquainted with kids & teens teachers from various EF schools across the 3 regions, as well as teachers from other companies; but it’s always nice to meet new faces, and nicer still when it’s all expenses paid!

Our pre-summer school skive saw teachers and local staff from the 4 schools in our region escaping to Anji for a couple of days, taking in the fresh air, and scenery made famous by the film ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’.  The early start and 3 hour journey passed quickly thanks to good company and a stop off for lunch.  Upon our arrival, we were taken on a 2 hour walk up to Dragon waterfall.  It was quite a steep climb, which we tackled at a fairly brisk pace, aided by the help of paths and metal staircases.  Despite being an overcast day, the heat and humidity were evident.  Some of the staff opted to stay nearer the entrance on lower ground, usually puffing on cigarettes or posing for pictures.  Other Chinese tourists could be seen walking in the most inappropriate outfits, which wouldn't have looked out of place in the bars and clubs of Shanghai – slaves to fashion though they carried on regardless.

Clambering back on the bus, I’d been comfortably settled on my seat for a good while before noticing the rubber snake next to my thigh that my friends had sneakily hidden under a jacket.  Unfortunately, it didn’t have the petrifying effect they had hoped, not on me at least.  Skilfully flinging it through the air towards some of the more effeminate Chinese staff, however, was met with shrieks and panic!  Mission accomplished!

Next stop was a spot of water rafting.  I’m not a big fan of watersports – wearing glasses or contact lenses during such activities is problematic and as such I opted out, choosing to sit on the sidelines with the other warm, dry, land lovers, taking photos of my soggy colleagues as they navigated the water course and attempted to soak each other by any means necessary!  After everyone had completed the course, changed into something a little drier and got the feeling back in their limbs, we headed to a local restaurant for dinner.  As in Vietnam, meal times here are social affairs, none more so than during team building events.  Sitting with 10 others and sharing dishes has a sociable quality that is lacking in many western countries.  

A short time spent at our hotel gave us time to freshen up before heading to a nightclub.  When we arrived, there was no one else there, and as it was a Tuesday night that’s pretty much how it remained all evening.  All available space on tables was taken up by the free beer provided for our group – but at 2.5% the only foreign teachers who were intoxicated were those who had been drinking (heavily) throughout the course of the day on harder stuff.  Dice games, dancing on a springy dance floor and mingling were the order of the night.  A group of us ventured in the saloon-style bar next door, only to be greeted by the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Go West’ and lots of surprised, gesturing, tiddly Chinese clubbers.  Needless to say, we didn’t stay long.  Silly o’clock fried rice and dumplings finished off a fine day.

The following day saw the spritely members of our group take a trip to a bamboo forest.  Famous for being featured in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ we spent a couple of hours walking up the tracks, amongst the bamboo towards a viewing platform with spectacular views over the area.  On our ascent we passed a group of elderly Chinese tourists taking part in something resembling Tai chi.  A colleague translated the instructor’s directions, which apparently required participants to mirror the shape and form of the surrounding bamboo.  I’m not sure how relaxing they found the experience with over 100 tourists passing by, but we tried not to intrude too much.

Craving a bit of excitement amongst the bamboo groves, we opted to take the fast route back down to the exit - by roller coaster. We were each in single carriages and were responsible for controlling our own speed with the aid of a hand brake. Three teachers from my school had gone down in front of me and I was keen to use the brake as little as possible.  I figured nothing too bad would happen as a result: worst case scenario – the carriage flies off the rails taking me with it and I end up in the bamboo.  There was netting along the sides of the track in some places, but not in others.  So, I came bombing down at a rate of knots, managing to smile at three of our group who had strategically positioned themselves along the route to take photos of us.  It was then that I spotted the local man, shouting and waving erratically at me.  I shrugged it off, I was having fun, no need to touch the brakes quite yet – then I saw the traffic jam I was quickly approaching!  Two Chinese girls had gone down before our group and had obviously chosen to use their brakes from the off.  Time to test my brakes me thinks! Luckily they were very efficient and I slammed on, stopping just short of my friend in the carriage in front! Great fun!

After meeting up with those who had chosen not to join our morning stroll, we made our way to lunch and then on to the obligatory souvenir shops, where all kinds of bamboo related products can be found.  A sleepy headed journey home found us back in Shangers in the early evening, much fun was had by all and it can only have a positive effect on the already jovial atmosphere between staff at our school.

Roll on the next one.

A xx

Belly busters bare all

Summer is in full swing here in sunny Shangers, the heat and humidity reminiscent of sweltering Saigon.  With this wonderful weather we do all we can to stay cool: walking in shady outdoor areas, utilising the air conditioning units in our classrooms to maintain a nice learning/working environment, and generally wear as few clothes as is legally possible.  For most a t-shirt, shorts and sandals ensemble is sufficient: feeling the breeze between your knees and maintaining a coolish exterior.  For others this simply will not do, and pot-bellied middle aged men everywhere resort to baring their bellies to all and sundry as a way to cool down.

 

It was the same in ‘Nam: men of a certain age, usually wearing white vests, walked the streets, balancing the rolled up section of their tops on their protruding paunches.  Not a six pack in sight!  Why is this always the case?  Why don’t young, toned, athletic male specimens walk around the city with their abs out for all to see?  Where’s the justice in the world?!  Here endeth my whinge.

A xx

Needle in a haystack

Whilst chatting with numerous friends, colleagues and acquaintances since my arrival in China something keeps cropping up in conversation - they note their surprise that people here look different from one another.  Some other teachers find it difficult to recognise and remember their students’ names, especially outside of the classroom.  A colleague was recently amazed by my ability to remember the majority of students by name in a class I had covered once for a 2 hour period.

For many it is their first visit to Asia, and to some degree I can relate to their views.  Last year, my first class in Vietnam saw me facing 18 near identical faces – needless to say, learning names took a while.  But after a week or so you see the differences and indeed appreciate people as individuals.  I now find myself recognising attractive Asian men, as I would if I were looking at western blokes.

So I can now appreciate and recognise the differences between individuals I encounter, and am able to detect Chinese people of Vietnamese/Filipino descent.  Can the same be said for Asian people who stare at us westerners, I wonder?  I have no doubt that locals here frequently think my work colleagues and visiting friends are actually relatives: anyone tall and slim with a mane of long, brown hair must be my sister, right?  Wrong!

A Chinese work colleague recently asked me how Western people get yellow (meaning blonde) hair.  My immediate reaction would normally be to say the majority of foreigners aren’t really ‘blonde blonde’, more of a mousy blonde covered with peroxide, but I knew she genuinely had no idea how people could be born with lighter hair types.  As a young, yet very well educated Chinese lady this phenomenon had until now remained an alien concept, which she hadn’t felt comfortable asking western friends about. Perhaps Asian people think Westerners consciously change the colour of their hair to make themselves appear more individual, after all to them we appear to look the same!

A xx

On your marks...

There’s a lot of talk at the moment about the London 2012 Olympics, I’m not a great fan of the whole shebang and never have been – with the exception of watching the footy, I’ve never been one for competitive sports. 

Last week in Shangers, however, we had something that I found far more enjoyable to both watch and participate in – the EF Super Race.  “What is this?” I hear you ask, part of our company’s summer shenanigans, and an excellent way to mark Children's Day on 1st June.  One team is made up of two students and two parents.  Each team must travel around the city by any means necessary to complete various challenges and collect company stamps upon completion.  I was stationed at Shanghai Indoor Stadium with a group of teachers from our region.  We were responsible for helping the participants shoot basketball hoops in the full size court nets: no mean feat if you are 4’ nothing and 6 years old.

Over 300 participants accepted the challenge, arriving in chauffeur driven cars, taxis or by metro to complete the challenge.  One team arrived with parents pedalling bikes, their children sitting patiently in small seats at the rear.  It was great, so much enthusiasm was shown by staff and participants alike, all using whatever English they had to talk to us, offer thanks and ask to try their hand at the baskets.  I won’t lie, I’d rather have been stationed at the Krispy Kreme shop, munching on EF doughnuts; but at least I got to enjoy the glorious weather with good company.

 EF Shanghai participants & staff

 Shanghai winning team

(Photos from EF Shanghai)

A xx

Masking the problem

The man opposite me on the metro sneezed and coughed violently before whipping a disposable mask from his pocket and placing it over his nose and mouth, covering the offending orifices.  Job done, he sat back and continued reading his daily tabloid.

This is in stark contrast to Vietnam, where people cough and sneeze freely in public, never giving a passing thought to the fact it may be hygienic and considerate of them to cover their mouth and nose, preferably with a tissue or other suitable receptacle.  Masks in ‘Nam are instead worn whilst driving to protect from the sun’s harmful rays and lessen the effect of traffic pollution inhalation.

In ‘Nam, I wore a face mask during longer xe-om journeys, maybe it was a placebo effect but I felt it helped a little.  Here, however, I’m not so keen on the idea of wearing a mask as a way of advertising I’m currently a carrier for whatever nasty strain of bug is doing the rounds in our school.  To me it seems a little extreme and as I get stared at enough in public here I’m not about to do something that I think would draw any more attention my way. “Hey, look at me! I’m a germ harbouring westerner here to give you all my dirty germs and test your immune systems!”  No thanks.

Last week, I shared a metro carriage with an individual who chose to wear what can only be described as a Darth Vader–style industrial face mask.  I’ve since discovered these contain carbon filters to remove of a wide variety of contaminants, bad odours and organic vapours.  We were travelling in the late evening, on what had been a relatively cool day.  The air seemed cleaner than usual and humidity levels were low thanks to a few scattered showers throughout the course of the day.  It was far from rush hour on the metro and the bad odours were minimal as the weather isn’t yet hot enough to cause profuse perspiration, so the mask seemed a little extreme.  It did serve one wonderful purpose – giving the locals something more interesting than me to stare at during their journey home!

A xx

Bright white, that's right

With summer upon us the time has come for the ladies of Shanghai to don their skimpier garments and expose a little flesh.  As in Vietnam, some choose to cover every inch of their body’s with some form of fabric to fend off the ever present sun and prevent any form of tanning or indeed vitamin E.  Others choose to bare a little too much at times and hide under the shade of their colour coordinated umbrellas – this summer’s must-have fashion accessory.  If you are unfortunate enough to be caught out in the midday heat for any period of time, thereby tanning slightly you can always reverse the effects, but applying gallons of skin whitening products to every conceivable nook and crevice.

Even in winter months beauty shops, department stores, pharmacies and the like have shelf upon shelf of lotions and potions often with names such as ‘bright white’ ‘sparkling white’ ‘white radiance’ and ‘ghost of Christmas past’ – OK, so I made the last one up, but you get the idea.  In fact, it’s annoyingly difficult to find moisturisers or foundation without these skin whitening chemicals in them.  When friends visiting the city ask if there is anything I would like them to bring, I have now resorted to requesting for moisturiser… oh, and stroopwafels in the case of my Dutchie.

Regardless of whether or not they actually have the desired effect, I’m not about to start rubbing them in to my skin – who knows what’s in them, and I certainly have no desire to be any paler than I already am, if they do produce the effects shown on the pictures.  It’s a shame that the moisturiser-merchants don’t consider the hundreds of thousands of expats living in this city, we just want silky smooth skin, not a passing resemblance to Casper the friendly ghost.

A xx

Anouk's Asian initiation

It’s been over two years since I last saw my friend from The Netherlands.  We met whilst backpacking in New Zealand and although keeping in touch ever since we’ve only managed to meet up once, due to high workloads and my habit of country-hopping.  The past week, however, has definitely made up for that. 

This was Dutchie’s first visit to China, and I think Shangers is an excellent starting point for an Asian adventure.  Our time was spent exploring the little lanes and quaint shops of Tianzifang, wandering around the Yuyuan gardens, shopping at the markets and taking in the sights of the city after dark, admiring the neon nightscape from both sides of the water: Pudong & The Bund.

Oriental Pearl TV Tower

Lujiazui

With some extra time at our disposal, a trip to Suzhou was on the cards.  Dubbed ‘the Venice of the Orient’ due to its networks of canals its one of the must see water towns in the area.  Having invited some friends and colleagues along too, eight of us got comfortable on the bullet train for the hour long journey.  Upon our arrival we were surrounded by Chinese tour guides offering all kinds of deals and offers.  After shaking them off long enough to make a group decision, we agreed on hiring a driver and minibus to take us around the city for the day.

Bullet trains

First stop was a local restaurant which provided me with the perfect opportunity to introduce Dutchie to real, cheap, Chinese grub.  Having stuck mainly to western foods since her arrival I was keen to convert her and prove that meals costing less than a euro were the best around.  A plate of egg fried rice and dumplings later I was sufficiently refuelled and raring to go, and Dutchie seemed to have enjoyed her meal too, banishing any thoughts of getting a dodgy tummy long enough to clean her plate.  Next up, the Calm Garden: much as it sounds, a reasonably sized area of green space, lakes, canals and interesting Chinese temples and pagodas, where we spent a couple of hours roaming around and taking lot of photos.

The rest of the day was spent taking in the views from 243ft, at the top of the Beisi pagoda overlooking the city, touring a silk factory where we were shown the process from start to finish, and wandering around the canals and streets watching the locals go about their business.  It was nice to venture out of the city somewhere new with good company and glorious weather.

Add to the mix numerous fun-filled nights out socialising and salsa dancing, and it’s safe to say a very good time was had by all during the week - wonderful to catch up, reminisce about our backpacker days and make some new memories.  I’m sitting eating Dutch stroopwafels as I write this!

A xx

Humpers' Hill

As much as I would have liked to have chosen a more subtle or tasteful title for this blog entry, it just didn’t seem in keeping with the content.  Also, I thought it would attract your attention, and as you are now casting a curious eye over this post, it appears to have done the trick!

I live in a great part of Shanghai: on the interchange of two metro lines, with local shops and great street food on our doorstep, and a short distance from good nightlife spots and great shopping malls.  There’s also a well maintained park a 5 minute walk from my apartment; where families, joggers and yuppies enjoy their respective recreation time.  After dark, however, Xujiahui park becomes a ‘breeding’ ground for young, infatuated Chinese couples who like nothing more than to find a relatively quite spot in the park in which to dry hump.  Yes, I said dry hump!  No word of a lie.

All new teachers at our company are given an induction pack upon arrival in Shanghai.  Included is a map of the city which specifically highlights Xujiahui park: ‘where the local lovebirds like to walk on cloud 9. Pssst… let’s not disturb them!’  They don’t seem to be walking on anything when I see them; legs entwined and busy playing tonsil tennis!

Hey ho, it is at least refreshing to see that younger generations here choose their own suitors and have fun finding Mr. or Mrs. Right amongst the millions of people in this vast city.  A quick trip to Humpers’ Hill might help them distinguish between the frogs and the princes/princesses!  Good luck to them.  Happy canoodling folks!

 

Xujiahui park

A xx

Easy Tiger!

As in Vietnam, pressure is piled upon the younger generations here to do well for themselves, study hard and achieve all they can to provide for their family, whilst being seen in a good light by nosey neighbours.  Pushy parents, mothers in particular, are prevalent here in China, even with children as young as three and four.  They’re known as Tiger mums and always strive to push their child that little bit further in order for them to get an advantage over their peers.  The mother of five year old Lyla greets me after class on a weekly basis, keen to know how many stars her daughter was awarded during my lesson; and more importantly, how many stars the other children in the class received.  It’s a big deal for student and parent alike – keeping up with the Jones’* you might say (*insert appropriate stereotypical/common Chinese surname here).

Working in my new Chinese school offers more opportunities to meet my students’ parents, compared to my time in Vietnam.  At the start of every new course we offer orientations, during which we introduce ourselves to students and parents, explain the syllabus and do our best to answer any queries and concerns.  Throughout the course we also have open door lessons where parents are invited to watch their child in class and a few weeks later they return for our parent teacher meetings.  It sounds quite nerve wracking but is actually a brilliant opportunity to show the parents what they are paying for and keep them in the loop.  Most parents speak English (to varying degrees) and those that don’t are generally happy if they witness you enthusiastically greeting their child in English.  So far I think I have them on side – and I wouldn’t want it any other way.  Seeing their child has a white Caucasian teacher is no doubt their biggest concern and as that isn’t about to change any time soon I feel confident that first impressions will always be that of someone who is qualified to teach their children English.  Sadly, that’s just how it is here.

It’s not only mothers here who strive for perfection.  Shanghainese women in general are well known for being quite ballsy and no-nonsense types: perhaps that’s why I fit in so well here!  They know what they want and how to get it and their partners often appear to be at their mercy.  I frequently see Chinese men carrying handbags for their other halves and responding quickly after being beckoned to sit next to their Juliet’s on the metro.  Western men advise my female Chinese co-workers to stick with Shanghainese guys as they’ll be treated like princesses.  Couples go to great lengths to show others they are in a relationship; matching t-shirts and shoes are often chosen (by the women no doubt) - true signs of unity and togetherness if ever there was one.

That’s all well and good if you want an obliging doormat for a partner; I however, like my men to be a little more independent, with a bit of bite – so I guess if I do ever get ‘yellow fever’ I won’t find a Shanghainese guy to suit my needs…

A xx

Surreal club scene

So the nightlife in this city is as good as any I’ve encounter before on my travels.  There are an abundance of expat bars, wine bars, dive bars, ladies nights, drinks offers and quiet hidden-away spots to keep the most indulgent inebriated individuals intoxicated indefinitely.  But there comes a time when all you want to do is don a pair of high heels and dance like there’s no tomorrow.  For this you have to head to a club, unless of course you are either confident and carefree or totally trolleyed.  

My first encounter with a Shanghai nightclub came a couple of months in to my stay here.  It was a spur of the moment thing after leaving a wine bar with friends, and I had no preconceptions about what I was about to encounter.  After walking past the entrance desk (without having to pay an admission fee) and stepping cautiously through the airport style metal detector, I was a little overwhelmed by what I witnessed. 

Clubs in the UK are generally vast open spaces – a massive dance floor with bars found at the peripheries: not in China.  Here I was surrounded by some kind of Alice in Wonderland style experience – dark wooden gothic style décor; grotesque oversized chandeliers; antique-style empire couches; tables laid with fake candles, platters of fruit and jugs of iced water; lasers shining on the lot to add a strange club-like effect.  Couples were sitting playing dice games whilst delicately sipping their drinks.  The dance tunes were interrupted by cabaret singers/dancers dressed as airline hostesses who jumped on stage singing dodgy cover versions and encouraging all and sundry to join in.

As you’d expect there aren’t too many western faces in these places mid-week (Tuesday and Wednesdays are most TEFL teachers’ ‘weekends’ here) so a few looks and stares from the locals comes as standard.  Standing next to a giant cast iron statue of a western armour-clad knight mounted on his horse our group looked on, half admiring half mocking the member of staff who was busting out some 1990’s style dance moves, with great enthusiasm: which was almost infectious… the key word there being ‘almost’! 

A man in a giant teddy bear suit walked past a few times, no one seemed to bat an eyelid.  We then found ourselves singing happy birthday to a local man who was later seen walking to the bathrooms with cake and icing covering his face!  Drunken Asian men were escorted to the exit every 20 minutes or so, all of whom seemingly congregate outside on the pavement, burying their heads in their hands in the hope that applying pressure to their skulls would magically make the pain disappear!  And there are no dirty midnight burger joints here – just street vendors selling freshly cooked, super cheap meat on a stick as you exit - superb stupid-o’clock sustenance.

I felt far too sober to be surrounded by all of this, yet I loved it!  As a people watcher it was one of the most amusing and curious places I’d seen in Shangers so far!  If I’m ever bored of an evening, I may just pop down there to submerge myself in their sobering Shanghai shenanigans.

A xx

Butt out

I’m loving my time in Shanghai, it’s so vastly different from Vietnam and is offering me the best of both worlds, Asian and Western lifestyles combined. There is, however, one thing that I find utterly unpleasant about life in China, the prevalence of cyanide sticks that everyone seem to inhale. Smoking is cheap and extremely common here, as in Vietnam and Cambodia. I have known colleagues to take up smoking during their time in Asia because of this. As such non-smokers may feel they are constantly surrounded by a smoke screen during their time here. People smoke everywhere, in lifts, public toilets, shopping centres, restaurants and bars; often whilst standing next to ‘no smoking’ signs. This is something I have really come to appreciate about the UK.

I remember during a trip to Dublin in the summer of 2004, some of my university friends felt very put out by having to stand outside bars and restaurants to inhale their coffin nails. At that time, the smoking ban had yet to be implemented in the UK and it was only after visiting Eire that we all realised just what a difference it made. Non-smokers in the UK and Ireland now take it for granted that such areas will be smoke free, and living in Asia makes you appreciate the clean air in such venues. I miss coming home from a night out with the sweet smell of my chosen perfume still permeating my nostrils. Here, it just doesn’t happen, no amount of pungent perfume can fend off or mask the stinking ciggie stench. Your hair and clothes require washing ASAP to rid yourself of that nasty, lingering nicotine nastiness.

Alas, I can’t see China implementing this anytime soon so I shall continue to suffer the stench.

A xx

One...

As an only child people will probably find it a little strange that I am writing this blog entry.  It must, however, be said that I do not fit the usual stereotype of a sibling-less one.  Thanks to a very well-rounded upbringing I definitely don’t come across as being an only child.  Enough trumpet blowing – back to the matter in hand.

In 1978 China introduced the one child policy.  Couples here may only have one child, in a bid to stem the ever growing population of this massive country.  As such, the vast majority of students in our school are only children, which can lead to a fair few problems.  With Mummy, Daddy and four doting grandparents showering their beloved little one with attention, money and gifts, they become accustomed to getting what they want and aren’t always the most considerate of individuals, often demanding their own way.  Sharing and working together can sometimes prove problematic, especially with the under 10’s, and with a 2 hour class once a week, I don’t feel that making an impact upon these children’s behaviour outside my classroom is a realistic expectation.

I say ‘the majority of students in our school are only children’ as there are some exceptions.  Parents are permitted to have a 2nd child if both parents are only children, the chances of which seem rare.  This is reasonable now, but what happens in 20 years from now when my current students want to start families?  The vast majority of them are only children, so surely the population will boom again, won’t it?  I’m sure the men in suits will think of a way of dealing with that, adapting the laws again to suit their needs.

And of course there are always the unexpected arrivals such as twins or triplets to add a bit of variety to the mix.  I was shocked to see identical twin girls in my colleagues' class a couple of weeks ago; as it turns out I was way off the mark, they were quadruplets, their two brothers sitting next to them!

I can only hope their parents get a grip of their little princes and princesses, or this generation of Chinese will be in for some large scale arguments in years to come…

A xx

Head & shoulders above

Never in my 27 years have I ever knowingly been described as ‘average’.  Particularly when referring to my height.  At 5’10” I stand out a little wherever I am in the world, but I find here in China I stand out considerably less so than I did in Vietnam.  Chinese people on the whole are taller than their southern neighbours and I have seen a surprising number of Chinese men and women who are taller than my good self.  As such, finding clothes that fit here is not a problem.  Larger shoe sizes and longer length trousers can all be found in high street stores, which is probably another reason I prefer it here to ‘Nam: you’ve got to love a spot of retail therapy on occasions!

I had to laugh when the first question a student asked me a few weeks ago was “Amy, how tall are you and how much do you weigh, because I think you’re very slim for a western person?!”  Spot on kid, how right you are!  So there you have it, Asia’s perception of the west, summed up by one twelve year old intermediate level Trailblazer.  Tall, slim people appear to be a novelty anywhere these days though, thanks to the McDonalds generation.

Being different here can have its advantages.  Every weekend we start work around 9:00am, however, the mall in which our school is situated only opens at 10:00am.  This means we can only gain entry via the security exits that open from 8:30am onwards.  Each is manned by two security guards who usually interrogate the local people wishing to enter.  I, however, have never heard a peep from them, why, because I’m a laowai (foreigner) – my face is my identity!  My Chinese colleagues do get slightly disgruntled by having to sign in and prove the purpose of their visit…

Being a laowai, even here in cosmopolitan Shanghai, leads to you receiving a vast amount of stares.  It’s nothing new; I had it all last year as well.  Most of the time I just ignore it and carry on regardless, sometimes I smile at them, sometimes they even smile back!  If I were an Asian person I’d stare at me, taller, slimmer and paler than the ‘average’ western person – I must be quite an assault on the eyes!

C’est la vie, I’d rather be this way than an Average Joe.

A xx

Back to school

Getting back to the real matter in hand here, work/school: call it what you will.  My first couple of months have been a delight, not like ‘work’ at all.  I was thrown in the deep end a little as my school was very short staffed upon my arrival, so I walked straight in to a full teaching schedule, but I’d like to think I’ve risen to the challenge, being keen to prove what I can do, in the knowledge my workload here could never be as gruelling as last year.  I’ve gotten my head around the different books, abilities, pronunciation challenges and paperwork and love having more of a structured working week.

 

I really like my classes, as with my classes last year in ‘Nam, they’re a good bunch.  We get on; they even understand my jokes and give back a bit of banter!  I’ve have set down my ground rules and introduced all manner of activities to spice up lesson time.  Building good rapport with my students has been effortless and I feel more relaxed than ever when in the classroom.  Come to think of it, I feel more relaxed in this school generally. 

Unlike last year, the majority of my learners are higher level teenagers, and it’s surprised me how much I’m enjoying working with them.  I have 3 classes of 3-6 year olds, who vary in ability and cheekiness, but they’re a good challenge and I’ve tamed them a lot in two months, they seem to respond well to my routines and appreciate me clowning around.  They’re a little more outgoing than I’m used to, which I like and it will certainly give me scope to do more creative, free thinking activities, which is something my learners struggled with last year.  It’s surprising really, I’ve come from one communist country to another, but here Shanghainese students appear more worldly wise.

Small Star 'graduation' ceremony

Happy days and more to come.

A xx