Monday, October 7 through Thursday, October 10
It's been a long week!! It was so strange to be going back to work! I was definitely slacking and didn't have much prepared for the week but I've gotten through it! I taught a few extra classes to make up for the ones I missed but it's a gradual process so they're in no hurry to have to me up the time. Yesterday, I finally got my real "new" classroom! I have a room of my own! YAYYYY!! I was late there tonight doing some decorating and making it seem not so white walled and bland. It'll take time but I think I have a good start. When we first were told to go in the room it was about 10 minutes before my class was supposed to start so we had to rush everyone up there, so that was a little bit frustrating! Plus, the room was dirty still and hadn't been cleaned so we had to rush and have the kids help us clean it up. Oh well....I guess beggars can't be choosers! I also got my printer this week which has turned out to be a lifesaver! I love it so much! It's nice to be able to give the kids not hand-drawn pictures to look at and not just go through a PowerPoint presentation. They are so boring! It's a work in progress though and hopefully by the end of next week, things will be running smoothly and put into place. Hard work pays off! Well...this is a short entry but it's getting late. I'll put up some pictures of the kids tomorrow and some other random photos from Beijing that I had on my phone. Goodnight everybody!
Friday, October 11
It's Friday!! However, it's a regular length day like every other one because they had to make up for missing school on Monday...or something like that. I swear, sometimes I think nobody knows what they are doing around here! Plus I'm always told last minute because nobody thinks to tell the American girl!! Oh well...it all works out in the end : ) Today was a pretty good day. I was supposed to get observed by the principal and vice principal today buttttttt they never showed up! That just means they'll be coming some other time, probably when I don't expect it! I did a lot of work in the new room today and have been preparing items for the coming weeks. I'm telling you, it's soooo nice to be settled in a room. I actually like having my office in the classroom also because all my things are in 1 place and I don't have to run around all the time! It's nice being alone too and not with all the other Chinese English teachers.
Today, I went to go talk to Joy and met a high school teacher who is a foreigner. His name is Pious (or something like that) and is super nice. His students were all crowded around me and telling me I was beautiful haha. I'm not ashamed to say I enjoyed it! They're all really nice in that office so I may pop by again sooner rather than later. Plus, Joy's fish just had babies so I want to steal some! I finally uploaded some more pictures of the kids and my new room. Sorry they're sideways (again!). I change them on my camera before I import them and they change right back sideways! I don't know what this black magic is! Oh...and the power went out twice tonight...while it was pitch black. I was in my office the first time and went down to check on the kids and they were actually being really good! The other teachers have quite the leash on them haha. They had their evening snack and were singing songs. After about 30 minutes, it came back on again and I left. 15 minutes after that, they went off again! I decided to just finish what I was doing and then headed back to my room for the night. It's soooo cold here! It's been down into the teens and single digits (Celsius) everyday and I'm not prepared. The whole not going home in October thing didn't work out to my advantage because I had planned on bringing back some warmer clothes! Looks like I will be going on a small shopping spree here pretty soon! Gotta get some boots and gloves and warm coat. Chinese Wal-mart, here I come!! Well...enjoy the pictures and have a great Friday!
P.S. All the names in the captions are from left to right.
Ohhh one more thing! Hannah has the kids saying a new thing during her classes.
"No pain, no gain"
It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard a bunch of 6 and 7 year olds say!! This place is tough! I laughed when I heard them say it all together haha
It's been a long week!! It was so strange to be going back to work! I was definitely slacking and didn't have much prepared for the week but I've gotten through it! I taught a few extra classes to make up for the ones I missed but it's a gradual process so they're in no hurry to have to me up the time. Yesterday, I finally got my real "new" classroom! I have a room of my own! YAYYYY!! I was late there tonight doing some decorating and making it seem not so white walled and bland. It'll take time but I think I have a good start. When we first were told to go in the room it was about 10 minutes before my class was supposed to start so we had to rush everyone up there, so that was a little bit frustrating! Plus, the room was dirty still and hadn't been cleaned so we had to rush and have the kids help us clean it up. Oh well....I guess beggars can't be choosers! I also got my printer this week which has turned out to be a lifesaver! I love it so much! It's nice to be able to give the kids not hand-drawn pictures to look at and not just go through a PowerPoint presentation. They are so boring! It's a work in progress though and hopefully by the end of next week, things will be running smoothly and put into place. Hard work pays off! Well...this is a short entry but it's getting late. I'll put up some pictures of the kids tomorrow and some other random photos from Beijing that I had on my phone. Goodnight everybody!
Friday, October 11
It's Friday!! However, it's a regular length day like every other one because they had to make up for missing school on Monday...or something like that. I swear, sometimes I think nobody knows what they are doing around here! Plus I'm always told last minute because nobody thinks to tell the American girl!! Oh well...it all works out in the end : ) Today was a pretty good day. I was supposed to get observed by the principal and vice principal today buttttttt they never showed up! That just means they'll be coming some other time, probably when I don't expect it! I did a lot of work in the new room today and have been preparing items for the coming weeks. I'm telling you, it's soooo nice to be settled in a room. I actually like having my office in the classroom also because all my things are in 1 place and I don't have to run around all the time! It's nice being alone too and not with all the other Chinese English teachers.
Today, I went to go talk to Joy and met a high school teacher who is a foreigner. His name is Pious (or something like that) and is super nice. His students were all crowded around me and telling me I was beautiful haha. I'm not ashamed to say I enjoyed it! They're all really nice in that office so I may pop by again sooner rather than later. Plus, Joy's fish just had babies so I want to steal some! I finally uploaded some more pictures of the kids and my new room. Sorry they're sideways (again!). I change them on my camera before I import them and they change right back sideways! I don't know what this black magic is! Oh...and the power went out twice tonight...while it was pitch black. I was in my office the first time and went down to check on the kids and they were actually being really good! The other teachers have quite the leash on them haha. They had their evening snack and were singing songs. After about 30 minutes, it came back on again and I left. 15 minutes after that, they went off again! I decided to just finish what I was doing and then headed back to my room for the night. It's soooo cold here! It's been down into the teens and single digits (Celsius) everyday and I'm not prepared. The whole not going home in October thing didn't work out to my advantage because I had planned on bringing back some warmer clothes! Looks like I will be going on a small shopping spree here pretty soon! Gotta get some boots and gloves and warm coat. Chinese Wal-mart, here I come!! Well...enjoy the pictures and have a great Friday!
P.S. All the names in the captions are from left to right.
Ohhh one more thing! Hannah has the kids saying a new thing during her classes.
"No pain, no gain"
It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard a bunch of 6 and 7 year olds say!! This place is tough! I laughed when I heard them say it all together haha
Saturday, October 12
It was a happy weekend until.....Friday night around 9:30 p.m. I found out that we had classes on Saturday. WHAT?! I guess it was to make up for not having classes Monday for the holiday but then why not just have classes on Monday so that we could still have a full weekend. Nothing makes sense here!! Oh well...I had a few short classes which was okay because I got to have the students finish some work that they had to. Plus, I was able to give them a test...haha stinks to be them! I was able to do some work in my room though so it wasn't too bad having to work on a Saturday. The students left around 1:30 in the afternoon so I stayed in my room and did some more work. I then went back to my room, relaxed for a little bit, and then walked to the store to pick up some drinks and a few snacks to keep in my desk (since I feel like that's what I usually am). I walked around a little bit to see what else was in the area and there's really nothing! I walked back to the school though and had myself a good old fashioned movie night! I also talked to my parents for quite awhile on Skype and did some squirrel hunting with the kitty cats! Very entertaining actually. Thanks again mom and dad! I love Skype calls! Everybody should call me!!!! I'm talking to my friend Jill now and I just realized that I've almost been here for 2 months already! As much as time is going so slowly, it's also going by so fast! Well...that's all for now. Hope everyone is sleeping now and having a good weekend!
It was a happy weekend until.....Friday night around 9:30 p.m. I found out that we had classes on Saturday. WHAT?! I guess it was to make up for not having classes Monday for the holiday but then why not just have classes on Monday so that we could still have a full weekend. Nothing makes sense here!! Oh well...I had a few short classes which was okay because I got to have the students finish some work that they had to. Plus, I was able to give them a test...haha stinks to be them! I was able to do some work in my room though so it wasn't too bad having to work on a Saturday. The students left around 1:30 in the afternoon so I stayed in my room and did some more work. I then went back to my room, relaxed for a little bit, and then walked to the store to pick up some drinks and a few snacks to keep in my desk (since I feel like that's what I usually am). I walked around a little bit to see what else was in the area and there's really nothing! I walked back to the school though and had myself a good old fashioned movie night! I also talked to my parents for quite awhile on Skype and did some squirrel hunting with the kitty cats! Very entertaining actually. Thanks again mom and dad! I love Skype calls! Everybody should call me!!!! I'm talking to my friend Jill now and I just realized that I've almost been here for 2 months already! As much as time is going so slowly, it's also going by so fast! Well...that's all for now. Hope everyone is sleeping now and having a good weekend!