To prepare for class I wiki-ed Halloween (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween). I didn’t have a firm handle on the origins of Halloween and its traditions and I wanted to be prepared. Intriguing article by the way, really sad that most reported cases of candy poisoning actually turn out to be the child’s parent’s fault.

1st class: I begin by explaining the origins of Halloween, the Celtic belief that on October 31st the Spirit world had power to cross into the real world and haunt the living . People would dress up to scare the spirits and keep evil at bay. Halloween began being celebrated in America in the 1840’s when the Irish, fleeing from the potato famine, brought over many traditions.

We still dress in costumes today but not all are scary. It is a time now to dress up in fun costumes that can represent anything.

Jack-o-Lanterns we originally carved into turnips and were passed of a fable about a man named Jack who tricked the Devil into the trunk of a tree and then was cursed to roam the earth with the only light he had at the time a candle.

2nd class: By the second class I had dropped the part about Halloween being brought over by the Irish and where Jack-o-Lanterns originated from.

3rd class: The Celtic tradition was gone by the third class, it was just getting to hard to explain and they really didn’t get it.

4th class: I think I finally had the structure down but trying to explain costumes to a culture who never dresses up is depressing. I would ask them to think about what they would be if they went trick-or-treating, it was liking pull teeth! For heaven sakes who doesn’t have a costume on the tip of the tongue? Even if that might not be really what you want can’t you just think of something, anything?

5th class: I had watered it down even further and just gave examples of what we did rather than try to explain why we did it. Costumes: Scary outfits most popular, Children often wear fun costumes. Parties: Bobbing for Apples, the String game (what do we call that game?), watch a scary movie or go to a haunted house. Jack-o-Lanterns a fun tradition to scare away evil spirits.

6th class: To be honest I’m glad I had watered it down because the last time I gave the lesson it was to my most difficult class. I had a hard time keeping their attention with this version. I can’t imagine if they had been my first class.

The blackboard by the end of the lesson.

Okay maybe a little extreme, but extreme actions call for extreme retorts and these were my favorite jeans! Not to mention 1 of only 2 pairs I brought with me, yes only bringing two pairs of jeans was not one of my brighter ideas in packing.

The cursed cement block!

They have been tearing up and replacing what seems to be all the pipes on campus. They moved to the ones next to our building just this past week. It wouldn’t have been so  bad if I just went around but there is a little bridge like thing and it is a whole 5 seconds faster.

On the bright side it is on the inside seam and they are dark pants.

So running to meet up with James one afternoon I snagged my jeans on a piece of re-barb protruding from one of the displaced cement blocks.  I was relieved I didn’t get scratched and my tetanus shot has been updated! But all the same these where my favorite jeans!!

As for construction around here I just know I’m killing brain cells every time I walk past their work areas. The chemicals and materials just reek of dangerous fumes not to mention the metal and plaster dust kicked around.

I would just love to see CalOsha take one look at the work sites here!

Main street on campus leading to the dinning halls.

At least this bit of pipe is between bulidings.

As streets and sidewalks are interchangeable in China it has been a challenge with the roads cluttered to make room for traffic when walking.

Let's circle what seems to be hazardous here. Oh let's just save time and circle the whole picture!

…and I’m beginning to look for loop holes in my contract.

Okay lets be honest, I’m cold blooded. Meaning my internal thermostat is about as good as a newts! I don’t adapt to temperature change well. Okay cold blooded definition #2 probably works for me as well.

Autumn has come and so has the WIND. The weather is still trying to make up its mind so some days are warm others are cold. It has helped me acclimate but the foreshadowing is beginning to scare me. To set the record straight the websites I consulted prior to coming to Weifang were all grossly misinformed! The temperature here WILL drop below freezing and with the wind chill factor lets not give the ‘Feels Like Temperature’.

So lets see what does my contract say about backing out early? Hmmm…oh thats right the a $800-$3,000 USD fine! Okay so looks like I’m going to stick it out this Winter after all.

What ever happened to the promise I made myself, never to live any place freezing. Freezing being anything under 70*.

Well, I guess I was wrong, I wasn’t dying and apparently I still have a few good years ahead of me.

As I sat and finished watching the final Conference Session for my Church I couldn’t help but be startled to look out my window to find it pitch black outside at 6pm. Not just dusk but pitch black, should be asleep or at least tucked in bed with a good book black.

So here’s a quick post for Chinese daylight savings.

As I have mentioned before, China is one time zone! Anyone who can conceive that 3040 miles is the span of a single time zone should be brought in for questioning!! So while I’m on one end of the time zone I guess I will get the extremes of this ill advised Jerry-rigging of time allotment.

This is not to say that the Chinese do not emloy a Daylight Savings of sorts, I just can’t make heads or tails of how it makes a difference.  At the end of Mid Autumn festival all afternoon activities shift a half hour up. So if you had class at 2:30pm it now begins at 2:00pm. If your lunch break ended at 1:30 it now ends at 1:00. Okay problem solved, everyone things are once again right with the world, we have gained a whole half hour in our afternoons!

Yeah doesn’t make much sense to me either. But hey I’m done with classes on Wednesday at 5:30 instead of 6:10 that’s a plus. Another thing that doesn’t make much sense though is that the students have to be in their dorms an hour earlier now not just a half hour earlier.

Freshmen are required to be in their classrooms from 6:0opm to 8:20pm. They are released at 8:20 then have 20min to bunker down for the night for lock in at 8:40 with lights out at 9:00pm. Yes, I live on a college campus with a bed time and lights out before most 10year-olds are in bed in the States. There are no loud parties, no drinking and no rowdy students to compete with for sleep around here.

So the sun goes down early but seems to rise even earlier with the sun up and streaming fully into my room by 6am! Boy will I be happy to once again live a properly timed city!

The students on the other hand do not get the same pleasure. They are confined to campus Monday – Friday and not just to campus during their free time. To prevent any possible breakouts, each evening from 7:00 – 9:20pm they are confined to their classroom. They can do what ever they like within the classroom they just have to remain there.

Then once they are released they have 20min to get back to their dorms for lock-up. And I thought a 12:00am apartment curfew was a pain, 9:40, really!?!

Any way to ease some pain I’ve brought my DVD player a few times and let them watch some films. Unfortunately the class across the hall who I also teach found out about movie nights so they want in to now. Not really quite sure off far my one DVD player can stretch. So I’ve come up with a new trick, a class will have to earn movie nights. Oh the power of being a teacher or I should say a foreign teacher with a much coveted DVD PLAYER!!! hahaha.  I think I will see an increase in lets see, homework, class participation oh and what else did I mention to them, ah that’s right practice! I have made the rule that if they are going to watch a movie it must be in English with English subtitles. No CHINESE is a rule I stick to in the classroom, during or after class time.

Bond...James Bond. Casino Royale movie night.

I’ve put off writing this post in hopes that my rage would simmer down some, so now’s as good time as any. As today, 0:06am, is the official National Day of China and the reason I should be enjoying a relaxing week in Beijing, wait I’m sitting at my computer in Weifang, Shandong. So here’s the scope.

Today is October 1st and the 60th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. Talk about a great Happy Birthday, not only do they get amazing fireworks they also get one whole week off for celebrations. Unfortunately, I will not be participating in these festivities. I’m not going to sugar coat it, I was so looking forward to this week. I had plans and dreams of all I wanted to do and see.

This all came to a screeching halt last week with two little words, SWINE FLU! There have been a few, which means no one really knows how many, reported cases in Weifang, so just to be on the safe side our school has joined the ranks of, let’s just shut all the students in and prevent them from going out! I must admit having to work this week really isn’t that bad it is more of the fact that my vacation has been taken away. We all agree that Americans really have a hard time with the statement, ‘You can’t do that’. It is like most things, when told you can’t have it, that is all you want.

We will have today off! But like everything here it comes with a price tag, we have to make up classes on Saturday. Can I just volunteer to work today? I mean really come on we were suppose to have the WEEK off and now we have to make-up the Thursday class. Is anyone else seeing the flaw here?

Actually I have to admit to knowing the reason but to be honest it is so sad I really should just leave it out. I was told that Saturday is the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is a big family festival. To prevent students from going home, to possibly infected areas, school is mandatory on Saturday, with heavy punishments for those caught ditching. Sorry kids we know you want to be with your family and all for this very traditional huge holiday but wouldn’t you rather sit in a poorly ventilated classroom inhaling chalk dust that will most certainly screw up your lungs?

Long story short, I’m still here in Weifang, dreaming of Beijing and Shanghai. Oh and now that the swine flu has hit, most definitely carried over by some horrible westerner I am again viewed as a walking vile of virus! I don’t know if I will ever get use to people covering their mouths and noses when walking past me. I know I’m spiteful, I’ve never denied that, but sometimes I just want to cough at them and really give them something to cover their mouths about.

I found this out in front of the faculty offices and thought it would be fun to post. I’m sorry I wish I knew how to but an X on my apartment but no luck.

It is oriented North top / South bottom so remember I’m on the south end of campus.

Map of campus

Blue – Dorms & Faculty Housing. I’m Building #5 on the south end

White – Classrooms

Green – Recreation Fields

Light Brown – Gardens

Red – Cantina & Shops

I never realized how few classroom buildings there are. You do have to remember they are all at least five stories though, NO ELEVATORS! There is a ton of dorms though. 

I have also discovered students are locked on campus throughout the weekend and may only freely leave Friday evenings through Sunday. Unless of course they are accompanied by a teacher, why do I have a feeling some friends made will have ulterior motives? Or my personal fav, they jump the fence about 20meters down from the gate, no joke I’ve seen it on more than one occasion. Don’t really know what makes the guards turn a blind eye some days because others there is a guard posted at the student’s favorite spot! Oh and why they just don’t card them on the way in I have no idea. Anyone may enter just not leave and let me tell you at the gate they enforce!

So this is my home! Can I just say I love the fact that there is no commuting time and the world’s best dumplings can be found at Cantina #3. (That is the red just north of me.)

So I finally received my schedule today. I taught two classes this week but the full load doesn’t begin until next week! I have to admit I took one look at the class titles and about blew a gasket! Custom and International Freight, what the heck, that was not in the job description neither was Business English for that matter! After  a horrid look of sheer panic I threw at James. He assured me it was all Oral English and what ever topics I wanted to cover were fine. I just needed to get the students to talk and practice their English. Well, that was a relief.  So here it is 12 hours!!

Monday:

• Custom and International Freight 903 — 2:30-4:10pm

Tuesday:

• Business English 902 — 8:00-9:40am

Wednesday

• Custom and International Freight 901 — 8:00-9:40am
• Business English 902 — 2:30-4:10pm
• Custom and International Freight 902 — 4:20-6:00pm

Thursday

• Business English 901 — 10:10-11:50

Friday

• International Business 901 — 8:00-9:40am
• Business English 901 — 2:30-4:10pm

The breakdown is

• 2 Freshman English Classes 2x a week
• 3 Custom and International Freight Classes
• 1 International Business Class

So I really only have to Prepare 3 Lessons each week, 2 for my Freshman Classes and 1 for the other 4!

Freshman Class #2

So let me just give the rundown. I got up early this morning because I was going to Skype home to talk to Auntie before heading to school. After I checked in I decided to get to class early, make a good impression on the students you know. I had planned to have my name on the board and greet the students at the door as they entered.

I arrived 15min early, I had checked out the classroom location last night to avoid confusion this morning. The door was opened to room 105 so I poked my head in, it was full of students. So I stood by the door to let the previous class finish. As I waited there a min I realized there wasn’t a class going on, the students were just conversing. No it was not in English but even when students are speaking a foreign language you can tell the difference between class time and play time.  I poked my head in again and realized there was not a teacher at the podium.

I stepped into the classroom this time and they all fell silent. I asked if this was the 8 o’clock Oral English Class. Suffice it to say I was floored when the response was yes. Come on a Freshman English class that started at 8am had practically a full classroom 15mins prior to the beginning of class! The first thing that ran through my head was either this class is that dedicated, probably not, or as a Foreigner I am suppose to be really good entertainment, crap I didn’t have any comic routine planned.

The first matter of business was the role sheet, yeah that will be on the list of vocabulary to teach. I decided to run up to the offices since I still had a few min. Mind you I was on the first floor and the offices are on the fourth, really people offices on the fourth floor! To make the jog even worse James wasn’t in, I did manage to find an English Teacher who was surprised I had not been given a roll sheet prior. She also cleared up the early class surprise. The students are required to be in their seats 10minutes prior to class, so they are not that dedicated nor was I expected to be that entertaining. This discovered did relieve some stress.

With out a formal roll I just sent around a paper to have them all write their name, to my relief they all had English names already. Wendy had told me if some didn’t have one just to write some names on the board and have them choose. Does that seem anti-climatic to anyone else. I don’t know I just think naming should be a little more labor intensive then picking a random name from the board. Any the names were all over the place. Surprisingly I had no repeats which I truly appreciate.

Some of the names include, Beata, CC, Onnugolla, Cherry, Reamer, and Oscar(she is a girl). After talking to Dantzelle and Adam I have a pretty tame class when it comes to names, Adam had a Metron last year, (Transformers anyone?)

After getting names I did a quick introducation of myself. Eyes difinitely widened when I said I was the 2nd oldest of 5 children. Being from California is always a hit! Thank you Mom & Dad for such a recognizable state! I can proudly say I am from the most popular State in America!! I wear that badge proudly, I never have to explain the location or what California is known for.

Then we did a milling activity, Find someone who… It took some coaxing to get the students out of their seats at first. They are most definitely use to lecture style classes. I will break them of that, our classes are about 2hours long. I teach for 45minutes then we have a 10minute break then a final 45minutes.

I split the semester up into themes covering one theme every two weeks. We went over the plan for the semester and I had all the students copy it into their Notebook. Just to note, getting students to take notes is just as hard in China as it is in the states.

Then we began brainstorming vocabulary for Introductions/Greetings. I’m hoping once we get into a routine more students will volunteer, I always feel guilty when I have to call out names because I tend to call out the students whose name I remember the best. I did get them paired and talking for a few minutes before I dismissed for the morning.

When the time was up I thanked them for a good class and dismissed them. No one moved. So I turned my back to begin erasing the board and only a few students made for the door. Okay odd, in the States there would be a mad rush for the door regardless of lesson. I asked the students what they did to signal the end of a lesson. They waved their hands and said Good-Bye. Then it finally dawned on me they stayed in the same classroom and the teachers came to them.

This morning was Freshman Class #2. I discovered all these students are in the same major, Applied English. They will be a family for the next three years. They have all the same classes together and their roommates are from this group. I am excited to teach the Freshman as they are adjusting to new surroundings and have no expectations for me.

Overall I feel the day went well. I was not nervous once I got going and the class was respectful for the most part. There will always be the boys in the back who talk excessively, and everyone says girls are the talkers. Just because they are not discussing the latest fashion trends or their latest shopping spree doesn’t mean boys can’t find something to talk about.

Thursday I have the Freshman Class #1. The great thing about this year I can prepare one lesson and teach it twice. I will make it this year and better still I am going to enjoy every min of it!

If the only reason I keep this blog is to reflect on all my blessings that would be enough.

Carol and Yolanda

Last night as I was preparing for my first class I ran into two of my students. I had gone to the English office to make copies of an activity and two students recognized me as their English, I was informed today that there is a picture of me and a small bio on the school website, this is the first I’m hearing of it too. I’m still piecing together from students what it says. Any way these girls recognized me and asked about my dinner plans. To be honest I once again put off all eating plans until my stomach growls so no plans had yet been formulated.

Yolanda (I would not discover her English name until class today) asked if I would  join her an Carol at the student dining hall. I said I needed to run over to my apartment and pick up my dining card. She insisted that it was her invitation.

You could tell she was thrilled to be the first student to bring the Foreigner to Dinner. So I took a seat and she brought over my dinner. Mind you I was completely relieved to see her carry over rice and stir fry. The Chopsticks made my heart falter a bit. It is one thing to mess up in the Teacher’s Dining Hall but in the students, come on I am suppose to be gaining these guys respect not looking like a complete fool. Needless to say I still needed pointers from Yolanda through out the meal.

I was blown away by the students kind gesture for dinner. They apologized for the small dinner but I was thrilled just to share a meal with someone.  They were surprisingly chatty during the meal and a few other students came by the table and introduced themselves. They all insisted they want to be my friend this year. So I will no longer have to worry about being alone.

The Lord has always filled my life with people who always show up at just the right moment. I needed a dinner invitation more than anything else yesterday. I had been stressing about class today and just knowing two faces this morning made all the difference!