Rockstar, Guanxi, and Beijing!

My primary school is a reverent joy!  I love walking through the gates and being followed by children shouting hello!  Now my students will accost me to show me their newest toys.  Like China's version of the hacky sack!  I think it is called Jiangzi or something.  I will have to ask yet again!  But you kick it around, the students were thrusting their Jiangzi's at me and asking me to do it.  When I kicked it I invariably was unable to kick it more than once.  They would say.  "Two times.. Two times"  I managed to fight my way out of the circle of them, saying I had to go.  Then I worked my way up the stairs, getting accosted at each floor with "hello" "What is your name?"  and various toys being shown to me.  Then I made it to class, taught my 'ly' adverbs lesson.  On the way out I met my friend Sarah, but realized I had forgotten my water bottle so I had to walk back through the school.  The kids were following us singing "What is your name? A B C D..."  it was intensely adorable and enjoyable.

Then we were joined by the other Sarah.  As we split up to go our separate ways, I shut the door and realized with horror that I did not have my keys.  So I call Teresa no answer, called Michaela she told me to call my liaison, so I called Sunny no answer.  So I look at my phone and decide to call Ms. Chan.  Ms. Chan doesn't speak any English.  So I call her up, at 1:15.  Which is in the middle of the siesta time, she sleepily answered..
"Wei?" (hello?)
"Zhe shi Patty, wo wang wo de yaoshi"  (This is Patty, I forgot my key)
"oh Patty.... *something something* ni de yaoshi?  *something something* liang dian, hao ah?"  (your key? 2:00, ok?)
"Liang Dian, hao ba!"  (2:00 ok!)

So I wandered off to the soccer field to see my friend Wayne.  Wayne showed me around the Orange Isle Music Festival, and helped me buy a beer.  Before I remembered that he was a student at my school!  But he had invited me to watch a game.  It turns out this game was Yi Zhong (my school) versus Yali (another school).  It was a fairly legit game.  There was a student who was acting as Ref, no one had on uniforms besides their school uniforms.  And it was really fun to watch the game unfold.  Cheering when we scored.  Clapping when someone on the Yali team managed to score a goal from the kick off.  He sent is flying straight into the goal. It was impressive!  The game ended at 2, when it was time to go back to class.  Because of the bad weather the 2nd day of Sports day was canceled so I didn't have to run at 2.  Like I was supposed to!  But I was a little sad.

So with the game over I headed back to my house to wait for Ms. Chen.  I was sitting in front of my door when my neighbor came out.  This is the same neighbor that I gave a giant watermelon to on Mid-Autumn Festival.  She saw me and immediately understood.  She said "Ni de yaoshi?"  I nodded sadly and pointed at the door.  She smiled and pulled out her cellphone. And called someone.  I could understand the gist of her conversation which was something along the lines of. "The foreign teacher is locked out.. oh you are coming.  Ok."  Then she invited me into her extremely nice apartment, gave me tea and a pear!  We chatted a bit, in broken English and Chinese.  Ms. Chen showed up to open the door just as my liaison called me back.  I thanked everyone, and went into my house.  I can't imagine being locked out of my house could be so nice.  I finally know my neighbor's name.  Peng Jiang (I think...).  She is a teacher at Yi Zhong.  My goal of being friends with my neighbors doesn't not seem so distant now!

As I think of my trip to Beijing I am reminded of a list of people that I want to get presents for:  Mr. Gao (the vp of Yi Zhong) who gave me 500 yuan for national day, Ms. Chen, Sunny, Momo, Peng jiang, Lucy Yi, Pan, and Amanda.  All these people make my life a bit easier and make me feel welcome everyday.  As I watch the torrential rain, I can't help but be thankful that Beijing is far away from Changsha.

HAPPY NATIONAL DAY!  I am hearing the fireworks already!

Crazy Spin Class and Sports Day

I bought a gym membership about 2 weeks ago.  799Yuan for 10 months, roughly $13 a month!  Not bad right?  They have a hip hop dance class, yoga class, belly dancing, spin class and of course a sauna.  Which I have ever intention of using in the winter.  But I still hadn't been to the gym once, they actually called me to ask if I would be coming, talk about pressure.  But Teresa and Marilyn were planning on going to spin class, I figured "eh why not, I don't want to lose my biking muscles."  So I went to the gym, I was completely unprepared for the disco extravaganza that awaited me.  I walked into the spin room, and had to bother the teacher to adjust a seat for me, all the bikes were so short!!  Then when the class was ready to start the lights went down and the blue Christmas lights started to flash in time with the pounding techno.  Our crazy Chinese instructor was bouncing up and down on her bike so energetic.  I will totally admit I could not keep up!  But I made it through class!  It was really really fun!  My favorite was for the fast portion she played a techno version of the William Tell Overture.  That kept going faster and faster.  I have never sweat so much in my life!  Fantastic class, made all the better by the mango smoothie afterwards.

I woke up the next day refreshed and ready for Sports Day!  My classes have been canceled for the next two days!  While the students do a giant track meet, all the Senior 1 classes will be competing against each other.  The Senior 2s will be competing against the other Senior 2 classes.  The Senior 3s are a part of the opening ceremony but they have to study for their Gao Kao!  So I woke up early and hit the track at 7:30 watching all the students get lined up!  It was impressive.  There are somewhere between 3,000 to 4,000 students at Yi Zhong!  Once the ceremony got started I was blown away, each class marched in lines past the platform where the administrators sat.  They marched in military form, all of the students wearing matching outfits.  Either their uniforms or a class shirt or sweatshirt!

Misty's class are holding flowers in the front, flags in the back

I cannot begin to describe how crazy this was, my classes when they walked past me would sneak in a wave here or there.  They then walked out on the soccer field and lined up.  Each of the 22 Senior 1 classes, the 21 Senior 2 classes and the 19 Senior 3 classes marched by.  Even though I did not know the Senior 2's they were really fun to watch as some of the classes had a class shirt.  One class all wore plaid shirts even the head teacher!  I have to say one of the things I like about the school here in China is the way they build team work by giving students one class that is their's for the whole time they are at the school.  So the classes get very close.  Misty (one of the head teachers and an English Teacher) came and stood by me.  She helped to translate some of the banners.  She proudly pointed out that her students were special.  They were holding some of the flags and flowers, instead of marching as a class.  There was another class with hers that had this honor.  Once all the of the classes had gone by they lined up on the field.  I have never seen anything that impressed me more.  Each Senior 1 class had a red flag with their class number on it, each Senior 2 class had a yellow flag with their class number on it, and each Senior 3 class had a blue flag with their class number on it.  Misty and I were laughing at the differences in attitude between the classes.  The nervous energy of the Senior 1s was palpable, they cared. They really tried to march in step, the Senior 2s were more ambivalent, a few classes were very proud and took this very seriously.  Finally the Senior 3s who did not care as they weren't allowed to race anyways!  A bit cruel making them be a part of the opening ceremony.  But once that was done, and some speeches were given the students parted to clear a spot on the field.  Then the students with swords did a demonstration of their karate, it was amazing.  Then a dance group took the field, they looked way to old to be students here, but they did some amazing hip hop.  Then everything dissolved and students went and found a place to sit.  For each event each class has one runner.  So many students get to hang out today and do nothing!  It was wonderful to see my students relaxing and taking a break for once.  Even the teachers were relaxing!  Amanda, the English Teacher who aided me in getting tickets to Beijing brought her youngest.

Misty, me and Amanda

I walked around saw my students, took hundreds of pictures!  It was nice to see so many happy people!  The students get two days for sports day and then a week off for National Week!  October 1st is China's version of the 4th of July!  After a lunch break I taught some students to throw a frisbee and taught them the basics of Ultimate!  They enjoyed it.  The second half of sports day was slightly muted by the arrival of some mist and light sprinkling.  Tomorrow I teach at my primary school in the morning, and then come back to run a teacher relay race tomorrow!!  Wish me Luck!

Teaching is my Life

I had a thought a last night as I sat grading papers in my pjs.  I am a born teacher, when am I happiest when my students understand what I am trying to say and what I am trying to teach.  Teaching seniors it is fun to see them light up when I tell them about students in America, and asking them what they think only to have them respond with something that is way more advanced than I am expecting.  Teaching primary is fun because everything is new and exciting.  You show them blue and they get really excited.  But really, moving here and teaching I could not be happier! I am mostly writing this so when I have a day where China is kicking my ass I will look back and remember!

Sports are an International Language

For those of you who are thinking of possibly moving to another country for a period of time, I recommend you pick up a sport!  Basketball, Soccer, Frisbee or something.  I have met so many people by just kicking around a ball on the field.  Or asking students if I can throw their basketball!  Today was a sports heavy day and it has given me the resolve to do something active everyday!  I feel so much more alive after I have been moving around!  Saturday was me grading, all day!  Going to get train tickets with a friend, and then grading!  I was so low energy and just down it was hard to motivate!  The next day I slept in and worked on my grades a bit more, then got my but together to go out to the field an hour before soccer was to start.  I was mostly looking for food, but I brought my frisbee!  I ate some spicy fried cauliflower!  Which was amazing!

Teresa's Frisbee Team's Captain Reddick

Teresa's Frisbee Friends!

But then I started wandering around, I tossed the frisbee with some students from my class before they ran off to lunch.  Then I shot some hoops with other students, then P Squat and I tossed the frisbee.  Two guys joined us and we taught them how to toss a frisbee.  Frisbee is not a common thing here I guess, no one seems to know how to throw it.  Except for Teresa's Frisbee crowd, who are oh so much fun!  And I love running into them around town.  But them Michaela, Roo, P Squat and I settled in to do some drills.  People were watching but wouldn't join.  So after a bit, Roo and I ran over and started a game with some of the soccer players at Yi Zhong!  Good fun was had by all.  I returned to work, with a fresh mind and hammered out one whole lesson plan and my power point!  Then I went back out to the field, met a man Liu Zhang (who I think is a teacher or possibly a soccer coach at Yi Zhong)  who kicked the ball around with me.  We were ganged by a group of adorable boys (around 7 to 10), who joined us and we played keep away and took turns taking shots.  Although this was fun I am worried I have put my self in a situation.  Liu said he wants to treat me to food next time we play!  So we will see what happens!

But the long of the short is, play sports.  Meet people!  It is fun, good for you and you don't need to communicate that well to understand they want to play!

I'm not in America Anymore

Obviously I am no longer in America, but living in a big city it is so easy to have a similar enough lifestyle that sometimes I forget.  Then I hear someone saying "Waiguoren" and I remember.  But today at my primary school I definitely remembered I was not in America anymore.  I woke up late chugged some green tea to give me a kick and then went to school.  I walked past the children doing PE.  Which is a story in and of it's self.  Then I went to my office to drop stuff off before going back downstairs to go to the bathroom.  I was told to bring my stuff because the office wasn't safe.. so so much for that.

These are the bathrooms at Yi Zhong but similar design to the ones at the primary school.  No doors, medium sized walls separating you from the other people in the bathroom as you squat above a trench that is flushed with water.  So the bathrooms at the primary school are similar.  I rushed to the bathroom trying to make it to the bathroom before PE ended and all the students would go.  I was going pee and I heard voices and sure enough a group of my students streamed in and said "Hello Patty."  Each one of them eagerly greeting me, as my face no doubt became redder and redder!  But eventually I managed to slip out of the toilet and head back up to my office before having to go face some of the same students.  Luckily, I don't recognize them yet.
But as if to make it up to me, the universe gave me a present, when I was leaving school at lunch time.  I was escorted down the street by some of my students who kept saying "Hello Patty", and then saying in Chinese "Oh you are so tall!"

On another note, PE in china is interesting.  They line up all the students and they do counted out exercises.  At Yizhong the students take up the soccer field, basketball courts, and two of the walkways.  The loud speaker barks out "Yi Er San Si Wu Liu Qi Ba, Er Er San Si Wu Liu Qi Ba, San Er San Si Wu Liu Qi Ba..."  All the students move in time, or as close to in time as they can get.  It is really quite amusing to picture American teens ever doing anything like this.  Just to put this in perspective here is a picture of the soccer field, behind that line of trees there are basketball courts that also have students lined up!  There are only 3 grades at the school, Gao 1, Gao 2 and Gao 3.  Gao 1 are sophomores in high school, Gao 2 are juniors and Gao 3 are seniors.

China I just Guanxi-ed you!

It has been a stressful week, everyone I told I was interested in going to Beijing, gave a sharp intake of breath and shook their head.  Tales of tickets being sold out even if you are the first to the window the day the go on sale... danced in my head.  The problem because worse the next day when I received a phone call from a friend who had to buy standing tickets!  13 hrs worth of standing... I cannot imagine.  I was afraid that would be me.  So I walked to find my liaison to ask for her help, she was gone, Teresa wasn't in yet.  So I turned to the English office.  I walked in and asked where I go to buy tickets.  When I explained where I was going I got the same sharp intake of breath and a shake of the head.

"The tickets are all sold"
"But they don't go on sale until tomo..."  I didn't even finish, they gave me a look.  I just smiled.  "Oh they don't go on sale officially"  They nodded.  Then Amanda asked me when I wanted to go, and how many tickets I needed.  And she called her friends and managed to find me 5 soft-sleeper tickets.  I wanted hard sleeper (because it is cheaper)  but I wasn't going to turn down any ticket that kept me from standing.  Tomorrow I pay her and get my tickets!  Now I need to do something very nice for her!  To thank her for helping me out!

Number Two Primary School!

Welcome American teach Patricia to our school!  Is what the full sign says.  I rolled out of bed at 6am and got myself all ready to go to the primary school for the first day today.  The opening ceremony where I was supposed to talk in front of the whole school was canceled due the the rain.  So I just spoke in front of the 6th graders I am going to teach.  They are all so cute!  Lucy, one of the English teachers came and picked me up from Yi Zhong and walked me there.  I love the school it is cute and it is one of the few elementary schools that does not have any dorms for students!  I gave a small speech, that consisted of my name, where I was from and that I was happy to be here.  Lucy didn't need to translate most of it.  Then the Head Mistress got up and spoke, she does not speak any English so this will be an interesting year.  I am the first foreign teacher this school has ever had, so no pressure or anything to be amazing!

Then I was given a tour and was allowed to take pictures of the classes that were going on.  The first graders in music class were so precious I could have sat there all day.  But Lucy was ready to get going.

The school is very interesting.  It is associated with the #1 Normal University of Hunan, where Maozedong went to school.  So on every floor there is a picture of Mao in various stages of his life with famous quotes. For example, "In being modest we move forward, with pride we do not progress"  (a bad translation on my part but you get the gist).  This school is also associated with Yi Zhong's rival school that apparently stole some students, so perhaps I am teaching at this primary school to help recruit for Yi Zhong?  Who knows!  Who cares.  The kids are cute.

So I went back home after my tour and finished up my plan for the day.  I left early and bought some oranges for the other teachers.  But forgot my poster with the rules so I wouldn't have write them.  Then my computer wouldn't hook up, so the power point I had stayed up late writing was useless.  But I managed to pull off an amusing lesson that I think all of the children understood.  Although one child has taken to hiding under his desk when I walk around so I won't call on him.  I feel terrible and have no idea what to do!  I will see if I can coax him out by speaking to him in Chinese.  Oh and here is the kicker, his name is Sam!