Teaching and Living in China

From Linda

Teaching: On Friday, I'm looking forward to the Trainers joining my classroom to discuss the secrets to a happy marriage and relationship for Valentine's Day. We'll also teach the students some songs. I already know they have beautiful sweet voices because they sang "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" and "Amazing Grace" today.

In this photo, Jonathan guides the students in reading about the oceanliner Titanic from a textbook. I was able to eat lunch with Jane who is also an English teacher in China (see slideshow of photos.)

Living: We're all enjoying our accommodations, food, and fellowship. You can see a photo of my room in China, but in this picture Justin, Nathan, and Katy ate with some students Thursday at a hot pot restaurant.

Justin descirbes the restaurant as a place "where you cook meat and stuff (and I mean stuff) in a boiling cauldron set into your table and then eat out of it with chopsticks. We had cow stomach, chicken stomach, and pig throat. It was honestly some of the best food I've ever had."

We're planning to visit the Panda Zoo on Saturday. Despite record rainfalls and flooding deaths in our province, we're fine :-)

Today's slideshow: When the slideshow starts, run your cursor over it to reveal the comment bubble; select this icon to view captions.

Interactions and Opening Ceremonies

From Justin: Monday morning was the opening ceremony for the English classes. The college president and vice president gave speeches. Then Mr. Trainer adressed everyone and expressed our gratitude for the opportunity to come and teach.

We all plowed through our first day of teaching and, after feeling inadequate, have begun to adjust and plan for tomorrow and the coming weeks. Eric and I have a class filled with people who teach English on the college level! Time to step it up.

We've already met several friends! In this picture, Brian, Sherry, and Katy talk with Salina and Sailing. Many other students are already eager to spend time with us.

I have a student in my class who is very friendly. His self-appointed English name (which he had long before I came) is "Michael Scofield" because he loves Prison Break. Anyway, he is getting together with me and Eric to shoot some hoops tomorrow (Tuesday). He lives in the same dorm that we do along with many of our students, so we should be able to spend a lot of time together.

Today's Slideshow: Click the comment bubble in the bottom left-corner of the slideshow to see captions.

First Day

Our first day teaching began with gray skies and rainy drizzle, but the mood was upbeat as we found our classrooms and began to teach conversational English to Chinese students of all ages. So far, so good! Several members of Team China took the challenge of teaching Chinese English teachers, some of whom are old enough to be their parents! Another dynamic duo had the challenge of teaching students ranging from age 13 to 25. Nevertheless, everyone rose to the challenge and did well. One day down--fourteen more to go!

Keep us in your thoughts! Thanks!

Pictures From Flight and First Look at China