Its been a while since my first blog(sorry to some of you who got this in the form of an email already), so I figured its time for a new one..
My job is still going well, my children are gorgeous, as you will see from the pictures. Considering I came to this job with no experience of teaching before, I wasn't really sure how I would take to it, but I'm loving it. I was also unsure how good I was at it, but I had my first monthly review with the Kindergarten principal last week and she said she was very pleased with my work! So that was a huge relief.
I had a week off at the begining of the month for China's national holiday. A group of us teachers went to Beijing for 5 night. It was interesting, eight very different personalities in a confined space.. while it had its fun times, I've decided to do my next adventure on my own. Beijing was beautiful! Much nicer than I remember it from last time. A couple of Chinese people did tell me that it was mostly in honour of the holiday and the fact that they were having televised celebrations, but I was okay with that! Also, because of these celebrations Tiananmen Square was closed off to tourists for the fisrt few days we were there. Luckily it reopened to us in time for me to see a flag raising ceremony at 5.30am.
I went back to Beihai Park, which I fell in love with last time I was here and it was even more beautiful this time! I also went up that big wall thing, you may have heard of it... That was amazing as well, the weather was perfect, the skies were clear(this was because the government had shot rockets of dry ice into the skies to clear it, so everyone would have nice weather, and be able to see the fireworks[incidenty, it was reputed that China spent over 10 million on all of this years celebrations, because it was the big 6-0 anniversary for them becoming the Peoples Republic, and because it cost so much they probably won't do it again ever.. but thats neither here nor there!]). The shopping was phenominal! I found a mall with 5 levels of shoes, bags, jewellery and clothes that I went mental in... haggled like a fiend!
Coming back to Wuhan was a little depressing! Despite being such a huge city, its not particularly Western, which is good and bad. Good beacuse it means everything is CRAZY cheap (cocktails are $3, a big meal will cost no more than $2 if you know the right places, and hour long taxi ride is $10). Its not so good because it means I can't buy anything that fits my giant frame and feet, no menu's are in English and hardly anyones English is more extensive than 'hallo!'... this can be very frustrating at times, particularly at 3am after a bellyfull of beer and you realised you left your notepad with your address in Chinese symbols at home (turns out its true that saying it louder doesn't make it easier to understand).
Having said that, I am picking up the language pretty well. Luckily, this academic year the Chinese Government have instigated free Chinese lessons for any foreign English teacher who want to take them, which I started last week, they're going really well so far. Its expanding my vocab past 'i want that' and '3 beers', as well as teaching me the tones, which is the hardest part of the language. If my skills are anything like the teachers who have stayed on this year, by the end of my year, I'll be a happy woman!
This week at school, a couple of the students in one of my classes have caught hand, foot and mouth disease which means that all of their classes have been suspended for this week... This means I have my other class for two hours in the morning and then its home time! Such a hard life!
I hope you are all well and please feel free to write back to me with news from home! I'd say I'm missing you all, but I'm far too busy for that, ;)
All my love, Katie in China. xxxxx
