first day of classes

Yesterday nothing really special happened. Sara and I were able to take a 2 hour nap which felt so nice and then we went out on the “town” by ourselves to explore. After walking around for about an hour in all different directions trying to find SOMETHING, we called Orange and she sent us a text message to give to a taxi driver that would take us to a shopping place. We took a taxi all by ourselves which made us feel very successful. The place we went had a lot of clothes stores and it was fun to shop. We got bombarded by 3 silly teenage girls who kept telling us we were beautiful, and would ramble on in Chinese and then translate it into “You are beautiful! I love you!” They took a picture with us and then took a really close up picture of my sweaty face which I’m sure looked lovely. My favorite part of the night was when we passed a group of really little kids sitting in a circle on the sidewalk. They were all staring at us walk by. I waved and as soon as I did that they all yelled at the same time, “Hellooo!!!” haha and giggled and waved and they were just so cute. Other than that though, we just get stared at like we are freaks. In Beijing it was so fun because EVERYONE wanted to take pictures with us and would run up to us and basically we felt like really famous movie stars. Here people just stare and rarely ever smile when we smile and wave. But the people that do get somewhat excited to see us make our day. J

Today was the first day of classes for our school. We came thinking we were going to observe classes and be able to plan for our own lessons (like we were told we would be doing). Little did we know that when we got here we would get our schedule of class times and have to throw something together in two hours. Sara ended up not having to teach all day but I had one class. It was first graders. And it was terrible. So so terrible. I can’t even describe to you how terrible. It was so bad. They don’t speak any English except for hello. Seriously that is it. There is an English teacher that is helping me to translate and stuff when I need it and she can hardly understand English as well. The kids are so little and have absolutely no attention span at all. I got to class with a lesson plan and since the other English teacher didn’t understand what coloring meant my activity didn’t work and I was through with what I had planned in 10 minutes. For the next 35 minutes we just repeated what we did and it was so bad. I don’t know how to work with such little kids. Everything I planned (and I had a lot planned) was for middle school kids. These kids don’t know any English and have no desire to learn it. I don’t know what to do. Jacob warned us our first lesson would be discouraging but this was way more discouraging than anyone could have warned. I can’t teach 1^st graders! It is one thing when they speak your language, but they don’t understand me and it is just terrible! I can’t do this. However, even though the lesson was terrible the kids are so adorable.

It was so bad. I just really wish I was teaching middle school like I was told I would be. Middle School kids are so adorable here and know at least basic English and so it is really fun to talk to them and teach them more because they understand. This is hard. Although why would it be easy? 1^st graders are so cute. They are adorable. But it definitely is the hardest grade I could have possibly been put with… at least it’s not kindergarten! J

I am definitely not the type of person who does stuff by the “seat of my pants”. I like to plan and be prepared for things. I like to know plans well in advance. Being spontaneous just isn’t my favorite kind of thing. In the Chinese culture though, NOTHING is planned. Orange will usually let us know 30 minutes ahead of time if we are doing something, which is considered well in advance here. There is no such thing as “planning your week” like I am so used to doing. It is almost as if everyone just assumes you know what’s happening even though you haven’t been told. I actually miss having life be redundant sometimes! So when I told Sara I was looking forward to having an apartment and school starting to get some sort of redundancy in my life again she said, “I honestly don’t think that will ever happen here.” There is no sort of set schedule, nothing. We could teach one class at 9:40 one day and teach the same one at 1:30 the next day without even knowing until 2 minutes before. We do have a class schedule, but who knows how often they will follow it. For example, Sara was supposed to teach 3 classes today and didn’t teach any! And I taught the only one I had. As usual Jacob did warn us about this, but it really is way more than we were expecting. I’m sure the first day of school had a lot of play in this though, but we are planning on everyday being like this so that we can hopefully be pleasantly surprised. J

This is such a crazy adventure!!!!!

We just moved into our apartment! And do you want to know the first thing that happened? We went into our rooms and started unpacking our mattresses (which can be folded up like a blanket by the way, that’s how little they are… haha) when not even ten seconds later Sara comes running into my room saying a roach just crawled out of her mattress when she was unpacking and she didn’t know what to do. So she told me to come and see. Little did she know that no. I do not look at roaches ever if there is a way to avoid it. So we are freaking out basically and one of the Chinese men who was helping put the furniture in our rooms I guess figured something was wrong so he went into her room with scissors and grabbed it with the scissors and I think he threw it out the window or chopped it to pieces or something. Then one of the Chinese men put this burning flame thing in our rooms that supposedly gets rid of all bugs and everything. That really didn’t help me calm down too much. So our adventure of our apartment began and I haven’t been able to leave Sara’s side since. We all went to dinner and when we came back we had to use a flash light to get up the stairs (because the lights in the stairwell don’t work) where we met another roach. And so then we got to our rooms and right by my door were two roaches mating. Yes. Sara said, “I feel like we are in some sort of weird horror movie or something.” So I am sleeping with Sara tonight. Our apartment is newly built and we didn’t think we would have a problem with this! But Orange says she thinks it is because we are right over the cafeteria. Of course this would happen. So Sara and me started getting ready for bed (actually she started unpacking and I just sat on her bed too scared to move) and Orange knocked on our door. She was with Mr Chung. Mr Chung is one of the teachers here who helped put together our apartments and had gone to the store and got us flashlights for emergencies, and also got us air fresheners, toilet bowl cleaners, and lots of Raid. I hope Raid works. It was so kind of him! Seriously Chinese people are so kind all the time. They are just so thoughtful. So we sprayed my room and the kitchen and living room tonight with Raid, and we will do Sara’s room tomorrow and sleep in my room. I might have to put more in my room though. They were having me spray it myself at first but then Mr Chung took over, I think because I was seriously drenching my room with the stuff. Haha. Plus Mr Chung is a gentleman. He sprayed everywhere and it was just so kind everything he did for us! So basically today has by far been the worst day in China so far. Roaches are scary. And teaching is scary. That’s all.

But on the bright side, our apartment is ADORABLE!!!!! I will send pictures soon when we get it super clean and cute and hopefully roach free.

I really miss Grandma and Popi a lot. So whoever talks to them next tell them I love them please. J

I miss you all.