Well iv had to write this in a hurry as the school is closed and i have to leave but i want to get a few things down first. so ignore all the spelling mistakes
I have had a few questions from different people so i will try and answer them now.
My eldest class Kinder Garten has two disabled students in the class... or maby three. one death, one who cannot speak or read or react to almost anything, and the last that im unsure of, he doesn't get on with the other kids and spends most his time hiding behind a piano, refusing to join in the lessons.
My middle class, Pre Kinder Garten. is relatively normal but they haven figured out they are meant to learn things, they just scream and shout and run around, it is very difficult to teach this class.
My youngest class. the Nursery class. 3 bright students, 1 very disruptive student and the rest should not really be getting forced to learn any thing, they are way to young. some can barley walk. The bright students one is a bit to intelligent and after joining the class for 5 mins she knows all the words and drifts off. which is under standible.
My flat.
I now have a hot shower and with no leaks in sight this could be quite a good set up. i have had to clean out the kitchen sink as a terrible smell started to radiate from it, i took the whole thing apart, empties the ubends and washed out all the pipework that was visible (thanks Allen) now it no longer smells (big thumbs up)
My book.
The book i was writing i have decided to scrap. with different people saying different things i think i will go with the crowds voice and stop. thanks anyway people.
The police have followed me home and asked for my registration documents. to which i phoned up a my boss and he solved the problem. the police have since left me alone.
a shop that u use for buying small things. cigarettes and bottles of water and things seem to have employed an English speaking girl in the last week. her english is very good indeed, but still lacks imagination.
my written language is coming on leaps and bounds, i can now see the odd symble that i know on most signs, even if it water or work or small. as long as i can read it i feel quite proud.
My local shop that sold chicken burgers has closed down and a massage thing has opend up. will explore next weekend and let you know how things go.
Private work.
i had a communication from Tiger, asking if i could teach his family oral English, i have refused this as it would be a breach of contract and take up hours of my day that i don't really want to sacrifice as i have enough money to survive as it is.
Dentist.
Well it has come again, as i though it would, the time when i have a pain in my tooth, after prodding it once with a tooth pick i was dismayed to see the end of the tooth pick covered with blood, it seems i have a cavity near the front of the top right side of my mouth, just passed the canine tooth inbetwen the first two moulers.
Bloody painful.
My head acks have all but subsided, i am pretty sure it was spending to much time infornt of the laptop.
The hospital.
When i went to the hospital to get checked out for my head acks, first liyang went and paid then i was directed up the the baby section to the only english speaking staff member in the hospital, this was fine, then i was taken to another office then to a nother office in which it was Finlay decided that i was dehydrated, they gave me a load of pills (well not exactly true, they sold me a load of pills, told me to take 4 three times a day, if i was not better after 4 days to come back. they sold me 80 pills... the math doesn't quite add up..), told me to drink plenty of water. and sleep. i started to feel better and watch a dvd on my laptop, then the headache returned with avangents. this is how i came to the conclusion of the laptop hurting me.. i cannot wait to see the dentist :-) should be so much fun.. i hear they very rearly use anaesthetic so i pray that they just use a bit of glue, and cover over the problem.
ok thats tha lot this time.
speak soon
mark
Showing posts with label Hebei. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hebei. Show all posts
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Friday, 27 March 2009
The new language
i am no longer gaining ground on what chinese language i know.. in fact as i know i have forgoten some you might say i am going backwords.. however, as my words that i use do not increas my ability to read and write is improving rapidly by Liyangs mother who watchs over me and liyang, she made sure i learnt the words befor writing doing in charictors, "you (pluraly, me and liyang) must learn in order to have future" or almost that, direct translation is not easy as it dosnt make sence (right dad?)
todays words that i must be able to read/write in pinyin and charictors, and say perfectly by the end of the day test are, small , big, water, fire, work, up, down.. and i must be able to write in Pin Yin and say= Must, Hill, Learn.
i was abit unsure when liyangs mother first came, but now i am happy that she is here. liyang is learning alot of english while i am at work and has far more words to learn each day than me.
Also the exelant food that is cooked each day is really doing me good. i am sure i havenever eaten this much befor in my life,, think i am putting on a little weight.
i have even gotten used to my bed on the sofa.. i am finding writing the chinese charictors a lot easyer than writing english, it seems to me that my writing is neater (as it has to be or you could say something incorrect) than it is in my native hand.
I have all but given up on the chinese classes provided by the school as it costs way to much to get to them for the two hour lesson, it would be cheaper to hire a private tutor near me than to go to TTLV and take the lesson. it costs me 80 rmb for a return trip to TTLV. stupidly expensive.
any way im off to learn some more of this new mirical, my ability to write neatly. bye for now
todays words that i must be able to read/write in pinyin and charictors, and say perfectly by the end of the day test are, small , big, water, fire, work, up, down.. and i must be able to write in Pin Yin and say= Must, Hill, Learn.
i was abit unsure when liyangs mother first came, but now i am happy that she is here. liyang is learning alot of english while i am at work and has far more words to learn each day than me.
Also the exelant food that is cooked each day is really doing me good. i am sure i havenever eaten this much befor in my life,, think i am putting on a little weight.
i have even gotten used to my bed on the sofa.. i am finding writing the chinese charictors a lot easyer than writing english, it seems to me that my writing is neater (as it has to be or you could say something incorrect) than it is in my native hand.
I have all but given up on the chinese classes provided by the school as it costs way to much to get to them for the two hour lesson, it would be cheaper to hire a private tutor near me than to go to TTLV and take the lesson. it costs me 80 rmb for a return trip to TTLV. stupidly expensive.
any way im off to learn some more of this new mirical, my ability to write neatly. bye for now
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
25 of march, paul requested some photos here they are.
some words that i have to teach the 2-3 year old class....
And liyang and here mother cooking... (her mother has come up for a few days, meaning i have to sleep on the sofa or the rock hard spare bed, i choose the sofa.) and the othere photo is just one of the experiments i have started to do with my phone.
a teacher i get on with well.
At the end of the day,, when all the othere classes parents had come and the crying had subsided from the happy children, Tao Tao was left in front of the tv. She seemed resigned to the fact her mother was not there, every othere child crys regardles of parents being here(happy) or not (very very very sad) tao tao just sit's in silents... looked very adult to me.
Parking skills need to be improved
As requested by paul... here is a photo of me.
You could say living here has slightly changed my appearance
Any one fancie a quicke???
This is the burger i talked about in a previouse post... not exactly what is said on the packaging....
and lastly another photo i like......
well thats it for me.. i will now cheack my emails and go home and eat. read and then sleep... ooo i love my lunch breaks.. 5 and 1/2 hours of lunching and messingf around. bye for now
And liyang and here mother cooking... (her mother has come up for a few days, meaning i have to sleep on the sofa or the rock hard spare bed, i choose the sofa.) and the othere photo is just one of the experiments i have started to do with my phone.
a teacher i get on with well.
At the end of the day,, when all the othere classes parents had come and the crying had subsided from the happy children, Tao Tao was left in front of the tv. She seemed resigned to the fact her mother was not there, every othere child crys regardles of parents being here(happy) or not (very very very sad) tao tao just sit's in silents... looked very adult to me.
Parking skills need to be improved
As requested by paul... here is a photo of me.
You could say living here has slightly changed my appearance
Any one fancie a quicke???
This is the burger i talked about in a previouse post... not exactly what is said on the packaging....
and lastly another photo i like......
well thats it for me.. i will now cheack my emails and go home and eat. read and then sleep... ooo i love my lunch breaks.. 5 and 1/2 hours of lunching and messingf around. bye for now
Sunday, 22 March 2009
23 of the 3rd
hello every one.
I have had my computer fixed at work. so here i am . 12:16 at the computer in a other wise empty room.
i had a bit of a cold but that has gone now and i didnt feel like going to the internet cafe this weekend to update this blog.... no excuse just lazyness.
out side my appartment they have demolished the side of a building and the stairs to it, (i think it was the fire escape) and a wall about 70-80meters long and rebuilt it with guard house and electric gate (like you get in car parks in england) and a more substantual gate they pull across the entrance/ exit at night. all in the space of 3 days. they also took off all the old moter around the thousands of bricks that were in the old wall and stacked them neatly on the back of different pick up trucks (yes they recycle thoses bricks). it all looks very nice now.
my chinese is coming on slowly but surely. i am sure i have forgotten words that i first learned but i only remember that i have forgotten them when i try and remmember them to use them. (still following?)(....)(good)
i see i have a few registered followers now.. very good. and to the non registered people.. shame on you.!
i have gotten used to the food but no to the way of thinking... i was in the supermarket earliyer with liyang, she was reading a hand out, i picked it out of her hand and she stopped and looked at me.. said "1.....2"..
i finnished of with "3"
she turned around and walked off.. i shouted after her but to no avail. i walked round the supermarket with the empty trolly for a few mins then got rid of the trolly and walked out, i tryed to phone her and she canceld the call on me. then after a while she called me. and said "where are you"
"outside"
"awwt.......side... wo bu zuodao" (i not know) "ni... you go house"
"i go computer. ok?" i knew she knew this one.
"ok bye" beep beep beep
by her tone i dont think she is annoyed with me its just the way the chinese seem to be some times, especialy when they are paying fdor a phone call. however i have had very long chats with a shop worker, that located near me, but as she was getting paid for it, it dosent count.
I have ralyed the othere teachers into a poker game next week, with any luck it will be a couple of hours of fun and pleasent english chatting. along with a beer or two.
the weather here is hot and sunny. (and its still only march.)
any way i hope to put a few pick up later today...
love you all
marko
I have had my computer fixed at work. so here i am . 12:16 at the computer in a other wise empty room.
i had a bit of a cold but that has gone now and i didnt feel like going to the internet cafe this weekend to update this blog.... no excuse just lazyness.
out side my appartment they have demolished the side of a building and the stairs to it, (i think it was the fire escape) and a wall about 70-80meters long and rebuilt it with guard house and electric gate (like you get in car parks in england) and a more substantual gate they pull across the entrance/ exit at night. all in the space of 3 days. they also took off all the old moter around the thousands of bricks that were in the old wall and stacked them neatly on the back of different pick up trucks (yes they recycle thoses bricks). it all looks very nice now.
my chinese is coming on slowly but surely. i am sure i have forgotten words that i first learned but i only remember that i have forgotten them when i try and remmember them to use them. (still following?)(....)(good)
i see i have a few registered followers now.. very good. and to the non registered people.. shame on you.!
i have gotten used to the food but no to the way of thinking... i was in the supermarket earliyer with liyang, she was reading a hand out, i picked it out of her hand and she stopped and looked at me.. said "1.....2"..
i finnished of with "3"
she turned around and walked off.. i shouted after her but to no avail. i walked round the supermarket with the empty trolly for a few mins then got rid of the trolly and walked out, i tryed to phone her and she canceld the call on me. then after a while she called me. and said "where are you"
"outside"
"awwt.......side... wo bu zuodao" (i not know) "ni... you go house"
"i go computer. ok?" i knew she knew this one.
"ok bye" beep beep beep
by her tone i dont think she is annoyed with me its just the way the chinese seem to be some times, especialy when they are paying fdor a phone call. however i have had very long chats with a shop worker, that located near me, but as she was getting paid for it, it dosent count.
I have ralyed the othere teachers into a poker game next week, with any luck it will be a couple of hours of fun and pleasent english chatting. along with a beer or two.
the weather here is hot and sunny. (and its still only march.)
any way i hope to put a few pick up later today...
love you all
marko
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
What a strange place
well a couple of things.. i will email picsoff tomorrow.
Yesterday i bought a burger in a packet... dosent sound to nice but hey i needed a burger, i got home opend the packed to find my self looking at a big bun,,, no meat. i looked again at the packet and it clearly says Hamburger... no mention that there is no ham.grrr as paul knows they have a tendancy to lie about whats in side, (summer palace, he bought a spegettie bolonase thing, it turned out to be a spegettie and brown sludge,,,. a bit like what you get after you eat it.)
((((also a big thank you to Paul, for sending me a package, and David (dad) for sending me some books))))
in my kindergarten i have a music cd. that i have to play each lesson and do the dance moves, greatfun for all the staff to watch a westoner prance around like a mad fool. either way there is a really scary song. on the TV there is a women in a rabbit outfit, and she is singing. (voice over is easy to reacognise as it finishes befor she dose,, in fact she is still silently singing when it cuts out,) and in this song, the corus (whcioh is sung by the women on the tv) take aunexpectely deep mans voice, it really puts me off the moves and makes me quite frightend.
Othere than those, i can only report i have the flu, and the heat is getting stifaling, even the walk to work (up 4 flights of stairs) and im shatterd and sweating.
Mylaptop.
I have totaly lostwindows now. i have installed a operating system called PUP on a USB stick, this works for music,dvds and allowes meto save what files i need. oncei figger out how to do it.
Kindergarten
i amgetting a bit more usedto it. i have another one of my oldclasses pop in today to say hi. that was nice. and the kids seem to miss me. although they have been given anothere english teacher who isnt white, and isnt from a native english country, but he is good at what he dose and he knows all the kids names. and can speak chinese perfectly, hopefully i will beable to getto his level at some point.
The space bar dose not work very well so as i can see there are some places where words are joind and the bad letterson the key bord havent registerd. still its betterthan nothing. i will try and post tomorrowand will try and email picturesto people in the next 2 dayss.. thanks for reading,.
Mark
Yesterday i bought a burger in a packet... dosent sound to nice but hey i needed a burger, i got home opend the packed to find my self looking at a big bun,,, no meat. i looked again at the packet and it clearly says Hamburger... no mention that there is no ham.grrr as paul knows they have a tendancy to lie about whats in side, (summer palace, he bought a spegettie bolonase thing, it turned out to be a spegettie and brown sludge,,,. a bit like what you get after you eat it.)
((((also a big thank you to Paul, for sending me a package, and David (dad) for sending me some books))))
in my kindergarten i have a music cd. that i have to play each lesson and do the dance moves, greatfun for all the staff to watch a westoner prance around like a mad fool. either way there is a really scary song. on the TV there is a women in a rabbit outfit, and she is singing. (voice over is easy to reacognise as it finishes befor she dose,, in fact she is still silently singing when it cuts out,) and in this song, the corus (whcioh is sung by the women on the tv) take aunexpectely deep mans voice, it really puts me off the moves and makes me quite frightend.
Othere than those, i can only report i have the flu, and the heat is getting stifaling, even the walk to work (up 4 flights of stairs) and im shatterd and sweating.
Mylaptop.
I have totaly lostwindows now. i have installed a operating system called PUP on a USB stick, this works for music,dvds and allowes meto save what files i need. oncei figger out how to do it.
Kindergarten
i amgetting a bit more usedto it. i have another one of my oldclasses pop in today to say hi. that was nice. and the kids seem to miss me. although they have been given anothere english teacher who isnt white, and isnt from a native english country, but he is good at what he dose and he knows all the kids names. and can speak chinese perfectly, hopefully i will beable to getto his level at some point.
The space bar dose not work very well so as i can see there are some places where words are joind and the bad letterson the key bord havent registerd. still its betterthan nothing. i will try and post tomorrowand will try and email picturesto people in the next 2 dayss.. thanks for reading,.
Mark
Friday, 13 March 2009
OK 10RMB
so i have now added 1 pound work of RMB. that will buy me about 8 hours ish... so where was i... O in case you see some "\\\" of them it is due to that button being where the back space button should be on thie key bord.
I have little money.. but liyangs mum has told us we must live on less and put the rest into a savings account for travel or buying a house or something.. we or more to the point ME going out and buying a dvd player work 400RMb did nothing but for her to tell liyang to tell me that i am diss-obediant and she should hit me........ o dear. i think what made matters worse was that when i got it home, it didnt work with the tv. as the tv is to old, so i said i would have to buy a tv as well. still..... what can you do..
Me and Liyang went to Century park. the main park. where we walked around enjoy the sun and then went out on a boad.. pedalo things.. seats 4 persons, very relaxing if not a good work out as liyang sort of... stopped after a few mins. i dont blame her it was shattering and i was sweating so much after a few mo\ins in the heat and the exertion, even on the boat othere boats would pass, turn around and accitently go passed us a gain with cameras at the ready, i noted 3 photos being tacken of me on proper cameras and a load more on mobil phones. some convostaions started betwean liyang and a few boats, i they assumed i was an american,. as soon as i heard that i put them right... i am english man! not american, then convosation would move to me directly and i would,after a few quick exchanges on my part, pedal faster as i didnt under stand much of what they said, liyang constanly puts it in a the chinese i understand so i can reply my self, good of her...
My current favouret work is GAMMA or WHY... eg GAMMA NI and point to tears on a child face, then i burst of machine gun fire back at me from the child and a yes from me and the child would mostly walk off happy. of a puzzled look appears n there faces i would quickly change it to WAIT A BIT, mosttly they want drink or mum or dad or food. however after one child took a crap on the floor right in front of me after following me for a few minuits i try and understand what they are saying, as but still miss most of it.
To be fair, i dont miss much about england, mostly my famely the people i have known,
Now to make you all envy my a little bit more.
postage. ( i understand they are going to part privvatise it in england) well over here i had a currioue\\iour come to my house and pick up a mobile phone and charger. then he put it in a sealed bag and it arrived in shanghai 3 days later. all this cost me 10RMB or one pound,
and again for the new people (hello) 11 Pints of beer cost 2.70 in the middle of this city but where i live it costs 1.90.. and it is good beer....
taxis start at 50p and at 2p increases it dosnt get to expensive to travel by taxi,
a ice cream costs 25p in century park and a 1 hour stint on a pedalo boat costs 2 quid
i do not get taxed,,, i think...
for 200 RMB or 20 pounds i have bought a whole load of electricity, that should keep us going for a month at least. or 3 months maby.
if you recylce... it is optional here. you get pad for it, and again the people come to your house count your empty beer bottles and jars and cans and plastic bags and pay you acordingly.
Rubbuish is collected every couple of hours
the nearest shop for food is 20-30 seconds from my door, there are 3 shops on campus, the nearest market is 40-50 seconds work from my front door and the nearest super market is 7mins walk from my door. however is there is no trafic it can me done in 6 as it normaly takes a while to cross the road.
me and the security man are the only males in the school. same as the last one. (staff wise) i work with 15 female tachers and teaching assistants.
for 70 pounds you can buy a touch screen,duel simcard, triband, nokia, camera and videa and radio and voice recorder incorporated, writing recognition for english and chinese, usb compatible with 2 batterys and all cables supplyed mobile phone in what ever colour you want. WAP, GPRS, QQ and stock enquiry all built in. no simcard or contract required
45p for a pack of good ciggys
cheap coke and 7up ie 25p for 600ml
chewing gum that comes in any flavour you could want.
i could go on and on but am getting bord of this subject.
WAW this is going to be a long post.....
Marks Wish list;
-English ficton book,
-a couple more books,
-and another book just to keep me entertained,
-a lion bar.
Marks home comfort list;
-apple smelling Lynx, its new.
-a can of fosters, the one with the widget in. (not needed i just miss english beer)
-sitting down with a knife and fork and enjoying a 100% english made meal.(impossible to bring that here)
-some snack foods
-being able to walk down the street without every one looking at you, add to that being able to walk down the street when there is no one on it.
-being able to have a meaning full convosation with some one.. (i must go and see some english teachers soon...(just texted mike asking if there were any plans this weekend)..)
i seem to have missed a few people off when i emailed off my post, so i will edit it (as i cannot upload any pictures and past it below for all the world to see.=
Well I have broken the computer I was given to use while at school, i only used it once.…. Opps.
Now i am sitting in a internet cafe that i found on the way back from work, 4th floor of an appartenly abandoned building,,,, dont ask how i found it, i cannot log on to chinaandmark from here but i can do my emails, i am not sure when i will be able to update chinaandmark. May be a while.
Here is somthing i prepared for the blog should i get online, i will email it to everyone i can remember, if anyone would like to take some time out and post it on chinaandmark i would be very thankful, i will give any one who asks the information from passwords and log-in names they require, just let me know..
ok here we go
... no pic but thought i would leave this in as you can grasp what is happening by this simple sencance..........This is the complete chaos that ensued after one third of my class walked to the toys at the side of the room…………. (yes my class of 3 pupils is a tad smaller than I am used to)
Currently assistants and teachers out number the pupils, and they cry when they see me. Making my lessons very very difficult. They are not used to weston monkeys.
.........deleted..........However, the shower doesn’t work,,, the hot turns its self off. And the toilet gets blocked every day,…
I have been back twice to visit my old kindergarten so far this week. It has almost reduced me to tears seeing my kids again, I have promised to go back next week at some point,
I am the only westerner here so the locals stare at me all time.... all the time. In my other house there has been westerners living for the past 3 years, not here. I am the first westoner this side of town,,, and im not surprised. Its not that great,
I have now read all three of the books I ended up bringing.
Eldest. The second of the series by Christopher Paolini.
Eragon, was the first, very good. The next is Inheritance, I am hoping sometime to have someone send it from the uk. Both books are highly recommended. Have found it hard to put it down, or go to sleep as my mind is thinking of dragons and magic…. AAA+++
The next book was The lost Throne, by Chris kuzneski
All in all a very good book, interesting read and a book that is hard to put down.
Last is the great book Sword Song, by Bernard Cornwell.
I have read a book in this series prior to reading this and enjoyed it immensely,, thank you mum. This book has not broken my great liking of this author, well worth reading. Again thank you mum.
I was thinking of buying a electic scooter but have now decided to just save the money and buy one when I reach my next town/ city at the end of this contract, my current feelings are that I will stay in china another years contact, or stay in Hebei if the right job arises, like that of my old kindergarten,
However this is still a bit premature to be thinking of the next one when I have only completed a month here. Now I have a letter box where parcels can be sent to. The address is
381, hongqi south street, C-zuo, guy un wen hua guang chang, talking time village, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China, 050000
381, hongqi south street, C-zuo, guy un wen hua guang chang, talking time village, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China, 050000
My throat has cleared up but i am still suffering from a bad headache, i have reduced my self to 1 para a day as my supplies are danger low.
So apart from me not enjoying the job as much as i did, the flat being worse than the last, my supplies running out, no english books to read, a tv that dosnt work and no internet connection, i am living quite well,
Liyang is forever making me feel better after my morning and evening classes, some of her food that she cooks has gone a bit more weston, (not much but a bit, similar to food in shanghai, that is inbetwean a chinese take out in england and the proper thing) (paul, it is like the east west cafe)
If there is any thing any one would like to see in pics or be told about, dont hesitate to ask. I will be only to happy to inform you of what you want to know.
well that was a long post.... i am gona play counter stike for a bit then head off home to enjoy a burger on route and a beer apon reaching my destination. bye bye all. write soon.
I have little money.. but liyangs mum has told us we must live on less and put the rest into a savings account for travel or buying a house or something.. we or more to the point ME going out and buying a dvd player work 400RMb did nothing but for her to tell liyang to tell me that i am diss-obediant and she should hit me........ o dear. i think what made matters worse was that when i got it home, it didnt work with the tv. as the tv is to old, so i said i would have to buy a tv as well. still..... what can you do..
Me and Liyang went to Century park. the main park. where we walked around enjoy the sun and then went out on a boad.. pedalo things.. seats 4 persons, very relaxing if not a good work out as liyang sort of... stopped after a few mins. i dont blame her it was shattering and i was sweating so much after a few mo\ins in the heat and the exertion, even on the boat othere boats would pass, turn around and accitently go passed us a gain with cameras at the ready, i noted 3 photos being tacken of me on proper cameras and a load more on mobil phones. some convostaions started betwean liyang and a few boats, i they assumed i was an american,. as soon as i heard that i put them right... i am english man! not american, then convosation would move to me directly and i would,after a few quick exchanges on my part, pedal faster as i didnt under stand much of what they said, liyang constanly puts it in a the chinese i understand so i can reply my self, good of her...
My current favouret work is GAMMA or WHY... eg GAMMA NI and point to tears on a child face, then i burst of machine gun fire back at me from the child and a yes from me and the child would mostly walk off happy. of a puzzled look appears n there faces i would quickly change it to WAIT A BIT, mosttly they want drink or mum or dad or food. however after one child took a crap on the floor right in front of me after following me for a few minuits i try and understand what they are saying, as but still miss most of it.
To be fair, i dont miss much about england, mostly my famely the people i have known,
Now to make you all envy my a little bit more.
postage. ( i understand they are going to part privvatise it in england) well over here i had a currioue\\iour come to my house and pick up a mobile phone and charger. then he put it in a sealed bag and it arrived in shanghai 3 days later. all this cost me 10RMB or one pound,
and again for the new people (hello) 11 Pints of beer cost 2.70 in the middle of this city but where i live it costs 1.90.. and it is good beer....
taxis start at 50p and at 2p increases it dosnt get to expensive to travel by taxi,
a ice cream costs 25p in century park and a 1 hour stint on a pedalo boat costs 2 quid
i do not get taxed,,, i think...
for 200 RMB or 20 pounds i have bought a whole load of electricity, that should keep us going for a month at least. or 3 months maby.
if you recylce... it is optional here. you get pad for it, and again the people come to your house count your empty beer bottles and jars and cans and plastic bags and pay you acordingly.
Rubbuish is collected every couple of hours
the nearest shop for food is 20-30 seconds from my door, there are 3 shops on campus, the nearest market is 40-50 seconds work from my front door and the nearest super market is 7mins walk from my door. however is there is no trafic it can me done in 6 as it normaly takes a while to cross the road.
me and the security man are the only males in the school. same as the last one. (staff wise) i work with 15 female tachers and teaching assistants.
for 70 pounds you can buy a touch screen,duel simcard, triband, nokia, camera and videa and radio and voice recorder incorporated, writing recognition for english and chinese, usb compatible with 2 batterys and all cables supplyed mobile phone in what ever colour you want. WAP, GPRS, QQ and stock enquiry all built in. no simcard or contract required
45p for a pack of good ciggys
cheap coke and 7up ie 25p for 600ml
chewing gum that comes in any flavour you could want.
i could go on and on but am getting bord of this subject.
WAW this is going to be a long post.....
Marks Wish list;
-English ficton book,
-a couple more books,
-and another book just to keep me entertained,
-a lion bar.
Marks home comfort list;
-apple smelling Lynx, its new.
-a can of fosters, the one with the widget in. (not needed i just miss english beer)
-sitting down with a knife and fork and enjoying a 100% english made meal.(impossible to bring that here)
-some snack foods
-being able to walk down the street without every one looking at you, add to that being able to walk down the street when there is no one on it.
-being able to have a meaning full convosation with some one.. (i must go and see some english teachers soon...(just texted mike asking if there were any plans this weekend)..)
i seem to have missed a few people off when i emailed off my post, so i will edit it (as i cannot upload any pictures and past it below for all the world to see.=
Well I have broken the computer I was given to use while at school, i only used it once.…. Opps.
Now i am sitting in a internet cafe that i found on the way back from work, 4th floor of an appartenly abandoned building,,,, dont ask how i found it, i cannot log on to chinaandmark from here but i can do my emails, i am not sure when i will be able to update chinaandmark. May be a while.
Here is somthing i prepared for the blog should i get online, i will email it to everyone i can remember, if anyone would like to take some time out and post it on chinaandmark i would be very thankful, i will give any one who asks the information from passwords and log-in names they require, just let me know..
ok here we go
... no pic but thought i would leave this in as you can grasp what is happening by this simple sencance..........This is the complete chaos that ensued after one third of my class walked to the toys at the side of the room…………. (yes my class of 3 pupils is a tad smaller than I am used to)
Currently assistants and teachers out number the pupils, and they cry when they see me. Making my lessons very very difficult. They are not used to weston monkeys.
.........deleted..........However, the shower doesn’t work,,, the hot turns its self off. And the toilet gets blocked every day,…
I have been back twice to visit my old kindergarten so far this week. It has almost reduced me to tears seeing my kids again, I have promised to go back next week at some point,
I am the only westerner here so the locals stare at me all time.... all the time. In my other house there has been westerners living for the past 3 years, not here. I am the first westoner this side of town,,, and im not surprised. Its not that great,
I have now read all three of the books I ended up bringing.
Eldest. The second of the series by Christopher Paolini.
Eragon, was the first, very good. The next is Inheritance, I am hoping sometime to have someone send it from the uk. Both books are highly recommended. Have found it hard to put it down, or go to sleep as my mind is thinking of dragons and magic…. AAA+++
The next book was The lost Throne, by Chris kuzneski
All in all a very good book, interesting read and a book that is hard to put down.
Last is the great book Sword Song, by Bernard Cornwell.
I have read a book in this series prior to reading this and enjoyed it immensely,, thank you mum. This book has not broken my great liking of this author, well worth reading. Again thank you mum.
I was thinking of buying a electic scooter but have now decided to just save the money and buy one when I reach my next town/ city at the end of this contract, my current feelings are that I will stay in china another years contact, or stay in Hebei if the right job arises, like that of my old kindergarten,
However this is still a bit premature to be thinking of the next one when I have only completed a month here. Now I have a letter box where parcels can be sent to. The address is
381, hongqi south street, C-zuo, guy un wen hua guang chang, talking time village, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China, 050000
381, hongqi south street, C-zuo, guy un wen hua guang chang, talking time village, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China, 050000
My throat has cleared up but i am still suffering from a bad headache, i have reduced my self to 1 para a day as my supplies are danger low.
So apart from me not enjoying the job as much as i did, the flat being worse than the last, my supplies running out, no english books to read, a tv that dosnt work and no internet connection, i am living quite well,
Liyang is forever making me feel better after my morning and evening classes, some of her food that she cooks has gone a bit more weston, (not much but a bit, similar to food in shanghai, that is inbetwean a chinese take out in england and the proper thing) (paul, it is like the east west cafe)
If there is any thing any one would like to see in pics or be told about, dont hesitate to ask. I will be only to happy to inform you of what you want to know.
well that was a long post.... i am gona play counter stike for a bit then head off home to enjoy a burger on route and a beer apon reaching my destination. bye bye all. write soon.
Agh
well i still havent managed to get the internet working corectly, i am now in a internet cafe using a proxy server that is located some wherein the world to be able to log in and write this message.
I have settled in with the teachers and am starting to learn my students names and dissabilities. for example in 1 class (kindergarten 2) i have 6 students. Andy is in his home town so is absent, Angel and Red although disruptive can learn. John, who dose not participate in any lessons. Mathew, who has a servier learning dificulty, cannot speak or comprehend what is going on. and another how i dont know his name which is deaf and cannot speak. and that is just one class.
my appartment now has a hot shower, thank god.... and we are setteling in very nicly now. LiYang is earning what i like and dont like and can pritty much guess my reaction to differnt foods, befor (after just 3 days) i felt like a vegatible, after eating nothing but. so i demanded meat. now i have some form of meat iv ever meal. which is a god send.
i have been given my bank card and 3325 RMB for the month of Feb 10th till 28. next month i will get the full 4500, this is a good thing. i will get more money on my card and log on as i have jusdt had the 1 min warning. speak in a few minuites.
I have settled in with the teachers and am starting to learn my students names and dissabilities. for example in 1 class (kindergarten 2) i have 6 students. Andy is in his home town so is absent, Angel and Red although disruptive can learn. John, who dose not participate in any lessons. Mathew, who has a servier learning dificulty, cannot speak or comprehend what is going on. and another how i dont know his name which is deaf and cannot speak. and that is just one class.
my appartment now has a hot shower, thank god.... and we are setteling in very nicly now. LiYang is earning what i like and dont like and can pritty much guess my reaction to differnt foods, befor (after just 3 days) i felt like a vegatible, after eating nothing but. so i demanded meat. now i have some form of meat iv ever meal. which is a god send.
i have been given my bank card and 3325 RMB for the month of Feb 10th till 28. next month i will get the full 4500, this is a good thing. i will get more money on my card and log on as i have jusdt had the 1 min warning. speak in a few minuites.
Agh
well i still havent managed to get the internet working corectly, i am now in a internet cafe using a proxy server that is located some wherein the world to be able to log in and write this message.
I have settled in with the teachers and am starting to learn my students names and dissabilities. for example in 1 class (kindergarten 2) i have 6 students. Andy is in his home town so is absent, Angel and Red although disruptive can learn. John, who dose not participate in any lessons. Mathew, who has a servier learning dificulty, cannot speak or comprehend what is going on. and another how i dont know his name which is deaf and cannot speak. and that is just one class.
my appartment now has a hot shower, thank god.... and we are setteling in very nicly now. LiYang is earning what i like and dont like and can pritty much guess my reaction to differnt foods, befor (after just 3 days) i felt like a vegatible, after eating nothing but. so i demanded meat. now i have some form of meat iv ever meal. which is a god send.
i have been given my bank card and 3325 RMB for the month of Feb 10th till 28. next month i will get the full 4500, this is a good thing. i will get more money on my card and log on as i have jusdt had the 1 min warning. speak in a few minuites.
I have settled in with the teachers and am starting to learn my students names and dissabilities. for example in 1 class (kindergarten 2) i have 6 students. Andy is in his home town so is absent, Angel and Red although disruptive can learn. John, who dose not participate in any lessons. Mathew, who has a servier learning dificulty, cannot speak or comprehend what is going on. and another how i dont know his name which is deaf and cannot speak. and that is just one class.
my appartment now has a hot shower, thank god.... and we are setteling in very nicly now. LiYang is earning what i like and dont like and can pritty much guess my reaction to differnt foods, befor (after just 3 days) i felt like a vegatible, after eating nothing but. so i demanded meat. now i have some form of meat iv ever meal. which is a god send.
i have been given my bank card and 3325 RMB for the month of Feb 10th till 28. next month i will get the full 4500, this is a good thing. i will get more money on my card and log on as i have jusdt had the 1 min warning. speak in a few minuites.
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Sorry
sorry i have not posted for a few days, i have not had the internet and there is no cafe near me, tomorrow i will update with photos. i have been given a computer at the new kindergarten, i know it is bugged so i will have to watch what i say, sorry i cant write more but i am already late for my next lesson, i just had to let you all know i am alive and well and just been without computer access.
speak tomorrow.
speak tomorrow.
Saturday, 28 February 2009
opps
while reading that last post i can see just how many mistakes there were. sorry every one.
my only excuse is that i was feeling sorry for my self as my throat hurt....
i know not much of one there but.................. my computer hasn't been fixed as much as i though it had, internet is just about working, is not slower than should be expect, but any .exe files don't seem to work and my video isn't working at all, i have a feeling the framework is messed up,,, (any ideas?)(Simon or any one else with computer knowledge who reads this????)
my only excuse is that i was feeling sorry for my self as my throat hurt....
i know not much of one there but.................. my computer hasn't been fixed as much as i though it had, internet is just about working, is not slower than should be expect, but any .exe files don't seem to work and my video isn't working at all, i have a feeling the framework is messed up,,, (any ideas?)(Simon or any one else with computer knowledge who reads this????)
Friday, 27 February 2009
Understanding
after going out last night and having one drink before returning home, i have found out what makes school teachers and kindergarten teaches different.
the other teachers have different classes each day so they dont bond with the children, they are seening roughly 2000 kids per week and have no connection with the kids, nore is one needed. however the other kindergarten'ers do, this bond is vital for the little kids to learn and to become familiar with the english language being spoken,
today i am going out to buy a english dvd as i have mostly fixed my laptop (last night i got came in and started pleying around with it, installing and un-installing different things) Yay. a working laptop.. i still havent been able to connect my camera to the computer, i think i will have to pick up a card reader and do it that way.
my flu is getting worse, now my noise is blocked up, my throat hurts, and my head feels a tad worse for wear.
i am now fast running out of cheap paricetamols, and good deodorant.
The city today is very smoggy, or foggy i cannot tell which. but i can not see 150 meters to the sky scraper on the end of the compound, (a little lie there, i can see the out line of the base but to vanishes into white after the 5,6 or 7th floor, i cannot tell which as i cannot see the windows)
I better start packing today. cannot wait to see my new apartment, as it is closer to the edge of the city i should get a really nice one, but i think it will be smaller than my current flat. ooo the anticipation.
the other teachers have different classes each day so they dont bond with the children, they are seening roughly 2000 kids per week and have no connection with the kids, nore is one needed. however the other kindergarten'ers do, this bond is vital for the little kids to learn and to become familiar with the english language being spoken,
today i am going out to buy a english dvd as i have mostly fixed my laptop (last night i got came in and started pleying around with it, installing and un-installing different things) Yay. a working laptop.. i still havent been able to connect my camera to the computer, i think i will have to pick up a card reader and do it that way.
my flu is getting worse, now my noise is blocked up, my throat hurts, and my head feels a tad worse for wear.
i am now fast running out of cheap paricetamols, and good deodorant.
The city today is very smoggy, or foggy i cannot tell which. but i can not see 150 meters to the sky scraper on the end of the compound, (a little lie there, i can see the out line of the base but to vanishes into white after the 5,6 or 7th floor, i cannot tell which as i cannot see the windows)
I better start packing today. cannot wait to see my new apartment, as it is closer to the edge of the city i should get a really nice one, but i think it will be smaller than my current flat. ooo the anticipation.
Lost my kids today
Today i have lose my kids. i feel surprisingly sad. I have a bond with all 60 of them, even if the bond isnt a good one. saying good bye to them all was heart breaking,
Below (i hope they will be below this time) are some pictures of the brightest 5 year old i have ever seen, can speak, read and write english, chinese and pinyin,
There she and her friend are holding up some of there work, then i had the students make paper aeroplanes, then had them all stand up, put there hands in the air, jump and scream and shake there hands around, the whole class woke up at this point. although i may have got them a bit to hyperactive. still, i had a good time and they had a good time and the TA's and english and chinese teachers went mad as they tryed to control the students. but a quick glance at me and my antics soon got them back into a load rabble. hehehe, i have been asked to come back by one of the teaches when i have some free time, i think i will.
Well im off to the bar now to try and cheer myself up with some other teachers.
bye bye
Below (i hope they will be below this time) are some pictures of the brightest 5 year old i have ever seen, can speak, read and write english, chinese and pinyin,
There she and her friend are holding up some of there work, then i had the students make paper aeroplanes, then had them all stand up, put there hands in the air, jump and scream and shake there hands around, the whole class woke up at this point. although i may have got them a bit to hyperactive. still, i had a good time and they had a good time and the TA's and english and chinese teachers went mad as they tryed to control the students. but a quick glance at me and my antics soon got them back into a load rabble. hehehe, i have been asked to come back by one of the teaches when i have some free time, i think i will.
Well im off to the bar now to try and cheer myself up with some other teachers.
bye bye
Monday, 23 February 2009
transfer?
Firstly a big hello to the people who joined me on the TEFL course in england, i am glad you have taken the time out to come and read what is going on with me (also to every one else a big hello as well(dont want you feeling left out now))
i may be transferred to the other side of the city as i will be starting my new post in the new kindergarten on monday, so i will have to leave my lovely big flat,,,, we will wait and wee, there was tlak of a private car taking me to and from work each day, but if that is the case then i will have to also force that i am taken home during lunches and brought back again, i am not spending 5.1/2 hours of my lunch break sitting in the staff room.. no way...
my marking yesterday went very well and my class's this morning went well. Amy, one of the sweetest kids i have, has finally returned to school after being ill, only for another one of the good children to be off,,,, these are the kids i will miss when i leave this post to go to another, however, with such a new position the first months classes will be easy as there will only be 4 or so children in each class. my current classes are any where up to 30.
(not easy keeping control of so many kids)
my lessons this after noon will consist of a basic lesson in english followed by much praise for there pictures (most of the pics from the year below are better) and a shouting competition, TODAY IS COLD, YOU CAN EAT SNOW, DONT EAT YELLOW SNOW.
All very entertaining and the kids understand but the adults do not,,,, even though they may translate. i think there is something with age here that makes your imagination deteriorate at a rapid level.
Still i get my good TA today, the TA is actually a english teacher but she is so good that i have roped her into being a TA for what is meant to be her free period.
most the TA's here haven't been trained (well except in university) and dont understand you unless you put on an american accent.
I am going to do a seating plan, this will annoy the children no end, but the kids at the back of the class dont know there alphabet yet. and there for are falling more and more behind, while the ones at the front of the class and the right hand side are now very good at english, hey can read and speak and are starting to learn how to write,
i may be transferred to the other side of the city as i will be starting my new post in the new kindergarten on monday, so i will have to leave my lovely big flat,,,, we will wait and wee, there was tlak of a private car taking me to and from work each day, but if that is the case then i will have to also force that i am taken home during lunches and brought back again, i am not spending 5.1/2 hours of my lunch break sitting in the staff room.. no way...
my marking yesterday went very well and my class's this morning went well. Amy, one of the sweetest kids i have, has finally returned to school after being ill, only for another one of the good children to be off,,,, these are the kids i will miss when i leave this post to go to another, however, with such a new position the first months classes will be easy as there will only be 4 or so children in each class. my current classes are any where up to 30.
(not easy keeping control of so many kids)
my lessons this after noon will consist of a basic lesson in english followed by much praise for there pictures (most of the pics from the year below are better) and a shouting competition, TODAY IS COLD, YOU CAN EAT SNOW, DONT EAT YELLOW SNOW.
All very entertaining and the kids understand but the adults do not,,,, even though they may translate. i think there is something with age here that makes your imagination deteriorate at a rapid level.
Still i get my good TA today, the TA is actually a english teacher but she is so good that i have roped her into being a TA for what is meant to be her free period.
most the TA's here haven't been trained (well except in university) and dont understand you unless you put on an american accent.
I am going to do a seating plan, this will annoy the children no end, but the kids at the back of the class dont know there alphabet yet. and there for are falling more and more behind, while the ones at the front of the class and the right hand side are now very good at english, hey can read and speak and are starting to learn how to write,
Pics of class
This is one of my classes i have, they are drawing pic's for me to look at and choose the best one.... doing this worked so well i added it to my next class, in fact all i did to day as have children drawing. very use full for a monday,
Below are pics of my pre school class, and a teacher doing my job for me while i walked around taking photo's
Saturday, 21 February 2009
follow on from last post
any way as i was saying
interesting things.
While out and about, in a taxi, on the main roads. beggars will come up to the window of the car. however as the glass is tinted they have no idea if the taxi has any one in it, i have seen someone tapping on a window on the other side of a taxi, but where i was sitting facing the sun, i could see the taxi was unoccupied. and she stayed there until the lights turned green.
they have a interesting way of advertising unlike any i have seen, in a unmarked car sitting at the lights (again) a guy comes running down the middle of the duel carriage way popping business cards through open windows and jamming them into the seal when the window is closed, this happened on the first day when a car was sent to pick me up., i couldnt help but laugh,
people love to be seen with westerners, even when walking along the road you will oftern get people walking right beside you going at whatever pace you are, and when you stop to look at your phone they will walk for 1 or 2 more paces stop and look round at you, (as if you are walking some where together) then when you start walking when you draw even they will walk with you again, not to close to pickpocket you but close enough for any one who is watching to think you are friends,
Taxi drivers will oftern let you off a few RMB when going to school, being a teacher you are held with high regard, ever other time they charge you to the 0.1p.. yes thats right 1 tenth of a penny.
the lowest note value is 5p and the lowest coin value is 0.1p, the highest note value (the big red one that looks a bit like a 50pound note) is 10.00 pounds. (sorry they dont have the pound sign on the keyboards here)
fire works are still exploding around the city.
if you want to get drunk and have a good night out, you can. just make sure you take with you 5 pounds, that will cover taxi's a packet of ciggy's, 11 pints of good beer, and still have change to get good food on the way home.
i am allowed to work in jeans and a t-shirt, as long as the jeans dont have holes in, if they do, make sure they arent to ig, if they are, make sure they match on both sides, if they dont, make sure your not late for work, if you are, make sure it doesn't happen again, if it dose, then dont worry about it to much. (a bit of a pain as i am the only person who turns up in a shirt and proper trousers, as this is most of what i brought.)
on the 450 pounds a month i get payed i can easily support 2 people and run the big 2 bed flat i have near the centre of the city. (except i buy things like rice cookers, flash mobile phones and next month a microwave,)
you cant get a proper slice of toast here, its all there really weird bread that tastes very sugary.
while doing the washing up i have developed a nasty rash, i got it checked out and the washing up liquid has caused hundreds of tiny cuts on the back of my hands where my skin is thinnest, (bloody stuff) so i have now invested in washing up gloves as when i stopped washing up to let my hands recover, Yang took over, even though i had bought a different brand of washing up liquid, i can see her hands and back are starting to develop the cuts, (she puts her hands on her back after washing, i think to dry them but im not to sure,,)
i am sitting in a internet cafe, eating lolly pops and smoking, in a soft arm chair thingy. (a bit like a mini sofa) and the key board dosent work very well, so i am constantly going back to repair my words.
Being white, when the guards stop you from entering somewhere and you just speak english, they get board and let you though, i made it to the third floor of the police station, looked in a few rooms on the way, got given a cigarette by a police man who tried to communicate with me, finally a police translator questioned my presence there. then had me escorted down the the ground floor, and the main desk. then sent to another police station to get my self registered,
Ok thats all for now. i will post some pics of my apartment up tomorrow... or later on tonight.
interesting things.
While out and about, in a taxi, on the main roads. beggars will come up to the window of the car. however as the glass is tinted they have no idea if the taxi has any one in it, i have seen someone tapping on a window on the other side of a taxi, but where i was sitting facing the sun, i could see the taxi was unoccupied. and she stayed there until the lights turned green.
they have a interesting way of advertising unlike any i have seen, in a unmarked car sitting at the lights (again) a guy comes running down the middle of the duel carriage way popping business cards through open windows and jamming them into the seal when the window is closed, this happened on the first day when a car was sent to pick me up., i couldnt help but laugh,
people love to be seen with westerners, even when walking along the road you will oftern get people walking right beside you going at whatever pace you are, and when you stop to look at your phone they will walk for 1 or 2 more paces stop and look round at you, (as if you are walking some where together) then when you start walking when you draw even they will walk with you again, not to close to pickpocket you but close enough for any one who is watching to think you are friends,
Taxi drivers will oftern let you off a few RMB when going to school, being a teacher you are held with high regard, ever other time they charge you to the 0.1p.. yes thats right 1 tenth of a penny.
the lowest note value is 5p and the lowest coin value is 0.1p, the highest note value (the big red one that looks a bit like a 50pound note) is 10.00 pounds. (sorry they dont have the pound sign on the keyboards here)
fire works are still exploding around the city.
if you want to get drunk and have a good night out, you can. just make sure you take with you 5 pounds, that will cover taxi's a packet of ciggy's, 11 pints of good beer, and still have change to get good food on the way home.
i am allowed to work in jeans and a t-shirt, as long as the jeans dont have holes in, if they do, make sure they arent to ig, if they are, make sure they match on both sides, if they dont, make sure your not late for work, if you are, make sure it doesn't happen again, if it dose, then dont worry about it to much. (a bit of a pain as i am the only person who turns up in a shirt and proper trousers, as this is most of what i brought.)
on the 450 pounds a month i get payed i can easily support 2 people and run the big 2 bed flat i have near the centre of the city. (except i buy things like rice cookers, flash mobile phones and next month a microwave,)
you cant get a proper slice of toast here, its all there really weird bread that tastes very sugary.
while doing the washing up i have developed a nasty rash, i got it checked out and the washing up liquid has caused hundreds of tiny cuts on the back of my hands where my skin is thinnest, (bloody stuff) so i have now invested in washing up gloves as when i stopped washing up to let my hands recover, Yang took over, even though i had bought a different brand of washing up liquid, i can see her hands and back are starting to develop the cuts, (she puts her hands on her back after washing, i think to dry them but im not to sure,,)
i am sitting in a internet cafe, eating lolly pops and smoking, in a soft arm chair thingy. (a bit like a mini sofa) and the key board dosent work very well, so i am constantly going back to repair my words.
Being white, when the guards stop you from entering somewhere and you just speak english, they get board and let you though, i made it to the third floor of the police station, looked in a few rooms on the way, got given a cigarette by a police man who tried to communicate with me, finally a police translator questioned my presence there. then had me escorted down the the ground floor, and the main desk. then sent to another police station to get my self registered,
Ok thats all for now. i will post some pics of my apartment up tomorrow... or later on tonight.
Friday, 20 February 2009
ppic
well here are some pictures of hebei
The picture of the great big hole in the ground is an example of Chinese engineering.
It is right next to a bridge,,,(dosnt fill me with confidence)
and the other pic is of the some students from one of my classes as they are trying to form a horse shoe,
When it snows here, there are people i can see from my window that are on top of buildings cleaning the snow, ie throwing it down to the ground where people are walking, it becomes very tricky to get out of my complex without getting snow shovelled on to you.
While taxis are plentiful, between 7.30 and 9.00 i becomes impossible to get one. so i leave from work at 7.20 then wait around at work until 8.00 when my lesson starts. i tried waiting from one at 7.30 on my first day, but the chinese have no sense of order and as soon as one comes its a free for all,
Last night we (me and liyang) went to a club, there was live music there and when there wasnt live music there was the DJ playing and dancers got up onto stages that are mechanised and lift them above the ground, veyr entertaining, also at about 11.00 the lights were dimmed further and glow sticks were issued to every one free of charge.
Interesting things:
1) you can go out in a group of 6 people, all eat and have food taken away and have 4-5 creates of beer delivered to your table, (each create is 11 pints ish) and pay a wallet breaking £4.00 each.
and my computers gone into slow mo so i will update later.
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
teaching day 2
WAW
first class, and no bribes needed, amazing, i made full use of 1 of my two Teaching Assistants in that class room, the other seems to want to do other things and is a distraction to the kids, both classes went well in the morning.
Second class.
started ok, went bad, i brought out my bribe and it held there attention for about 30 seconds then they carried on, i think i may have made them a bit hyperactive, o well. i gave two sweets out at the end of class two one of my favourt in that class and another to a girl who didnt make as much noise as yesterday and was relativity well behaved, i am hoping that tomorrows class will go better as word spreads that sweets will be given out at the end of class for the best students.
well im jusst bout to head of to Blakes house to have a beer and talk about the job, he started kindergarten then left as he want to teach people a bit more........ sensible..... or something like that. i will find out tonight. he was on red bull for the first 2 weeks of kindergarten and as i havent touched a drop yet, i hope to have earnt a little respect.
any ways. i will check in with more details of hebei and life here in the next 3 days. many interesting and some funny things i have seen. i will try and get some pics up asap.
Good night all
first class, and no bribes needed, amazing, i made full use of 1 of my two Teaching Assistants in that class room, the other seems to want to do other things and is a distraction to the kids, both classes went well in the morning.
Second class.
started ok, went bad, i brought out my bribe and it held there attention for about 30 seconds then they carried on, i think i may have made them a bit hyperactive, o well. i gave two sweets out at the end of class two one of my favourt in that class and another to a girl who didnt make as much noise as yesterday and was relativity well behaved, i am hoping that tomorrows class will go better as word spreads that sweets will be given out at the end of class for the best students.
well im jusst bout to head of to Blakes house to have a beer and talk about the job, he started kindergarten then left as he want to teach people a bit more........ sensible..... or something like that. i will find out tonight. he was on red bull for the first 2 weeks of kindergarten and as i havent touched a drop yet, i hope to have earnt a little respect.
any ways. i will check in with more details of hebei and life here in the next 3 days. many interesting and some funny things i have seen. i will try and get some pics up asap.
Good night all
Monday, 16 February 2009
First teching lesson
first 2 classes were with the same students, 5-6years old.
Well, what can i say, my first day as a proper teacher, and they give me a book and said 1 lesson 1 week, i started quite confident, then after 20 seconds it became apparent the kids already knew what i was going to say, they know the lessons for the rest of the year already, that have done the work!!!!!!!!!!! bugger.
After 1 1/2 hours incorporating 2 lessons with the same class, not much was done but all the staff that were watching me could tell i was very uncomfortable and with no material to go with,,,,, i may have well been teaching all you who read this blog (ie the english born and bread) about counting 1-5, for 1.1/2 hours.
Then at the end of the lesson my AT come up to me and said i should not be getting the students out of there chairs as they are going to primary school next year and need to learn to sit still from start to finish, bugger..
i don't think many teachers could have seen the fight between 2 students with a chair, as the chair went flying toward the door. and a stunned math teacher narrowly avoided getting her knee's damaged, while coming to investigate the nose and lack of teacher presents from the rest of the school. bugger...
Then my lext lesson.
Went well, i was supposed to teach a 40 min class, but no one told me to stop and no bell went so i continued until dinner time, all 4-5 year old students completely over whelmed by this mad english man who has just given them there longest lesson in there lives, i would like to thank the guy before me who nipped in and went through all my material for the lesson to the kids leaving me with nothing again, however, head shoulders knees and toes proved very useful for about 10 mins (tomorrow i am going over that and doing wheels on the bus,,, oh yes, that old classic), followed by what colours is this, followed by, there some colours on the floor, run to green, run to yellow,
However this class was not all bad as there were some very sweet students in there, desperate for my approval, at the end of the class, one girl asked me to put on her coat for her, i did so and found my self with 4 more coats being sent in my direction.
2 girls and 1 boy stood out, one of the girls was constantly running to me when ever i said ok. and the other girl was so shy she didnt say a word all lesson, until the end then spoke for about 2 mins without a break to me.... unfortunately i only understood a few words as it was in chinese,..,.,,.,.,.,.,.,,.
the boy tryed very hard to get me to pick him for every activity, when i did he would sit there not understanding what i have just asked of the class and asked for volunteers for.
Tomorrow. i have a plan, i went and spend 10RMB (1pound) on sweet stuff, ie chinese sweets, so i can bribe my classes to behave and make nose when i need it and silence when i request it.
The perfect solution, as i learnt over and over at the TEFL and in my course while being here, BRIBE YOUR KIDS AND YOU WONT HAVE TO WORRY TO MUCH ABOUT ANY THING ELSE.........
Tomorrows lesson should be very different, also i am including colouring and a animal recognition type thing,,, all should be smooth, if not then i will have to invest in better bribes...
will probably log in to tomorrow and let you know how the bribes have worked.... till then
Bye all....
what is happening at the moment, is when i come to use my computer it breaks after 5 mins, so i write every thing in the internet cafe first, email to my self then post it online when i get home as the internet cafe doesn't allow cookies so i cannot log into my blog from here,,, difficult or what???.. night night all
Well, what can i say, my first day as a proper teacher, and they give me a book and said 1 lesson 1 week, i started quite confident, then after 20 seconds it became apparent the kids already knew what i was going to say, they know the lessons for the rest of the year already, that have done the work!!!!!!!!!!! bugger.
After 1 1/2 hours incorporating 2 lessons with the same class, not much was done but all the staff that were watching me could tell i was very uncomfortable and with no material to go with,,,,, i may have well been teaching all you who read this blog (ie the english born and bread) about counting 1-5, for 1.1/2 hours.
Then at the end of the lesson my AT come up to me and said i should not be getting the students out of there chairs as they are going to primary school next year and need to learn to sit still from start to finish, bugger..
i don't think many teachers could have seen the fight between 2 students with a chair, as the chair went flying toward the door. and a stunned math teacher narrowly avoided getting her knee's damaged, while coming to investigate the nose and lack of teacher presents from the rest of the school. bugger...
Then my lext lesson.
Went well, i was supposed to teach a 40 min class, but no one told me to stop and no bell went so i continued until dinner time, all 4-5 year old students completely over whelmed by this mad english man who has just given them there longest lesson in there lives, i would like to thank the guy before me who nipped in and went through all my material for the lesson to the kids leaving me with nothing again, however, head shoulders knees and toes proved very useful for about 10 mins (tomorrow i am going over that and doing wheels on the bus,,, oh yes, that old classic), followed by what colours is this, followed by, there some colours on the floor, run to green, run to yellow,
However this class was not all bad as there were some very sweet students in there, desperate for my approval, at the end of the class, one girl asked me to put on her coat for her, i did so and found my self with 4 more coats being sent in my direction.
2 girls and 1 boy stood out, one of the girls was constantly running to me when ever i said ok. and the other girl was so shy she didnt say a word all lesson, until the end then spoke for about 2 mins without a break to me.... unfortunately i only understood a few words as it was in chinese,..,.,,.,.,.,.,.,,.
the boy tryed very hard to get me to pick him for every activity, when i did he would sit there not understanding what i have just asked of the class and asked for volunteers for.
Tomorrow. i have a plan, i went and spend 10RMB (1pound) on sweet stuff, ie chinese sweets, so i can bribe my classes to behave and make nose when i need it and silence when i request it.
The perfect solution, as i learnt over and over at the TEFL and in my course while being here, BRIBE YOUR KIDS AND YOU WONT HAVE TO WORRY TO MUCH ABOUT ANY THING ELSE.........
Tomorrows lesson should be very different, also i am including colouring and a animal recognition type thing,,, all should be smooth, if not then i will have to invest in better bribes...
will probably log in to tomorrow and let you know how the bribes have worked.... till then
Bye all....
what is happening at the moment, is when i come to use my computer it breaks after 5 mins, so i write every thing in the internet cafe first, email to my self then post it online when i get home as the internet cafe doesn't allow cookies so i cannot log into my blog from here,,, difficult or what???.. night night all
Sunday, 8 February 2009
Hebei
Well i am here.
I have been well greeted by the school who have been very help full. i have had plumbers carpet fitters and a computer tech to fix my internet connection.
The other teaches seem very nice and i have been given the kinder garden position as they think i have enough energy to keep up.
my apartment is big. two bedroom for my self and a nice kitchen and toilet area...
i have training on thursday and friday then start on monday.
Liyang is ment to join my on friday but i am not sure if she will...
it was great to see her again if only for a couple of hours.
today is the lantern festival, IE people have been blowing things up since 8 am and it continues all around the city, if i stayed in bed i could well be waking up in a war zone as it isnt to dissimilar.
apparently the chinese have fired a rocket at the clouds to bring rain to the northern areas that are currently in drought.
not sure if i believe that... the city is looking very mercky today but that is mostly due to the amount of smoke let of by these rockets and bangers that are constantly exploding on my block.
honestly there stings of bangers that last about a minute each sound like a machine gun.
Mike a teacher that lives next door, went out drinking last night, i heard from him today at around 12 that his head was in agony from the constant explosions,
with every large rocket fired the after affects are more bangers, also the entire city falls into a car alarm paradise.
Imagine new years eve /day 12:01 and multiply that for every second in the day.
NOT GOOD
the people in this city seem to be keen to be seen with a white man, on my first day (2 hours after i arrived) i went ot eat with simon, (a chinese guy who is my tour guide) and i noticed 3 girls taking pictures of me from the other side of the restaurant, then 2 came up to me and asked if they could have their picture taken with me. all very interesting and kinda socking. .
still great fun.
i hear from the other teaches her that if you go to a club/ pub you do not need to bring any money, as all drinks are free to white people.
so far i have met people form EF (english first) hutchins (my company) and another one that i forget now.
I also met people from the local university, they get payed 2000 RMB and have to find there own accommodation, EF get around 6000 and have to find there own accommodation, i get 4500 and a free large apartment in the city centre, 2 free bikes, and the tax is taken care of by the school.
I have got it quite nice here.
in shanghai i avoided buying a good phone, it turns out this was a good idea as i have now bought a phone that can take 2 simcards at the same time, do the internet and QQ (the local chat, msn thing) and touch screen and all the bits and bobs for 700RMB around £70.
i can eat for around 5RMB and every thing is alot cheaper than shanghai, even phone calls. 1.5quai or 0.1p per min, amazingly cheap if you only ring in Hebei province.
I must dash as SunShine is picking me up and taking my somewhere,,,,,,, Dont know where.............. to do something, i dont know what............. all very strange,
SunShine is my translator / teaching assistant / PA, she is organising every thing and even tuned my tv to get English channels, 21 years old and has a seance of humour. ( i did make the mistake of making a joke and then trying to explain it, some where i mentioned it was humourus,, then i got asked about humour, to which i said i could not explain the meaning as chinese didnt have this.... she looked it up and told me off....) hehehehehe. poor girl,
i will be on here more than once a week as long as my laptop is working, so feel free to look more then once a week.
I have been well greeted by the school who have been very help full. i have had plumbers carpet fitters and a computer tech to fix my internet connection.
The other teaches seem very nice and i have been given the kinder garden position as they think i have enough energy to keep up.
my apartment is big. two bedroom for my self and a nice kitchen and toilet area...
i have training on thursday and friday then start on monday.
Liyang is ment to join my on friday but i am not sure if she will...
it was great to see her again if only for a couple of hours.
today is the lantern festival, IE people have been blowing things up since 8 am and it continues all around the city, if i stayed in bed i could well be waking up in a war zone as it isnt to dissimilar.
apparently the chinese have fired a rocket at the clouds to bring rain to the northern areas that are currently in drought.
not sure if i believe that... the city is looking very mercky today but that is mostly due to the amount of smoke let of by these rockets and bangers that are constantly exploding on my block.
honestly there stings of bangers that last about a minute each sound like a machine gun.
Mike a teacher that lives next door, went out drinking last night, i heard from him today at around 12 that his head was in agony from the constant explosions,
with every large rocket fired the after affects are more bangers, also the entire city falls into a car alarm paradise.
Imagine new years eve /day 12:01 and multiply that for every second in the day.
NOT GOOD
the people in this city seem to be keen to be seen with a white man, on my first day (2 hours after i arrived) i went ot eat with simon, (a chinese guy who is my tour guide) and i noticed 3 girls taking pictures of me from the other side of the restaurant, then 2 came up to me and asked if they could have their picture taken with me. all very interesting and kinda socking. .
still great fun.
i hear from the other teaches her that if you go to a club/ pub you do not need to bring any money, as all drinks are free to white people.
so far i have met people form EF (english first) hutchins (my company) and another one that i forget now.
I also met people from the local university, they get payed 2000 RMB and have to find there own accommodation, EF get around 6000 and have to find there own accommodation, i get 4500 and a free large apartment in the city centre, 2 free bikes, and the tax is taken care of by the school.
I have got it quite nice here.
in shanghai i avoided buying a good phone, it turns out this was a good idea as i have now bought a phone that can take 2 simcards at the same time, do the internet and QQ (the local chat, msn thing) and touch screen and all the bits and bobs for 700RMB around £70.
i can eat for around 5RMB and every thing is alot cheaper than shanghai, even phone calls. 1.5quai or 0.1p per min, amazingly cheap if you only ring in Hebei province.
I must dash as SunShine is picking me up and taking my somewhere,,,,,,, Dont know where.............. to do something, i dont know what............. all very strange,
SunShine is my translator / teaching assistant / PA, she is organising every thing and even tuned my tv to get English channels, 21 years old and has a seance of humour. ( i did make the mistake of making a joke and then trying to explain it, some where i mentioned it was humourus,, then i got asked about humour, to which i said i could not explain the meaning as chinese didnt have this.... she looked it up and told me off....) hehehehehe. poor girl,
i will be on here more than once a week as long as my laptop is working, so feel free to look more then once a week.
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