Canadian teacher's View from the Other Side Pt. 12

There were a couple of pop singers who sang some songs accompanied with

dancers. One of the songs was really nice and I was able to hum along with

it. The young adult dancers also did a couple of numbers by themselves

(ballet/pop/jazz? combo). They (13 men, 13 women) were very good. I'm not

used to seeing so many elegantly moving men. There were lots of fireworks,

smoke and 4 air cannons for throwing confetti type stuff into the air (for

Neale). The performance was really fun.

We have had only 4 dining room chairs to sit on as the love seat left for

us by the landlord was unusable. It was covered in mold so we put it in the

spare bedroom until they come to get it. So on Sunday, we went to a huge

furniture store looking for a cheap chesterfield. We spent many minutes

sitting on many different ones. I kept going back to a suite which was

really comfortable. At first we thought it was too expensive but every time

we came back and sat in it, our ideas softened. A cheap 3 seater would have

cost 500 rmb. It wasn't as comfortable and didn't look nearly as nice. So

we bought the set.

There is a 3 seater chesterfield and 2 matching chairs.

It is turquoise and white leather. It is very modern looking and very

comfortable. The set was 2000 rmb (about $300 Canadian). The salesperson

told us to be home in an hour as it would be delivered. We took the bus

home. Doug and X. L. (one of Doug's Chinese friends who had come to

translate and bargain) went to the grocery store on the way home and I went

right to the apartment. Before they could get back to the apartment the

delivery "van" arrived. It was one man on a tricycle/wagon. He had the set

all wrapped up in big woven plastic bags and piled on the back. Luckily,

the furniture is much lighter than Canadian furniture as he had to carry it

up to the fourth floor. He took the 2 chairsup one at a time and then

Doug, who had just come home, helped carry the chesterfield up. The

delivery cost 100 rmb but we gave him an extra 20 because it wasn't easy

getting it up the stairs.

I went shopping yesterday morning at a huge enclosed market with hundreds

of stalls. I went to the section for toys to look for educational toys for

the 3-4 year old "preschool". I have convinced this school that if they

are going to have 3-4 year old children come to learn English then the

class has to be set up in the manner of a preschool and that learning has

to occur mostly through individual play.

I bought 2 sets of building blocks, 2 sets of puzzles, a set of beads to thread

and a flat, thin wood 'doll' puzzle that has six interspersible heads, bodies (tops), bodies (bottoms) and pairs of feet. The six faces all have a different emotion expressed on it and the clothes are all different styles and colours. It

will give lots of chance for choices and discussion as well as developing

manual dexterity.

Tomorrow I am going back to find some more puzzles plus numbers and letters for

playing with. There are about 4 children in this class. There is only one students so far in the older class. He is 11 and has come for one lesson so far. We had lots of fun. I have given 5 demo lessons. I think most parents like what they

see but not everyone can afford the fees. I have suggested to the school that they might like to renegotiate the contract for less pay and fewer hours but they

have said no.

I am also teaching at a College which is part of the city's Normal

University. My class of 51 has been divided into 3 sections of 17 each.

Each group comes once a week for 2 classes which is 80 minutes plus a 10

minute break. I teach 2 groups on Monday afternoon and one on Wednesday

afternoon which is a total of of 6 classes or 4.5 hours. I had my first

classes this week and really enjoyed them. The pay is not very good because

universities always pay lower than private schools and because part of the

reimbursement is usually accommodation on campus. We can't take advantage

of that because we have leased an apartment. The other disadvantage is that

the classes are held at the new campus. A shuttle bus is provided to

transport people. The trip takes from 40-60 minutes depending on the

traffic. Today I had to take the 12:30 bus and wait around for my 3:10

class because there is not a later shuttle. On the good side, the college

is providing me with a resident visa and working permit until Feb. when the

term ends and with medical insurance. It will all be renewed for the second

term which goes until the end of June if I teach for them then. They would

like me to work there full time but I can't if I am going to work for

the school for younger children. I don't know how long it will continue if they

don't get more students.

Yesterday evening the faculty of the English section of the college had supper

together. There are 2 young female teachers from a college close to Boston, U.S.

A. This Chinese college has had an exchange relationship with their college for

a few years. I believe that both of them studied Chinese in college. One of them

is on her second year teaching here and she can speak some Chinese.

There were 9 of us at dinner. We ate in an individual room in the elegant school

hotel dining area. The service was superb and the food delicious. There

were many small dishes placed on a lazy-Susan in the middle of a round

table. There was a huge variety most of which I had never seen or tasted

before. Tomorrow night all the foreign teachers from the whole of this city'sNormal University are invited to a banquet put on by the government. I'm

sure that it is going to be very enjoyable.

Love Linda

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End until Linda's next letter.