This past weekend was midterms at Future 2, and I have to say, I really got a kick out of the whole thing. I felt like a real teacher laying down the law. Watching the kids sweat buckets due to nervousness was a welcome change from hyperactive class destruction as well. Although it did make it that much harder to give some of the little snots bad grades. So it goes.
The midterms also mean something else - my stay in China is a quarter over, and that's sort of crazy. In honor of this milestone of sorts, I want to try something new on this blog. If it works, I'd expect to do this at least three more times. If it doesn't... probably still three more times.
Instead of a long rambling post, I'm turning the floor over to you, our loyal blog reading fan base. I know you guys are out there, and I'm sure you all have questions. Post them under the comments section, and Corey or I will answer them. Nothing is sacred, so feel free to ask anything!
Also appreciated are comments, criticisms and suggestions about things to focus on in the blog. As much as this is a way for us to log our experiences in China, it's also a tool for keeping friends, family, and complete strangers abreast of everything going on here.
So please humor me, and post something!
- Shawn
(Oh, and I keep forgetting to point out a cool new widget we added to the blog, and since this is largely a post about nothing, now is as good a time as any. Scroll all the way to the bottom, and you'll see that there is a nifty map that logs all of our visitors from around the world. I think it's sort of neat actually. Anyways... get to the comments section already, what are you waiting for!)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
Love the blog. Great to know what you guys are up to. I know a few of my family & friends follow. Mom
Hey Mom, Glad ya like it and that you're still reading!! ill talk to ya soon!
that map thing is awesome! I love that you have someone reading it off the coast of Africa! ha. (With all of that being said, I'm going to steal it)
In the past three months my two greatest experiences living in China were ….
Two things that I learned about myself while I was living in China that I could not have learned otherwise were….
Two things that I appreciated about the Chinese culture that I did not know before I came here are …..
jenn - the map is indeed awesome, but be forewarned, because it's infuriating as well... it drives you mad with the need to know who the person off the coast of Africa is, or the person in Rome. Argh!
dad - Lets give this a shot.
In the past three months my two greatest experiences living in China were visiting the Great Wall outside of Beijing, and experiencing the China/North Korea border.
Two things that I learned about myself while I was living in China that I could not have learned otherwise are that I actually CAN use chopsticks, and that if need be, I can learn select parts of a completely unfamiliar language to get by.
Two thing that I appreciate about the Chinese culture that I did not know before I came here are the interesting struggle between modernity and old school nationalism, and the strangely moving pride they have over being the worlds leading country to outsource to. It's not the way we see it, but the Chinese recognize it as something else entirely.
Hi Shaw
You may not remember me, I worked with your Mom. I am doing my Masters in TESOL. Thinking about teaching in China next year... the adults. Do you think the experience will be totally different [re:harder] for a woman? I am really impressed that you are there. I have always been fascinated with China...might visit first...the whole idea of working in China is enticing...but I have to tell you ...very scary!
Hey Marty, I'm gonna give these questions a try, I'll try not to say anything Shawn beat me too tho.
My two greatest experiences thus far would have to be the view from the Great Wall at Simatai and taking portraits of our Chinese Teachers.
Two things I have learned about myself in China...I speak incomprehensibly fast, and for this I apologize to everyone who has learned to deal with it and that being the teacher really is better!
Two things I appreciate about Chinese culture ... the curiosity of this next generation in regards to traveling and how easy it is to come by good luck.
These answers are of course subject to change. :)
Hey Marva!
I didn't forget you, and it sure is a strange coincidence that you're looking to head to China also.
Anyways, as far as I've experienced, despite the cultural differences between Chinese men and Chinese women that when it comes to foreigners, a westerner is a westerner. They are so giddy to meet someone from abroad that I sincerely doubt that being female will have any negative effect, except strange longing glances from the Chinese men.
I have to say, I highly recommend the experience, and if you do wind up in the neighborhood, teaching or visiting, I sure hope you drop me a line!
Shawn,
I would like to know more about learning an "unfamiliar language" and living in China does this experience given you the opportunity to gain insight into how languages shapes your reality. If it does can you give us some examples?
Corey,
I would like to know more about "how easy it is to come by good luck." Can you give us some examples?
Do the people you encounter in China keep abrest of American politics, much like many Europeans do? ...and if so, do you have to answer questions about it?
What's the funniest Engrish phrase you've seen?
I hope everyone appreciates how hard I just worked to be able to post a response. The chinese internet is being... fineky...
Anyway Dad, the language thing is an interesting thing to try and sum up, but what I've definitely learned is that even without speaking or understanding a language, there are many ways to communicate non-verbally. They work pretty well, and when they don't it can be pretty funny. So the lack of understanding does change the experience, but it's all part of coming to a country without being fully prepared I guess.
Jessi, great question. Due to some... restrictions... of what people can read, and an all around Sino-centric world view (I USED A SUPER FANCY WORD!) tends to mean that the Chinese aren't as well informed as the eager to argue Europeans (kidding). The closest I've gotten here is the occasional "What do you think of Little Bush?" Whom they are none too fond of because the Chinese are peaceful people, and he most assuredly is not. And yeah, they call him Little Bush... something in the translation probably.
Another question I got early on was about what I thought about 911. My first thought was to answer that our emergency response service is pretty good from what I hear, but then I realized they meant Nine Eleven, not Nine One One. So they've heard of that.
So I guess the short answer is.. not really.
And as for the Engrish, I'm glad you asked... expect a post devoted to just that coming in the next week or so! Stay tuned...
Post a Comment