nathan davey

Ahh, life here is a little hectic right now.

I still can’t really believe I am a teacher.  Seriously.  Me?  It is strange because I am teaching a pretty wide range of students, ages 13-19 and of such varying skill levels even in the same grade that it is really hard.  The younger ones are actually pretty good, it is the oldest ones who are the most troublesome and don’t really have much interest.  Still, I know that the older ones are under a lot of pressure to pass exams, so it is hard to get too upset.

For my first lesson in each class I’ve had them get into groups and come up with any questions they can think of to ask me.  The most typical questions and answers are …

Q: “Do you like China?”

A: “I love China!  I am so excited to be here because I have studied China and Chinese culture for many years.”

… applause …

Q: “What is your favorite Chinese food?”

A: “Dumplings.”

Q: “What do you think of our school?”

A: “It is beautiful and all the students and teachers are very nice and friendly”

… applause …

Q: “Do you have a girlfriend / wife?”

A: “No. I am too busy for love.”

Q: “Do you like Michael Jackson?”

A: “Umm.  In America we thought MJ was a little strange.  He lived in a big house filled with child’s toys.  So we thought he was a bit odd.”

Q: “Do you speak Chinese?”

A: “我会说中问。我的专业是中问和电脑。” – - – “I speak Chinese, my major was Chinese and Computers.”

They all get really excited when I tell them I speak Chinese.  The younger ones break out into a deafening applause which just cracks me up.  They also get sad when class is over, and I must admit, I do as well since they are so excited and a joy to be around.

I have 18 different classes, totaling about 600 students.  Yeah, its nuts.  I teach ten days in a row with four days off.  Seven out of the ten days I start at 7:50am, so I am trying to get used to getting up at 6:30.  The last time I did this was in high school.  It is rough.  I just started day one of five days in a row of teaching at 7:50am.  So. Damn. Early.  I teach each class twice a week, so 36 total.  Thankfully I only have four different age groups, so that mean I just need to come up with eight lesson plans a week and they are only 45 minutes long so … well, it is harder than I thought.

Needless to say, after the long and tiring days, I’ve got a lot more respect for teachers.

Dressing conservatively for my new role.  Well, at least for the first week.

So the kids are a *bit* spoiled.  There were more Mercedes, BMW, VW, and other such fancy cars here on the the first day than I think I had ever seen anywhere.  On my first day, in my first class, I had one student from Korea, one from Japan, and one from New York.  Huh.  That was weird.  I guess his dad knows one of the principals at the school (they have three principals and a headmaster).  So the poor kid  just changed from an American school to a Chinese school, where he needs to get up at 6am, have classes from 7:50am – 9:30pm, and they do homework until midnight.  I told the other teachers I am going to make him my helper, and I think they are down with that.

At 9:30 on the first day of school, all the junior and senior students assembled on the soccer field to raise the flag and herald in the new school year.

It was interesting but also a bit odd for a westerner I think.  So many students and all of them seem so patriotic.  Perhaps just because patriotism is falling out of favor in the states, but they are all very happy when I tell them how excited I am to be in China.

Live teaching practice.  Ugh.

Journey to Moon Hill with Philippe, then swimming in the Yi Long River.  Legs are like jello.

Biking to Moon Hill, the highest point in Yangshuo.

Pushy ladies trying to sell us water all the way up Moon Hill, quite the little hike.

Success.

On our way to the Yi Long River.

Swimming in the Yi Long.

Interviews for Buckland promotional materials. First gig doing voiceover work – while others went out, recording dialogues with Tina and Patrick for new Buckland textbooks to be used throughout China.

Evening dumplings with my friends at the Little Beijing dumpling and noodle place. Getting to know the owners better. Liu Lang Ming, you will be missed but I will find you again either here in Yangshuo or in Beijing.