Teaching Practice

Hardly. 6 kids we had yesterday and today! 6! I’m going to be teaching classes with an average size of 50 in a week and a bit. The most kids i had to teach was 10 this week! I don’t feel well prepared at all. I’ve kept a lot of materials i used during the past week so i already have some resources for the real thing. To be honest i’m getting really nervous now. How am i supposed to control so many kids? I’m just a kid myself! On that note, i have to tell them i’m like 25. Apparently if you haven’t been to Uni yet then you lose respect. So, “Hi everyone, my name is Rachel, i’m 25, married and have an honours degree in English.” Fun times.

My roommate, lovely girl that she is, copied my fringe! Well, to be fair, she’s had loads of fringes. And she’s planned getting one for months. I just think it’s quite funny. Maybe we’re sort of moulding into one person. Maybe one day, no one will be able to tell us apart... the possibilities.

It rained! Chinese winter is characteristically freezing cold and very dry compared to their boiling wet summer. But it rained! All day yesterday! Itwas quite cool actually. Reminded me of jolly ole England. What larks. Oh oh... i bought a flask for my tea. Mmmm... tea. It’s just a plastic flask but it means i can take tea to my lessons with me. Score! Oh and i’m not doing Manderin classes today, oh no... it’s calligraphy today! Which remindsme, i’m lacking in a spirograph set still. *ponders* But anyway, i hope to emerge from my ‘culture’ class with some masterpieces. Or at least some scribbles. Last night’s festivities included a Chinese Mask Show. We watched some crazy Chinese people do some mask swapping, opera and acrobatics. And dinner was included but it wasn't as nice as i hoped. The other day someone asked if i was part chinese... they said it was my eyes. I’m not sure how i feel about that comment yet.

Then onto Bar Tun! So much fun! One of the best nights so far. My other roommate has gone to hospital this morning because she got so drunk, she fell over and her knee is all swollen. (Not why it wasa good night - i only found that out this morning). But apart from that it was really good! I got ID'd at the bar! How funny! Of course i don't have my passport because it's been sent away to have my visa extended so i showed my UIBE uni card to prove at was studying at the uni. Very odd. Normally they just want your mooney, who cares about age? But this bar was run by a 'westener' - that's how we're known out here, i often feel like a celebrity because chinese people keep taking photos of us randomly. So anyway, quite a western feel to the bar but to be honest it's the only place all of us managed to get in. Most the main street bars are tiny!

I have it on good authority that Blink 182 are reforming. This makes me happy. That’s all i have to say. Peace out.