This past week was a lot of walking. My Monday was a mess and I'm nervous because I wanted to be better with classroom environment by the time of my next observation. However, it actually seems worse and I can't seem to clamp down on the noise or the homework or anything. So I asked the assistant field director to come to one class in particular where students stand by the door when class is nearly over and students sometimes stand up and stretch in obvious defiance of me before slowly sitting down.
So teaching was rough, on Thursday, the school held its annual long walk. I was told to come to the school at 7:30AM. When I arrived, I was asked which class I was with. I had no idea and said "I was just told to be here at 7:30" and they told me to go find grade 7, class 13. In the end, a very kind English teacher walked me over to a class where the head teacher was their English teacher so I got to walk with class 8 for 33km (though the little passport we had to carry and get stamped at various checkpoints said 38). We talked, we ran, we snacked, we listened to music, I talked to the teacher some, and after a long sweaty, at times frustrating, walk in which we were accompanied by parent volunteers, staff, a mobile toilet truck, and water stations all along the way,we finally arrived at Fantawild, the amusement park here in Northern Zhuzhou.
So teaching was rough, on Thursday, the school held its annual long walk. I was told to come to the school at 7:30AM. When I arrived, I was asked which class I was with. I had no idea and said "I was just told to be here at 7:30" and they told me to go find grade 7, class 13. In the end, a very kind English teacher walked me over to a class where the head teacher was their English teacher so I got to walk with class 8 for 33km (though the little passport we had to carry and get stamped at various checkpoints said 38). We talked, we ran, we snacked, we listened to music, I talked to the teacher some, and after a long sweaty, at times frustrating, walk in which we were accompanied by parent volunteers, staff, a mobile toilet truck, and water stations all along the way,we finally arrived at Fantawild, the amusement park here in Northern Zhuzhou.
The gate to Fantawild, Zhuzhou's amusement park. I'll have to go back by bus at some point.
I think we stayed here for about an hour to rest, eat lunch, say hi to friends, take pictures, and get harassed by giant candy canes on stilts and a few clowns. Class 2 asked if I liked them because they're head teacher had told told them that I didn't. I said I liked them, just not the noise I deal with everyday. I wonder if that's part of the problem. We walked another three hours where there were buses for each class waiting and rode back to JingYan. I was sore, and didn't want to walk anymore but somehow made it back home and up all 6 flights of stairs to get to my apartment. Then I realized I didn't have much to eat and debated going out to get a foot soak. I just got some hot and sour noodles and sat with as much cushioning for my feet as possible. On Friday, the students had some event going on so we had no classes. I rested, cleaned around the apartment a bit, took a nap, listened to the Sporkful as they discussed the best way to make bacon and oreos (Do you put the bacon inside? Oreos on a plate with bacon to make a smiley face? Do you wrap the oreo in bacon? Maybe you wrap the oreo in bacon and then deep fry them both.), did laundry, read, worried about the flight I booked to Japan (because I requested a refund online but sense that I may need to call to clarify things because nothing's happened), sent my resume to a woman I knew was looking for English teachers in Zhuzhou (but now have to give her more information about myself and proof of my education), and didn't do much otherwise. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my feet aren't too sore the day after. Then again, I went to bed pretty early so I wasn't standing on them for at least 8 hours.
It was pretty satisfying to see how happy my students were when I remembered names and when I asked why class 8 always answers my questions with "Zombie-pig-man":
"Teacher, do you like zombie pig man?"
"I don't know him. I just hear about him every time I come to your class."
"Oh."
But they giggled and talked about him anyway. It's good. This class has gotten so much better over the course of the year and it was great to catch up with them. I can't wait to see them on Monday.
I know I'd said I'd write about Hengshan and I will soon. But between the mountain and Fantawild I'm a little worn out. Thankfully, I walk everywhere anyway partly just to see what's out on the streets. I'm used to walking for hours, but the difference is I don't normally do more than say, 2 or 3 hours at a go. And usually within the same radius around my apartment: the exit/entry bureau, the Xiang River, the park,the school, roast duck stalls, the big shopping street near the train station...So I just told myself not to think about time or distance and to just keep moving and that seemed to work pretty well for me. The hard part was when one student kept telling me I looked terrible and asked if I was tired. I had to keep moving or go crazy while remembering she was just trying to be nice.
It was pretty satisfying to see how happy my students were when I remembered names and when I asked why class 8 always answers my questions with "Zombie-pig-man":
"Teacher, do you like zombie pig man?"
"I don't know him. I just hear about him every time I come to your class."
"Oh."
But they giggled and talked about him anyway. It's good. This class has gotten so much better over the course of the year and it was great to catch up with them. I can't wait to see them on Monday.
I know I'd said I'd write about Hengshan and I will soon. But between the mountain and Fantawild I'm a little worn out. Thankfully, I walk everywhere anyway partly just to see what's out on the streets. I'm used to walking for hours, but the difference is I don't normally do more than say, 2 or 3 hours at a go. And usually within the same radius around my apartment: the exit/entry bureau, the Xiang River, the park,the school, roast duck stalls, the big shopping street near the train station...So I just told myself not to think about time or distance and to just keep moving and that seemed to work pretty well for me. The hard part was when one student kept telling me I looked terrible and asked if I was tired. I had to keep moving or go crazy while remembering she was just trying to be nice.
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