Observations from My 2nd Week in China

I have been in China for 2 1/2 weeks... I can't believe how fast the time is flying! One more week and I have a week of vacation! Speaking of that... I did the last police check for my resident visa last week, and they say it should be here on Thursday and I can pick it up on Friday!! Keep your fingers crossed, since I have a flight booked to the Philippines on the following Saturday!! Ps.. guess how much the hotel is costing me each night in Boracay...........8 Canadian dollars.. thank youuuu cheap travel in Southeast Asia! It is true, our hotel room is booked for 24$ a night CAN, and there is 3 of us staying in it! Overall, the whole vacation to one of the best beaches in the WORLD is costing me about 350 dollars. WOW :) 

So here are some of my observations from my 2nd week in China:

1) First and foremost, I LOVE my students - I know that is a very cliche thing for a teacher to say.. but... it is true. I am so thankful for the class I have been given for my first year of teaching. They are so much fun to be around.. I hope I still feel like this come June:) 

I may be a little bias, but I think this is pretty friggin cute!  The word of the day was "like" and they had to write about why they like something, anything! I did not tell me students to write about why they like me! haha 

The rules in Miss Russell's class, they may be corny.. but its Grade 2 ! 

2) China is HOT - and when I say hot.. I don't mean a beautiful beach day on the island of Grand Manan.. I've travelled to a few hot places in this world, and I have never experienced a heat like this! Living in a tropical climate is awesome, but when all I want to do is stay in my bedroom or my classroom where the AC is on, you know that it is very hot, because I love the heat! 

3) STOP HONKING THE HORN - Last time I was in China I got used to the spitting, and the peeing on the street and whatever else came up, but one thing I cannot and will not get used to is the honking! (as I write this there are numerous car horns blowing outside my bedroom window) I know that patience is a virtue, and this is especially true in China, but for some reason beyond me, Chinese drivers will sit in their cars and lay on the horns even though they know they are not going to be moving for a good amount of time. I went to have a nap on Friday afternoon, and I couldn't fall asleep because someone outside my window was sitting in traffic in their car laying on the horn for.. no word of a lie.. 4 minutes straight! that may not sound like a long time.. but this was one continuous honk which was followed by many other car horns. AHHHHHHHH.. I don't know what it is about the honking, but it drives me crazy and I can't seem to get used to it..(even though I am adjusting easily to the MANY other strange things that bother other people) I here on out swear that I will never use my car horn when I return to Canada! 

4) I am obsessed with the show Parenthood - last time I was in China I bought the series of Parenthood and only watched a bit of it on the flight home, then summer came around and I didn't even watch T.V. but here, each evening I have been finishing up the seasons that I have and it is an AMAZING show! I am almost done it, but thank God for cheap DVD's from booths on the corner in China because I just bought the whole series of Breaking Bad for like 8 dollars CAN so that will be next !

5) The world is small - the more places I go, the more I realize this. It is a very very small world out there. Most of us teaching here are Atlantic Canadians and always someone knows someone who knows someone! It's crazy, you can be half way around the world and still have multiple connections with the people you meet! Also, skype has really made me realize this. I skyped this morning with a few of my friends and it was as clear as day, just as if we were hanging out for an hour together! it's unbelievable to me how well technology keeps you in contact with the ones you love! 

6) I love rice - I have always been a huge fan of rice.. but even though I eat it almost everyday of my life.. I love it.. and I don't think I will get sick of it! There is a little take out right outside the gates of our school and I can buy a big bowl of egg fried rice there for 1.10 Canadian! how can I resist that.. thats right.. I can't! I'm not really having a hard time finding food to eat here.. my only problem is trying to find the cheapest healthiest way to eat... I can eat cheap rice or noodles everyday but its not the healthiest choice (I NEED some sort of protein).. I can go buy healthy food at the international school but its expensive.. soo that is the only thing I am struggling with.. the longer I am here the more I will learn about this I am sure! 

7) I love Grand Manan - don't get me wrong, I am not homesick, I am having a great time here, and I do not want to come home.. but the farther and longer away I am from home, the more it makes me realize how truly unbelievable Grand Manan is! Everyone has told me that Boracay has the best sunsets in the world.. but I beg to differ! We will see next week :) 

8) Contractions - no I don't mean pregnancy contractions.. I mean vocabulary contractions.. I think these will be permanently erased from my vocabulary by the time I return to Canada. I never ever use them with the students! I *did not* even really realize it until the other day.. everytime I go to say something where I would usually say.. "no, don't do that.." or "no he didn't" I am using do not and did not so it makes it easier for the students to understand! It's weird how I unintentionally did that with my language! I guess it is just one of those things! 

9) I am a neat freak - having my own classroom for the first time has made me realize how organized and neat I really am (yes mom, I know I know I know.. you may not agree with me, my bedroom has been at times a mess.. butttttt) I organize my classroom and clean it everyday! I can't stand when anything is out of order! haha I guess that is a good thing being a teacher! 

well 9 is my favourite number, so I guess I will stop writing for now! I am getting excited about my trip to Boracay, but waiting patiently for my passport and resident visa to arrive so I can be even more excited! 
I do not know if I am technically allowed to do this.. haha but my classroom website is up and running! if you go to isnsz.com, click on faculty and find me, then click on classroom website you can see some pictures of my amazing students!! 

Going to run and get some rice and a smoothie now!  I'll write soon I promise (ok Bailey? :))

oo ps... the ONE thing I forgot in Canada - my CAMERA CORD! AHH EMMA! so I am taking pictures I promise, but I need to find a cord to put the pictures on my computer! Thank God I am in a country where the camera was more than likely made, so I am sure this will not be a problem! I just need to get on it! and when I do, there will be pictures up! 

lots of love, em