So I guess I am a teacher now...

I have a class roster list for sixteen out of the twenty classes I teach in a week because I haven’t gotten to Friday’s (today’s) yet and it is at almost ten full pages. About six hundred kids this week will hear about how I like 1. reading 2. riding my bicycle and I don’t like 1. cleaning 2. doing laundry. Every time I tell the kids that “doing laundry” is what we in America call washing clothes they all let out an “ahhhhhh” in unison. I think one time they even clapped. My favorite thing to do is to make a class of Chinese kids either break into spontaneous applause or laugh hysterically. I’m pretty sure by the end of this thing I’ll just be doing stand-up.

I teach classes Junior 1-Junior 3 which are the equivalent to grades 7-9. Each of these grades is divided into 8 classes of about fifty. I only teach 25 at a time though because I split them with Mary Beth. The classes from 1-8 go from least intelligent to most. I’m not sure when or how they are divided up but they stay that way until they graduate. Teaching the upper level classes is fun but they are total punks, especially class 8 who knows that they’re the shit. “Teacher, we are very clever!” It’s cool to see what they know. One kid in my Junior 3, Class 8 class asked me who I was voting for in the upcoming election. I said “I’m not sure yet” (it’s not wise to talk politics here) and I asked him if he knew who the candidates were. And he did! I like teaching mid-level (classes 4,5,6) because they are sweet and pay attention. I don’t give these kids grades and they go to school from 7-5 for the young ones and 7-9:30 for the Junior 3s so my class is a total gut class which I don’t really mind (recall that my goals are to get them to laugh and clap at me). I am really just here to be a white face walking around that parents can see when they pick up their kids. I even have to perform at all of the school assemblies (totally pumped about that!).

Today at 17:10 I’m taking a bus to Shanghai to stay with Stephanie. Being with English speakers for two days will be nice. I’m trying to meet the other elusive seven English teachers in Zhangjiagang. Tuesday and Wednesday I went to that stupid ex-pat bar Malone’s. The first night there was a rowdy group of Germans. Last night it was a little tamer and I got a hold of one of the English teachers, Carla, who works with this program called English First via someone else’s cell phone after complaining about how lonely I was. I gave her my number and hopefully I didn’t sound too needy. She said something about a party Monday night.

By the way….I found oatmeal! This is what I eat every morning for breakfast and I had resigned myself to being without it for five months. Then, while perusing one of the two giant local supermarkets, I stumbled upon it. The bag was labeled “Nutrition for the frail and elderly” and then I found a canister of good old Quaker. I bought the Quaker one, not due to brand loyalty, but because the Chinese versions were sold in giant plastic sacks while Quaker comes in a sensibly re-sealable container. All of the canisters looked like someone had come at them with nun chucks or something and were covered in dust but whatever….oatmeal!!!!

Also, I have taken to long bike rides through town. My bike is pretty and purple and has a little purple squeaky mouse for a bell. The seat is super low and it really hurts my back, but biking is super fun. This place is supposed to be tiny, but there sure are a lot of giant buildings and fancy hotels. Yesterday I stumbled upon two Olympic training facilities. One was this glorious pool built inside this pointy glass structure and the other was a basketball and tennis facility. The tennis nets must have been eight stories high. Is that really necessary? In my explorations I have also found three (3) open-air amphitheaters. What are they used for? Mom, don’t get mad, but yesterday when I went on an exploring mission I listened to my Ipod. I know this is totally foolish because biking in China is the most dangerous thing ever, but listening to “I am the walrus” during rush hour traffic through this shiny new beautiful/ridiculous city is totally great.

Pictures soon?
Rachel