你好

China Part 1:

你好 (hello), 

So, there will probably be very few blog posts.  I can't really write anything because in China there is NO social media anywhere.  No blogs, no facebook, no twitter. I mean I even turned off the data connection on my phone. 

 

I have started writing this email multiple times, but always end up taking a "rest."

 

Our 4th of July...We didnt really celebrate it.  It was our first day over here and I don't remember much of that day.  We were exhausted. We had been traveling for a day and a half-close to 40 hours without any real sleep.  So, the first day they picked us up from the airport and welcomed us with flowers and then we (Sarah Erika and I) got in a car with Charles (who works for the govt org. that brought us over) and he gots us lost in the car for about 2 hours. We got a nice tour of Changsha.  

right off the plane after the 34 hour trip. excited to be in china not sure what to expect. 

please excuse the disgusting hair. flowers brought by Her, Katherine, and Charles

Our leader Nolan really wanted us to wear our official shirts-we fought our battle, sucked it up and put on the tacky shirt. 

Charles met us with water (wahaha) and wild tiger (a one thing fits all type of medicine)

 

The program started on Tuesday and it crazy.  The kids were OUT OF CONTROL.  They speak little English, but they are smart and quick learners.  They are amazing artists and have the most beautiful handwriting. They know how to spell in English.  What they don't know how to do is listen.  We each have 3 teacher assistants (so NICE!) but they don't always come to our rescue.  Teaching is pretty lax here...teachers answer their phones in the middle of class.  They only teach 3 subjects and then plan the rest of the day.  They are all very excited for us to be here and want to accomodate us in any way possible.  For example, my assistant brings me breakfast and Sarah's assistant brings us hot tea every day made from flowers.  They are often telling us to take a rest.  The kids behavior is interesting since we were all under the impression that their education system leaned toward the militant side.  What we are working with is nothing like robotic children, but very loud, energetic kids. At times their robotic ways shine through, like when they recite things, or answer questions, or show us kung fu moves. 

 

There are a few kids that had us pick their English names (only boys though). We have encountered many hilarious Chinglish names.  Her, Handsome, If, Crystile, Icy.

 

  

The program is the first ever and it is a huge deal.  The city we are in brought us over and even though we are working with Beijing University we are modeling for the whole town.  So teachers all over.  Today, we had so many tv crews here and I probably had someone in my room taking pictures and videoing 80% of the day.  Slightly daunting.  It feels like the papperozi is here in China...cameras everywhere!

the tv crew, observing teachers, and paparazzi 

my crazy crazy chinese class

the paparazzi-justin (named after justin beiber by S, E, and myself)

the dynamic duo-our first chinese boyfriends. 

 

 

Tonight we had a forum with the teachers from the whole city.  Benton Heights got a quite a bit of air time and lots of laughs.  As always, we are an eccentric school with a bunch of crazies.  The Chinese loved the videos I shot of my American kiddos.  I could go on and tell you about the men who don't wear shirts or the babies whose butts hang out of their clothes or how last n ight we had dinner with the President of the university and he took shots of wine all night but I will save those stories for a different night.   

 

 

Love you all,  

Britt