Pizza buffet

We set out to find the pizza buffet after lounging around Sunday morning.  It was a slow start as one of us got up at midnight to watch football and didn't make it back to bed until a little after three.  Once we made it off campus we hopped on the bus and headed into town.  We got a nice long walk in town as I pulled us off the bus about five stops early.  Once we made it to the restaurant - there was a journey around the entire intersection but that is just how things go when you can't read any of the signs - we took a few minutes to attempt an decode the buffet process in China.  Turns out it's pretty much the same as in the USA.  You pay up front for so so food and then leave in pain.  Now we don't have to worry about going there again.

After lunch it was off the Wu-mart.  It's probably about the same square footage as a Wal-Mart but it's on four levels.  The top level is household items, clothes, electronics; then you get pet food and some other things I can't remember and we didn't need; then fresh food and finally the ground floor is packaged food.  Shopping is still shopping and not my favorite choir, but we did get almost everything on our list, however I haven't figured out if people wear contact lens here and whether or not I can buy saline, that'll just be for another day.

On our way to dinner we bumped into the one Chinese person we know in our neighborhood who isn't a coworker.  She was on the way to the spa but instead on walking us to dinner and helping us order our meal.  Very nice but a little pushy.  I've been told China is a land of contradictions and I think nice but pushy is a good example of just that.

I hated that I had to miss the golf outing this weekend but it sounds like it went off with out a hitch.  I'm in for next year.

Hope you all have a wonderful day,
Ryan

Weekend No. 2

The thing we've learned about China is to go with the flow.  We were asked if we would like to go to a mountain walking race and we said sure.  Walking a 10k in the mountains would be a great way to spend a Saturday.  On Friday were told we would be picked up at 6 am and then taken to the bus station to ride an hour an half to the festival - still in the same district of Beijing, it' a big place in more ways than one.  We got on the bus and found out our 10k was a 20k, this was to the great dismay of our colleague.  Things often seem to change at the last moment but so far they always work out well.

Here are a few pictures from the walking festival in Zaitang, Mentougou, Beijing (Map):

Julie and our fellow teacher, Rose.

How come Ryan has on the only green shirt?  Turns our I wear a XXL in China and that size isn't very common.

Dam!

The Chinese don't like Naked Flames.

We were very tired as your can tell from the pictures it got pretty steep, but it was well worth it and at least we didn't get signed up for the 100k.

As one of the few foreigners in attendance we were interviewed by three TV stations, two radio stations and a couple newspapers.  Turns our we are much more popular in China.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend,
Ryan & Julie

Our first working Thursday ... for one of us it's been a while.

We got home this afternoon and Julie so graciously decided to clean the few dishes we have and it made me think maybe we don't really need dishes?  Here take a peek for yourself:

Today Julie and I went to our other schools for the first time.  Julie taught grades 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 ... well she taught grade 6 twice but it turned our they were actually 4th graders, but it worked out well as they were lovely and very well behaved.  She made a boy cry but we can't be sure that was her fault.  All and all a good day one.

I taught pre-school, grade 1, 2, 3 and 4.  Pre-school, well they are five, it went OK considering.  Then I was told my grade 1 class would take place in the lunch room.  I got set-up and in walked 70 (if not more, they were everywhere) six year olds.  I don't think they learned a thing and two boys somehow got bloody noses but no one died so I'm counting that as a win.  The teachers who were supposed to help me look like they had been beaten by this group a long time ago.  After that it was all pretty good.  Nothing like perspective to put the proper spin on your day. 

Well tomorrow is kindergarten!  How bad could it be?
-Ryan

Teaching

We have completed 3 days of teaching.  I taught 1st grade for the first time today.  One of the hardest things I have ever done.  Anyone try to deal with 40 six years olds at once. The second  time I taught 1st grade was a delight in comparison.  I also taught 3rd grade today.  At the beginning of that class, the projector would not work for my PowerPoint.  I thought I was going to have do class without it but it finally began working.  

I am teaching at another school tomorrow and found out today that I will be teaching 5 classes.  I don't know how old the kids are or what level they are at.  This should be interesting.  

At dinner tonight, one of the teachers told us that there's FRIENDS bar in Beijing.  I can't wait to go there.  

Ryan's computer has decided to die.  Ryan is performing surgery on it right now trying to revive it.  

So I think we have mentioned the food.  For the most part it is delicious, but sometimes it is interesting.  Nothing is plain.  Even cucumbers are covered in garlic.  I have seen shrimp flavored potato chips.  I have not tried them... Dont know if I will.  There is a lot of vinegar on things.  I don't eat those things.  Things that are delicious: cauliflower casserole thing,  dumplings... All dumplings are delicious,  potato and beef casserole thing, rice krispy like puffed oat things, animal crackers (with bird, fish, and turtle shapes) , and noodles in broth with spices.  Oh and the spinach.   

Over the weekend we downloaded hulu so we can watch American tv.  So far we have watched half of season one of Whitney.  Good show.  Any suggestions of what shows we sure watch??  

Teaching

Sorry for the lack of communication but we have been pretty worn out over the last two days, our first two days teaching - ever.   It is quite an experience and effectively communicating with the students (and teachers) can be a significant challenge and takes lots of pictures, gestures and acting.  The flip side is that our attempts to pronounce words in Mandarin are good experiences to empathize with what our students (and fellow teachers) are going through.

Our school has about 900 students and between Julie and I we have one class with every student in the school each week.  Julie covers grades 1, 3 and 5 and I cover grades 2, 4, and 6.  Each class has 35 - 40 students and each grade is made up of four classes.  That adds up to each of us teaching 12 classes a week at our school.  On Thursday's we will be going to different 'sister' schools.  Our school is the Yongding branch and on Thursday's I'll go to the Shimenying branch.  I can't remember what branch Julie goes too!  Finally, on Friday morning's we will both go to the kindergarten that is sponsored by our school.

Here are some pictures from around the school:

Front Gate. The stairs on the right are still being built.

The clock tower and stairs that are being built.

Lobby (picture 1)

Lobby (picture 2)

English Corner (picture 1)

English Corner (picture 2)

This is one of many signs heading into the playground.

Water Wheel, it is very sunny today.

Fountain (not on!).  English Corner is above and to the right.

Sitting area below the English Corner

There are 4 statues of famous Chinese teachers. This is is only one of them.

View from the parking lot.  Our apartment is just to the left of this picture.

Back to work.  Talk to you soon, Ryan.

Sunday night

We just got home form dinner and I'm pretty sure we're a great source of entertainment for the staff.  This was our second meal of the day with no translator.  The first, since there were no pictures on the menu, I pointed to the food at the table next to us and got them to bring us the same thing.  It took a bit longer than it sounds.  Before too long awkward pause will not be a big deal for Julie or I anymore.


Back to this evening, where we ordered a chicken dish.  While I have only been in China a short time it is my advice to be careful with chicken dish as the Chinese don't seem to mind bones and don't even try to remove them.  This led to Julie and I thoroughly entertaining the staff as we tried to eat around the bones with varying degrees of success.  Here we are before dinner:

Sorry no entertaining after shot for you.  One interesting discovery we have made in many restaurants is that they out source there dish washing, which is probably a good thing:

One major development this morning was that I found out how to watch football online and got to see a b it of FSU's 'game' this morning.  Next week Wake Forest at midnight Beijing time!

Some pictures

All I could read on this was 10 and 2010 so I have no idea what it's for but I thought we should document it.

Honey anyone?  Yes those are beehives on the sidewalk. Talk about farm to fork!

The other side maybe the sewer but this is nice!

The Wu-Mart

There are parks all over the place.  If you cannot tell that is a dragon ... next to the guy in the FSU hat.

I have no idea.