My favourite thing to do in the morning, is to create time to sit, enjoy my coffee and read emails, look at pictures and connect with family and friends back home. I also have some brand spankin' new Canmore and Lake Louise posters to look at every morning too (thanks Sagan!).
Routine has been developed, but is still evolving. While I continue to wonder about life lived off campus, I am totally loving my lunch time routine;
Dismiss students at 11:50pm
Home by 11:59pm
Coffee brewing by 12:02pm
Lunch made by 12:10pm
Sitting in the quiet apartment, enjoying the moments away from work until about 1:00pm, when I walk back and get ready for class to begin again at 1:25pm.
Thursday after school, I continue to help another high school teacher with a very beginner level, fun volleyball hour. We play from about 4:45 - 5:30. Very low organized...just giving the students a chance to play and practice. It's nice to be able to spend time with the high school teachers, as I don't see them during the week. Although our buildings are close together, they are very separate.
Weekends will continue to be full of possibility and adventure. This weekend, the plan is to stay here, in Luxu, on the campus. It will be a good opportunity to continue to get to know teachers and build relationships. There is talk of a teacher volleyball game after school tomorrow...which by the way, ends for me at 11am...AWESOME! Then to a new kind of Friday apres...(although, there will only ever be one apres in my mind and in my heart, VAs and T/S!) to unwind after a busy and tiring week.
Observations in China this week
- Turns out, teenagers are teenagers all over the world. This week, they have been testing how far they go with Ms Parkin...turns out....not far...not far at all. I heard today from my supervisor that the students think I am "really tough" with "high expectations" but they "really like me". #winning. That is always what I strive for as a teacher, in that order as well, and I seem to be getting quicker at achieving it in a new setting.
- English translations on signs, billboards, retail stores, clothing and food, continues to provide entertainment. I've stopped asking the "why" and am just fully enjoying it. I do need to take more pictures...
- The weather continues to completely baffle me....cold, hot, rainy, windy, REALLY rainy, FREEZING, shorts weather hot, COLD.....but no snow..so that's something (if you hate snow...but I really love it...sooo I guess it's nothing).
- I found out, the campus used to be Circus grounds....huh.
- The students are SO polite...it blows my mind. They ALWAYS say "hello teacher!" or "hello parking!" (yes, they say the G....I decided I don't care)
- Speaking of that, in class they say, "teacher!" to get my attention....so in response, I've started to say, "student!"....it throws them off and is hi-larious to me....so I shall continue this.
- The air quality changes from day to day...in terms of what I can see. There is a large tower...like high rise on Queens Quay in Toronto large..that is solely for elevator testing (so strange)....that I can see from my window. It is my marker for air quality. Some days it is clear and pristine...other days it is barely noticeable.
- I laugh to myself every time I hop on my cruiser bike...mostly because I didn't think I would own such a bike but also because I love it and how practical it is...for real.
Keep the emails coming! Love receiving them.
Much love xo.
