Everyone Should Live In China At Least Once

I love this it touches on so many things I have experienced in the 3 months I have been here.

Teaching

Hello Everyone, I must once again apologize for taking so long to write a new post. My only excuse is that I am working full time so I get busy. Plus I have had a bad cold that has left me with no energy after I finish work. I have had a few questions from people about the specifics of my job: what grades I am teaching, where I am teaching, how it works, if I make my own lesson plans etc. So I thought I would use this post to talk a bit about the reason I am here, my job.

Before coming to China I got my TESOL certificate, which is a 5 day course after which you can teach English internationally. I found out about TESOL at a job fair in Toronto last spring, and it seemed perfect for me. It offered me a chance to travel and get paid, not to mention that they would help me find a job and place me with my friends if I wanted. So Katharina, Adrianna and I took the course together a few weeks later. Shortly after that Katharina and I decided we would like to go to Shanghai and we had both signed contracts with Pacican by the summer.

My contract is with a company called Pacican Academy. They hire foreign English teachers and place them in local schools in Shanghai, they also offer private english classes and tutoring. It is kind of good to work for them because they have many other foreign teachers employed with them, (which is how I have met people) and they have the process worked out perfectly in terms of helping finalize visas and forms etc.

I am working at 2 public schools in the Pudong District. I go to the one school on Monday morning, and all day Wednesday and Friday. Then I am at my second school Monday afternoons and all day Tuesday and Thursday. I am teaching grades 1 to 4, averaging 26 periods taught per week. My class is an English emersion class, it is basically fun English class because I do not teach grammar or give tests. The vocabulary and sentence structures I am teaching are usually familiar to them with maybe a few new words and the main goal of my lessons is to have the kids participating and speaking. I am lucky in that I only see each class once a week and therefore I only need to create 4 lesson plans per week. Pacican Academy has given me a textbook that is the basis for what I am teaching in class. The book has vocab for each unit and target sentences so it makes it very easy for me to follow and create lessons around, while still allowing flexibility to be creative with my lessons.

Let me just say that I love teaching! I have always loved working with kids and this experience so far has only enhanced that passion. My students are so good! They treat me like a rock star, following me around in the halls yelling hello and waving. As well they are for the most part well behaved and seem to enjoy my class, one of my biggest problems can be their over-enthusiasm. The main reasons (in my opinion) for this are that: 1) We play games and have fun in class which is very different from their regular lessons, 2) I am different and a novelty, and 3) they are not scared of me because I do not punish them in the same manner their Chinese teachers do nor do I have the same authority level. The English levels of my students vary dramatically, even amongst students of the same grade. At each school I teach anywhere from 3 to 5 classes of the same grade, and the way the system here works is that they have sorted the children into their classes based on their level. So for example at my one school it goes in order: class 1 is always the best class (the most advanced and easiest to teach), class 2 is in the middle and class 3 is the slowest, usually needed extra practice with the vocab etc. At my other school it is not as obvious as the best class could be class 4 instead of class 1 but the system remains the same, some classes are just better then others. This means that I can tailor my activities to the classes level, trying to challenge the better classes a bit more while still teaching the same material.

I have been very lucky in my schools with how the local teachers treat me. They have been so great looking out for me and helping me to feel comfortable getting into a routine with my classes etc. I mainly interact with the other English teachers for the simple reason that they can speak English so we can communicate, but there are other teachers at both schools who can speak and understand some English which is nice. I am fortunate to always have a Chinese teacher in the classroom with me, which helps me a lot with classroom management and sometimes explaining things I have said that are unclear to the kids, and it is a luxury that not all foreign English teachers have. All of the teachers have been very welcoming towards me, making me feel appreciated. For example on my birthday the English teachers at the school I was at that day had a birthday present for me (a Chinese fan) and some Chinese cakes which was so sweet of them!! The other teachers have also been very kind in complimenting my teaching, which is amazing to me since I have only been a teacher for a few months and they have had years of experience. The principal at my one school even told a Pacican coordinator who was evaluating my class that I am one of the best teachers they have had and that they want to keep me forever, not just for the year that is my contract.

Overall teaching has been such a positive and rewarding experience, one that I am eager to continue. One day I was talking with my friend Jacob about our jobs and we both agreed that it is the best job because it just doesn’t feel like work. We get paid to be goofy and play games, which is basically the best job ever!

Otherwise I don’t have any news, not much has changed. I am settled into my routine of work, eat, sleep, and going out with friends. On Wednesday nights I go to Mandarin classes, which are going okay but I still can’t say much in Chinese, and things are still going well with my roommate Becky.

Thanks for reading! If you have more questions or things you would like me to talk about in upcoming posts let me know in the comments, on facebook or send me an email.

National Day Holiday

Hello, Sorry it took me so long to post this but I have been busy with work and things. I hope you enjoyed the pictures I posted the other day.

Wednesday, October 1st was Chinese National Day. Thanks to this holiday we got a week off of school. Originally Katharina and I had talked about going somewhere over the break but then I was warned that travelling in China during this holiday would be busy, expensive and over crowded so we decided to stay in Shanghai and finally do some touristy things. Additionally Katharina and I decided to plan a day trip to a city near Shanghai called Hangzhou.

On the first day of the break I met up with my new friend Mark (who is also an English teacher with Pacican from PEI) and we went to see the Bund. The Bund for me is the most famous image of Shanghai. It is the stretch of buildings along the Huangpu river, which includes the Pearl Tower. (I posted some pictures from this trip the other day). We arrived in the late afternoon and walked along the east bank. Then we took a ferry across the river and walked along exploring the other side for a while. We stopped for a coffee and sat in a square where there was some live music and a nice view of the river, then at dusk we took the ferry back across the river so that once we got back to the other side all the building were lit up. The Bund at night is beautiful! All the buildings have colorful lights or amusing advertisements lighting up the sky. Mark and I walked back up the riverbank to take more photos and then started to walk back towards Peoples Square (fighting the crowds everywhere we went). Since it was Chinese National Day there were tons of people out and lots of street vendors selling food and trinkets, and everywhere we went there were crazy crowds of people! But it was fun nonetheless, and something I had been wanting to do since I arrived.

Thursday I didn’t do much and just relaxed because Friday I had to be at the train station meeting Katharina for 7:30 am to go to Hangzhou.

Hangzhou is a city near Shanghai (1 1/2 hours on the train) that Katharina’s roommates suggested we visit. It is an old city with lots to see, but it is most famous for West Lake and the area surrounding it. We decided to make it a day trip getting our tickets for the 8:30 am train and returning on the 8:30pm train. Once arriving in Hangzhou we took a bus to the lake and got a bite to eat. Then we started walking. There are many trails and parks surrounding the lake with beautiful scenery so different from what we are used to at home. It was very peaceful there, despite the multitude of tourists. We visited a Pagoda with a lovely view of the lake. Then we set out to find the famous Buddhist Temple called Lin Yin Temple. We walked for ages, not knowing if we were heading in the right direction but unable to ask for directions, as people spoke little to no English. We finally got help from a tourist booth who told us which bus to take (which was helpful as it was much to far to walk to). The temple it turned out was located within a large park that also housed an old Buddhist Monastery and some very old relief sculptures carved in the caves surrounding the temple. The sight was amazing and it was incredible to think how old some of the caves were and how long people had been worshipping there. We explored all around in the monastery, which had many parts to it built into a hillside with a few different levels. Lastly we visited the temple, which was more like a temple complex as there were many buildings, each housing different statutes and worship centers. I know only a very little about Buddhism, but it was incredible to see how beautifully decorated the temples were with the statues and alters. However it was so different then everything I know having grown up Catholic. The setting at the temple out in the middle of nature, with incense burning in the courtyard is so tranquil, it made me wish churches could be more like that.

After the temple we went to the bus stop and got in line. Since it was the end of the day everyone was heading back into the city and there were only 2 bus options. So we waited in line for quite a while with 3 or 4 buses filling and leaving before we finally got on one. I have never been on a bus ride like that in my life. Even in high school when the kids were all trying to shove on a bus at the end of the day it was never like the Chinese people shoving to get on this bus. We were packed like sardines with no room to move or breath! Then add in the traffic, even on a good day I find bus drivers here are crazy, but the bus ride from the temple was by far the worst I’ve ever experienced. It felt like an hour before we got back to a stretch of road we recognized from the morning so we decided to get off to search for a restaurant. Once off, to both of our relief, we found that there were a few restaurants but not too many of options. So being tired and hungry we went to the first place that looked half decent, a place called something like New York steak house and burgers or a name to that effect, (I honestly wasn’t paying too much attention at this point), but it seemed okay and when you are that hungry finding familiar comfort food is the best possible thing. So we went in and were pleasantly surprised when the Chinese hostess greeted us in English at the door. We were led upstairs to the dinning room through a stairwell in which the walls were covered in frames with jerseys for different New York sports teams, photos of New York and newspaper articles. We were taken to a nice table with comfy chairs and we sat down for what felt like the first time in hours. Looking around there were 2 other tables with foreigners and a few groups of Chinese people but it wasn’t busy. Since we were in a hurry, because we had a train to catch at 8:00, we decided to order fast and then go check out the bathrooms (because in China more often then not it is the hole in the ground type and they are not always very clean). After looking at the menu I immediately decided on a bacon cheese burger,and Katharina, who has been an ethical vegetarian for a while now, also decided on a burger, much to my amusement. Once we had ordered I found a pleasant surprise in that the bathroom was very clean and actually had toilets.

There was a man sitting alone at the table next to ours and he was clearly a foreigner. I don’t remember if he initiated the conversation or if I did but we started talking to each other while Katharina was in the washroom. He was German, in China for business. We talked about how I am an English teacher here for the next year and how I was finding things so far etc. Then he randomly asks me if I speak Italian by any chance, (I had only said I was Canadian at this point and had not mentioned anything about Italy or speaking Italian), so I said yes actually I do. And he told me about how his secretary wanted to buy something off a website but it was all in Italian and she couldn’t understand it and he didn’t speak any Italian so he couldn’t help her, but then he didn’t ask me to help or anything and he just let it drop. Katharina returned at this point and we got talking about how she is Austrian but doesn’t speak much German, although she understands it and he kind of scolded her telling her that she should really speak German if her family is from Austria. After that we talked a bit about travel and he asked if she had ever been to Austria,and where in Europe we had been to, etc. Shortly after that his food arrived and our conversation with him ended. Not long after our food came and it was the best burger I have had in a long time, it was perfect.

We ate quickly and caught a taxi to the train station. When we arrived at the train station we found out that our train had been delayed by half an hour, which then changed to an hour. Luckily we found 2 seats relatively close together to sit and wait. In the end our train departed over an hour later then it was scheduled to, plus we were not on a fast train as we had been in the morning, so we didn’t arrive back in Shanghai until around midnight. It was a long but great day, and there is still much more to see in Hangzhou if we ever want to go back! (Pictures from this trip will hopefully be posted soon.)

The remainder of my Holiday was spent in Shanghai relaxing and exploring. On Sunday Heather (a new friend I met who also works as an English teacher for Pacican and is also from Toronto) and I wandered around exploring the French Concession for the afternoon, then we went to Katharina’s for pizza and a movie in the evening. Overall I had a lovely and relaxing break.

Photos from the Bund on National Day

October 1st

Hello

My name is Emily, I am 23 year old Canadian, recent graduate. I just moved to Shanghai, China to become an English teacher because: 1. I was having a hard time finding a job at home, 2. I love to travel, and 3. it was a great opportunity. I am starting this blog (as requested) to keep friends and family at home updated on my life here and travels.

“It is so hard to leave—until you leave. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world.” – John Green, Paper Towns

My friend Vicki sent me that quote when she found out I had decided to take the job and move to China. This quote sums me up pretty well right now which I think is why she picked it. After living in Italy on exchange for 10 months in university, the idea of living abroad and doing more travelling took root and grew. So once I graduated and had no job prospects at home it only seemed natural that when the opportunity arose to teach English abroad I should take it.

I am here with one of my best friends Katharina. We have been friends since grade 4, and despite going to different universities we have stayed close. Katharina and I have been through lots together including a 1 month backpacking trip in Europe 2 summers ago. We both love to travel and having new experiences, so when we both decided to take the TESOL course and teach abroad it only seemed logical to pick a place and go together. It was comforting for both us, and our families, that we would have each other to rely on in a new place on the other side of the world.

I arrived in Shanghai on September 11th, and had a crazy busy first few days with orientation and training at Pacican Academy (the company that hires and manages foreign English teachers in public schools all over Shanghai). As well as setting up a cell phone and a bank account, reviewing and resigning my contract etc. which was all made difficult due to the sever jetlag I was experiencing.

I also started apartment hunting right away because I wanted to live with a roommate so I was searching for ads online of people looking for a roommate. On a website Shanghaiexpats.com I found many potential apartments that I responded to but the first person that got back to me was an ad looking for a western, English speaking, female roommate between the ages of 20-40, all criteria that I fit. I went to see the apartment, (and a few others the next day but none that even compared) and decided on it almost immediately. So it all happened very fast which was what I needed. My apartment is small but cute and homey and the location can’t be beat. It is in the French Concession, Xu Hui district. It is very central and has lots of great restaurants, bars and shops around, plus a large international community. I am living with a Chinese girl named Becky who is very nice and lots of fun, and we get along really well so far. It is great having someone who speaks both English and Chinese to help me if I ever need translations or help with things here.

On Monday the 15th I went to see my schools, figure out how to get to them and meet the other teachers. Then on Tuesday morning I started teaching. I am teaching conversational English to grades 1-4 at 2 public schools in the Pudong district of Shanghai. The first morning I got kind of lost on my way to school so I was like 5 minutes late which meant that I was so concerned about being lost and just getting to the school that I didn’t have time to worry about how my first class would go, I just had to jump in. And it went really well! The kids had fun, my lesson plan worked out and overall the first day and first week teaching went great. I love the kids, they have been great, very enthusiastic and eager to learn. They are always excited to participate because my class is fun class where they get to play games and be silly. I have been very lucky as thus far and it has been going really well!
The other English teachers at my schools (Chinese women) are very nice and helpful! They have been taking such good care of me, walking me from class to class for my first few weeks and helping me get my lunch (both schools have a canteen where I get lunch for free!).

Since that first week things have continued moving very quickly. It is so hard to believe that I have been here for 3 weeks as of today. I’m finding that my life is starting to fall into a routine with school and lesson planning etc. which is good. I’ve been meeting lots of new people, which is always fun.

Yesterday was Chinese National Day, so we are on holidays for a week, which is great! But stories of how I spent my vacation time will have to wait for now.

Thanks for reading! Pictures to come soon!