Light at the end of the (semester) tunnel
Almost finished! While the Chinese semester should end around the last week of December I am still going this week with Finals because I teach mostly Freshmen who didn't start school until the middle of October. The Chinese Fall semester usually runs from the first week of September until the end of December and then yes, they get two months off for Chinese New Year. School starts again the first week of March. So while other volunteers are already traveling and enjoying their two months off I am still interviewing my students for their Oral English Final Exam. All 100+ of them. It's been a long week.
The holidays in Chengdu were as festive as can be expected for it not really being that big of a deal here. American commercialization of Christmas has made it's way over here and you can find frosted windows and waitresses wearing Santa hats galore. The students put on a Christmas concert which I stupidly forgot to bring my camera to but it was a lot of fun with games and singing. Learned a few I may bring back to America. One was a 'lottery of humiliation' as I remember it. Everyone had to put their student number in a hat and if their name was picked they had to do things from ranging from spelling words with their butt or telling someone in the room of the opposite sex they liked him or her. My favorite/nerdiest Freshman picked that one and he came straight to Ms. Jeesun and told me his true feelings. Hilarious.
The students were very aware that this is a big American holiday so they gave me lots of little gifts such as apples and candy. Some very sweet Christmas cards. My favorite was from Leslie, who wrote me a long letter expressing her concern that she sees me running by myself during the day. "Ms. Jeesun I saw you running at the time you should be eating lunch. Do you miss your hometown?" The concern my kids have about me being lonely is actually pretty funny. Though I've told them time and time again that Americans are more independent and value their alone time they still seem really concerned. Sometimes when I run if my students see me they'll literally dump their books with a friend and join me.
The nicest Christmas gift I got was a tin full of notes from my students to me. Some just wished me a Merry Christmas but there were a whole bunch that were really touching and made it one of nicest Christmas mornings I've had in awhile.
There was also a Christmas Party and New Year's Party with the other volunteers in Chengdu. There are about 10 of us here and it's really nice to have such a strong support system.
Happy 2010!! Back to grading.....
The holidays in Chengdu were as festive as can be expected for it not really being that big of a deal here. American commercialization of Christmas has made it's way over here and you can find frosted windows and waitresses wearing Santa hats galore. The students put on a Christmas concert which I stupidly forgot to bring my camera to but it was a lot of fun with games and singing. Learned a few I may bring back to America. One was a 'lottery of humiliation' as I remember it. Everyone had to put their student number in a hat and if their name was picked they had to do things from ranging from spelling words with their butt or telling someone in the room of the opposite sex they liked him or her. My favorite/nerdiest Freshman picked that one and he came straight to Ms. Jeesun and told me his true feelings. Hilarious.
The students were very aware that this is a big American holiday so they gave me lots of little gifts such as apples and candy. Some very sweet Christmas cards. My favorite was from Leslie, who wrote me a long letter expressing her concern that she sees me running by myself during the day. "Ms. Jeesun I saw you running at the time you should be eating lunch. Do you miss your hometown?" The concern my kids have about me being lonely is actually pretty funny. Though I've told them time and time again that Americans are more independent and value their alone time they still seem really concerned. Sometimes when I run if my students see me they'll literally dump their books with a friend and join me.
The nicest Christmas gift I got was a tin full of notes from my students to me. Some just wished me a Merry Christmas but there were a whole bunch that were really touching and made it one of nicest Christmas mornings I've had in awhile.
There was also a Christmas Party and New Year's Party with the other volunteers in Chengdu. There are about 10 of us here and it's really nice to have such a strong support system.
Happy 2010!! Back to grading.....
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| End of 2009 |
posted by Jeesun @ 12:40 AM
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