Same ol' same ol'
So I have been here for several weeks, and I have just started my second week of teaching. Teaching English is kind of cool, and I deffinately think that I could do it for a year... But I don't think that I could do it for longer than that. Maybe as a prof, but not as an ESL teacher or anything else. The kids here, even though they are just a few years younger than me (I have 16 to 19 year olds), are amazingly well behaved. They stand up when you address them, and don't sit down until you tell them to. This is a problem, because I tend to forget to tell them to sit. If they are late they wait outside until you tell them that they can come in, which is polite and respectful but it means that every late student interrupts your class.
I have developed a routine of sorts, as well. I wake up between 9:30 and 11, prepare for my class, eat lunch, and at 1 I start class. I have two classes that are two hours each, one from 1 to 3 and another from 3:15 to 5:15. So I teach one class, have a break (eat a snickers and drink a coke), and then teach the second class. After class I generally hang around doing nothing until everyone goes out to eat (everyone can be as few as two people). We eat dinner and then go to one of two (or both) bars in old town.
The Raven is a great bar that is the ex-pat hang out. It is run by two Americans (Jason and Amy) and has it's own racist black lab. Xiaolu, the dog, loves Westerners but can't seem to stand Chinese people; she is always growling at the local flower boy, Jimmy. It is a little odd because the dog lives in CHINA. Anyway, the Raven is great. It has a hip, comfy atmosphere and some awesome hot chocolate!
The other bar that we tend to go to has no name. Literally has no name. There is a bar in Beijing that is named the "No name bar," but this place really isn't named. Or if it is the owner hasn't told anyone. The bar is in a guest house, and is owned by a Tibetan man. Every night the owner sings Tibetan songs and plays the drums, sometimes there are other people who sing and play with him.
Then we will all tumble home in a taxi (in the rain!), go to bed, and start it all over again.
I have developed a routine of sorts, as well. I wake up between 9:30 and 11, prepare for my class, eat lunch, and at 1 I start class. I have two classes that are two hours each, one from 1 to 3 and another from 3:15 to 5:15. So I teach one class, have a break (eat a snickers and drink a coke), and then teach the second class. After class I generally hang around doing nothing until everyone goes out to eat (everyone can be as few as two people). We eat dinner and then go to one of two (or both) bars in old town.
The Raven is a great bar that is the ex-pat hang out. It is run by two Americans (Jason and Amy) and has it's own racist black lab. Xiaolu, the dog, loves Westerners but can't seem to stand Chinese people; she is always growling at the local flower boy, Jimmy. It is a little odd because the dog lives in CHINA. Anyway, the Raven is great. It has a hip, comfy atmosphere and some awesome hot chocolate!
The other bar that we tend to go to has no name. Literally has no name. There is a bar in Beijing that is named the "No name bar," but this place really isn't named. Or if it is the owner hasn't told anyone. The bar is in a guest house, and is owned by a Tibetan man. Every night the owner sings Tibetan songs and plays the drums, sometimes there are other people who sing and play with him.
Then we will all tumble home in a taxi (in the rain!), go to bed, and start it all over again.