Happy Halloween!.........Eye Exercises.............and the Campus

This student - "William" insisted he get his photo taken.....he does not look so thrilled here............

My Class 3 period ( and sigh.....Class 6 period daily, too) doing their eye exercises.

A random shot of the hall outside of my classroom today ( while the students completed their eye exercises) and another student of mine showed up in the "hallway/balcony" It's all open-air and hard to explain. I'll do a better job in future

Korean student borrows my lipstick...............

I live on the top floor (12th) of a Dorm. On the levels below, live the International students who attend the International Campus of SFLS- about five minutes away. They are primarily from Korea and Japan. I don't often ride the elevator with them, but I have talked with a few of them occasionally. The girls are sweet and shy- the boys are "cool" and standoff-ish.
Yesterday, as I was walking to my Dorm, a Korean students approached me and asked " Teacher, can I borrow some make-up?" I told her I only had lipstick. She told me she needed it for a Halloween party and that she would return it after that. I said "Sure". Her name was " Hannah". I think all "Hannahs" have balls.................the ones I have met anyway.................

Student Mid-Term Exams- I have FOUR DAYS OFF NEXT WEEK!!! Nanjing..........here I come!

Not all teachers have this break. I teach all four levels and early classes - most days- these are when MY students are scheduled to write their Mid-Term exams in English, Chinese and Math and Science.
When Sunshine checked my teaching schedule, she told me " You only teach on Monday next week....I am SO envious!"
I deserve a little "good luck" these days. Train to Nanjing!!!!!!
http://youtu.be/WwV-jbPxF5I

Dinosar Arm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scaly, wrinkled, swollen, tender and stinky.

Friday night ambiance in my teeny tiny room.................

Oh great Goddess of Healthy Wrists..........please smile on me today

Hoping this was the last evening of 43 minute baths- from Prep to Finish. Tired of the whole "adventure" now and the skin under my cast is itchy, dry and withered.........yuck!

Celebratory Firecrackers

In Shanghai ( indeed China), people set off firecrackers in their neighbourhood to celebrate the birth of a child, a marriage, a birthday - if it's a special one. The first time I heard this i thought it was gun shots. The smoke left behind is copious. I had one really long one this morning right below, but it took me forever to grab my camera.
The next two are quite some distance away, but hopefully, you'll get a sense of the look and sound of celebrations in local neighbourhoods

I'm told the firecrackers are quite expensive, so the longer it goes on, the more $$$$ the family has. The one below me this morning went on forever and people gathered afterwards and greeted the celebrants. It was the first time I saw this up close. Fun!
Here's another.............I'll try to get closer sometime this year....but not too close! They are ear-shattering!

Saturday morning food shopping.............

Before I head off to the (much) more expensive Plaza for a few items, I re-visited my (new) local food shop just around ( the other way) corner. This is the street that my bus runs off of just before it hits the Metro stop on my way home from school. I realized it was within walking distance from the Dorm and browsed last Sunday afternoon. LOVE IT! It has everything.........little ( the size of a standard Canadian bathroom) clothing shops, electronic shops, new stands, and two grocery stores of decent size. The first one has all dry-goods and some frozen foods. The second one ( further up the road) has dry goods and fresh goods and no frozen foods. Perfect!

I really like this shop because they have pre-packaged and weighed and priced fruits and vegetables perfect for one person. So milk, Bottle of white wine, two bananas, one large carrot, red onion and a can of coconut milk cost me 49  yuan ($8.00 Canadian). Considering the wine was 38 yuan, the rest of the items cost $ 1.74 Canadian.
I have been training myself to just think in terms of yuan against my monthly salary- and I think that's a good thing to do. But, I just can't help "converting" every now and then for the comparison.

Winter in Shanghai

My colleagues - both Chinese and the Foreign teachers ( who have been here for longer than me) are warning me to brace for winter in Shanghai. Here's what the

Wikipedia entry does not tell  you about Shanghai winters:

Extremely damp- lots of rain.........

NO central  heating anywhere- even the 5-star hotels

The "Air conditioners" turn into "heaters"

Matt (2nd year in China) slept under 2 duvets and a rug last winter. This is the guy who flew to Beijing last weekend to run a half marathon for a children's charity. He's no wuss.

Victoria warns me to purchase a "batttery", by which I assume she means a portable heater(?)

Sunshine told me to burn lots more candles than I usually do- it might help...........oh goddess, help me........I HATE being cold

Remember Jo? You got your Ice cream, but I was unsuccessful at my Peppermint Tea

This is the spot. Haagen-Dazs is right next door. We sat on a ledge on Nanjing Road on our  second-last day in Shanghai

Unusual Women's Clothing Shop names

Lingtai tells me these are all "foreign" stores,  so they come from somewhere else?

And this............

Some of my students...........

One Senior 1 class:

A nice panoramic photo by Kristina who emailed it to me with the message: I am so sad to not be in this picture"

We will rectify that!

Dinner with Richard and Sandy Leung- my tour guides from 1st trip to China

We ate at Shia Ramon (Japanese Noodle Franchise) on Nanjing Rd- Pedestrian Mall- which I love and the Majestic Hotel spills onto. Their Canadian ( two-week tour) leaves for Vancouver tomorrow afternoon and they had the evening free. It was so nice to see the couple who introduced me ( and Jo- my sister) to Shanghai.I thanked them for introducing me to China. Richard had lots of questions about my teaching and Sandy told me ( once again) "Eat lots! Put on some weight....!"

I LOVE Nanjing rd at night -Pudong district of Shanghai. The lights, the people, the colour! Remember, Jo?

Ladyboys from Thailand & Gaydar: An interesting discussion with one class of Senior 1's

So my Senior 1's today were in groups brainstorming about ideas for a funny play they could write and produce. The theme of "ladyboys" from Thailand came up. I remembered the obsession that high school students ( from Roy's class) had with "Ladyboys" from /thailand ( remember Jo?)
So I began to quiz my students about /China's views on the "gay community"
Me: Do you have "ladyboys in /china?"
Them: "Yes"
Me: "/what do you feel about gay people?"
Them: " The younger generation thinks it's "normal", but older /chinese do not"
Me: Are there gay students at Shanghai Foriegn Languages /school (SFLS)?"
Them: "YES!"
Me: " Is it a problem?"
Them: " Noooooo!"
One male student: " I read on the Internet that women have "gaydar" and can spot a gay man easier than a man"
I spit my coffee out at this point............
I explained about how traditional cultures valued and honoured  "Two-Spirited" people....etc, etc.
They listened with wide eyes.
 I told them I have "gaydar" ( ALL Canadians do...........we have same-sex marriage after all...they all nodded - they knew) and that I have spotted a couple of gay students at SFLS
Them: " Who? /who? /we think we  know"
Me: I'm not telling. Is it okay if they are in your classes?"
Them: " We have a gay student in THIS class"
Me: " Don't tell me. It is not up to you to tell me"
They were very respectful about this
Wonderful class today!!!!!

View from the shared living room in the Dorm: Front of the Building

I'm really happy I got a room at the back of the building. I am in Hongkou District- the "old" Shanghai - so I live with the locals. In the Pudong District - which you can see in the distance from the front of the building- is the "new" section of Shanghai- with all the amazing architecture, the French Concession and the famous Bund. This area is 20 minutes away by public transit.

My Chinese student's "English" names

I have not talked about the students' English names. They are given one by a teacher or a tutor ( early in  their education)- or they choose their own ( change it) when they get to upper grades.
I have almost all of my family in my 18 classes:
Kevin- many of them- sometimes two in the same class ( Kevin 1 & Kevin 2)
Emma
Grace
Hannah
Helen
Jo Jo
Joe ( a girl!)
Cookie
Jay(son) - tons of Jasons!
But I also have some interesting selections:
Mr. Bean
 Kane
Iverson
Gordonson
Edison
Salvatore (!)
King ( male student)
Zero ( a girl)

I have one Mary and two Alices...............cool!
Some very pretty names:
Chloe
Kitty
Spring

My colleague Lingtai told me he has an "Ironic" in one of his classes. He told me he asked his student to change that name....I thought the student was very clever!

I wonder what their names are..................?

Starbucks lunch and walk through Hongkou District

Bar B Q pork with Soba Noodles & Salad from Starbucks. Wonderful!
Snippets of Victoira and I walking to the HongKou Plaza after Starbucks.
Shaky camera- bad arm & we chatter in the background.........

More..................

One more...............

Purchases for school.............

Oh....forgot the wine............

I LOVE weekends with TWO days off....................

It does not look "pretty", but it was delicious!

BRUNCH!!!!!!! I miss weekend Brunch in Canada.

I took a sneak shot of the cooks at the Canteen at the school. I will get a shot front the front when they are not so busy. The food is always good!

I took four shots of the odd names of the clothing stores here. It takes DAYS to arrive in my gmail from my Nokia cell. Can't figure that out..............but, here's one!

"Eye Exercises" and Michael Jackson.......

At SFLS, if you teach Class 3 and/or Class 6 ( I don Tuesdays and Thursdays respectively), the class ( theoretically) must end five minutes early in order to allow the students to complete their "eye exercises" ( Google it!). The instructor must supervise. I had NO idea what this was until my obliging Pre-Juniors ( Grade 6) dutifully showed me. It is to prevent eyesight deterioration. My Seniors (Grade 11) refuse. They tell me to go back to my office and they will take care of it- but there is lots of giggling, so I know the drill.
 So, one of my Junior 2 classes (Grade 8 ) - instead- had one of their members put his mp3 player on speaker and they sang  instead. It was beautiful!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYg9R7TsvDo

Notes of Interest................

1. I have been approached by a student ( a very good one!) and asked to "tutor" her on weekends. She was very discrete and no exact of money was mentioned. Her mother is to call me. I asked around and was told it is against the rules ( no kidding- conflict of interest when I grade her?). It will be hard to say "No"- I like /cindy very much!
2. The Foreign teachers have been offered Mandarin lessons over the lunch hour one day per week. I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Shirley- the teacher in charge of Foreign teacher ( the one who presented me with gifts of yogurt and kiwis- see earlier post) also asked Sunshine to re- arrange my teaching timetable to allow me to sleep in ONE day per week. I am the ONLY Foreign teacher with 7:55 a.m classes FIVE days a week. I now only have 7:55 a.m classes FOUR days a week. BEST GIFT EVER!
4. William - my Chinese colleague who was in a scooter accident returned to work yesterday. He walks with a limp, but was cheerful and happy to be back. Yeah, William!!!!!

My school....................

These are the cooks at the Canteen at Shanghai Foreign Languages School ( SFLS). They  prepare wonderful food for both faculty and students beginning at 7 a.m They don't go home until 4 p.m.
Yikes- I thought my pics of the gate, the guards, the atrium had arrived to my gmail, but I must have dreamed this. More to come..........

Gifts of sympathy & Extra-curricular activities

As if my teaching schedule does not keep me busy enough, I find it hard to turn down requests from students to attend "this" or be a judge of "that". Last Thursday I was one of three "judges" for a debate by Senior 2 students on whether "program" or "university" was a priority when picking post-secondary studies. It was very well organized and well-done. I didn't get home until after 6 pm. after one of two of my busiest teaching days -ugh! Yesterday, over the lunch hour, I "judged" another debate by Senior 1 students. Less professional, but good nonetheless.
Today after school I agreed to be a judge for a "Knowledge" competition by Senior 2 students.
I'm sure I'll enjoy it once I'm there, but I'm looking at another long, long day..............I also did a "voice recording" for a teacher on Monday- I was the "hostess" of a "talk show". Cathy is a Chinese teacher entering a provincial teacher competition. It was hilarious!

A gift from "Shirley" - co-ordinator of the Foreign teachers. She made this bracelet to give me "good fortune". I need it..............

Shirley and Sunshine brought these gifts to me yesterday in my office. A box of kiwis and a case of vanilla yogurt. I was told that the yogurt - imported from Russia- is very expensive. It was nice...............I pondered the reason. Perhaps be cause Sunshine saw the tears in my eyes at the hospital on Tuesday - two more weeks in a cast. The yogurt is delicious! And, I love kiwis!!!!! It DID perk me up !

Today's visit to the Hospital: When life give you lemons.......drink copious amounts of shiraz

This my NEW cast until October 29th.

These are the Calcium tablets and Chinese medicine to help absorb the calcium.
DR. to Sunshine ( my translator): "
Do you have fragile bones?" Me: "No.My bone density test showed very strong bones last year".
Dr. to Sunshine: " Have you been wearing your sling, taking it easy and not using your arm?"
Me: "Tell the Dr. I catch a rush-hour bus every morning at 6:50 a.m IN CHINA - to teach classes that are on the 4th, 5th , 2nd, etc floors- where I need to ditch my sling and hold the rail to not fall by the deluge of students running up and down the stairs between classes"
Dr. to Sunshine: "Tell her to wear her sling and take it easy"

This is the tissue I used to cry when I asked if I could go to Suzhou this weekend for a holiday and the Doctor said"Not a good idea. Rest."

This is the gift Victoria gave me ( was to be for Xmas) when I texted her to tell her Suzhou was "postponed".
Nuff said today

Coloured Markers, Grade 6-ers, cast and photo shoot...............

So I bought and brought coloured markers to school today for my Pre-Junior class at 8:45 a.m.

They took turns reading aloud from their textbook ( usual practice) and then started doing their written exercises quietly. I wnt from desk to desk and offered them the markers to write something on my cast. I'm pretty sure it's the last day I'll have it - hospital visit tomorrow. Here's a sample of their work. They were so excited!

Unfortunately, the coloured marker was rubbing off on my white blouse, so I had to wrap my arm in plastic. I was surprised at how many of my students noticed the colours and drawings in he rest of my classes for the day................they also thought it was sweet.

I happen to be a Foreign teacher at Shanghai Foreign Languages School (SFLS) during the 50th anniversary of this particular campus ) there are four in Shanghai). So, this is my Official Invitation to have a group picture taken with all the other Foreign Language Teachers for this  year. ( Perhaps I'll be on the Web Site Archives????)
It's Saturday  November 2nd at 9 a.m here at the Dorm. Dress Code: Black Skirt or pants; Black Jacket and light-coloured blouse. ( Hey- that's my wardrobe!!!!!!!!!!!)