Well, I certainly have slackened off with my China reports! Not sure why, but maybe because things here are no longer new and as exciting as they were three years ago.
Since my last report in January I had returned to Melbourne for a visit last summer and I have now been back in Dalian for four months. It looks like I'll be here a while longer, as I have signed a contract for the 2011-12 school year. I'm told that we have hired a very experienced American lady, in her very early 60s, for the next school year: she will take over my spot (teaching freshmen) while I replace an Australian lady (teaching year 2 students) who is returning to Australia. The funny thing is that I and another Australian will be teaching from a British business-oriented book while two Americans will now be teaching an Australian program, full of Aussie information and stories, idioms and Australian slang!
I sought the year 2 teaching position in the hope that it may mean less work for me, on the basis that:
- I will have comprehensive English-teaching text books, rather than foraging for interesting material to support the vague learning-guideline book of year 1
- The students' English will be a bit more advanced
- The lessons will be more business oriented
This year the students held a school concert, totally in English, and there's some great talent amongst them:
- the six students who hosted the concert
- me with one of the hosts, Melon
- my favourite group - Cherry, Holly, Jessie, Bella: 2 weeks into the semester, Cherry came to me and said "we'd like to play with you"! In Chinese student speak that means "we'd like to socialise with you".
- Cherry and Nelly are super dancers
- In preparation for another year here I have invested in a good bicycle, as well as an e-bike. The latter not as good as the great e-bike I had in Fuzhou (e-bikes are not popular in Dalian).
My Chinese calendar tells me that today is the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, otherwise known as Dragon Boat Festival day - although it has a long history in China it's becoming an emerging competitive global sport akin to canoe racing. As far as I know there's no great celebrations taking place here in Dalian, so for me it's a catch-up day for marking test papers and preparing to set exam questions. Don't let anyone tell you that teaching is an easy job, even though I may take it more seriously than some of my fellow teachers.
Weather wise, Dalian is getting warmer (mid to high 20s), but there's usually a breeze and it's not too humid - I love it. Last week the school took the teachers on a trip to Golden Pebble Beach in Dalian:
- Some teachers and administrators
- Program Director and a rather young Vice Dean (on my left)
As the school year ends on July 8, I'm hoping to do some travelling around China (Beijing, Xian, ??) and not visiting home this time. I'm looking for suggestions from my students and maybe an invitation to their hometowns?
Hope all is well with everyone. Until next time... Renzo
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