Since we got back and had a week in lingxi to get acclimatised again before we start the new term we have been taking full advantage.
I have been getting as many Chinese lessons as possible and Chris too and just enjoying our last break longer than 3 days for the next few months! We would have loved to go travelling but funding is at an all time low, I made a serious loss going home and spent way too much in England!
As a birthday present Elaine gave us a bicycle each! So kind! Not new, she actually was given them by students leaving for university but the black racing bike I now have is fantastic and after a quick once over to fix the brakes rides very well. Elaine and I cycled out into the area through the rice paddies and next to the river, through some small villiages which no foreigners had been to before and eventually cycled to a small town 15 or so km away. It was a nice ride and had a look around the middle school there which was fun.
I'm hoping to cycle to the sea one day and cycle and then climb one or two of the nearby mountains, I just wish Chris was a more confidant cyclist!
Picture of shiny new bikes attached!
We got our schedules today and it looks like Chris will be taking over my students in grade two and I will take on the new grade ones fresh into the school. Still not technically sorted my lesson plan but hey, I have 10 or so hours from now until I need to teach....
Found out there is a guy from England now teaching in DD dragon school nearby and he lives very close too! Will have to try to meet up for a drink this week sometime!
Chris and I also found out our school has a snooker room with two full size snooker tables in! So awesome! And Elaine managed to track down our own copy of the key! Whilst we were there we also explored a wing of the school we never got around to before and tried to get into the observatory but it was locked! Seems such a waste to have it but never use it! Hopefully we can sort something out.
We took advantage of the key and played a not so quick game but Chris and I will definitely need some practise before taking on the principal!
Elaine and I share an office with 3 other teachers and one day Elaine decided it needed an in depth clean, none of the other teachers turned up so I went to help her and ended up spending a full day on it! Pulling everything out and scrubbing the floors! Whilst this was happening there was a huge rainstorm caused by the typhoon in Taiwan and it was crazy. In various ways the building leaked, the worst being one place where a continual sheet of water blocked a corridor and another when an internal downpipe (don't ask me why) overflowed in the main hall, flooding it! Very funny!
I'm sure I've forgotten some things but will add them when I remember, a bit nervous at the moment, opening night jitters I guess, but after this week it should go more smoothly!
More as it happens.....
I have been getting as many Chinese lessons as possible and Chris too and just enjoying our last break longer than 3 days for the next few months! We would have loved to go travelling but funding is at an all time low, I made a serious loss going home and spent way too much in England!
As a birthday present Elaine gave us a bicycle each! So kind! Not new, she actually was given them by students leaving for university but the black racing bike I now have is fantastic and after a quick once over to fix the brakes rides very well. Elaine and I cycled out into the area through the rice paddies and next to the river, through some small villiages which no foreigners had been to before and eventually cycled to a small town 15 or so km away. It was a nice ride and had a look around the middle school there which was fun.
I'm hoping to cycle to the sea one day and cycle and then climb one or two of the nearby mountains, I just wish Chris was a more confidant cyclist!
Picture of shiny new bikes attached!
We got our schedules today and it looks like Chris will be taking over my students in grade two and I will take on the new grade ones fresh into the school. Still not technically sorted my lesson plan but hey, I have 10 or so hours from now until I need to teach....
Found out there is a guy from England now teaching in DD dragon school nearby and he lives very close too! Will have to try to meet up for a drink this week sometime!
Chris and I also found out our school has a snooker room with two full size snooker tables in! So awesome! And Elaine managed to track down our own copy of the key! Whilst we were there we also explored a wing of the school we never got around to before and tried to get into the observatory but it was locked! Seems such a waste to have it but never use it! Hopefully we can sort something out.
We took advantage of the key and played a not so quick game but Chris and I will definitely need some practise before taking on the principal!
Elaine and I share an office with 3 other teachers and one day Elaine decided it needed an in depth clean, none of the other teachers turned up so I went to help her and ended up spending a full day on it! Pulling everything out and scrubbing the floors! Whilst this was happening there was a huge rainstorm caused by the typhoon in Taiwan and it was crazy. In various ways the building leaked, the worst being one place where a continual sheet of water blocked a corridor and another when an internal downpipe (don't ask me why) overflowed in the main hall, flooding it! Very funny!
I'm sure I've forgotten some things but will add them when I remember, a bit nervous at the moment, opening night jitters I guess, but after this week it should go more smoothly!
More as it happens.....
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