Sports day was actually a 4 day event here with all the school decamping into the lovely sunshine to watch or take part in more events than I knew existed!
Everything from running and hurdles to jumping, skipping and all the rest and since both schools were taking part (3000 students) and there were endless heats and races it was 4 full days! The students not taking part either watched and cheered their friends along or sat in the shade talking or doing homework! With some not turning up at all!
The competition even had an opening ceremony with all the classes parading in wearing their (self organised and bought) class branded uniforms with fireworks and confetti and balloons, amazing! Unfortunately we only know about that through pictures as Chris and I ended up going for a social beer the night before to new the new English guy in lingxi and we didn't get home until 6am, for a 7.30 start! Not that they told us there would be a ceremony!
The next few days I spent wandering around the field and since all my grade 1 students were there and all my old students now grade 2 I had 2000 students to meet and greet, and they got to practise their English, so everyone was happy!
Chris decided to head off to shanghai for the weekend and do a little shopping and catch up with friends so I help the fort at the sports meet.
In the end the teachers all organised a teachers only relay race for the Saturday afternoon and since grade 1 was missing some teachers I was asked to take part, mainly because I knew the students would enjoy it I accepted.
As all the teachers were introduced they all got a shout of approval but when I was announced there was a huge roar of students wanting to see the foreigner run, what had I signed up for?!
I was given my number and my team and told where to stand, it was a 200m relay and I was last in my team of 10.
All the teachers ran and my team was destined for third, in fact when I was eventually called up it was obvious that the teachers ahead had already finished and the one behind was miles behind! I was going to be third.
All the teachers were accompanied by shouted encouragement from the students but when it was my turn all the students formed a tunnel one person wide for me to run down with students on each side the whole way, often 2 or 3 deep! For the whole 200m! Crazy! But very funny with them screaming for me to go faster I ran as fast as I could and did a quite impressive job, putting on a good show for them even though I could not have changed the overall rankings whatever happened!
Afterwards I was congratulated by an endless parade of students and teachers and invited for a meal, but since it was too early to eat I just headed back for a shower.
That night all over the students qqzone (Chinese Facebook) there were lots of comments about me and my running and a huge number of pictures and videos turned up too! With one student making me my own webpage with a video montage set to music, awful! But pretty funny.
The next day I was given 50rmb (5gbp) for my trouble! In china whenever a teacher does something like that apparently they get a reward! I only did it for a laugh!
Working it out if I got 50rmb for one minutes work that makes a nice 3000rmb (300gbp) an hour! I see why professional athletes do it now!!
All in all it was all good fun!
Everything from running and hurdles to jumping, skipping and all the rest and since both schools were taking part (3000 students) and there were endless heats and races it was 4 full days! The students not taking part either watched and cheered their friends along or sat in the shade talking or doing homework! With some not turning up at all!
The competition even had an opening ceremony with all the classes parading in wearing their (self organised and bought) class branded uniforms with fireworks and confetti and balloons, amazing! Unfortunately we only know about that through pictures as Chris and I ended up going for a social beer the night before to new the new English guy in lingxi and we didn't get home until 6am, for a 7.30 start! Not that they told us there would be a ceremony!
The next few days I spent wandering around the field and since all my grade 1 students were there and all my old students now grade 2 I had 2000 students to meet and greet, and they got to practise their English, so everyone was happy!
Chris decided to head off to shanghai for the weekend and do a little shopping and catch up with friends so I help the fort at the sports meet.
In the end the teachers all organised a teachers only relay race for the Saturday afternoon and since grade 1 was missing some teachers I was asked to take part, mainly because I knew the students would enjoy it I accepted.
As all the teachers were introduced they all got a shout of approval but when I was announced there was a huge roar of students wanting to see the foreigner run, what had I signed up for?!
I was given my number and my team and told where to stand, it was a 200m relay and I was last in my team of 10.
All the teachers ran and my team was destined for third, in fact when I was eventually called up it was obvious that the teachers ahead had already finished and the one behind was miles behind! I was going to be third.
All the teachers were accompanied by shouted encouragement from the students but when it was my turn all the students formed a tunnel one person wide for me to run down with students on each side the whole way, often 2 or 3 deep! For the whole 200m! Crazy! But very funny with them screaming for me to go faster I ran as fast as I could and did a quite impressive job, putting on a good show for them even though I could not have changed the overall rankings whatever happened!
Afterwards I was congratulated by an endless parade of students and teachers and invited for a meal, but since it was too early to eat I just headed back for a shower.
That night all over the students qqzone (Chinese Facebook) there were lots of comments about me and my running and a huge number of pictures and videos turned up too! With one student making me my own webpage with a video montage set to music, awful! But pretty funny.
The next day I was given 50rmb (5gbp) for my trouble! In china whenever a teacher does something like that apparently they get a reward! I only did it for a laugh!
Working it out if I got 50rmb for one minutes work that makes a nice 3000rmb (300gbp) an hour! I see why professional athletes do it now!!
All in all it was all good fun!
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