My working holiday in China [1] [2]
[3] [4]
Ni Hao Everybody!
I have been in China for a week on a Tefl (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) working holiday in China
and to be honest so much has
happened and I have had many different feelings that it feels like
a lot longer already! I shall back track slightly so you all
get the full story, so here goes!
I am here with a company "I to I" that work in conjunction with IES
Global and Teach and Travel China and they seem terribly unorganised
to say the least. They ask us all before leaving our
countries which area we would prefer to be and most of
the 100 people that are with me are unhappy with the outcome. Some
requested South as they hate the cold and they have ended up
in Inner Mongolia with -30! Some have requested a city and are rural
and couples and friends who have requested to be
together have been split up.
Me on the other hand wanted somewhere surrounded by rice paddies,
lakes and mountains but I knew I would be asking for too much. I
really didn't have any expectations and decided to go with the flow.
So I accepted Hengshui and crossed my fingers. There are still
people in Beijing waiting to be placed somewhere and two
ladies have been knocked back from a school twice (I think because
of their appearance, tattoos and piercings) We have had
to take visa photos repeatedly because they cant get it right and
their timings and schedules are never to plan! Apparently you have
to be flexible with the Chinese culture as things change all the
time and at the last minute. They're not wrong.
Anyway Friday 6am i get up really excited for an organised tour. £40
to see The Great Wall tomorrow, Ming Tombs, a market, a Peking dinner
and an Acrobatic Act then a Farewell Party for £12 with an
open bar!! Things are so cheap here I probably won't need
to dip into my savings. I can certainly live of £200 a month
easily which is my teaching internship wage.
There is a great mix of people here from all walks of life and all
ages up to over 50. I have met up with the girls from
facebook that I met prior to coming and Stacy from the Rhondda is
lovely. I have also met Catrin from Llanelli who I have
been chatting in Cymraeg with and I met a man called Matt from
Trefnant, North Wales (he also worked in Llanelian in the nursery
and went to The White Lion) What a small world we live in!!!)
Me, Stacy and Catrin where sitting together on the coach on the tour
having a big giggle (hence why I have lost my voice me thinks!)
and we set off to the great wall. Wow it's massive and
we walked quite a distance. It's very steep and quite a challenge
to walk, but it was an amazing experience and would love
to go back and spend more time walking the wall and taking it all
in.
Another highlight of the day was the acrobatic show, I have never
seen such bendy, flexible people! and 2 guys where in a huge
hamster wheel pining around just like a hamster and then standing
on the outside of the wheel running on the outside. My heart
was pounding and it looked like he was going to fall off a few times!
The food is obviously all chinese but very similar to home chinese in
Beijing, apart from more dumplings which Mary will be very jealous
about!!! It's all banquet style and my use of chopsticks is getting
quiet good even though I do say so myself! I haven't had anything
awful in front of me yet but I'm sure I have that to look forward
to!!!!
We then went to a bar for our farewell drinks £12 for
an open bar 11pm till 3am! Tequila Tout was on form! It was a good
night; and I had to say my goodbyes to the friends I had
made as they where off to different provinces.
Everything is so cheap here, £2 for a taxi for quite a
distance, 20p for the underground tube (I experience the tube on
the way to the forbidden city) Busy busy busy and felt like
a sardine! Although I didn't think Beijing was as busy as I thought
it would be. And there was English signs up that helped us find our
way around. There where many bikes and I'm not surprised as you can
buy one for £20!!!
We also met William a few days earlier at the forbidden city
a Chinese student studying English and he offered to be our tour
guide for free. He was a lovely person and bought us all
gifts which is what the chinese do apparently. Very generous people
and they love making more contacts especially English speaking
contacts.
Anyway I left the hotel a little tired on Saturday morning @
10am and headed for the school and we had the luxury of being
picked up and going by mini bus!! no sleeper train for me with my
big bag thank goodness (I shall experience one of those with a nice
light bag!!)
We arrived at 3pm @ Hengshui and although the roads where a little
bumpy I was more concerned I couldn't see anything that resembled
nice scenery! I kept nodding off and opening my eyes hoping the scenery
would change. But no! I shall never complain about the british sky
again! It really aint that bad after you see the smoggy grey sky
out here!
We arrived at the private school with security gates! I smelt curfews!
We got to our accommodation block and unloaded. I have a large
living area with sofa, Tv (but not much use to me!!), a computer,
and heating/air con. My bedroom is also large with a double
bed and a wardrobe. A kitchen with fridge/freezer and a cooking ring
and a bathroom with a western toilet yippee , a wet room and my own
washer and kettle. Great stuff. Now my expectations for accommodation
was a lot lower so i'm happy. I needed to give it a good clean
though even to my kinda messy standards so it must have been pretty
grim! I never imagined I would have my own flat and the rooms are
bigger than mine at home.
We then where accompanied to the shop which is about 15 mins drive
away and we went to the local supermarket.
Now this is China, everything is in Chinese and there are no other
white people about. It's the closest I will ever feel like
to a famous person, everybody just stares at you in shock and takes
pictures. If you look at them and smile and say "Ni Hao" they
give you a lovely smile. They really appreciate you speaking
a bit of Mandarin so i'm trying my best to learn.
I bought some food that I recognised and a big plastic carton of
water that I later found out was actually rice wine!!!! Smelt like
turps so I think it will stay on the shelf or I shall use it to clean
the toilet!!!!
We got back to our flats and then were left to our own devices
until today (Monday). There was nothing we could do though
as you have to let the school know when you are leaving for security
purposes and also we wouldn't have been able to speak to the taxi
driver anyway!!! So we relaxed and unpacked our bags and settled
in.
The girls I am with are fairly young so they are upset with their
placement. I on the other hand am getting on with it at the
moment. I am happy to concentrate on my tefl teaching for now and
I'm sure once we are established, invites to escape!!! hahahah
will come flooding in. I have told them to stop moaning and
get on with it! After all this is the chinese culture.
I was told today that I am teaching 15yr olds! I better start
looking at my grammar books and put my flash cards, alphabet and children's
songs away for the time being!!
Flora the schools contact is meant to be coming to see me at
8pm tonight to discuss a few things as she hasn't seen my contract?
and there are a few disputes (which doesn't surprise me!) it's nearly
9pm and I'm still waiting. Hopefully she will be hear soon. Speak
of the devil she has just arrived, I am now teaching 8, 9 & 10
yr olds. Grade 1,2 & 3. My first tefl lesson tomorrow at
11.10am. 4
lessons tomorrow, 50 minutes each. Wish me luck!
My voice is slowly returning although I'm coughing a bit but I
feel ok. I had to go to the hospital today as they are paranoid
about flu's! It was the craziest doctors/hospital I have
ever been to. He took my blood pressure, pulse etc then sent
me to get an X-ray in radiology? I stood in front of a huge
machine and they took x rays of my chest. I was assured
my lungs and heart where all in one piece and thankfully I left the
hospital without being put in quarantine!!
OK well that's it for now folks! my first week has been an eventful
one. I need to organise myself for my first lesson tomorrow
so I'll will keep you updated.
Lots of love
Ceri
Gallivanting in the Lake District >