Last Blog

                I am happy to say that this will be my last China blog.  I am so excited to come home and see everything.  I think I have a self inflicted stomach ache because my stomach is in knots I’m so excited. 

                We had our last weekend in Wuhan and ended with a bang.  Our night started early at our last banquet style Chinese dinner.  Usually there is too much food, but this time was excessive.  You could have fed two other tables with the amount of food that was left at our table.  It was a good meal though, no frogs or turtles this time.  Anyways, the dinner was really good and we all had a good time.  The last week we all voted on fun awards about the other staff, like best dressed, most sleep deprived, most motivated, etc.  Well…I won one of the awards by a landslide with another girl in the office: “Best Relationship with Skype.”  Hehe, it was pretty funny.  I knew it was coming.  So that was good.  After that we all got together and Bryn and Chris’s for one last rooftop party.  By the end of the night everyone was a little pooped to go out since we started the night so early. 

                The next day was a little rough, but we all managed to get together again in the afternoon at Gail’s house.  It was really nice to have a BBQ.  This is one of the things that I’m so looking forward to when I get home.  We all brought our own meat to grill and a side dish or dessert.  I don’t think that I’ve eaten that much in a long time.  I was so ‘uncomfortable’ as my students would say.  We didn’t stay too late as we were all exhausted from the night before.  

                Yesterday I ran some errands around Wuhan.  I needed to pick up some stuff for my camera at computer city and bought another battery for my computer for the long flight home.  Next I was off to Tailor street to get some fabric for Brad and his photobooth…and then I ended my day with a manicure and pedicure J 

                When I got home I just packed and packed.  All I have left out are my clothes for the next couple days and that’s it.  Not that our apartment was jam packed before, but it looks even emptier now.  Bah!  I am so excited to come home.  I can’t wait to see and visit with everyone. 

See you all on the other side of the Pacific J

-Taryn

Shanghai and School’s Out!!!

                The Shanghai weekend was quite the success.  However, It was not very beneficial for my sleep.  As anyone who knows me well I do not bode well with sleeping in vehicles…never mind a train!  We were on a sleeper train with hard beds to Shanghai…it was less than pleasant.  We got there and started the girls weekend.  We got to the hostel and dropped off our bags and then went to the spa.  It was nice to all go out for a fun little outing like that.  After that we were off to Tao Bao to do some shopping.  I was on the hunt for jerseys, a dress for tia, and some gifts for home…all were successful, along with a few purchases for myself ;)  Somehow Anneli and I (the girl who’s stagette we were going for) are always shopping/bargaining buddies…we don’t know if this is a good or bad thing, as we always end up bringing out the most bags :S 

                After shopping we got into our coloured outfits and trucker hats.  We went out for a nice Thai dinner where Sanya had some games for us to begin with.  Anneli had on a veil and white outfit, so we did cause quite the attention…and the fact that we were a group of 18 female foreigners always attracts attention as well.  After dinner we went to a sports bar where many of us felt extremely old.  I know, I’m young, but the people in this bar were all around 17-18…it was a little off putting.  So, after Anneli completed some of her tasks on her list we went to the club we went to the last time we were in Shanghai.  This was a much better scene…loud music, dancing, free drinks, what else could you ask for?  The night ended with everyone in tack.

           

     The next day we headed to Element Fresh, which is a western food restaurant.  I know we’re coming home soon, but everyone always enjoys the comforts of home.  After breakfast we were back to shop for pearls and silk gifts.  I was quite successful with that as well.  I got a bunch of pearls to give as gifts, silk scarves and some silk ties…Riley asked for colourful ones…I don’t think he realized what he was getting into!  Once we were all shopped out I decided I needed to do something touristy in Shanghai, so we went to the bund and walked for a bit.  After Annali took me to get authentic Shanghai soup dumplings.  Once we were done we met up with the other girls on the later flight at the hostel and were on our way to the airport.  It was weird that this would be my last flight into Wuhan.  Driving home from the airport it really hit me that I was coming home soon.  Shanghai was really our last big thing to look forward to before going home.  The other weird thing is the fact that I’m starting to make plans with people back home!  I can’t believe I’m almost there. 

             

   It was our day of teaching on Tuesday.  My English class that I’ve had all year long were super cute.  At the end of class I thanked them and made a little speech and they all clapped when I was done and then had this big photo shoot with all of them and their cell phones.  I felt like a celebrity.  This continued to happen in all the rest of my classes of the day.  I took a class picture and they all took pictures with their cell phones with me.  It was a good and sad feeling all at the same time.  It was nice to complete my first year of teaching, but I’m sad to say goodbye to my students.  They are the ones that have really made this experience for me. 

                We’ve started exams and I’ve supervised 3 and only have to do one more…I was the first teacher to hand in all my marks…so I’m pretty on top of things.  I did some work for my course today and then helped the grade 11 English teachers mark their exams.  I was the little scantron machine for them and marked all of their multiple choice questions so they could focus on the hard part, marking the writing.  Now, I am sitting here writing my blog!  I think I’ll probably write one more on my very last day of work here, as I know I’ll have no work to do.  My desk is all cleaned out already….so yeah, fun times for me J

                We’ve got a bunch of wrap up stuff planned with the staff this weekend, so that will be nice to have a little last hurrah with everyone. 

                Ok, I should stop procrastinating from my school work now!  Until next time!

                -Taryn

Puppies, Playoffs and Papers :S

                Only two more weekends left in China.  It’s getting down to counting the days instead of weeks now and everyone is excited to come home.  I’ve almost eaten everything out of the cupboards and prepared some frozen meals so that I don’t have to cook the last few days that I am here.  I have some cans of tuna on reserve as long.  I’m starting to get organized which is good.  It’s our last full week of teaching.  Next week we have classes on Mon and Tues and then Wednesday we start exams.  This is when we have to finish all of our report cards and the teachers that are coming back next year can make some plans for the next school year.  I predict that I’m going to be watching a lot of movies on my laptop :S  I’ve already entered my comments and work habits on the report card system. 

                Friday ended with our usual street hockey game, where I managed to score a goal, which is always satisfying.  It was a little drizzly, but it was alright.  The humidity at the moment is just gross.  I woke up the other morning to go on my run and it said current temp 28, feels like 39.  It’s just aweful.  You don’t know if you’re sweaty or just wet…or both! 

                The next morning Ewan had us over to watch Game 5.  It was nice to get together with a bunch of Canadians and watch a hockey game, kind of felt like you were at home and not in China.  The only issues was sometimes the streaming was a little slow.  It was a good game, a little stressful though.  The only problem now is that games play in the morning here and during the week the whole teaching thing gets in the way of hockey watching!  Hehe, I think for PE we’re going to set it up on a projector…it’s sports…it’s Canadian…we’re justified to show it!

                One of the guys here found a puppy on Minzu (the road the school is on) this week so he’s been bringing it to school and to some social events.  It is too cute!  It was nice to play with an animal for a bit. 

                I’ve been working on my paper for what seems like forever now.  I forgot how fun it was to write papers.  I actually did kind of forget though.  I tried to just start writing it….big mistake.  I was able to put myself back into the student mindset, find all my sources, pick the quotes and support that I needed, then go from there. 

A couple days later…..

                My paper is now done, I just have to do a bunch of formatting stuff and include a bunch of pictures.  My goal is to email it off tonight.  I’m halfway through this course now, which is nice.  I’m going to try and do my best to do the most I can before I get back home, as school is going to be the last thing that I want to do.  If I can get all the readings done before I leave, and just have the final paper left that would be the most ideal situation. 

                School is starting to get a little crazy.  All the students that have failed are wondering what they can do in the next week to improve their grade?!  It’s pretty funny.  I tell them that they need to make a time machine, go back in time and try harder.  All the students that are failing in my class should not be failing, they simply don’t put the effort into class that they should be doing. 

                I’m starting to slowly pack up my stuff which is surreal to me.  It seems as though I was just at home stressing how I was going to pack for a year.  This is easy now.  My parents took home all my big stuff, so it’s just pack up what I have, and then I’m good to go.  My Christmas legs are starting to get really bad now though.  I’ve been keeping busy though, and that’s that I need to do.  I have my marathon that I’ve started training for and my class.  I can’t wait to do runs at home though.  This morning in order to get 10km in I had to run around the outside of the track 22 times :S  Not really the most exciting thing.  I’m dreaming of Rocky Point, Mundy Park and even Como Lake, which used to seem boring to me. 

                This weekend we are headed on our last weekend trip.  There are 18 of us girls headed to Shanghai for a bachelorette party.  I’ll get my last China shopping fix in which I’m pretty excited about.  After that my next plane ride will be my flights back to Canada J  It’s nice that we don’t have a long layover.  I believe that my flight out of Wuhan is at 8:50 in the morning and I get back to Canada at 9:30am the same time I left, so in total just over 15hrs to get home. 

                Anyways, that is all for now, I will give an update after Shanghai…and probably one more while I’m bored during exams period since I won’t have anything to do besides pack up my desk. 

Can’t wait to see everyone!

-Taryn

Homework :s

I am putting off this paper I am writing.  It is kind of painful.  I have no written a paper in awhile and I forgot how much fun it is...!  It's funny how it's equally as bad on the other side.  I always tell my students when they whine and complain about writing a paper that they only have to write one...and I get to mark 25, nice trade off. 

Anyways, thank goodness I have a lot of free time in the afternoons or else this course would not be fun.  I'm two weeks ahead in my assignments but I really want to get this paper done before we go to Shanghai as it is due on the Monday after we come back.  Twelve pages just seems a lot more daunting than it used to.  My goal is to try and have most of the course done before I get home.  I've already entered my comments and behaviour marks for my report cards and won't have any marking to do that last week of school so I'll have all day to do my work.  I should be able to get all the readings done, and mabye have to do my final paper when I get back to Canada.  Who knew you could learn so much about Preschool?!  Oh my goodness, I know that doing this Diploma will only be beneficial to me in the long run, it's just funny how I keep finding myself back in school, you can never really be done, can you.  I'm sure I'll want to do my masters in a couple years as well, just a constant cycle that seems never ending. 

Anyways, I think that is enough distracting myself for now! 

Xiamen Pick-Me-Up

                So, I’m waiting in the airport for my flight back to Wuhan (yay, lol) and I’m so glad that I decided to take this weekend to just chill out and relax.  I didn’t do a smidgen of work or homework (I’ve started my Early Childhood Education Diploma, for those of you who didn’t know…so yes, I am officially a student again).  I’m two weeks ahead in my course, which is kind of my goal.  The course is 13 weeks and I want to finish it by the time I get home, or very soon after.  Anyways, back to my weekend of leisure.  I arrived Friday night in Xiamen to the gorgeous Seaview Resort.  It was even nicer than the resort that we stayed at in Sanya in October.  It was actually very comparable to the Fairmont,  which was nice.  I think that I’ve been having a lot of bad ‘China moments’ lately, it was nice to have a good experience.  All I did that night was lay in bed and watch English TV and go on the internet…all luxuries when you are living in China J

                The next day I had my wonderful breakfast which filled me up until dinner time.  I spent the day lounging poolside and just soaking up the sun…literally, I got quite the tan in two days.  I’m sure that my students are not going to be impressed with me, but whatever, hehe.  After the pool I had a LONG shower under my luxury rain shower which I could have stayed under all day.  I ventured out on the grounds and then across the street to the beach.  The beach was so picturesque, and you could tell that this was a big destination place for Chinese people.  The beach was lined with brides and grooms taking their wedding photos.  It was a little ridiculous how many there were.  It was nice just to walk along the endless beach and enjoy the sun, wind and water.  After my stroll I went for an awesome seafood dinner at the restaurant in the hotel.  Following dinner I treated myself to the spa and then called it a night.

                Today I took advantage of having a good internet connection.  I woke up earlier, had breakfast and then watched the Canucks game!  It was so nice to enjoy the whole game, and what a game to watch.  Brad and Dad were at the game too, which means I have a playoff towel waiting for me when I get home!  Can’t wait.  After that I took more advantage of my lovely internet and talked to riley for awhile and can’t believe that I’m discussing airport pick-up.  I’m so excited to come home, I think that this experience that I’ve had here is really going to make me appreciate what I have at home, and I’m going to look back at this year as a blessing, even though it doesn’t seem like it at times.  This weekend made me realize that I’ve got to go to so many places that I’ve never even heard of, nevermind thought of going to, so it’s quite neat to think where I was a year ago and where I am now. 

                I spent the remainder of the day at the pool and beach again.  Had to soak it all in before it’s back to work tomorrow.  Two more weeks and two teaching days.  My last unit in PE is Volleyball outside…which is going to be torturous if the weather is hot, but at least it’s a sport I love and am knowledgeable about…unlike baseball, hehe.  We’re starting to prep the grade 10’s for their English provincial, and then my drama kids will do a movement unit and end off with their music videos, which are always entertaining.  We just finished off their commercials, and some were so funny.  I’m so glad I took videos of them. 

                Whelp, only a few more blogs until I’m back to the homeland and you can all just talk to me in person about my adventures!  Can’t wait!

                Miss you all,

-Taryn