This has been one of the fastest/longest/most stressful weeks on a long long time. To start things off, last Saturday, Tommy's mom called with really terrible news. His cousin's daughter, Bella, 14 mos. went in for emergency surgery on a brain tumor. Tommy is very close with his cousin, and this news just tore him up (as it would with any human with a heart)...so he made the quick decision to fly home and be with his family. (Not to get too gushy...but) I can say that his decision to drop everything (he had a business trip planned for the following week) and go be with his family made me love him even more...if that's even possible. I am so proud of him. Weird, but whatever.
So, with that news, and knowing that conditions would be about the same until Tuesday, when they went in to take the tumor out, I was just kind of this walking blob.
I had a very unsuccessful trip to the fabric market to pick up a khaki trench coat and new black peacoat. The trench coat wasn't ready, so she told me she'd have it delivered, and because of a miscommunication w/ the peacoat lady, she was going to remake it...so it wasn't ready either. I went home, sat around like a bum and watched movies all afternoon. Sunday, I spend the entire afternoon on the phone w/ the trench coat lady trying to track down my mis-delivered coat...They delivered it to the wrong apartment and couldn't track it down.
Monday was just a long day, but to my surprise, when I got home, my trench coat had finally made it to my doorstep!
Tuesday was long due to a "conference" with a parent (drinks and chatting-totally fun, but late late night)...
Wednesday and Thursday were both 1/2 days with parent conferences. I don't mind those so much, but they take a lot out of you, and I had to stay at work til 6 both nights...which to most people, no biggie, but getting to leave at 4 most days makes 6 seem really really late.
Then, Friday was a 1/2 day and trick-or-treat and carnival day. PLUS my after school arts and crafts club that lasts til 5...the trick-or-treating was so chaotic and unorganized, and the carnival was slightly better. I did, however, manage to convince 150+ students (age 3-10) that I accidentally killed Frankenstein, cut open his head, pull out his brains and eyeballs, and put them into some black, dark boxes...they thought it was cool, gross, and just crazy...AND I was a red lego block...which was great. Legos are an international hit!! (why wouldn't they be, right?)
On Friday, I went out with two of my colleagues, and that was great. Then Saturday was a bar opening that was 100 RMB (~$15) for all you can drink and eat til 12...and about 30 minutes into me being there, I fell down the stairs. sober. I had on very high heels and jeans that were about an inch too long. My jeans got caught under the heel as I was taking a step down, I rolled down about 9 stairs, spilling my drink everywhere, dropping my cell phone and landing in a puddle of said spilled drink...needless to say, those heels are going to be put away for a while, and I will have very strange bruises for the next week.
Luckily, today was a nice relaxing Sunday. I got a lot of work done, cleaned the apartment (took pictures of it (FINALLY), and posted them on facebook), and watched a couple movies. I am so ready for Tommy to be home tomorrow, and then a (hopefully) short month and a half later, and I'll be home for Christmas.
Time is flying by out here, and I'm just now starting to really take it in and see as much as I can before saying Zaijian to Shanghai. --Better late than never, right?
I hope everyone had a great halloween and has a good week ahead.
-Jen
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Life Lately
So, things in Shanghai have stayed consistently busy lately, which is nice, because it's made time go by quickly. With 19 ESL students, I am constantly looking for new ways to approach teaching English to them, and it's proven to be just the challenge I was looking for. I sure do whine about it a lot, but, when I really sit back and think about it, it's the best thing for me. I am reminded time and time again just how patient I need to be, and that although I'm not seeing immediate results from the students, progress is being made. Friday felt like one of the best days I've had so far this school year (could've been the semi-overdose of caffiene from a grande coffee), but things seemed to click just right. I'm hoping this week will prove to go like Friday, and my new ideas will work better. As I learn new things about myself and my students, the year just seems to get better and better, and it had been flying by! I feel like I just started yesterday, but really, I've only got about 2 months left for this semester. Crazy!!!
In other news, I have been trying to get into running...it's been quite the battle...I have discovered that I am an excellent excuse maker...which isn't so great...BUT, I've been able to think through all of the excuses of why I don't want/need to get up, and then I finally guilt myself out of laying in bed. I know that a)I'm not going back to sleep anyway, b)Tommy will give me a hard time about being a lazy butt, and c)I will feel like a lazy butt...everyone I talk to that is a runner says that once you finally get into a groove, it's great...but I'm still in the VERY beginning stages, and the groove for me seems very very far down the line...but alas, I will keep it up and hopefully begin to really enjoy and be jumping out of bed to get going...so, runner friends, any advice or encouragement would be greatly appreciated! ;o)
Well, I'm about out of updates worth reading for today--I will try to be more regular with my updates, for those of you who actually do look forward to seeing my posts..
In other news, I have been trying to get into running...it's been quite the battle...I have discovered that I am an excellent excuse maker...which isn't so great...BUT, I've been able to think through all of the excuses of why I don't want/need to get up, and then I finally guilt myself out of laying in bed. I know that a)I'm not going back to sleep anyway, b)Tommy will give me a hard time about being a lazy butt, and c)I will feel like a lazy butt...everyone I talk to that is a runner says that once you finally get into a groove, it's great...but I'm still in the VERY beginning stages, and the groove for me seems very very far down the line...but alas, I will keep it up and hopefully begin to really enjoy and be jumping out of bed to get going...so, runner friends, any advice or encouragement would be greatly appreciated! ;o)
Well, I'm about out of updates worth reading for today--I will try to be more regular with my updates, for those of you who actually do look forward to seeing my posts..
Friday, August 27, 2010
First Week of School
So, this was my official first week of school. Last semester and my previous job, I was just thrown in to the class with students who knew all of the routines and had no issues other than getting used to a new teacher.
Wow--real first days/weeks are tough! My students are GREAT! 2nd grade is going to be a very fun year. Last year's 1st grade teacher did an excellent job with these kids, and they are so eager to learn and have such wonderful personalities! Even better, last year's 2nd grade teacher left me with quite a bit of helpful things, so I am so so grateful for both of them.
My Language Arts kids are all of my 2nd graders but one, who goes up to LA 3. I have 9 3rd graders come to my class and all but 4 of those are brand new to LAS, and even more, brand new to English!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!! So, here I have my 2nd graders, who are almost ready to move up to LA 3, and then I've got 3rd graders who are really at a Kindergarten English level. Can you say modifications? I have 18 LA kids, which, I know to all of my teacher friends state-side, that sounds like a dream, but out here, it's super tough. Although I am currently feeling quite overwhelmed, I feel so lucky to have this experience to add to my resume and still know without a doubt that I was born to teach!!!
On and even better note, we are revamping most of our curriculum and it is so awesome. Our WASC accreditation requested that we have our standards stated more clearly, and also give better examples of how our curriculum meets those standards. We have already met to decide all of our various units for the year, and now we're working on placing those under the correct benchmark category and then creating a really great year-long outline. I have a feeling I will be returning to school soon to get my Master's in Curriculum and Instruction...and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to actually help develop a new curriculum and "get my feet wet" before shoveling out loads of money to figure out that I don't really enjoy it.
On quite a different note...this week in China, not so great. Aside from school excitement and stress, I have had a rough week. Wednesday, I had no money left in my wallet, no money left on my transportation card, and I ended up shorting my taxi driver 11RMB (roughly $2)...I originally thought he was being nice and giving me an 11RMB credit because he got lost on the way to school and stopped the meter early. I exited his taxi saying "sorry, I don't understand you [I really didn't]", and he proceeded to get out of the taxi and come around and yell at me! He followed me into my school grounds, past the guard shed (which the guards did a very pathetic job of 'stopping' him) and then kept following me. *I should mention I was carrying a HUGE IKEA bag full of big pillows for our classroom libraries and my school bag.* HE tried to steal one of my pillows to make up for the 11RMB charge (pillows were actually 29RMB), and then started pushing me away from my school. My not so proactive school guards sort of attempted to get him to leave...I, of course, start crying and then taxi driver says he is going to call the police. I say, fine call them and tell them how you yelled at, tried to steal from and push the foreigner (frowned upon in China), and then see how it goes. The guards finally got him outside and I made it to my principal's office in tears. Awesome.
Turns out, he did call the cops and my amazing boss happened to be in passing when that event happened, so she gave the jerk taxi driver the 11RMB and had a very stern conversation with out guards.
Later that day, I had a Chinese lady practically sit on me on the subway as I tried to sit down. My butt was touching the seat and she still shoved me out of the seat...OH CHINA!
THEN! (yes, there is more to my week!!!)
As I was walking to work yesterday, I got hit by a bike...really hard. Knocked the wind out of me, and literally stopped me in my tracks...now, I should note, I was not crossing at the cross walk (shame, shame). But, this man was supposed to be riding on the sidewalk and he was not. He was also riding down the wrong side of the road. So, yes, of course, I looked both ways...but call me crazy, I did not check my immediate right, because I didn't expect someone to be coming that way. The man did try and yell and swerve to miss me, but he didn't. So...I say we were both at fault, but, of course, as I limped away, I started crying...and not even a minute before it happened, I thought, "today will be better..." HA!
That night, it was pouring down rain, and Tommy and I were leaving a restaurant. We decided to RUN across the street to catch a taxi, and my flip flop got suctioned/stuck to the pavement and I proceeded to eat it. Big time. My pants were soaked knee-down, as was my entire back. I tried to then get up and walk across the street but couldn't get my shoe on right...finally got my shoe on and crossed the street, soaked and pathetic, and yep, you guessed it, I started crying.
But hey! Today, nothing happened bad on my way to or from work...and aside from the whole "no English thing", my day was alright. Now Tommy and I are about to take our friend out for dinner for his birthday/thanks for our wonderful US sized/quality couches...and then out with lots of friends for a much needed fun night.
Hope everyone's first weeks of school, whether as a teacher or student went well!
Wow--real first days/weeks are tough! My students are GREAT! 2nd grade is going to be a very fun year. Last year's 1st grade teacher did an excellent job with these kids, and they are so eager to learn and have such wonderful personalities! Even better, last year's 2nd grade teacher left me with quite a bit of helpful things, so I am so so grateful for both of them.
My Language Arts kids are all of my 2nd graders but one, who goes up to LA 3. I have 9 3rd graders come to my class and all but 4 of those are brand new to LAS, and even more, brand new to English!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!! So, here I have my 2nd graders, who are almost ready to move up to LA 3, and then I've got 3rd graders who are really at a Kindergarten English level. Can you say modifications? I have 18 LA kids, which, I know to all of my teacher friends state-side, that sounds like a dream, but out here, it's super tough. Although I am currently feeling quite overwhelmed, I feel so lucky to have this experience to add to my resume and still know without a doubt that I was born to teach!!!
On and even better note, we are revamping most of our curriculum and it is so awesome. Our WASC accreditation requested that we have our standards stated more clearly, and also give better examples of how our curriculum meets those standards. We have already met to decide all of our various units for the year, and now we're working on placing those under the correct benchmark category and then creating a really great year-long outline. I have a feeling I will be returning to school soon to get my Master's in Curriculum and Instruction...and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to actually help develop a new curriculum and "get my feet wet" before shoveling out loads of money to figure out that I don't really enjoy it.
On quite a different note...this week in China, not so great. Aside from school excitement and stress, I have had a rough week. Wednesday, I had no money left in my wallet, no money left on my transportation card, and I ended up shorting my taxi driver 11RMB (roughly $2)...I originally thought he was being nice and giving me an 11RMB credit because he got lost on the way to school and stopped the meter early. I exited his taxi saying "sorry, I don't understand you [I really didn't]", and he proceeded to get out of the taxi and come around and yell at me! He followed me into my school grounds, past the guard shed (which the guards did a very pathetic job of 'stopping' him) and then kept following me. *I should mention I was carrying a HUGE IKEA bag full of big pillows for our classroom libraries and my school bag.* HE tried to steal one of my pillows to make up for the 11RMB charge (pillows were actually 29RMB), and then started pushing me away from my school. My not so proactive school guards sort of attempted to get him to leave...I, of course, start crying and then taxi driver says he is going to call the police. I say, fine call them and tell them how you yelled at, tried to steal from and push the foreigner (frowned upon in China), and then see how it goes. The guards finally got him outside and I made it to my principal's office in tears. Awesome.
Turns out, he did call the cops and my amazing boss happened to be in passing when that event happened, so she gave the jerk taxi driver the 11RMB and had a very stern conversation with out guards.
Later that day, I had a Chinese lady practically sit on me on the subway as I tried to sit down. My butt was touching the seat and she still shoved me out of the seat...OH CHINA!
THEN! (yes, there is more to my week!!!)
As I was walking to work yesterday, I got hit by a bike...really hard. Knocked the wind out of me, and literally stopped me in my tracks...now, I should note, I was not crossing at the cross walk (shame, shame). But, this man was supposed to be riding on the sidewalk and he was not. He was also riding down the wrong side of the road. So, yes, of course, I looked both ways...but call me crazy, I did not check my immediate right, because I didn't expect someone to be coming that way. The man did try and yell and swerve to miss me, but he didn't. So...I say we were both at fault, but, of course, as I limped away, I started crying...and not even a minute before it happened, I thought, "today will be better..." HA!
That night, it was pouring down rain, and Tommy and I were leaving a restaurant. We decided to RUN across the street to catch a taxi, and my flip flop got suctioned/stuck to the pavement and I proceeded to eat it. Big time. My pants were soaked knee-down, as was my entire back. I tried to then get up and walk across the street but couldn't get my shoe on right...finally got my shoe on and crossed the street, soaked and pathetic, and yep, you guessed it, I started crying.
But hey! Today, nothing happened bad on my way to or from work...and aside from the whole "no English thing", my day was alright. Now Tommy and I are about to take our friend out for dinner for his birthday/thanks for our wonderful US sized/quality couches...and then out with lots of friends for a much needed fun night.
Hope everyone's first weeks of school, whether as a teacher or student went well!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Wordless Weekend
This isn't actually wordless, but then again, when has my life ever been that way? ;o)
I really just wanted a title, annnd I have the most amazing picture to share with my mom and Drew!!
I don't know/remember what the packaging looks like...but can it be? The only place to find it is China?!?!? hehe
So, this time next week, I will be (hopefully spread across 2 seats and "sound" asleep) on a plane, on my way to Texas! I am so excited! I am so ready to be in America and I can NOT wait to see all of my family and friends that I love so much!
Come on summer break, hurry up!!!
I really just wanted a title, annnd I have the most amazing picture to share with my mom and Drew!!
I don't know/remember what the packaging looks like...but can it be? The only place to find it is China?!?!? hehe
So, this time next week, I will be (hopefully spread across 2 seats and "sound" asleep) on a plane, on my way to Texas! I am so excited! I am so ready to be in America and I can NOT wait to see all of my family and friends that I love so much!
Come on summer break, hurry up!!!
Monday, June 7, 2010
My oh Monday!
Getting a quick breakfast here is pathetic. No T&T Donuts, no Sunrise (or what ever the LBK shop is) Donuts, no Krispy Kreme (last choice), no Jumburrito(!), no Sonic, and even McDonald's doesn't have my typical nasty breakfast burritos.
So, if I forget to buy my $10 box of Cheerios (the medium sized box, and yes, they do cost me $10 over here)...and I don't have bread ($2 for 6 slices), then I have to stop at Starbucks for overpriced coffee and an OK muffin. Of course, I could actually try to Chinese cuisine (called Baozi, pronounced bow-zuh) that only costs $0.25, but, then I'd actually have to try something new...Baozi is a dumpling like thing that usually contains green veggies in it...something I do not crave often, let alone at 7:30 in the morning...
So, that being said, I will be enjoying T&T Donuts, Jumburrito and even McDonald's for breakfast! Along with those, I have a nice long list of foods and restaurants that I will be eating at when I am home. I will get nice and fat, and I think it will be totally worth it!
13 days...so ready for it!!!
So, if I forget to buy my $10 box of Cheerios (the medium sized box, and yes, they do cost me $10 over here)...and I don't have bread ($2 for 6 slices), then I have to stop at Starbucks for overpriced coffee and an OK muffin. Of course, I could actually try to Chinese cuisine (called Baozi, pronounced bow-zuh) that only costs $0.25, but, then I'd actually have to try something new...Baozi is a dumpling like thing that usually contains green veggies in it...something I do not crave often, let alone at 7:30 in the morning...
So, that being said, I will be enjoying T&T Donuts, Jumburrito and even McDonald's for breakfast! Along with those, I have a nice long list of foods and restaurants that I will be eating at when I am home. I will get nice and fat, and I think it will be totally worth it!
13 days...so ready for it!!!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Moody Monday
I. want. to. go. home. Texas home.
There, I said it. Shanghai is definitely my current home, but I want to go back to my original one.
I have a had one heck of a Monday...and you know what the sad part is? It wasn't even all that bad. Just a long day with a couple of little things that didn't go right. I think I am mostly just ready to go home. I am totally fine with completing the school year, but June 19th couldn't come soon enough!
I actually almost started crying at lunch/planning time today. Pathetic....blehk...anyway...I am so ready to be home and see my wonderful family and friends...I hope I get to see a lot you guys!!!
Off to cook dinner and get in a better mood (I hope)...love ya!
There, I said it. Shanghai is definitely my current home, but I want to go back to my original one.
I have a had one heck of a Monday...and you know what the sad part is? It wasn't even all that bad. Just a long day with a couple of little things that didn't go right. I think I am mostly just ready to go home. I am totally fine with completing the school year, but June 19th couldn't come soon enough!
I actually almost started crying at lunch/planning time today. Pathetic....blehk...anyway...I am so ready to be home and see my wonderful family and friends...I hope I get to see a lot you guys!!!
Off to cook dinner and get in a better mood (I hope)...love ya!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
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