China Experience

Week 3 - Time to Practice

aussie_ange — Sun, 25 Aug 2013 22:21:00 GMT

Week 3 was upon us and it was time to get into the classrooms and start teaching practice.

We were split into groups of four, and given our age groups. I had Agnes, blonde Marcus, Andreas and myself, and we would have to prepare lessons for 12-13 year olds. We weren't sure of their English level, or how many students we would have. So the first day was a challenge to say the least.

Unfortunately there were no funny names in our class room. There was a Sheldon Cooper floating around the school and a few other funny ones, but my memory fails me.

My 30 minute lesson quickly turned into a 15 minute lesson as I realised what I had was way too easy for the students. (they were a seriously smart bunch of 12 year olds)

The second lesson went a lot better. The students seemed to enjoy it and were very interactive.

Even though we only had to prepare a half hour lesson each day, it was very tiring, standing in front of 20 kids each day and teaching them. So a nap was in order on return to BUU each day.

The last day saw us having two half hour classes in one day, it was that or having to do a class on Saturday, no thank you! That was the longest day. But it was broken with a game of handball in my lunch break. Just like high school days. Took a while to get back in the swing of it, but by the end of the lunch break I was back!

After surviving our first week of teaching it was time to celebrate. Beers, followed by more beers, then a trip to the beloved "Helen's" bar.

"Helen's" was a lot like a tavern back in Australia. Without the pokies and the pool tables. It was more a restaurant of western food, than a bar. But it turned out to be the location of many nights out, or at least the starting point. Depending on what night of the week you were there as to what activity they had on. One night was BINGO night, another was Ladies night. Both were good nights to go.

There would be photos of my class I taught in teaching practice, however, the night of celebrations saw me misplace my phone in the whirlpool known as Mix.

Never to be seen again.

Needless to say, I spent the weekend researching what phone to buy and where to buy it. Then setting it up.

That was the end of week 3.

TEFL Training - Week Two

aussie_ange — Sat, 10 Aug 2013 10:53:00 GMT

After the first week of training it was time for a couple days off!

For our planned day trip as a group it was off to the Summer Palace!

Such a big Palace, but truly amazing. Definitely need to go back and see it in Winter. With the ice and snow!

The second day of our "weekend" was spent at the Temple of Heaven" doing Kung Fu! There was a group of 8 of us that ventured out on a fine and hot Beijing day to the Temple to meet with the famous Kung Fu Guru to learn the best. While there was a lot of theory involved it was good to learn the history behind Kung Fu and Tai Chi and why people still to this day are practiced in these arts.

After Kung Fu, Jenny, Sue and Myself went with the organiser of the Kung Fu, David, and his girlfriend Jodi, to a Chinese restaurant for an amazing meal! Set in one of the well known restaurant districts in Beijing, in a rooftop terrace, we enjoyed the sunset while having a beer to wash down the deliciousness that was our dinner. Around the corner and into a dark alley way, there was a tiny brewery that made quite a nice drop. Couldn't stay too long as it was a school night, so it was off to the subway station for the hour long journey home.

Another week of classes followed.

Photos: Beijing

aussie_ange — Sun, 4 Aug 2013 10:20:00 GMT

Beijing TEFL

TEFL Training - Week One

aussie_ange — Sun, 4 Aug 2013 10:04:00 GMT

I left the Sydney International Airport on 2013/06/29 not knowing who or what to expect. After an 11 hour flight I landed safely within the Beijing International Airport with a young man, Jonathon, waiting to pick me up and take me to my hime for the next 4 weeks. With the J man at the airport was a fellow Sydney girl, Jia, who was also going to be experiencing China. From the airport it was an hour long drive to "home".

Home was the Beijing Union University. It was here on the first day that I met my roommate Jenny. Best. Roommate. Ever. Beer and pizza finished of the first day at BUU.

The second day was a trip to the Forbidden City. Here I experienced the "celebrity" like status that comes from being blonde and "white". The day was long, even though we only spent two hours at the City, That was enough. With our feet sore, backs sore and bellies hungry, it was time to head home and meet the other participants in the Teach Travel China crew.

The third day came and it was time for the get to know you games. Met the teachers that would be responsible for helping us learn how to teach and the fellow interns that would make or break the following 4 weeks.

The first weekend was spent at school, in a classroom, learning. Could think of a better way to spend a weekend in the city of Beijing!