Hi everyone, I hope you all had a nice easter and ate lots of chocolate!!!
So life in Urumqi is very busy. Now that my phone is working in my apartment I have recieved some very strange phone calls. Everyone wants to practice their English and so I have received phone calls from people I have not met, I just spoke nicely and said I was busy :-{ Everyone has been nice (the other foreign teachers) and also my host, I have been shown around and also taken out to dinner. My tummy has finally calmed down, it is getting used to the food. So life is busy, I work monday to Friday at the primary school from 9:30 in the morning to about 5:30 in the afternoon. I have about 4 classes a day. I have been getting picked up and taken home everyday by the students parents. I don't have to go to the school usually that early, so next week I am going to catch the bus, so I won't have such long days.... I also had a short week, only Monday to Thursday as the students had a holdiday, a memorial for their ancestors.
On Thursday I had 2 classes all by myself, but the kids were good because their teacher had a good talk with them before the class, there was also a student who monitored the class. It was fun to be all by myself but also very scrary. I still have not worked it out yet if I am really any help or I am there just for show for the parents and also the governtment, as its a state owned school. One day the teachers were in a fluster as governemnt officials were coming to the school. Then without warning a teacher came into my class and asked if it was ok if they came into my class, 2 minutes later all these people piled in with cameras...I had no idea what the hell was going on but the kids didn't react so may be it happens all the time...Then they all left after a few minutes. China is very unpredictable, it takes a while to get used to but without warning things like that always happen. Invitations are also very last minute.
The other teachers are all very hyper, they can't sit still, they can't have a quiet minute. I have finally learnt how to say NO but in a nice way. Sometimes I think what the hell have I got myself into, but I am having the experience of a lifetime. So the teaching is going ok.. I think...I am slowly learning more and more about the people. They are very hard working, work is there life. Kids usually grow up with their grandparents because both parents work to much to look after them.
I am still getting lost, going the wrong way on the bus or catching the wrong bus, but slowly learning... So life in Urumqi is one BIG experience. The time is flying by, in 2 weeks I get a week holiday so I will get to do a bit of travelling which will be fun.
Missing everyone and all of homes comforts. Lots of love Katie XXXX
