Ca-fe-ter-i-a

11/29/11

            I haven’t spent enough time in my kitchen. I only today noticed all of the sausages hanging from the ceiling.

            Today was our first day teaching a class that we were actually prepared for. By this I mean that they gave us our topic more than five minutes beforehand, so we were able to come up with a lesson plan and a presentation. The second class gave me my first glimmer of hope that we might actually get something accomplished. The students paid attention, they asked questions, they learned the word “cafeteria.” They even seemed interested. Connor, Allison, and I were relatively competent!

            The first class was a mess. Instead of sixty students for three teachers, they lobbed groups A and B together so that we had six teachers for about one hundred and fifty students. We were in a giant lecture hall, and quickly had to throw our lesson plans out the window when we learned that it had zero projection capabilities. There were none of the student’s regular teachers in the room, leaving them with no incentive to behave. They weren’t horrible…not compared with how American students would have behaved…not compared with how I would have behaved. They were just slightly hyper and distracted. It wasn’t their fault; it was impossible to hear. Even when we broke into smaller groups, there were still one hundred and forty-nine other students talking in the room. When I’ve seen real teachers teaching in that ballroom, they always have microphones. Where were our mikes? It’ll be fine. We’re adjusting. We’ll figure it out. I hope…

            At least the students really do seem to like us. After class they were all asking for our e-mail addresses and autographs. I think I’m going to take a picture of us teachers with each of our classes and distribute a copy to each student before we leave. I call it putting “take a picture it lasts longer,” to literal use.

Love,

Katherine

P.S. Here is the sweetest e-mail that I just received from one of my students:

Dear friend:

     I am the little girl who is activity in you class! Do you still remember me ? I think I

 can be your best pen pal ,do you think so? I think that you like me so much!! Ha...

    And now ,let me tell you something about my day !

    In the morning ,I often get up at 6:45, then I have my breakfast at 7:00 ,sometimes

I eat milk and biscults ,sometimes I eat egg and  bread ! And I go to shool early and

I stay in the shool with my classmates and teachers until 18:00! Then I  go home and

do my homework next!   I often go to bed at 23:00.

  This is my day ! How about you? I am excepting your letter...Please writing to me

soon~

Your new  Chinese friend:Cynthia