Begining to Really Like it Here

Well at first I had my doubts. I was really missing things I was used to at home, in Korea and Japan. But as always it just takes a while to get used to any new surroundings and that has finally started to happen. This weekend I just relaxed (since I am going away this week) and I have finally started to feel like I am getting things. When I get paid on the 8th all will be good.

For some photo updates, last weekend I wandered to the east of where I live and ended up in Xinglong Park:It is a pretty place that they are still working on. I also walked by lots of interesting stores that I'll check out after I have been paid.

This weekend I am quite short on cash since I'm going to Xian and I don't get paid until after the trip. So I have done very little. I did wander by bus on Saturday. Hop on a bus and then hop off when you see something. I didn't take too many pictures, but I couldn't resist getting a shot of this:Yes this is central Beijing, right outside a subway station actually!

On Sunday I went to buy my bus ticket. I first had to find the long distance bus station that I needed. It took me about 2 hours to get there as it is on the other side of the city. But I did find it and buy my ticket. Then on my way home I walked past Lianhauchi Park and decided to go take a look.The sign said that the pond this park is built around is the main source of water for beijing. however seeing as a lot of the sign was talking historically I am assuming that that was only true historically. The current population of Beijing would drain this pond in under a week.I really liked the view of Beijing West Train Station from this park, the building is a really nice one.I also really want to try these water balloon things one day, but have yet to see any in adult sizes :)

On the way home from the park I saw this sign. I am not really sure what it means but it is fun anyways. Don't dirve while on fire? Don't drive an exploding car?

My Cuties

It has been a while since I have taught babies, and I decided to do it again because it sounded like a great place to work (and they pay fairly well). I was hoping to work with the older kids at the school (3-6 years), but got placed in a nursery class (18 months - 3 years). This turns out to be a good thing. Basically I have very little planning and recording to do since my students are so young the way they learn English is by immersion. I just help them with whatever they are doing, and they pick up on the language. So basically I plan my circle time everyday (1 - 30 minute lesson) and that is it :) Then while the kids nap I do all the note taking that I need to do -- woohoo. On top of that, the kids are so cute, and I get to be really excited about really little things -- like Eric said 'monkey' today without prompting -- yea Eric! The other good thing about this whole arrangement is that there are 4 teachers in the morning to 17 kids and in the afternoon there are only 4 students and 3 kids; great ratios.

This is the classroom before the kids arrive. And surprisingly enough it actually looks like this whenever the kids are not there because they need to 'tidy up' themselves.

Lunch time -- This quiets them right down -- and we only have about 7 kids for lunch.
What a cutie Emiel is -- good thing too -- especially when he doesn't want to sleep during nap time.
This is my sports guy, Eric -- he loves to play with any ball.
Isn't Elizabeth great -- and very rarely does this little one ever get upset.
This is Shin a's first day, we were a bit scary, but the music teacher (a man) was really scary.
The older kids liked the music class though -- the teacher let them play with balloons -- yea!
Isa working on her Russian Doll while Xuan Xuan watches.
Ruhi working on practical life, cutting an egg, which we then had to take from her because she is a veggie -- oops.
Elena is working well, albeit on 2 exercises at the same time, which is not really allowed.
Esther painting a picture-- we mix the paint with soap so that it comes out of clothes really easily because most of the kids don't like the apron.
Anika is new and one of our youngest. We were working with the plastic fruit.
Tyler, he was the only little guy to introduce himself to me on my first day.

My First Weekend

I arrived in China on a Monday and had a full week before starting work. I was to spend that week dealing with finding and moving into an apartment. I was lucky and was able to do all of that in the one week, and I didn't have to go to work while still living in a hotel (which would not have impressed me). But for that reason I have not yet done too many tourist things in Beijing (yet). I did however, while down town to get cash for my apt (from a foreign card I needed to go to a non-Chinese bank), visit Tiananmen Square. What struck me most was the lack of birds. Usually in big city squares you find lots and lots of birds, but there wasn't one in sight here. I also found the rules really interesting. They were written quite well, but number 5 made me wonder if the heritage they are referring to isn't quite different from what most 'tourists' think of.