It’s impossible to believe, but I am beginning my tenth year in China. It also means it’s my tenth year as a teacher making it the longest job I’ve ever held. Despite that, I almost never think of myself as a teacher. When someone asks me “what do you do?”
Chinese Wedding (with video!)
Remember those students I call “my babies?” The ones I taught for four years and watched them grow up? The ones who stayed with me when I was in the hospital 5 years ago? The one’s that sobbed into my shoulder as they graduated and said goodbye? The ones I
Young Tibetan Artists Need Your Help!
Western Women who date and marry asian men stick together. I’ve mentioned it a few times but I’m a member of a group called WWAM and I have met many, many amazing women over the years from it. Since becoming online friends I have met several in real life and
Thousand Character Chinese Classic
Like I do at the end of every year, I have my students in speaking class become teachers. Their final exam is to “teach class” for 15 minutes. (Not a presentation, but actually teach.) This is always super fun. Students freak out when I assign it to them, but then
You Know You’ve Been in China A Long Time When…..
Three years ago I wrote a post called 10 Signs You’ve Lived in China a Long Time. It was a post about all the culture differences I’ve grown accustomed to over the years. At this point I’m so used to China I’m not really sure what I do differently anymore.
Being a Teacher is Worth It
Besides going to mountains this winter break, I had another accidental theme: Seeing my students. I’ve been teaching for so long, and with such a large number of students, that it just figures they are now spread all throughout China and I’d bump into them from time to time. This
My First “Kid” Got Married!
On the last class with my darling graduated students we played a game. “Who’s gonna be the first…?” Things like, get married, have a baby, become a millionaire, live abroad, etc. Well, one of those questions have been answered because at the end of December, about 6-months after graduation, my
I Feel a Bit Guilty About Yesterday’s Post
So after I totally dissed my students in yesterday’s post, I had my last class with one group of kids. We had a christmas party (I do it every year) and when class was almost over one student stood up and said they had a special gift for me. He
Funny English Names of my Chinese Students
One of my very first posts in China was about students picking hilarious English names. It just cracked me up that a boy would call themselves “Cookies” or a girl “Super.” But like all things, you get immune to it. I’ve had plenty of none traditional names over the years,
Trying for a Work/Life Balance While Living on Campus
Almost exactly five years ago I went to my first dinner with students. I was so excited, and honored back then that the students wanted to spend time with me. That even though they didn’t know me very well, and their English level was a little low, they were willing