Thursday, January 06, 2005
Picnic
My idea of a day trip to the beach is completely different to the idea of most of the Chinese teachers and students I work with.
To start with, my day out would include at least a short time in the sea. Even if it’s just enough to cool down and say I, at least, got wet. It really is a must when it comes to a beach trip. But for the party I went with this week, swimming in the sea was deemed to be ‘too’ dangerous. So, no getting wet. When some students, quite naturally, forgot themselves in 28 C, and sat in the breaking waves on the shore line, one of the teachers ran to tell them that the waves were SO dangerous!
The next difference is the food. My memories of picnics to the seaside when I was at school compulsorily had to include egg sandwiches, crisps, orange squash and a few melted blue ribands that my mum had packed, quite creatively, in a Tupperware box. That is what a trip to the sea and sand involves. The Chinese kids kept bringing me tastes of their own food just incase I was feeling peckish. By 10am I had had cold pork fried rice, fried crab sticks, fried fish balls, fried hot dog and an unidentifiable piece of meat which I put straight in the bin. Actually most of it went straight in the bin when the students who donated it weren’t looking. Luckily the local shop was selling sandwiches and much to my delight I managed to get a cup of extremely strong tea and a plastic ham sandwich between two slices of mother’s pride. Obviously, they knew what they doing!
Another marked difference is the use of plastic and other disposable items. The teachers and students all had their own personal supply of disposable plastic table cloths. The first thing they did when they arrived was to spread out 2 or 3 of these things, then put their bags down on them. Heaven forbid any Chinese person puts their bag directly on the floor. At school there are hooks on the sides of desks for bags. I have noticed in restaurants that people put their bags on the chair behind their back and sit further forward on their chair rather than put their bag on the unhygienic floor and risk infection! The first thing I did was rent myself a deck chair. One of those fold flat wooden ones which are difficult to assemble, the type you risk your finger tips with not to mention it falling flat as you drop your weight into it. Then, naturally, I made a small hat out of my knotted handkerchief and rolled my trouser legs up. Now that’s what going to the seaside is all about.
To start with, my day out would include at least a short time in the sea. Even if it’s just enough to cool down and say I, at least, got wet. It really is a must when it comes to a beach trip. But for the party I went with this week, swimming in the sea was deemed to be ‘too’ dangerous. So, no getting wet. When some students, quite naturally, forgot themselves in 28 C, and sat in the breaking waves on the shore line, one of the teachers ran to tell them that the waves were SO dangerous!
The next difference is the food. My memories of picnics to the seaside when I was at school compulsorily had to include egg sandwiches, crisps, orange squash and a few melted blue ribands that my mum had packed, quite creatively, in a Tupperware box. That is what a trip to the sea and sand involves. The Chinese kids kept bringing me tastes of their own food just incase I was feeling peckish. By 10am I had had cold pork fried rice, fried crab sticks, fried fish balls, fried hot dog and an unidentifiable piece of meat which I put straight in the bin. Actually most of it went straight in the bin when the students who donated it weren’t looking. Luckily the local shop was selling sandwiches and much to my delight I managed to get a cup of extremely strong tea and a plastic ham sandwich between two slices of mother’s pride. Obviously, they knew what they doing!
Another marked difference is the use of plastic and other disposable items. The teachers and students all had their own personal supply of disposable plastic table cloths. The first thing they did when they arrived was to spread out 2 or 3 of these things, then put their bags down on them. Heaven forbid any Chinese person puts their bag directly on the floor. At school there are hooks on the sides of desks for bags. I have noticed in restaurants that people put their bags on the chair behind their back and sit further forward on their chair rather than put their bag on the unhygienic floor and risk infection! The first thing I did was rent myself a deck chair. One of those fold flat wooden ones which are difficult to assemble, the type you risk your finger tips with not to mention it falling flat as you drop your weight into it. Then, naturally, I made a small hat out of my knotted handkerchief and rolled my trouser legs up. Now that’s what going to the seaside is all about.
Teaching English
I am moved to write this blog because I feel the need to share my experiences with the world. I am a new teacher of English working in China. This may seem quite normal but believe me it is not. It may seem quite normal to Catholics out there but for me, a heathen, I am learning new things everyday due to the fact that this school is a throw back to the 1950's and is run by a Nun.
I had not attended Mass before starting this job. These days I have to stand up and sit down with the the students and generally listen in utter confusion to the Priest who appears to be doing something with a popudom and some Ribina?
Can anyone throw some light on this for me, a complete sinner?
Dress code crimes
As this is my first full time job for a while I treated myself to a few new outfits so that I could start the term smart, yet trendy. Modern in a sophisticated and teacherly way! Little did I know this school has a dress code which dates back to the 50's. I couldn't believe it. No trousers for female members of staff unless the temperature drops to below 11C (it does sometimes). I did not wear trousers on my first day but did fail to meet the criteria of the dress code in that M&S had designed my dress to show a slight bit of cleavage as well as a pair of shoes which did not have any backs in them, therefore, showing my .........wait for it.....don't get too excited.......heels!
How foolish of me not to realize that showing the back of my heel was against the rules.
I was not spoken to individually about these misdemeanors, instead it was brought up at the induction meeting of new staff where the deputy head went through the dress code. When he got to the bit about 'no shoes without backs' and 'no low cut necklines' he looked directly at me. I felt my cheeks colour up!
How foolish of me not to realize that showing the back of my heel was against the rules.
I was not spoken to individually about these misdemeanors, instead it was brought up at the induction meeting of new staff where the deputy head went through the dress code. When he got to the bit about 'no shoes without backs' and 'no low cut necklines' he looked directly at me. I felt my cheeks colour up!
First day
Perhaps it is a particular quirk of Chinese schools, I have little experience, but 'table manners' on the curriculum came as news to me. The poor students have to endure a table manners lesson, albeit only once a term, but they have the food technology, or is it domestic science, teacher come and teach them how to use a knife and fork, not forknknife, in the context of a western 3 course meal involving soup, bread, grilled chicken breast and pasta with an unrecognisable vegetable.
As if this wasn't bad enough the new staff also are deemed to need a lesson on table manners. This is so that we can supervise the students during their lunch break and check on their fork and knife holding skills. This does seem an unnecessary skill for both teacher and student as the students use chopsticks at lunch times. Sister Assumpta, who has been at the school since the beginning of time, conducted this lesson which involved a short lecture and then a video, circa 1970, about how not to eat. It covered such heinous crimes as using the wrong spoon, putting elbows on the table and that particularly nasty habit, but often used in China, talking with the mouth full and chewing with the mouth open. After the video I thought, so far so good, at least its over. I was feeling a little hungry and imagined I would escape and even relax. How wrong I was!
Horror and horrors! We were then served a three course meal while Sister Assumpta observed our technique. She would occasionally point out an error if she spotted one. I did put my elbows on the table at one point but I think I got away with it! However, there was a student videoing us unsuspecting new teachers during the meal so perhaps it will be analyzed later and used as evidence against us if we ask for a pay rise!
There are about 15 new staff this year. A mixture of nationalities. We were all mortified yet polite during this ordeal. We all went along with it without comment. I was bursting inside during this meal. It would have taken just one small event to set me off in a fit of giggles - I remained dignified throughout!
As if this wasn't bad enough the new staff also are deemed to need a lesson on table manners. This is so that we can supervise the students during their lunch break and check on their fork and knife holding skills. This does seem an unnecessary skill for both teacher and student as the students use chopsticks at lunch times. Sister Assumpta, who has been at the school since the beginning of time, conducted this lesson which involved a short lecture and then a video, circa 1970, about how not to eat. It covered such heinous crimes as using the wrong spoon, putting elbows on the table and that particularly nasty habit, but often used in China, talking with the mouth full and chewing with the mouth open. After the video I thought, so far so good, at least its over. I was feeling a little hungry and imagined I would escape and even relax. How wrong I was!
Horror and horrors! We were then served a three course meal while Sister Assumpta observed our technique. She would occasionally point out an error if she spotted one. I did put my elbows on the table at one point but I think I got away with it! However, there was a student videoing us unsuspecting new teachers during the meal so perhaps it will be analyzed later and used as evidence against us if we ask for a pay rise!
There are about 15 new staff this year. A mixture of nationalities. We were all mortified yet polite during this ordeal. We all went along with it without comment. I was bursting inside during this meal. It would have taken just one small event to set me off in a fit of giggles - I remained dignified throughout!
