Catch Up

Where do I start? Ok, Monday. Cat met me in the foyer at 8am and took me to the LRT (Light-train). I was expecting a really long journey but it’s literally only 5 mins. There’s a short walk from the station to the school, and you pass loads of the old-style housing. I’m guessing people who can’t afford apartment rates are living there. They go quite a way up the hill, all hidden by the trees. There’s also quite a few shacks…I’m not sure if there are people living in those but it looks like it. It’s really sad, especially when I live so close. Up the street I went until I came to a big colourful castle-type gateway. I’ll take a picture soon, felt silly doing it the first day! That’s the kindergarten. It really isn’t that big- not as big as I thought anyway. I was introduced to all the teachers who all look very young. They all made me feel welcome even though there’s only really a few who talk good English. Because it was Open Day we all stood in the main hall and greeted the parents and K1 children (3-4 year olds). Then all the teachers had to stand at the front with a mic and say who they were and who they were teaching. Argh! I was so nervous; all my words came out shaky and jumbled. Not a good impression for the parents! After that I was told I could go and play with the children who had been left in the classrooms. So off I went and I sat down next to this little boy and asked, “What are you playing with? Can I join in?” And he looked at me blankly and said something in Chinese. Great! So I turned to the child on the other side of me and said “Do you like trains?” and he ignored me! I felt really discouraged then, so I went and watched the children play from the front of the classroom. The teachers there didn’t help at all- they were too busy talking to parents and comforting crying children. Eventually after a coffee break -which I needed after 1 hours sleep- a parent came up to me and started making conversation. Thank God! Someone who could talk fluent English! He told me where I could get an Octopus card and a nice place to eat, and where in England he had been (He studied at Leicester Uni!). I felt so much better after that. I then found two girls- one who was in junior school and could understand and speak English and her younger sister. I played with them, pretending to cook in the kitchen. I also played with a boy who was putting clips onto one of those big Barbie heads that you do hair and make-up on. That made me feel even better! I sat with Cat and loads of other teachers at lunch, and the helpers- or Yiyi- gave me some food. After lunch the teachers, head teachers and principal had an evaluation meeting. In Chinese- I really don’t know what the point of me being there was! Cat interpreted a bit for me. In the end I was allowed to go and read through last years teaching plans and reference folder. I was home by 5pm.

Today was similar- another Open Day. I didn’t start till 9am today which wasn’t so bad- and I actually got a full night’s sleep- and finished at 3:30pm. I greeted the parents again and the K2 and 3 children. Then the teachers did the presentation and after took the children to their new classrooms. I’ll be teaching K1 and 2, so I went with Ms May (?!) to help one of the K2 classes. The children at least understood me here, and I got a few to speak in English! I let two of the girls be my “hairdresser” and they pretended to dry and hair, shave it and cut it. That was fun! And it was good to be able to make them laugh. After that it was orientation time for the parents, and I was told to go and read the lesson plans and reference book again. Instead I used to computer to research classroom activities. I can find loads of games for K2 (4-5 year olds) but hardly anything for K1. There’s no lesson plans done for K1 either so I’ve got nothing to go on! After lunch it was meeting time again…so boring…I kept dropping off hehe. I was allowed to go really early because there was nothing I could really do. I was home by 4pm.

Tonight I phoned Heather Pang, Ann and Alan’s old friend from college. She and her husband are both living in Hong Kong, on an outlying island. I think her husband is the ordained priest of St Andrew’s. I’m not sure though! Anyway she told me that her church is quite evangelical, which sounds promising! After the 11am service they normally go for lunch so that’s where me and Jo are headed! The church is in Kowloon, so we’ll probably hang around there until it’s time to go to St John’s in Central. No point coming back to Tuen Mun just to have to make the hour-long journey back again!