Semester Challenges

With the four syllabi needed for my doubled, diversified course load, this semester has certainly proven to be busy. Although I am still enjoying every minute of it! I have been putting in the hours these first six weeks in order to allow smooth sailing from here on out. Today I have officially finished each courses' lesson plans for the remaining 14 weeks, including the final exams ready to be sent to the print shop. I even prepared all the lessons for tutoring my primary students over the next three months. I am feeling accomplished.

The main challenge was preparing a syllabi for my newly added classes in the International College where I teach non-English majors whose skill level is quite low. Some of the students speak only as well as the children I tutor. I have taught beginners before but only in small groups in which I can provide one-on-one attention. Unlike my first college Spanish course, there are no text books, university-run online learning programs or guidance given to the instructors. After a lot of student evaluations and research, I finally feel as if I am running a professionally informed classroom fully equipped with valuable visuals and student materials.

Despite my preparedness, I still face the obstacle of getting the class to participate. I have learned that the International College isn't a department of the university for students wanting to study abroad. Rather, students who did not do well enough on the college entrance exams to be accepted into Yangtze University attend the college instead or in hopes of eventually being admitted into the university. So while the two schools are affiliated they are, in fact, separate. Frankly, the students come from more privileged families who can keep them in school. For most Chinese students who don't pass the entrance exam, they have to return home to work. After my first few classes, I become very frustrated with their behavior and poor work ethic. I have never encountered such problems with my university English majors and so was taken by surprise. It seems many do not care for be there. I have some that always sleep and many who just don't pay any attention. When asked to turn in a very short, easy in-class assignment today, 10 out of 30 did so before leaving. So now I am devising methods to keep them interested and attentitive that doesn't involve babysitting. If you have any suggestions, please send them my way!

Mountains and Monkeys

During the Chinese National Week holiday (the first week of October) I traveled to Zhongjiajie, a city on the border of Hubei and Hunan provinces. The city itself is very much like any other in mainland China. The attraction is the Zhongjiajie National Forest Park, which is where the movie Avatar was filmed. If you are familiar with the movie, I saw the pillar-like rock structures that the main characters climbed and flew around. Unlike in Avatar, however, the rocks are not floating among the clouds.

When we first entered the park there was a sign that read "Do Not Touch the Monkeys." We had a good laugh, thinking that not only was such advice silly but also pointless. How would a person even be able to attempt to pet a monkey? Halfway up our first trail, we soon learned why such a warning was valid. There were monkeys everywhere, and they were fearless!

Evidently they've become accustomed to being fed by tourists so they linger near the trails. After watching for awhile, I continued hiking and began to eat an apple. Soon enough, two monkeys literally ran onto the path in front of me, standing on their hind legs and eyeing my snack. I felt obligated to share. My friend was walking ahead and was able to snap the photo below. While it is definitely a cool picture, their aggressiveness was unnerving. After giving one a small bite, I got too nervous and threw the remaining apple into the trees, sending both running after it. I still cannot believe how close the monkeys will come to people!

Frankly, the interaction between people and monkeys there is borderline dangerous. To make matters worse, the park actually sells sling-shots. Sadly, there was a little boy who was slinging stones at the animals! Of course, I yelled "Stop that!" But his parents or any other adults around didn't seem to care one bit. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if some day in the future newspaper headlines read "Chinese family attacked by monkeys at Zhongjiajie National Forest Park!" So I offer warning: If you ever pay a visit to the park be wary of the primates because apparently the Chinese tourists don't take any precautions.

The other highlight was making it all the way to the top of a mountain! Such a spectacular view! My friends and I hiked about eight miles each day. Good times.

White Noise

When I arrived in China, one of the biggest adjustments I unexpectedly had to make was getting use to the noise pollution. If you thought New York City was loud, come take a walk through Jingzhou.

Cars and motor bikes honk obsessively. Even if there is nothing in their way, they still continue to honk as if asserting their authority. Chinese talk louder than the average American and, if there's no one to converse with, people boast their singing voice. (Although, I do find the love of song endearing.) Most shout into their cell phone as oftentimes the reception is horrible. My conversation with friends has been drowned out by the loud, one-end phone conversation of the passenger sitting behind us on the bus. When shopping, every store blares it's own music at top-volume, seemingly unaware that their playlist can't be distinguished while it just adds to the chaos of sound bombarding the sidewalks - which also includes street vendors shouting at you. Everywhere you go there seems to be construction so the clinking and clanking of large machinery rings in your ears. Currently, they are repaving the road near my apartment. (China is certainly changing and developing quickly.) At night, you can hear the barking of stray dogs and an occasional shout from local folk walking through campus.

Admitedly, I still have not adapted to all this noise. But just when I think I have managed to ignore the constant humdrum of life in China, allowing it to fade into white noise in the background, I hear the firecrackers. The local residents here LOVE firecrackers! They set them off daily for no apparent celebratory reason. On more than one occasion, I have awoken early in the morning to the echoing blasts somewhere outside my window. The first time it happened, I jumped out of bed alarmed at the racket. Just today in class, I had to stop teaching for five minutes as we waited for the boom of firecrackers to cease!