Pretty place
Trip Start
Apr 26, 2006
1
6
14
Trip End
Sep 09, 2006
Yantai,
China
Sunday, May 7, 2006
Arrived without a hitch and my 'volunteer co coordinator' Jack Liu met me at the air port, complete with name scrawled on a piece of paper, so romantic. Yantai seems promising, it has fresh clean air and Im 5 minutes walk from the beach. Although it is a little rocky I can get a bus to a resort town half an hour a way that is supposed to be very nice (Athough the sea looks dubious to say the least.) Yantai is a small port town, population 6 million, and you will all be pleased to know Im at the easternmost point of mainland China. Next stop Korea or Japan, both across the Yellow sea. Apparently I can get an overnight ferry to either, which could be interesting. I have my own super cool love shack complete with living room, bathroom, TV (with two Chinese channels and oddly enough the security camera view of the entrance) washing machine, eerie fake Minnie and Mickey mouse brown furry quilt, a few friendly insects, a temperamental computer (expect to be bothered on msn guys) fancy air con and comes with Helen, who is 23 and lives next door and seems really cool. Its a strange mix of east and west though, as in my room seems just about as modern as something you would find at home, but some of the most basic things appear almost third world. Like the electronics in my room, every time I plug in my hair dryer the lights dim and brighten according to how hot I make it, and any usb cable that i plug into the computer is practically live. Though the kids defffinateley have got it worse, they sleep four to a room and this is their daily schedule:
5:40am - Getting up time
6:00am - Go running
7:00- Breakfast (still not witnessed this event unsurprisingly)
7:30am - Pre Class preparation (the students clean the school in between classes)
7.40am - First class and then 2 more 45 minute classes
9: - Exercises
9: - 2 x 45 minute classes
11: - Lunch (brunch?)
12:10-1:40 - They all snooze for an hour
1:20-1:30 - Eye exercises (yes this really is an attempt by the government to save on prescription glasses
2.00pm - 4 x 45 minute classes
5: - Dinner
6.20- more cleaning
6.30- is TV time if you are in primary school
07.20pm - 3 x 45 minute classes
10: - Bed
and some have class on Saturdays. There are so many strange jingles and alarms and chants being piped in the corridors though its hard to figure out whats going on. So far Ive heard Westlife and many bizzare old 90s rave songs at various times of the day, and Im dying to hear the full repertoire. Fortunately us teachers don't have to do morning exercise, but I do overlook the main play area so Im sure Il hear some of it. They all wear matching green track suits, which are cute and march about and chant between classes. Well this is all the info Ive gathered so far, but Il fill you in tomorrow when I know more, apparently Im not teaching until Tuesday or Wednesday. Going for a nap now in my new home for the next two months. Ciao bellas love m
