August 30

Today was my first day of class at the ILP school. I was nervous, but excited to meet the little children with whom I would be spending 3 ½ hours every week day for the next four months. I had already planned my lessons and had them approved by my head teacher. Today, I would be making caterpillars with the kids.
My teaching rotation is with Emily and Kate. I will teach three classes all the same lesson, then have a 20 minute break, and then three more classes.
I’m not allowed to disclose our teaching methods, but we have an opening where we’re all together with our kids and we assigned them names and talked about the weather and sang songs. I named my Homeroom Class (my main class) after Disney characters (of course). Most of the kids were adorable and well behaved and paid attention to me, but there was always at least one kid who acted up and tried to grab everything and wouldn’t stay in his or her seat.
Since I’m teaching Arts and Crafts, I taught them how to make a caterpillar out of a popsicle stick, pom poms, google eyes, and pipe cleaner. Some kids surprised me with how much English they spoke and understood, while others just stared at me, clueless. There were a couple kids who quoted every word I said (more than likely having no clue what they were saying) and also a few kids who wouldn’t speak at all; they were too shy. One experience was especially rewarding: Kendall, a little girl, stared at me the entirety of class with her big black eyes wouldn’t breathe a word, even when prompted. I would ask her questions and then switch to the rest of the class, and everyone else was participating. Finally, close to the end of class, Kendall repeated a few words to me, and when I congratulated her and gave her a token (for prizes), she smiled her gappy smile in a way that just melted my heart. Although some of the kids are ridiculously crazy, I just love them all. They are the cutest things I’ve ever laid eyes on. One girl, Kim, who quotes everything I say, is just infatuated with me. She tries to sit close to me and always smiles hugely at me and waves. Absolutely precious.
At the end of my third class, the Chinese English teachers collect the kids for recess. One of my little girls held my hand down the staircase, and I wanted to cry it made me feel so complete.
Teaching will not be an easy task, but it will be worthwhile. I feel like the next four months will go by far too quickly.
At lunch, we ate with the Koreans because some of the ILP teachers work with Korean students. We had sushi and Korean desserts, which were rather tasteless but had very interesting textures. One tasted and felt like bread dough rolled in Parmesan cheese; another had a thick, chewy outside and a watery inside. Everything was chewy, like dough or like it was made of a glob of sticky rice.
After lunch, Abby and I chilled for a bit. We were lucky to have the morning class, as it gives us a completely free afternoon and evening, as opposed to those who teach the afternoon class, which is at 2-5:20.
At 6PM, Abby, Brittany, Kate and I went to the night market close to the school. It’s just a couple of blocks away and so we walked. There were dozens of stalls selling various kinds of meat and vegetables and fruit and things we didn’t even want to identify. There were more stalls selling shoes, shirts, jewelry, sea fishing poles the length of a semi-truck, hats, etc. I wanted a T-shirt with bad English grammar on it (they are everywhere; we enjoy reading the English graphic Ts and billboards) and found one that says “Death of a Department Chair” and had to buy it. The man said it was 40 yuan, but I told him it was too expensive and then walked away; he stopped me and said he’d sell it for 15 yuan, so I took it. I rock at this haggling thing.
I also purchased a cute polka dot dress for cheap—it’s super airy and nice in the hot, humid heat. Brittany says the morning markets are amazing for buying fruit, but since I work in the morning, Abby and I plan on going this Saturday. Brittany had purchased this fruit at the morning market that is…like a grape but it’s wrapped in a leafy shell and it tastes like candied apple. So incredible. She bought 5 pounds for like 2 yuan (like 40 cents US). They don’t serve us fruit at the school, and every single one of us have been craving something sweet. The Koreans also served us watermelon, and it was the greatest tasting watermelon I’ve ever had. I plan on stocking up on fruit on Saturday.
The night market was amazingly fun, and we can’t wait to go back again. I also can’t wait for the markets in Beijing; I hear they’re incredible and you can buy real pearls for a tenth of the valued price. I’m so getting some.