China volunteers settle into Shenyang life

A few weeks have past since we arrived in Shenyang, China and we have well and truly settled in for the long haul. Our apartment is now somewhat better equipped, with a new mattress (which can only be called a mattress when compared to the other thing we were sleeping on previously) a doona and a mop. The upgrade has come at a price, as we now have a fluctuating water supply and the complete lose of power to the only light in the bedroom. Oh well!

A couple of weeks ago we had Teacher’s Day. Not only did we get a long weekend, but also a ¥300 bonus. Yay! On our extra day off we went to the Wuai market, famous for being the largest inside market in China, just for a squiz. It just keeps going up and up and up and up. On our way home we were unwittingly involved in another of China’s subtle traditions: the taxi crash. Our cab was rear-ended by a very nice black car (why anyone drives very nice cars here is beyond me, as all cars will sooner or later be turned into a post-modern art piece by a bus) and, of course, our drivers first reaction was to yell at the little old lady on her bike that caused the whole thing. Then he yelled at the driver of the other car. Then he told us to leave. And leave we did. On the school front, things are going well. My classes are mostly relaxing to the idea of the colour of my skin and aren’t constantly showing off. Hayley tells me that the songs she has been using have the kids dancing and singing and altogether excited. How these kids muster the energy for anything I have no idea considering the number of hours they study. Even the grade 1s (6 year olds) start their day at 6:10 and finish off a couple of classes after dinner. We recently had the sports day, and one of the students was excited because she got to go to bed an hour earlier. I’d like to see you try to make an Aussie kid spend that much time at school.

This past week, both the primary school and the high school had their sports days. The weather was brilliant for the primary school, but turned a nasty shade of freezing the following day. I was unprepared and under dressed. On several occasions I retreated indoors for a hot cup of tea, and on one occasion I encountered a couple of the teachers locked in my office, hiding from the director. I joined them for a good portion of the afternoon, as I, and my camera, were exhausted from the morning. Having got that out of the way, we have received our first pay and are currently enjoying the Chinese National Day, and the Golden Week holiday to come.

Are you interested in Teaching English in China Antipodeans Abroad specialises in educational and volunteer travel overseas – find out more here”