Holiday Time

On the 20th June we were invited to a neighbours  apartment for dinner.  Their daughter is in my class. He is American and she is Korean, so they put on a Korean dinner for us.  It was really delicious.  

Sticky rice with black beans

 Lettuce and sauces

 Bacon

 Tofu and seaweed soup

Hannah showing us how it is done.  Take some rice with black beans and put into the centre of the lettuce with some crispy bacon dipped on one of the sauces. Wrap up and enjoy.

Chocolate and Vanilla cheese cake made by Paul and a Southern Pie made by Zak.

Then on 24th June, three days before breakup day, we went on an outing.  We went to visit an artist in her studio to show the children the different style and type of painting.

The children thoroughly enjoyed  trying their hand at painting too. 

Then on the 25th June we had our end of year function / Helen (principal) farewell.  It was at the same hotel we always go to but we had it in a private room.  There were speeches  and PowerPoint show.  The food served was traditional Chinese cuisine.  It was a great evening.

 Helen giving her goodbye speech.

 Management 

 Our Teachers

 Admin

 Our crazy bunch

 A group photo of YWIS and YWIEK

YWIS

Then on 26th June we had our end of year performance.  The children at school each read a poem, played a musical piece on their violins, sang two Chinese and two English songs, and the ECE sang two songs and one dance.  I am so proud of them.  From where they started, not knowing any English, to walking and talking to each other in English.  This is the time teachers feel proud when their students demonstrate what they have been taught.

Then on the 27th June, there were no children at school.  It was the teachers last day.  We, the teachers went out for lunch to Yummy's.  It was also Helen's last day.  The first year at school has come to an end.  Wow and what a year it has been.  It has been challenging and rewarding at the same time.  Now it is time for a well deserved break.  Six weeks holiday.  

 Waiting for our order

 Some of the nummy foods at Yummy - Vege soup and chips

 Cold platter

 Pasta

 Fruit salad

 Traditional salad

 Sirloin steak

Pizza

Keep checking in for our next post.  Interesting times ahead.

And off to hospital we go ...

I can't believe we have been here for almost one year.  How time does fly.

Well when we first got here it was really weird.  Walking long distances and not knowing how to get the things we needed.   Now it is like 1, 2, 3.

On Thursday we had to go to the local hospital as Paul has some warts on his feet that he picked up after six months we have been here in China.  The local teachers say that warts are common in China and it is easy to contract them.  No consolation for Paul.  Over the six months they had just been getting worse. They have been so sore he could not walk on them.

Vivian the Chinese Language teacher came with us.  I don't know if we would have known what to do without her.  I must say that the local hospital is as clean as our private hospitals in South Africa.  As we got inside we had to get a slip of paper and tell them how much money we wanted to put on our card.  Then to the cashier it was who took the money and gave us our hospital card.  We were told to go up to the 7th floor to see the dermatologist.  The only weird thing is that there is no waiting room.  So if anyone needs to see the doctor they wait in the room you are being consulted in.  Yes everyone gets to hear whats wrong with you.  Then down to the Pharmacy to pick up the antibiotics and from there back to the cashiers.  Every doctor, person you have contact with swipes your card and a history of your medical visit is recorded on it.  When you get back to the cashiers they swipe your card and then charge you accordingly and giving back the remainder of the money you had put on.  The whole process took about an hour.  In and out.

Well the dermatologist (who is a specialist) cost R5.22 (Y3) and the medication cost R87.05 (Y50).  Impressive.  Medical care is cheap in China.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL THE DADS WE KNOW.

A Busy Saturday

A picture of a sunset from our apartment.

On Friday the Kindergarten put on a performance for Youth Day, (known as children's day here.)  The children did performances for us and their parents and it was so cute.  Their parents also got together and did performances.  The Chinese love performing.  After the performance the children were put in pairs and had to decorate cakes.  It was so much fun.

 Sorry but we are not able to show faces of the children.

 Cake icing demonstration.

Helen, Kathy and I.

It was a busy and weird Saturday I must say.  I think it may be the weather.  From Monday through to Saturday we have had temperatures between 32-35 degrees Celsius.  Although it has been hot it has been the humidity that has really been unbearable.  And now Sunday and Monday it doesn't go past 20 degrees and with heavy rain.  But the weird part of Saturday, I think, is due to the heat.  The locals say that it has been the hottest ever in the Month of May.


It started off with taking a walk to meet up with Kathy to go to the market at 10am.  On the way we met one of my students parents (American), and he told us we had just missed a "Kung Fu Fighting" at a new supermarket down the road.  They were in the vegetable and fruit section.  Some lady, yes lady, and elderly too, took groceries out of another ladies trolley and she hit the roof.  She started yelling and as always the loudest and longest wins.  But that was not enough. They then proceeded to pick up whatever fruit or vegetable they were next too and throw it at each others faces.  Once that was sorted the same lady that started it all was at the till and then started with the manager as she was so busy showing off her twins that someone else walked out with her parcel.  Now she wanted a refund.  It is definitely the heat.

Then we carried on to meet Kathy.  The roads here are 2 lanes up and 2 lanes down and then there are islands on either side and a service lane for bicycles and bing bings.  And as I have said before the driving here is very scary.  So this lady driving her vehicle decided to turn into the service lane to get into an apartment block, but she didn't look right at all, just drove and didn't even slow down.  She hit an old man slap bang in the middle of his bike.  It was terrible.  But she got out and went to the front of her car to see the damage, while the old man is lying under his bike still, she picked up her number plate and started shouting at the old man.  I mean, really.  Eventually the old man got up and he had hurt his hip.  But she still carried on shouting at him and pointing to her car.  And the people around just stand and watch.  They don't readily help out.

Then we started walking again.  Finally we met Kathy and we went to the market.  On the way there we stopped off at the dressmaker so Kathy can ask for a dress to be made.  Well it looks like I will be getting some clothes made from her as well.  She is pretty awesome.

Once we finished there, we walked to the market which was just across the street.  This is the same market Helen took us to but I didn't realise how big it was.  It just carries on and on and on.  It was very hot.  

When we had had enough of the market we found our way to Mac Donalds which went down very well.  I did ask for a medium coke though for all of us and well she UPSIZED our meal.

Then it was time to go home.  We got home at 3pm.  It was fun to be out and about.  We then took a taxi to the shopping centre.  When we were dropped off back home a VW Touran had gone through the metal railings that divide the up and down lanes.  It was a single vehicle accident and she had a cut on her head.  The police take photos of injuries straight away.  How it happened I couldn't say but I am sure the heat had something to do with it.

Then we relaxed at home and made arrangements to go to meet Kathy at quarter to ten at a coffee bar called 1996.  It was a wonderful atmosphere.  It is not too busy.  They have a guitarist and a vocalist.  He is Russian and she is Chinese. She sang so well.  How they learn to sing without Chinese accents beats me, but she was all American whilst singing.  We first had our coffee then we ordered pizza.  Very yummy, but western prices.

We got home at about midnight.  Walking home in the warm breeze with almost no one on the streets and still feeling safe.  When we got home we still skyped with Kerry, Amanda and Brendan and the Van Wyk's.  It was awesome speaking with you guys.

Only four weeks left of school.  Then Holiday to Bali.  Yippee.