Corrections: Halloween and Testing

So I was wrong and it turned out we had a full week of school this week. Bummer, I know. Well it is not that I was wrong actually, the exam schedule is simply on China time. That's right... the state education board has no trouble changing the date of an exam 3 days before the kids are supposed to take it. Can you even imagine the crisis that would occur in the United States if the SATs just decided on Thursday that you would take the test a week later than planned. I can see some incensed parents suing somebody for sure.

This is more of an addition than a correction... As I mentioned before, I am doing Halloween lessons this week in class. The Chinese have their own version of this holiday though I am somewhat unsure of how it is celebrated. Among people my age it seems to be celebrated in much the same way it is in the States. By getting really drunk and wearing very revealing costumes. I make this assumption for two reasons. 1) The local club "PARTY BAR" is having a party and it was explained to me that the dancing girls (who are not exactly shy in their dress on a normal Saturday night) will be wearing very sexy costumes. I asked if everyone else would dress up... he looked at me like I was crazy. 2) I asked my oldest students (about 14-15 years old) if they knew what Halloween is. Leo, one of my favorite students, stood up and said "Hot girl in sexy things she wear do like this" he then proceeded to make imaginary breasts out of his hands and dance around. If I had been able to stop laughing I would have told him he was right.

Happy Halloween
C. Johnson

Midterm Exams

Being that it is the end of October the time has come for the dreaded MIDTERM exams. I say dreaded from the students' point of view because from where I stand the timing couldn't be better. I will have no classes on Thursday and Friday because my students will be taking tests. That's cool. Maybe this time I'll actually be able to make it to Shaoshan.

In addition to a short week the fact that Halloween is coming makes me very happy. First of all, it means that I can do essentially the same lesson for all of my students. I am showing a couple of internet clips and doing a PowerPoint about Halloween to explain to the kids what the holiday really means (my lesson leaves out any mention of All Saints Day). This means that the classes I do have are going to be relatively easy.

On Saturday I will be going to the apartment of one of my friends for a Halloween party in Changsha, which will undoubtedly be a blast. I am actually writing this blog in class... My students are currently participating in another midterm tradition, report cards! The kids with bad grades, or what I am assuming would be the kids with bad grades are being taken out of class in groups. The other kids are ranting over their grades. One kid is crying. It seems to just be assumed that class is over so I turned off the projector and told them to talk in English about their report cards. Of course none of them are, but do you want an update on my life or not?! That's all; for now, if i do make it to Shaoshan I'll let you guys know.
C. Johnson