Adventures in asking directions, Chinese toilets, and the first day of class

So, today was the first day of actual teaching. Well, sort of. Today was the first day of the two-week period where I sit in on the classes and eagerly await the day when they let us first-time teachers start teaching.

Xiehe Bilingual School is interesting. Because of the weirdness of Chinese education laws (children of foreign passport holders can only go to certain schools, and children of native Chinese can't go to these schools) the school has two "streams": local and international, the former for native Chinese kids and the latter for kids who have one or more foreign parents, and thus are eligible. I will be teaching in the Local Stream this semester, but I will be using the toilets of the international stream, as the local stream toilets consist of basins set into the ground that you have to squat over. And speaking of Chinese toilets (since I know everyone wants to hear about them), if you ever go to China, remember two things: first of all, bring tissue everywhere, because toilet stalls don't have them, and second, don't flush toilet paper. China's sewage system doesn't filter, so you dump your used toilet paper into the little bin conveniently provided for just that purpose. Okay, on to more sanitary subjects.

Xiehe is located at 999 Hong Quan Rd. This is important, because no taxi driver in Shanghai has ever heard of Hong Quan Rd. The principal gave me a nearby crossroads, so I told that to the driver, but when he got there, neither of us could see Hong Quan Rd. or the school. So I got out, and started wandering aimlessly in the muggy heat. After about ten minutes of failute to find the school, I realized that, despite my still-paralyzing fear of talking to people who didn't speak English (it's scarier than you think!) I was going to have to ask for directions. I picked a nice-looking middle-aged lady who seemed harmless, pointed to my cut-out of the school brochure with printer address and said: "Duibuqi, ni zhidao Hong Quan Lu zai nali?" She looked at me, looked at the paper, and said "Hong Quan Lu..." and then grabbed the paper from me and turned it over, let loose a stream of Chinese that was mostly incomprehensible but contained the name of the school and a little more, then pointed and gestures that I should head the other way, and then right. She tried to give more detailed directions, but saw my look of bafflement and, and aksed me if I could understand. I said I couldn't, then repeated her gestures, she nodded, and we went out separate ways. After a few blocks, I asked an apartment complex guard where the school was, went through a similar process, ontinued following the gestures, and arrived, only three minutes late, at the school gate. I was very proud of myself for hours afterward.

Anyway, the school is nice. I have my own desk in an air-conditioned office that I share with my two Australian roommates anf the British girl who lives below us, as well as Melissa, the English Coordinator or some such. She's from Beijing by way of Australia, speaks very good English, and is generally a pleasant officemate/supervisor. The elementary school buillding is half outdoors (think of an isosceles triangle with the shortest side missing) and four stories high, which makes visiting my second grade students a bit unnerving, as there is a big cut-out in the middle of every floor, so from the doorway of the classroom I am three steps from a four-story drop. I am teaching English to grades 1,2,6,7 and 8. Today I did 2,6, and 7. I know I shouldn't play favorites, but class 2h was definitely the most fun, followed closely by class 2i. The younger ones are more fun, as they're not as self-conscious. Instead of looking serious, they kept peeking towards the back to grin at me, and putting s lot of energy into the exercises. The older ones are more subdued. Still, they're all likeable so far. I wish I had more time with fewer classes, like most of the other teachers. I'd rather get to know the kids better. But, it's a job, and I think it will still be fun, once they let me teach.

In the morning, there was this period of playing music and counting over the loudspeakers while the kids all pinched their noses and rubbed their cheeks to the counting. It was kind of odd. And the opening ceremony was an interesting sight; rows of kids (mostly in uniform) watching other kids (in uniforms and red sashes) carry a Chinese flag, and then raise another Chinese flag. All the kids had the little red neck scarves, and it was very cute. The serious tone of the occasion was somewhat marred by the handful of kids who got sick and dizzy in the hot sun and had to be taken inside, but on the whole, it was still quite a sight.

Okay, time to go get some food!