Dear friends,
My tour of China and visiting international schools in Hong Kong has officially ended. It began on January 21, 2009 and ended on February 8, 2009. Now, I head back to Taiwan to finish up the second semester of teaching at Hua Shan Elementary School in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. See the Taiwan blog for more adventures!

Dear friends,
I visited an international school in Hong Kong last Thursday and Friday. I shadowed a 2nd grade and third grade teacher and was able to speak with them about challenges in teaching, differences in American and international schools, and different types of students they encounter.

One of the most difficult challenges I face as a teacher is closing the large skill level gaps in my classroom. In Taiwan, there are many "cram schools" (buxiban) where students study a subject intensively for two or three hours after school. Those that are wealthy, who can afford these cram schools, advance at a faster rate than those who cannot and thus creates a classroom situation where some students already know the subject matter so well and others have never seen the subject matter before. Disparities in skill level are challenges every teacher faces, but they are much more prominent in Taiwan and China where they have these cram schools.

The two teachers I shadowed told me that the challenges they face as teachers are, for the most part, not really relevant to just international school teaching, but teaching in general. They could relate to the different skill level, classroom management, and politics that happens in schools. One of the teachers noted that the politics that happens in international schools are felt more  by teachers, though because as private schools, international schools determine what to include in the curriculum. As such, the jockeying for input is felt to a larger degree in international schools because it happens at their level of authority. In American public school systems, much of what is decided to be taught and guidelines for teaching are set by a higher authority (such as the District's Board of Education) for uniformity among schools. Politics still exists, but at a higher level of authority when it comes to setting the curriculum.

There are many more differences between international and American schools, though, besides just the politics that we discussed. Students at international school mostly come from affluent families and come with different sets of social problems. On one extreme, some of the kids may face neglect in the form of being raised by a "helper," or a Phillippino cleaner/nanny who speaks minimal English. With their parents working such long hours, the children are neglected at home. On the other extreme, some kids have been given everything to them on a golden plate and they do not know their own boundaries, their own limits. Other times, these kids may also not know how to tie their own shoe because they've always had a "helper" tie it for them! By the second and third grade, students should be able to understand and take responsibility for themselves, turning in homework, picking up their own trash, etc. While these cases of child neglect and over-indulgence can be emotionally and developmentally damaging, it is different and not as severe or traumatizing as inner-city youths trying to survive street gangs, abusive households, poverty, and unsupportive families.

Students are always in need of nurturing, attention, and guidance. One thing that I agree with one of the teachers I spoke with is that students, wherever you go, are the same. Students are still curious, creative, vulnerable, and sensitive beings. They may have grown up in a completely different culture and social context, but as children, they all want to be loved, to be in a nurturing atmosphere where they can learn. As teachers, we have to remember that all children have the potential to learn. Each child learns differently (e.g. via kinesthetic learning, visual learning, or auditory learning)  so different teaching styles and techniques must be used. We must be flexible and adaptable to understand our students.

I want to thank the school and the teachers I shadowed last Thursday and Friday in Hong Kong. It was a pleasure meeting them and their cute students!

Dear friends,
I went to go hiking in Shek O Country Park today on the three-hour Dragon's Back Path. It was a medium hike and I  saw breathtaking landscapes of Hong Kong.

Dear friends,
I made yet another trek up to Victoria's Peak. As you may know, I've been up there several times already, but this time I decided to take three of my apartment mates from Taiwan (Rebekah, Billy, & Kate). When we got up there, we wanted to take several jumping shots. Several people saw us jumping and they followed suit.

Apparently, when I jump, the necklace to my camera holder jumps too and makes it seem as if it belongs in my mouth...It's not supposed to happen. Trust me. Bad picture of me, but still fun!

We made sandwiches and carried it with us to the top of Victoria's Peak. After we finished lunch, we went shopping at Tung Choi St. (a.k.a. the "Ladies Market," but they also had men's clothes & accessories) and Prince Edward's station where they have the themed-streets (i.e. Goldfish street, Flower street, etc.)

Here are a few pictures of us trying to jump and trying to take good pictures =D:

1. Do I need to emphasize how bright it was? Can you tell by Rebekah's eyes?

2. "OK team. On the count of three, jump! One, Two, Thr--oh, that's too early" ~Kate

3. Now, let's all look pensive...

Dear friends,
Beijing was a lot of fun and I was very happy to have seen so many different sites. It's been a while since I've updated because everyday has been so busy, but I am slowly updating from Hong Kong.

On the first full day in Hong Kong, several Fulbrighters and I went to each lunch on a boat and then drive a speedboat. It was exhilarating and I couldn't have asked for a better day. The sky was clear, temperature was warm (big change from Beijing), and I actually handled the steering wheel well!

Driving the speedboat with my hair extremely messy from the wind.

The day after speedboating, a few of us went to Lantau Island to see the big Buddha. We waited in line for about 2 hours until we finally got on the cable car that takes you to see the big Buddha.

See more pictures here: China Photo Set 6!

...you find:
1) cold weather this side of the continent,
2) people with the Beijing cough as a result of the terrible air pollution,
3) the steering wheel on the left side of the car, not like Hong Kong where the steering wheel is on the right side of the car,
4) traffic jams at all times of the day,
5) unregulated firework displays which makes it seem like war outside during Chinese New Year (see video below),
6) one cents and one dollars, but no change in between,
7) one cents that come in two forms: heavy and light metal (the latter feels like plastic money),
8) lots of people,
9) lots of historical Chinese relics,
10) large disparities between the rich and the poor,
11) kind, but cautious people,
and 12) delicious lamb's spine restaurants!

Delicious Lamb's Spine!

Take a look at the fireworks above during Chinese New Year!

Dear friends,
I spent one day at the Great Wall and one day at the Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square. I'm jumping on the Great Wall in the above picture =D.

When we went to the Great Wall, we woke up at 6:30 and left at 7am. It took us an hour to get to the Badaling portion of the Great Wall. When we were there, it was about 8am and we were surprised to find it closed, well, at least that particular entrance to which we went. We went to another entrance and they were accepting tickets so we quickly got in. There was virtually nobody on the Great Wall when we got there, but after half an hour, we saw lots of people coming in the other direction! They were coming towards us because I presume they had taken the train/cable car to the top and decided to come down the Great Wall instead of first climbing up.

The weather was pretty cold, but not as cold as that first day we went to the Forbidden City. We decided to go to the Great Wall the day we went because the weather was 19 degrees Celsius, but at Badaling it was about 4 or 5 degrees lower so we still dressed warmly.

We climbed about 2/3 of one side of Badaling then called it quits and headed to the other side where there were no people. The other side did not attract tourists because the slope was 65 degrees, very very steep. Of course, we didn't go to the 65 degree slope portion, we just climbed to the point where it became 65 and then we stopped and turned around. We got some great pictures, though, because there was nobody on this side of the Badaling Great Wall.

The day we went to the Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square, the weather was "hai hao," or okay. When we entered the Temple of Heaven, there were several gates you needed to get past. The outer perimeter was the sacrificial pit area and the second, third gates were more temples. When you finally arrive at the center, or the Hall of Prayer, you pray for good harvests. It was all very beautifully sculpted. When we went to the innermost Hall of Prayer, they were actually filming a movie or something at the site and we saw some traditional robes of the Emperor's advisors and servants. They roped off the area so no tourists could disturb them while they filmed.

The film crew filming at the Hall of Prayers

When we spent the other half of the day at Tiananmen after going to the Temple of Heaven, the weather was warming up slightly. Tiananmen was huge. It was hard too imagine that the June 4th incident happened here only 20 years ago.

You can find more pictures of the Great Wall here: China Photo Set 4
and
photos from the Temple of Heaven & Tiananmen Square here: China Photo Set 3.

Dear friends,
In China, you can find almost any delicacy on a stick. Squid on a stick, Pork on a stick, beetle on a stick, scorpion on a stick--you name it, they've got it.

The above pictures were taken from the Temple Festival in Pan Jia. The Temple Festivals are very popular amongst the locals for Chinese New Year. There were so many people at these festivals! Take a look.

My favorite "thing" on a stick is this crabapple/fruit thing:

Mmmmm, I'll miss those when I go back to the United States and Taiwan...

You can find more pictures here: China Photo Set 5!

Dear friends,
On the fourth or fifth day I was in China, I visited the silk market. I've never seen anything like it! Imagine all those street vendors selling clothes, jade, hewelry, accessories, and art you see in New York City and Taiwan. Put hundreds of them inside a building and that will give you a rough idea of Beijing's silk market. There are rows and rows of vendors calling out to you...

Vendor (who mostly talks to my friend, who is white, disinterested, and does not speak any Chinese): "Lady, lady. Buy some clothes? Pretty shirt. Come see. Try on. Come look. You name price."
I stop to actually look at a shirt that I like.
Vendor: You speak Chinese? Yes? Good. (proceeds to speak in Mandarin) Shirt is good quality. This shirt is RMB$380. Real silk!
Me: That's way too expensive. How about I give you RMB$50.

(Yeah, I cut the price a 100 fold...Vendors really like to rip you off)

Vendor: WAH?! You think I can make money off of that? No way.
Me: Okay. (I start to walk away)
Vendor: Ok, ok, lady. I give you $100, best bargain.
Me: That's really too expensive. $50 is my highest offer.
Vendor: Ok, ok. I give you $80.
I really start to walk away, although I really like the shirt...
Vendor: FINE! I give you $50. (Vendor stuffs the silk shirt into a bag, obviously exasperated and tired of my stubbornness).

That was probably the best bargaining experience I had, though. I may have still been ripped off, but at least I got the best bargain a foreigner could receive.

Bargaining takes a lot of energy and time. If you're ready to argue and spend 10-15 minutes talking about the price, the silk market is for you! I had a lot of fun. I didn't take any pictures, though, because that would make me look even more like a tourist.

Dear friends,
On the third day I was in Beijing, the weather was still cold, but my friends and I were still able to go out and see the Olympic Bird's Nest and Water Cube. You can't access the Olympic Arena with a taxi; you can only access the area with the metro or subway. When you get to the arena, you can walk to both the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube. It's very beautiful and there's even little lights along the path that match the Bird's Nest design. See picture below:

Little bird's nest lights that dot the path to the Olympic Bird's Nest

We didn't go inside because you had to pay and I think seeing the outside was sufficient.

You can find more pictures here: China Photo Set 2!