Today was a bit different though. Today I spent 4hrs marking maths books, which was not entirely loathsome. It feels like I've been here for ages, but today's only the 4th day of actual classes. The school I'm at is very good - possibly the best in the country. The students are 99% Chinese (racially), and all extremely hard workers, as well as polite and well-behaved. Teaching them is hard only in that they are very quiet, and shy when it comes to white foreigners teaching them. They don't speak up, and will hardly answer a question you ask them. Even when singled out they usually stay quiet. They do murmur a bit, but quiet down when you ask them. We foreigners must be quite a novelty to them. When we walk around the school they bow to us, particularly if we make eye contact. This being so, I keep my eyes fixed ahead of me everywhere I go. It's rather embarrassing being bowed to. Partly because I don't feel like a real teacher, but also because I don't know the customs.
The teachers seem slightly interested to ambivalent. Most are pretty friendly - one even asking for my home address. There are some other student teachers here - locals, from the institute we are staying at. They are all teaching English. They are quiet friendly, and come with us to dinner sometimes. The school cafeteria is good too. There's a few types of Chinese food, types of nasi goreng, fresh fruit, fried foods, lots of drinks, and even popcorn. Like Beth said, we got allocated the right school (although we are without a chocolate fountain..).
I'm not sure if the rest of the time here will go fast or slow, but I am keen to get out and get home. I have a girl I'm hanging out to see. I'm also not sure about travelling afterwards - I was going to go to Thailand and the Philippines, but I can hardly be bothered. If it wasn't for friends I am supposed to meet, I would probably just head home. We'll see, I guess.
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