My Year in China: Learning How to teach

So my first week here has flown by - which has meant new blog posts haven't happened.

We are staying in the Shunyi district of Beijing which is about 2 hours (on the subway) away from downtown (central) Beijing. Sadly this means that I haven't managed to get into the centre of this (GIGANTIC) city during the week but I managed to fit some of that in today (that's content for another blog post).

So this week we have been staying at the Shunyi Hotel, in the Shunyi district of Beijing. It's very nice (but the internet is rubbish - modern world problems!), and i'm gradually getting used to noodles for breakfast - it's definitely taken a few days. But I can quite proudly say that I haven't used cutlery yet, only chopsticks, and i've haven't had toast for breakfast (the only non-chinese option). Eating anything here is an adventure - most of the time we have absolutely no idea what we are eating - but so far the only thing I think i've actively avoided is the tofu, once was enough for me!

You really can't miss our hotel after dark - it's a bit Vegas-esq.

The Garden outside the hotel - the green water isn't so attractive

Our 9-5s have been taken up this week with doing our TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) training this week - I have now feel I understand why teachers do the things they do. The training has been really good - but intense, it's normally at least a 7 day course and we did it in 3 and a half. We did our training in the Shunyi No. 3 middle school, it was HOT because there was no air conditioning - talk about a baptism of fire. Our final two days were taken up with practice group teaching sessions and an EXAM - so much for finishing uni. China require all foreign teachers to have either two years of teaching experience or to have passed the TEFL course and exam, so since most of us are straight out of university TEFL it was (the results are still pending).

The outside of Shunyi No.3 Middle School

Inside Shunyi Middle School - What does it remind you of?

There are about 100 of us are here to teach English (we will be spread throughout the country), so there are a lot of new people to get to know - something i'm enjoying as it means I to get to speak to new people every day. So in the spirit of of new-found friendship and post-exam fever we went out for a mass group dinner (to Ba-ba's) and then ended up going to a Chinese nightclub - J9 (not K9).

The restaurant has become a regular for some in our group - the food is good and the beer is cheap. So far my favourite dish is green beans cooked in chilies - I would love to see how many chilies that place goes through in a week - but I really need to find out the name of it so I can order it everywhere (that will be this weeks mission).

DINNER! - well some of it anyway

The Food safety rating of Ba-ba's made us laugh - we are all still alive and well to tell the tale.

Sampling some Chinese alcohol - This stuff could definitely make you miss a few days

So after some of the group participating in a beer drinking competition with the locals (the locals won!) we ended up continuing the party in a nightclub in Shunyi. Have to say my first experience of Chinese clubs was good, I was slightly scared it was going to be non-stop Chinese techno or something but surprisingly it was all western music - not that you hear back-to-back Maroon 5 or Lily Allen in the clubs in the UK normally. The club on the whole was pretty similar to the UK clubs except with more seating and less dancefloor (boo), and squat toilets - bit of a thought since i'm not a pro in that department yet! and the bizarre drinking contests they clear the dance-floor for half way through the night!

So overall it's been a great first week, which bodes well for our second and final manic week ahead.

Some of Shunyi (it's not very picturesque)