Heading to the Mainland!

Orientation is winding down and we're about to begin the last day of classes. This week has been far more helpful than I could have imagined. I feel a lot more ready than I thought I would and I've had a great number of gaps in my knowledge concerning China filled. I've heard a lot of great things about Jilin as well. Having been pretty much in the southwest before I'm excited to get a real look at North China.

I don't know yet what classes I'll be teaching and when, and we have been warned that such information may not be given to us until the morning of our first class. I guess I have to be ready to hop into a classroom and go. We were told that it will most likely be oral english which is what we've been learning about much of the week but we've been instructed a little on the running of a writing class as well. The encouraging and exciting thing about the teaching is that we have an opportunity to run a non-lecture class, something which students have not previously had much of.

Hong Kong is becoming a little more familiar to me as well, the layout is starting to stick a little and I'm starting to get just a little bit of the flavor. Last time through Hong Kong it felt a little like a return to the States with all of the English and westerners around. This time through the tonal languages, the smells I can't always identify, and the packed streets have all brought me right back to China and made me more excited to get to the mainland.

Holy Cau!

I spent the last couple of days with my Aunt Beth and Uncle Brian in Hong Kong and Macau relaxing, as well as seeing and smelling a lot of familiar asian smells. I'm not sure what they all are but they sure are familiar and they have really brought me back and made me realize how much asia has gotten into my blood. So my first couple of days were spent hanging out with my aunt and uncle, getting over jet lag, and savoring some luxuries which will be scarce in China (octopus sashimi, tandoori salmon, lasagna, red wine that tastes good). Macau also has a sweet art museum with a great feature exhibit upstairs.

I arrived at maryknoll house this morning and joined in for mass before a lunch at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. Afterwards we wandered a little in central hong kong and came back for dinner. It was a day filled with a lot of talking.

I'm really looking forward to orientation. Dr. Richard Bohr from St. John's University is here to help with the orientation especially with regards to teaching history and culture. There are a number of highly experienced and semi-experienced teachers, volunteers etc. I obviously have a little exposure to chinese culture which only makes me more excited to hear from the longtime students of China.

As much as I'm looking forward to orientation, I'm moreso looking forward to actually getting back to China.