Shell in China

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

A day in the life...




China…where to start? We have been here just over a week and gone from home for almost two. In a way it seems like just yesterday that we left, but it also feels like forever since I’ve seen or spoken to my family. I am so grateful for Internet. We keep getting told that this is not our mom’s Peace Corps and they are not kidding! We have internet access and some people are even talking about buying cell phones here! I am not sure that a cell phone would be that great of a deal, but the idea is crazy! Peace Corps will phones and email? Where is the mud hut and murky water? Not that I am complaining though! Our city has millions of people in it, so we can find nearly anything once we figure out where to look. Okay, well, not anything. Deodorant and “feminine products” are hard to come by, but otherwise we’re good!

Today was a good day, but busy. It is 8 PM here, which means 6 AM in Idaho. We get up at 6:30 every morning and have to leave the house by 7:30. We do eat a full breakfast each morning, so that takes awhile! The walk to school is about 25 minutes, but it isn't a tough one. We meander and talk and usually meet up with other PCVs on the way and discuss our host families, breakfast, life in the States, etc. Class starts at 8 AM. Most days it is 4 hours of language, but it does deviate. For example, tomorrow is a big day because the region director for Europe, Asia and the Middle East is going to be here to visit. We have all been instructed to dress nicely and be good! IT means no language class, but meetings instead. Also, we have a medical meeting about diarrhea (fun!) and more shots. Lunch is always on our own. We usually just point to something on a menu and hope for the best. Everything is in the characters (hanzi), which none of us know! After lunch is teacher training, so that can get redundant, but a lot of people have no education background, so it is needed. On the walk home we often stop at this little pool house and play cards for half an hour before we all go to our houses for dinner. I am always trying to help with dinner, but my host mom isn’t a fan of that. She usually gives me some menial chore, like wash the salad greens and then boots me out of the kitchen and slides the door shut behind me. After dinner we hang out and try to talk or watch TV, of which we understand nothing! Soap operas and Chinese “American Idol” are popular here. Once we have hung out for a while, I usually head to our room to email, read, write in my journal and study.
So there is a glimpse into the typical day of a Peace Corps China trainee. While it appears to be redundant, the language classes are challenging and definitely provide new ideas each day!
Michelle, 5:36 AM

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Blog of a Peace Corps China volunteer serving as a TEFL teacher in Cheng Xian, Gansu, China.

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Name: Michelle Ross
Location: Chengxian, Gansu, CN

In America, I teach 8th grade English and reading and really enjoy spending time with middle school students. Some people think I am crazy for it, but Marsing has a great group of kids and I love being a part of their lives as they grow up! Right now I live in China and teach English and teaching methods to students who want to be teachers. I am here through Peace Corps, which I think is a fabulous experience and something that more people should look into doing! The application process can be a bit of a pain, but it is well worth the time and effort. Check out Peace Corps and give something back to the world that has given you so much!! Teaching runs in the family, as just about everyone is involved in education in one way or another. My dad is retired, but he was a teacher, counselor and principal for 30+ years, my mom is an elementary counselor, my sister and husband are both teachers and my brother will finish his teaching degree this next spring! "Those who can, do; those who can do magic, teach!"

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