Shell in China

Hello to everyone back home in the States! This last week has been a very busy one for us in China.

To start with, we finally finished the “Model School” phase of our pre-service training. This was basically a teaching boot-camp, a type of student-teaching for everyone, regardless of teaching background and experience. While it was easier for some of us who have taught before, it was a lot of work to get ready for lessons each afternoon. I think all of the China 12’s would agree that we are glad we are done! There was beer (and Coca-Colas for me!) and poker last night to celebrate.

Also, this last week was a big week because we had site-placement interviews. These are done to help determine where we will spend the next two years of our lives! Pretty important!! Thad and I had our interview together, as did the other couple. When asked what our preferences were, I said that we would like a smaller city that is within a few hours of a large one, we would like to be in Gansu and if possible we would like to be the first PCVs at a new site. The site manager seemed to think she had a place that was similar to what we were looking for, but of course she wouldn’t tell us the name of the town. Everyone went through the same process and now we are just waiting for – Wednesday- the magic day when we find out our assignments! I think we are all excited and anxious to know where we will end up!

Today I went with Wang Laoshi, my teacher, to the Sichuan University Museum. It is recommended by Lonely Planet and we had a great time. My favorite section was the clothes of the different dynasties. Most of them were royalty clothes, so they were very fancy silk pieces with massive amounts of embroidery done of them. They were bright colored background with the intricate handwork depicting famous stories and myths. I was unable to take any pictures since it was a museum, but it was a great experience.

Pictures:
1. This is my host mom and I in the mountains last weekend. In China, squatting like this is a very popular way to sit. I don’t know if it my long legs that get in the way or if I am just not doing it right, but I can only sit like this for short periods of time. After that my legs go to sleep and then I can’t walk right!
2. This is another one from the mountains last weekend. This is a small waterfall right outside of town. We didn’t stay here very long, because like everywhere else in China, there were a million people. (The sheer numbers of people that are always around is amazing to me. Chengdu has nearly five times as many people as Idaho does!)
3. The last picture just shows some of those gazillion people. Notice how many of the women are carrying umbrellas. It did not rain and did not look like it was going to rain! Umbrellas here are a constant fixture in the hands of the women. Obviously they are great for rainy days, but the women also use them regularly to block the sun. Light skin is the ideal here, so women use them as shade. While this may seem like a great idea, I have come to hate it. Since I am tall, their umbrella height is about my eye height and more than once I have been nearly stabbed in the eye with a wayward “parasol!”

I keep meaning to ask, what are the "China 10s" and now you mention the "China 12s"? It was nice to talk to you on the phone tonight but mom had a tough time hanging up! She kept wanting to call you back... We miss you!

Melys

That is the designation that each year is given. China is obviously our program and we are the 12th group to come here. The 10s are the ones who are getting ready to go home or have already left China. The 11s are the ones that are halfway through and that will mentor us this next year. The count gets a little goofy though becaues PC China has been around longer than just 12 years. The program was pulled out for a few years after the SARS problem, so we are really just the third group back in. The 10s that are going home were the first group back in after that pull-out. So, long story short- we are 12s! :)