Rain Rain Rain Rain Rain

Over the last few days, we've had really heavy rains in Tianjin. Since my days off from school are Monday and Tuesday... I didn't have to venture out much, and listening to rainstorms from the inside of a dry apartment on the 22nd floor of a building is actually really really nice. So I've loved it.



Until today, when I had to go back to work. A lot of the streets were flooded, and taxis either refused to stop and pick me up or would tell me no once they heard where I needed to go. After 45 minutes of trying to get a taxi and worried I wouldn't make it to work... I just sat myself in a taxi and refused to get back out. I just played stupid, like I couldn't understand the taxi driver telling me to get out and that he wouldn't take me to my school. Eventually, he gave up and drove me through flooded streets and standstill traffic so I made it to work on time.


Because driving was such a hassle, I had next to no kids at school, and a few classes were cancelled. The forecast says there is more rain to come, so I may be swimming to work tomorrow, if I have to go at all.

More news photos are here:

Global Times News

King's English School

The actual reason I'm in China right now is to teach English.... but I feel like it's the thing I do the least of. It tooks months for King's English School to actually open the branch I was assigned to, and now that it's open, it's slow to get kids enrolled.

I actually have only 2 real classes of kids, who I see 1-2 times a week. I "teach" a lot of promotioal demo classes where I am meant to woo the parents into signing up for our very expensive private language school.






I have been really surprised at Chinese kids... they are really not what I expected. And while I have to choose the words I publish carefully... let's just say they're less disciplined than I expected. 





It's a trend in China that most children have no brothers or sisters... so they regularly get showered with attention from 2 parents and 4 grandparents. The Chinese have a saying that "6 people have one eye" meaning all of those adults are focused on one child in the family.







Because these kids are so young, many of them have not been to kindergarten yet. This could be the very first time they're playing with other children, so team work and sharing can be a challenge.













I have to say, it's not every kid. I have a handful who are really sweet, and others who really try in class. Those are my favorites, but of course I'm not allowed to tell them that.