Arrived to Hanoi

Hey Friends,

 

Ive arrived to Hanoi safely. I will be on facebook again momentarily. For now I have to take care of my accomodations. Peace and Love

 

Pingliang to Xi'an to Xining Summed Up

On Saturday morning August 1st, my teaching team piled in a coach bus and headed toward Xi'an. When we arrived in Xi'an, the team spent several days debriefing and visiting this ancient and beautiful city. We spent the previous week (July 25-July 31st) giving our students their final lessons, finishing projects, and preparing for an open house for all of their parents and families. The students in my class (middle school age), were excited to bring their families and other relatives. Class presentations, photos with students and family members, and a chorus concert highlighted the evening. Many of my students were excited to share their "Dream Mobiles," which described in pictures and symbols their future hopes--during the program they learned how to share about their futures in English. Many of the boys of course, hope to play basketball for China professional team. Lots of the girls hope to be pilots or tour guides. Some desire to be businessmen/women and doctors. Others hope to travel to many places.

This brings me to what I have noticed in this trip to China, domestic tourism had increased dramatically. I can tell that Xining's tourist count has increased by more than 100%. This is due to the development related to the Lhasa Express which has daily stops in Xining.

It was a joy this past week to see many old faces (Chinese and Xpats) in my old home of Xining. I am excited to report that job prospects seem very positive there. I've received two offers. I will head to Vietnam later this week to try to update my visa. My next post will include more about Xining and my journey to Vietnam.

Shalom


(Photos: Traditional Chinese Kungfu sword dance, Pingliang OTC students and me, and on top of the Xi'an City Wall)

Greetings from Pingliang, where I am volunteering for the summer to help teach conversational English to middle school, high school, and college age students for the course of three weeks.

The team of 16 teachers is approaching week three. Each day is divided into three periods. Morning lessons (based on age group or level), afternoon electives (music, technology, puppetry, advanced studies, etc), and evening semi-organized activities. In the mornings I teach middle school students a 45 minute lesson and then assist my teaching partners for the rest of the 3 hour class. In the evenings I co-direct the evening activities. Which usually involve party/icebreaker games, conversation topic groups, and English corner activities.

English Corner is the buzz word for "Facilitated English Practice" in areas where learning English as a second language is in high demand (like China). Usually the facilitators simulate English situations, which require the students (sometimes with the help of other native speakers) to speak and respond with as much English as they can muster. Sometimes it just means stimulating conversation over a specific topic.

The OTC usually functions as a Vocational English College, where students spend two years in language immersion to prepare for English speaking fields. It exists in a small city en route to Xi'an, just a little ways off the ancient Silk Road. The yearlong students are usually from the area, and a non profit subsidizes their tuition; many of them are the first in their families to graduate from grade school. Most of them come from rural areas and their families work subsistence farms. It is an arid region, but enough yearly water fall allows for steady irrigation from the mountains and rivers.

Pingliang rests in valley near the juncture of the Loess Plateau, Inner Mongolia Plateau and the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, and between the Gobi to the north and the Qilian Mountain range to the south. Because of this unique situation and its proximity with the Yellow River, it appears to be an Oasis in the middle of vast badlands. It often gets light sand storms, but also receives its fair share of light showers all day long. Crumbling sandy-clay mountains surround the town, but the soil has just enough nutrients from the loess organic content, that there are hundreds of farms within walking distance.  Traditionally the locals build cave homes into the slopes and cliffs of these eroding mountains, and every stretch of them is slightly terraced. Just the other day, I was walking up in the hills behind our campus, and happened on some hot houses, that the locals make out of adobe, limbs, aluminum bars, and 2mm thick clear plastic. They use these to grow crops that cant handle the cool temperatures of the evening--e.g. tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, spinach, grapes, radishes, etc.

Pingliang is truly a spectacular location for an English Training Program and a Summer English Camp.

Photos: Me on Taoist Temple grounds of Kong Tong Mountain, my middle school student class, and my Ultimate Frisbee group.
--
S. Clark Rubino
Skype: s.clark.r