Getting Ready To Go

Well, in three days I will be flying from Seattle to Shanghai, China to start my teacher exchange with the DaJing High School.  We had a group of 23 students, two teachers, one vice principal and one Communist Party section chief visit us a couple of weeks ago and we spent the week reading and performing Oedipus Rex with them.  Is that crazy or what?  Even crazier, they really enjoyed it!  The students made costumes and filmed each other acting out the scenes.  It was exciting, exhausting, and exhilarating.

So why am I going over there?  To strengthen the ties between our two schools; to promote international understanding; to learn about the Chinese education system and how it differs from the US system (not that I'm really IN the US system, since Northwest is an independent school); to continue making friends with the teachers over there and invite them to our global symposium this summer (where we hope to have representatives from all five partner schools, from Spain, France, Taiwan, China and Ethiopia); and to foster relationships with the students.  I hope to do some teaching, probably mostly ESL stuff like public speaking and academic writing, MAYBE some Antigone, also have an "English corner" at lunch where we can practice conversation.  I want to shadow a couple of students and see what they do all day, shadow a couple of teachers and see what their jobs are like.  I also want to visit some old friends, parents of my old students, and make some new friends.  I'd like to be a tourist as well, check out the Bund, the older parts of the city, the newer parts, go up the high buildings, try some fancy food, take side trips to Hongzhou and Souzhou, and just watch people.

Me and the vice principal when he visited

Here is what I am packing:  clothes, walking shoes, toiletries, a whole bunch of Starbucks Vios instant coffee with mini-moos, little presents for people (mini Seattle calendars, fridge magnets, Applets and Cotlets, etc.), a couple of towels, maybe my yoga mat and extra pillow, my laptop and phone, complete with Google Translator app.  I put in some snacks, too, because I am sort of anxious about getting hungry and who is going to feed me when.  I am probably being silly, but some almonds never hurt anyone.  I am bringing the Ungame to play with the kids - there is no student who doesn't love the Ungame.

Here is what I am nervous about:  1) Ben Lee says I don't need a power adapter but I am worried.  2) I tried to get a new sim card for my phone so I could have data, especially for the translator app, but they sent me the wrong size. 3) What will I eat? Is it okay to drink the water? 4) How will I know where to go, and at what time?  5) I am simultaneously worried about being supervised too much and being left alone too much.  6) What internet sites will work or not work?  For instance, will I even be able to access this blogspot?  Ha!  That would be a laugh if I can't even post notes about what I am doing.

That's not actually too bad for a list of fears.  I am not worried about how my teaching will go, about whether I will get along with people, about what they will think of me, etc.  So that's pretty good.  My fears are all sort of mundane little business things.  Now to get my grading done so I can start packing.