Happy New Year!

Blogging has been on the back burner (if I still had multiple burners versus one hotplate). We've been busy having Thanksgiving and Christmas parties. 

Cathy and I worked with students to make almost 150 sugar cookies. 

 

For New Years we had intended to have a delightful meal from the one bus stop away restaurant (that has a Chinese version of mashed potatoes and gravy) followed by floating lanterns. However, when Audrey had an unexpected trip to the hospital plans were changed.

 We still ate supper at a restaurant. Only we only ventured as far as "The End" a restaurant just off our campus that has the friendly Ba Bao dog. The French teachers joined us for the festivities. Afterwards we watched "UP," and finally the night finished with us making two kettles worth of boiling water. I'm glad we didn't get any noise complaints called on our cheers at the snow. 

Check out the video for some very tired teachers excited by this natural phenomenon. 

Happy New Year!

Let it Snow!

The sound of shovels scraping the sidewalks awakens me in the mornings now. It is winter time in Harbin. Sometimes I forget I am living and working in a foreign country. The sounds of the shovels remind me of shoveling snow on the farm back home. Now it is the same freshmen who I teach in the classroom who are armed with shovels and brooms. 

This is one class of students out sweeping the rain before the snow came. Notice in left middle ground, Money's mittens attached with a string. In the middle Briana always needing to be seen. Middle background is Charles with a broom (he's the one who called an American restaurant during class).

Their class picture with the shiny shovels and brooms.

I taught them the word shoveling the same day I was teaching shortened speech. 

Example:

What are you doing? -> Wat'r ya' doin'?

Yesterday, when I asked them how the were doing, the students answered. "I'm so tired." <in a very whiny voice>  Knowing I always ask them "Why?" They told me, "We were clean snow." <insert them gesturing in their seats the motion of sweeping and shoveling>

Taking advantage of the opportunity to review, I said, "Oh, you were shoveling snow." I was met with puzzled looks. Slightly disappointed they didn't seem to remember the word, but not fully discouraged I said it again and wrote 'shoveling' on the board. The class did the "Ohhhh" sigh as they all said "SHOV' LIN' " 

Only one of the reasons I enjoy my classes, because they now actually understand my accent and whether they realize it or not, they are starting to sound a little more Kansan every day!

Stay warm! Lora