So I originally imagined the title of this post would be "MY FIRST DAY OF TEACHING". But no, of course not, because THIS IS CHINA.
Last night it wasn't the anxiety of teaching my first class that kept me awake. Instead it was the attack of BED BUGS. I was skyping with Marie and was dying. I got bit a million times. So eventually I got up, took my sheets off my bed and threw them in the washer with half a bottle of tide. Went back to my room, took one look at my mattress pad and threw it out the door. There were a million little specks on it. Took a look at my mattress.... I FIND A BUG. I'm no bed bug expert so I have no idea if it was a real bed bug or just a little slugger trying to take my blood too.
By 3am I was on my couch (which really isn't that clean). I slept for maybe 3 hours last night or this morning. I guess it was more of a long nap.
So instead of taking a walk this morning and preparing for my Public Speaking class at 4:15, I got to scrubbing my apartment. I ran to Carrefour and got as many cleaning supplies as my backpack could fit. Conveniently there is a McDonald's next to Carrefour, so I got a burger, fries and a fountain soda to lift my mood.
My boss's secretary told me to just leave my mattress in the sun and that would solve all the issues. Pretty standard answer. I tried to tell her to buy me a new mattress but that didn't work.. at all.
Eventually I stopped cleaning and starting prepping for my lesson. I couldn't tell at the time if I was more anxious nervous or anxious excited. I'm sure it was both.
The second I walked into my class all my anxiety for teaching went away. They were all SO excited for me to be there. It was great.
I let them write down 2 questions and I answered them 10 minutes before break and 10 minutes before class ended. Some of the questions were so funny... "Are you open to marrying a Chinese man?" "I would like to practice my English with you, where do you live?" "Can I call you all the time?" "Can we be friends?" "Can you show us your whole family" "Do you have a boyfriend" (I got that question probably 10 times).
My favorite question was... "You are so lovely". Great question haha, I didn't read that one aloud.
Two students came to my class that weren't actually in the class. Of course I didn't figure that out until later tonight. They were on their phones the whole time too, so I'm not sure what the point of coming was. But I'd say "This is China" would explain it for me...
I loved teaching. I think I am going to have a great semester! The students were so excited about this website I set up. It's called "edmodo". I can post assignments, grades, polls, etc. I can also give them badges for things they did in class or for signing up first, etc. I think they are just excited about the badges... anything to get them excited!
After class I went back to Carrefour to get bleach and a new pillow. Then I met up with a group of foreign teachers for dinner. One lady was in her 60s and from Tennessee. She knew all about Wofford.
Dinner was great. My favorite dish was the fried prawns. I'll eat anything that involves prawns.
After dinner Henry helped me de-bed bug my bed with bleach and water. Then we wrapped the entire thing in saran wrap. The saran wrap here is SO intense. We were both shocked. Any bed bugs that were left in my mattress are definitely going to die now.
So my bed now consists of: bleach/water, saran wrap, mattress cover, mattress pad, a "bottom" sheet and a duvet. AND A NEW PILLOW. Hopefully I am bite and itch free tonight!
OH and I forgot to mention that I broke a mirror last night... Hopefully the bed bugs aren't a start to 7 years of bad luck!
Sorry for the long post. What can I say, my life is just too interesting to keep it all to myself :)
Last night it wasn't the anxiety of teaching my first class that kept me awake. Instead it was the attack of BED BUGS. I was skyping with Marie and was dying. I got bit a million times. So eventually I got up, took my sheets off my bed and threw them in the washer with half a bottle of tide. Went back to my room, took one look at my mattress pad and threw it out the door. There were a million little specks on it. Took a look at my mattress.... I FIND A BUG. I'm no bed bug expert so I have no idea if it was a real bed bug or just a little slugger trying to take my blood too.
By 3am I was on my couch (which really isn't that clean). I slept for maybe 3 hours last night or this morning. I guess it was more of a long nap.
So instead of taking a walk this morning and preparing for my Public Speaking class at 4:15, I got to scrubbing my apartment. I ran to Carrefour and got as many cleaning supplies as my backpack could fit. Conveniently there is a McDonald's next to Carrefour, so I got a burger, fries and a fountain soda to lift my mood.
My boss's secretary told me to just leave my mattress in the sun and that would solve all the issues. Pretty standard answer. I tried to tell her to buy me a new mattress but that didn't work.. at all.
Eventually I stopped cleaning and starting prepping for my lesson. I couldn't tell at the time if I was more anxious nervous or anxious excited. I'm sure it was both.
The second I walked into my class all my anxiety for teaching went away. They were all SO excited for me to be there. It was great.
I let them write down 2 questions and I answered them 10 minutes before break and 10 minutes before class ended. Some of the questions were so funny... "Are you open to marrying a Chinese man?" "I would like to practice my English with you, where do you live?" "Can I call you all the time?" "Can we be friends?" "Can you show us your whole family" "Do you have a boyfriend" (I got that question probably 10 times).
My favorite question was... "You are so lovely". Great question haha, I didn't read that one aloud.
 |
| See ya NEVER bed bugs... I HOPE! |
I loved teaching. I think I am going to have a great semester! The students were so excited about this website I set up. It's called "edmodo". I can post assignments, grades, polls, etc. I can also give them badges for things they did in class or for signing up first, etc. I think they are just excited about the badges... anything to get them excited!
After class I went back to Carrefour to get bleach and a new pillow. Then I met up with a group of foreign teachers for dinner. One lady was in her 60s and from Tennessee. She knew all about Wofford.
Dinner was great. My favorite dish was the fried prawns. I'll eat anything that involves prawns.
After dinner Henry helped me de-bed bug my bed with bleach and water. Then we wrapped the entire thing in saran wrap. The saran wrap here is SO intense. We were both shocked. Any bed bugs that were left in my mattress are definitely going to die now.
So my bed now consists of: bleach/water, saran wrap, mattress cover, mattress pad, a "bottom" sheet and a duvet. AND A NEW PILLOW. Hopefully I am bite and itch free tonight!
OH and I forgot to mention that I broke a mirror last night... Hopefully the bed bugs aren't a start to 7 years of bad luck!
Sorry for the long post. What can I say, my life is just too interesting to keep it all to myself :)
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