Bringing Sexy Back.

I can't really stay in my room too long; I should of got the one with air conditioning . . . doh!  So here is a short and sweet update of stuff in Hong Kong.

Statue Square on Hong Kong Island with the colonial court house in the background.  Although the Japanese kinda ruined the term Statue Square by nicking them all, but one, during WWII.

The same court house with the Bank of China (I think) building in the background.

One of the few remaining old school letter boxes.

Stephen and Stitt, the two lions outside the Bank of HSBC headquarters on Hong Kong Island.  They are both riddled with bullet holes and shrapnel scars from the defence of Hong Kong Island during WWII, as seen below:

Also, on a side note, apparently ice cream is bringing sexy back in Hong Kong.  As demonstrated by these ladies hawking a new brand of ice cream:

And lastly, I visited Ngong Ping Plateau on Lantau Island.  At the top is a huge bronze buddha.  This and the 20 minute cable car ride are definitely worth the journey.

Well, two more days and I'll be home.  Until next time folks.

Bright Lights, Big City.

Well, Hong Kong is all I thought it would be and more.  I've spent the last few days exploring Mong Kok and Hong Kong Island.  This city is beyond belief!  It is a teeming metropolis, illuminated by a thousand neon lights.  The city feels like a heart, the centre of all life.  Seven million residents all flowing through its myriad of veins, marching to its constant beat.  I have let that throng carry me, mesmerized by its fascinating sights.

First, a couple of videos to give you a brief sense of how Hong Kong feels:

Just one of Hong Kong's endless neon drenched streets.

 Hong Kong Island by night.

The same view, but now by day.

 The view of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon from Victoria Peak.

A little bit of history.  The place in Hong Kong where the British first claimed the island for Queen Victoria in 1841.

 Oh, and here is a picture of my shower partner every morning.


Here's to the bright lights of Hong Kong.

All Things Must End.

So here I am, almost three months down the line and only one day left of teaching.  I'm off to Hong Kong in four days for some much needed R&R.  But, in the meantime I've been exploring mainland China.  We went do Dalian over the weekend holiday, a big coastal city, that is a popular resort among the natives.  And after nearly two months of dust, dirt, and rubbish in the street, Dalian was a glorious parade.  The city had sidewalks, there were other colours besides brown, there were plants, real live plants; it had a nightlife, bars, and many other foreigners.  Who I presume were all there for the same non-brown parade that had me so enthralled.

The main view from the coastline in Dalian.

Dalian's main skyline.

 A giant half-pipe structure along the coastline.  And keeping with Chinese tradition there were no barriers or railings to prevent death if you happened to fall of either end.

Just two of the very impressive skyscrapers in Dalian.

Proof of non-brown things.  It's been so long I can't even remember what colour this is.

Now I know you were going to ask me to give you one image that sums up China (not sure why you would), but just in case:

China is growing.  It is growing at an alarming rate.  Everywhere I go something is being built.  These cranes have become an almost constant backdrop to everywhere I have been and everything I have done in China.


Well, that's all she wrote.  Well, at least until next week, when I'll be in Hong Kong.

Something To Show For It.

I wanted to make a last blog post for China.  I know there's still some fun to be had in Hong Kong, but my teaching ends tomorrow.  What have I learnt by coming to China, which could not be learnt in America?  Often here in China I have been left to sink or swim.  In a sense this would of been the same in America.  But, here in China I have been completely left to my own devices, adrift in a strange and foreign land.  I have been forced to forage for myself.  Coming up with lesson ideas, designing them, implementing them, reflecting and modifying, all this has been my responsibility.  With no Coordinating teacher, little outside help, and a language barrier to overcome I have prevailed.  I have grown, learnt, developed an ability to recognize my mistakes, learnt to spot redundant techniques, and then modify or rework that which does not.

I have been challenged.  Teaching primary students has pushed me further than I ever thought.  I have been completely run ragged at times by raging 10 year olds.  I have had to constantly work on my classroom discipline.  This has ranged from being forced to stop teaching a classroom gone crazy to simply being unable to bring a class under control.  I have experimented with different methods with varying degrees of success.  Until finally I had to stop blaming myself and not see this as a flaw in my classroom discipline, but as an opportunity to grow, to learn from the situation, and to reflect and adapt to particular students.

This I hope, will stay with me back in America.  I feel I have laid a foundation.  One that at times seemed cracked, but with work and patience I can build upon.  I feel more prepared to deal with such challenges back in America.  I know I don't have all the answers yet, but I feel China has given me the tools to begin.  I will have already taken the first steps down the unending path of growing as a teacher.  I have already begun to identify what is a flaw in me and what is something I can change.  And by reflecting upon my flaws, I have begun to turn them from weaknesses to strengths.

One such strength China has given me is being able to view the contrast between the Chinese and American education systems.  To be able to view the strengths of the Chinese system: dedicated students, a cultural respect for teachers, classroom discipline, etc.  Alongside its weaknesses: steroid driven rote learning, pressure on students, long school days, corporal punishment, etc.  Has allowed me to contrast this with the strengths and weaknesses of the American system.  Giving me a much wider view of education in general.  This benefits the growing I must do as a teacher.  Giving me a far greater pool of experience, knowledge, and techniques to draw upon or reject.  I also have gained experience and knowledge that other teachers have missed out on. 

I'm sure I would of learnt many of these things by doing my student teaching in America.  But, I chose China.  I pushed myself further, pushed myself into the unknown.  I chose to experience something that has expanded my horizons both as a teacher, and a person.