Not as exciting as you would think! I traveled to Hong Kong for a NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) workshop with some of the other science teachers at my school. It was held at the Hong Kong International School. It was quite a weekend for many reasons.

I purchased lunch at school instead of packing lunch as usual and decided on a salad even though I have had some mild tummy troubles with the salad before. Anyone who has traveled in this part of the world knows that it can be a little dicey but you get used to it. Definitely not adjusting on that front. This time, I was really ill. I began throwing up an hour before we were due to leave and was still sick in the taxt about 5 minutes from the train terminal. The test was getting through the entrance where they have a quarantine point. I was able to make it, wondered it I should have even gone in the first place, but knew that I would feel better tomorrow.

I slept on the train, went straight to the hotel and went to bed. I did feel a bit better the next day though eating food still made me queasy. Sunday I felt great (and very rested.) Here is a view of the Harbour from my hotel room:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

It was a great workshop and Hong Kong International school is beautiful. There is this great light display where students can create patterns. It is quite soothing! Their faculty room is very relaxing with lots of spaces.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

After the first day, I took an Uber to the base of the mountain and went up to Victoria Peak via tram to overlook Hong Kong. It was very cloudy and found out that it is cloudy most of the time anyway. It has been raining quite a bit here as well. Still amazing view and the pictures do not do it justice.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

At the top are a variety of shops and restaurants. I ate at Bubba Gumps Shrimp as it was at the top and had the best view. I was able to sit at the bar and watch the lights start to turn on over Hong Kong.

Afterwards I took the tram back down and an Uber back to the hotel. I walked along Harbour Street to see what was around and then back to the hotel.

After the workshop we had to get straight to the train station but had a 1.5 hour wait for the train. We upgraded our tickets from a scvcalper for 100 rmb. Totally worth it and finally made it home. I will be back in mid October for APAC cross country but probably not much time then either to explore. Will definitely come back with the kids and explore more in December.

On Friday, the other cross country coach and I scoped out the area for the team retreat. It took 3 hours by car. The hotel was very basic. One thing I notice is that all of the beds here are hard. That bed was even harder than the bed at my apartment. This would be considered a rural area and we attracted many stares while we were there. Many restaurants and stores close down at 7 or 8 so sometimes difficult to find food when you are traveling. I ordered a pizza and it had durian on it. It wasn’t too bad but I had an upset stomach from the drive so really did not eat that night.

The only great thing about the room was the steam shower. It was wonderful.

The next morning we went on a 10k run/walk and then a 5k run/walk. We needed to find the best route to take approx. 21 students on. Also during the retreat are team building activities including running bracelets fo cord that ties them as a team.

During the run/walk I snapped a variety of pictures of the countryside. The mountains are amazing. So many of the people farm and they work really hard daily. I spotted a water buffalo in the field on the longest run.

In the middle of the fields I saw a temple. That is a rice paddy in front of it.

The high step to get into the threshold is to keep the bad spirits out. They glide low while good spirits glide higher. When you cross over the threshold you are not to step on that threshold step. Doing so would mean you are standing on the shoulders of the spirits.

More water buffalo…

There will be fields and wilderness and then out of nowehere a grouping of houses. It actually reminds me a little of Western PA. Windy roads, hills, a variety of types of roads…

I think this might be a restaurant…

Breakfast after the run was great! Eggs in wide rice noodles, fried dough, there were pork dumplings I did not eat but I did have a great warm tofu drink. Street food is the best.

Unfortunately I cannot go to the retreat. I will be in Hong Kong for a science workshop. That will be exciting too. This was a fast trip to scope out the area and am glad to experience a rural area outside of Guangzhou!

I have been in school now over one week. Kids arrived today but only for orientation. I met with the homeroom, made sure they understand the way block classes work, and set the combinations for their lockers. Classes are tomorrow. Normally classes are 85 minutes long but with an extended homeroom they will be a little shorter. I have 3 classes tomorrow and they are my toughest. One IB Biology HL (high level) which is fast paced and two IB Biology SL (standard level) which goes a little slower. HL goes more in depth on the topics.

I have had lots of time to plan. It has been punctuated by meetings but I am grateful for the time to plan as the pace and content of IB Bio is quite a lot. As with any new place you have all kinds of ideas of what you can do and I am not sure what activities work and like any other year you do what you think and then adjust.

Besides co-advising Student Council, I am also assistant coach for cross country. Should be interesting. I’ll be running with them so at least I will still get my workout in.

Here are a smattering of notable things about this school that I thought is very interesting. First it is not a comparison between schools. This is a very different school. It is private but not for profit. They take in a lot of money in tuition.

There are a bunch of dedicated staff bathrooms and there is one really close to my classroom. Always one of the first things you need to find around your classroom. We were actually given two days before the rest of the faculty arrived to get our bearings. I was able to go through my room and figure out how to get places. I love how classrooms have air but stairwells (and then hallways) all open to the outside There are storm doors that they have but it is all very open.

Right around the corner of my classroom is coffee and a barista. We load money onto our school ID through We Chat and can use it to buy sandwiches, bread, and coffee. I have only bought one coffee so far and not making it a habit. Nice to have though. There are great places for the students to go hang out and they have done a great job of creating a variety of spaces everywhere.

I have a microwave and frig in the prep area that is in the middle of all of the science rooms. The TA preps whatever labs that we need and can get us equipment and does the ordering with companies.

There are really nice staff rooms on all floors with comfy couches and even a library of books and DVD’s you can check out. Over the summer, the ayi’s (house staff) takes care of all of the plants and then brings them back to the classroom. I will have to get an ayi for my apartment to take care of my plants and check the air conditioner when I come home next summer.

Each classroom has its own air conditioner remote. Which is great! Finally I get to decide the temperature! My computer connects to the projector through apple tv. The school is BYOD including the use of phones in the classroom. It is all about accountability. We also have water coolers in the classroom and they can also be found in the hallway. It is hot here and have to remember to keep drinking water.

There are lots of windows and even though the science room is not as up to date as I thought it would be, the materials you can use for labs and what they will order makes up for it. It is all very functional but definitely needs updated. There will actually be more building on the campus and we will be getting new facilities here.

I am amazed at the level of support for students and the faculty. We have access to the laminator and when we need supplies we fill out a list and we get it that day or within a few days if it needs ordered. It is nice to know I can find a new lab or material I want and can just request it (obviously within reason) and get it. Science department has its own color printer and when you print, there is a screen that attributes the printing to your name. You scan your ID on the control of the printer, and then a button for something called Follow You Printing. It is pretty neat because I can print anywhere in the school doing this. If you want things stapled or punched, you have to send it through the materials secretary.

The weirdest thing was having a TGIF last week. they but standing tables around the meeting room we use and had sncaks and wine. Was not expencting that. It does not happen every Friday, but definitely at the end of inservice week.  That afternoon bus is also a party bus. People bring snacks, wine, and beer and you pay a little money into the pot to purchase.

Quite a few continued the party after the bus. A drink is fine but not that much. Instead I went to buy a bike. Pretty cheap at about 2295 rmb outfitted (about $335 US). It is a really decent bike. It is nice to have one with shocks and be able to go longer distances. There is a group of people who bike to the school from the apartments. It is 10 miles away and takes about 55 minutes to an hour. About 3 miles can be nail biting but we go at a time when there are not as many cars on the road. (We never ride bikes home – too much traffic. The bus is not a school bus but instead from a bus company and has storage underneath.)

I found out that people here walk however they want, bike however they want, and drive almost the same way too. When you are biking, pedestrians, other bikes, etc. can pop out in front of you. However, they are very accomodating if you are changing lanes. They are not aggressive whereas in the US people are much more aggressive on the road. There is also an absence of road rage here. People are pretty polite and their worldview seems based on cooperation and common good.

Those who have been here awhile are really helpful. When you are looking for something, they know where to get it and will take you with them. It is really the only way to learn how to use the buses, metro, water taxi, didi (uber like service that also has auto taxis)… It takes awhile to know how to get around. One of the most convenient things they agve us on the first day was a card that has our address in English and pinyin and the school address on it.  When we don’t know where we are, we can show that to the didi!

The downside: There are very long days. We have faculty meetings after school one day a week and everyone stays for the late bus which leaves 80 minutes later. That bus also takes people home from practices and activities. Teachers and students can also stay late to work and take that bus as well. The long day is really only long because of the commute. The elementary school does not have that as they are really close to the apartment.

That is a lot but a few things I was thinking about this week. A new school always takes times with the different requirements and ways of doing things. So far pretty impressive and it is really nice to see how hands on all the administrators and staff are (you just ask and someone puts up colored paper on your bulletin board!)

Nice!

Science Park is a bus ride (provided by the school) from the apartment. It is in the Guangzhou Science City and looks different than many of the other areas of Guangzhou. All the classrooms are air conditioned but the rest of the buildings are open to the air. It is actually really cool and they are going through a renovation of various areas. Their sports facilites are amazing including a weight room that faculty can use (including a faculty locker room and shower), an outdoor rock climbing wall, and open pingpong tables scattered about.

There are student spaces to hang out as there is a break between all the 85 minue block classes. (This student area is not all rearranged yet as school has not started).

As we were touring the building, we walked by the innovation lab. The first room has at 10 3D printers. There is a second lab behind it. The best part: Any teacher can schedule to use it!

All the science classrooms are on the first floor and face directly to the outside. The middle school is on the second floor and the high school is on the third floor. It is weird not having other classrooms near you to visit others but I face a courtyard with greenery. My classroom door is in the middle of the bottom level.

And the view from another angle of the courtyard outside my door:

Inside it is a big space and I have since moved the tables into 5 groups with tables facing each otherThere is a prep room in the back where the TA works and where all the equipment is.

This school has a great fine arts program and they look at developing the whole child not just academics.

They are one of the few schools that is a full IB school. Every student takes IB classes but can choose on various focuses (more science, etc.) Not everyone takes the Diploma Programme, but they all take IB classes.

I have 5 classes: 2 9th grade Integrated Science which lays the groundwork for IB, 2 IB Biology SL (standard level), and 1 IB Biology HL (high level). The high level is more accelerated, has an extra module, and has more requirements for the students (and me). I see each class everyother day. I will have two classes one day, and three the second day, then it repeats but they change the order the classes run so those that met in the morning on day 1 will meet in the afternoon on day 3. I have an advisory which is a structured study hall and have a block of planning time as well as a block for PLC with the Science Department. Each block is 85 minutes long. There are breaks between classes and lunch is at the same time for everyone. Students and staff are welcome to grab their food and eat elsewhere.

As with any new place: It will be different than what I have known before. Just settle in and adapt. Home is what most would say is normal to them.

If you adopt the idea that home is a state of mind and not actually a place, you can do anything.

At night, we went to a Yunnan restaurant and sampled many foods including fried mealworms (which I have had before). This is the vegetarian foods:

All I can say is this school is the best. They take us to interesting places, the admin and HR are always around with us and helping us with whatever we need, and they feed us once or twice a day. There is so much food I know I have gained a few pounds. Once I’m back into a routing that will change though.

Last night we went to view a historic Chinese home and discussed Chinese culture. This was our longest bus ride to get there. We toured neighborhoods and the ancestral home of Bruce Lee.

I saw this saying on the tour:

Here is propaganda for the one child policy (and it is okay to have a girl). Having one child will tech the future!

 

We toured Shaiman Island – it used to be half owned by the British and half by the French. The archtecture was amazing.

 

We then went to Beijing avenue which is the original and oldest part of Guangzhou. It looks modern today but the oldest area. My apartment is in what would be considered the suburbs.  This is an old temple that has been rebuilt.

We ate at the best Vietnamese restaurant: Tiger Prawn. We had wonderful squid, calamari rolls, tofu rolls, spring rolls, etc. as well as pork for the meat eaters.

This is actually an entire squid cooked then sliced.

This is layers of really hard jello with a coconut milk cream layer. I like it but it was a mixed bag with the rest of the faculty. So much good food!

Here is the video from the first morning in my apartment:

I could not get it to load into the blog directly and my days have been pretty busy just getting my life up and running and learning how to work the controls on every appliance in the apartment (as the buttons are all in Chinese). I can say that the appliances (and daily life) here is actually very organized and efficient. More on that later especially after I figure out how to run the dryer cycle (the washer and dryer are the same machine).

One day we went to a traditional Cantonese Dim Sum lunch. They bring out dishes several at a time, very well presented and then take them away when half of the items on a plate have been eaten. They transfer them to a smaller plate so that they can bring out more dishes. Lunch lasts a long time and you are very full from trying everything and the food just keeps coming and coming.

The Canton Tower is a landmark in Guangzhou and you can go up to the top of it. It lights up at night. I actually can see this from one of my apartment balconies but took this shot  whilst traveling to one of the many get togethers.

I was able to get all of my clothes into the wardrobe which is a feat! It helped that I only brought clothes that paired well with others. Many buy another wardrobe from IKEA but have been working at owning less. My shoes are in a separate shoe cabinet in the apartment.

 

 

Yesterday we had the health check for the residence visa. In an hour and a half I had the following tests:

• Urinalysis
• Blood
• Chest x-ray
• EKG (they noted I had bradycardia – do they know I run? – and threw several PVC’s)
• Ultrasound of abdomen, kidneys, etc.
• Check ear, nose, throat
• Sight and colorblind
• Blood pressure, BMI
• Lung and heart sounds

It was actually very efficient and they moved you along from one station to the other. Afterwards we went to starbucks and was able to eat as we were not allowed to eat before. After that we went to IKEA. I have never been to one before and all I can say is that it is overwhelming. I did have a list of things to buy (towels, extra dishes/silverware, organizers for the wardrobe, bath mat, kitchen storage jars…) and bought three things that I did not intend but will probably be thankful later that I did.

I have gone for a run most days and it is very hot here. It is best to do so right when it gets light and before the sun hits the horizon. My favorite place to run is Ersha Island. There are large parks through the center of Ersha and running through them is not only pretty but cooler as it is shaded.

Today we set up some Chinese apps that make carrying money a thing of the past. We chat, which is the best app in the world is what we use to message each other. I speak to my kids daily using phone call or video call. It does not cost any money to call or video through the app. You can also pay anyone on the street for anything. Street vendors use it, stores use it, and even vending machines as well. They scan your QR code and you authorize payment – you can even split checks at a restaurant through the app. We set up the payment feature today.

We also set up Alipay and Taobao. Alipay is how you pay in Taobao and it is linked to your Bank account here in China. Taobao is the Chinese equivalent of Amazon and you can get everything. It sets up the time it is delivered right to your door. These two are set up but in Mandarin so knowing exactly what you order takes time as you have to translate.

So far everyone I have met has been very nice and they work hard to help understand what you are asking or need. So far I am enjoying every minute of the amazing city and slowly expanding the circle that I explore.

 

The adventure…

I was able to print only my boarding pass to JFK. Printing the one for China had to be completed at the ticket counter after I landed at JFK. Here is one thing I learned: you have to “exit” the airport to come back in on the international side. It is quite a site with many agents for each airline. However, China Southern only runs flights within a short time frame and the ticket counter only opens up a few hours before. So the adventure was technically being out of the general airport area and not being able to go back in until the ticket counter opened! Small issue and am glad my 4 large bags were already set to be put on the connecting flight and that there was at least one place to eat.

Immigration into China…

Farely uneventful after a 16 hour flight especially when you enter at 4:30 in the morning. The flight was long but was able to sleep a bunch, ate 2 great meals plus a small sandwich, and watched several movies… When you enter Baiyun airport (which is beautiful and very easy to find where to go) those staying in China need fingerprinted with self-serve machines. That slip and your passport is then looked at by the officer, your picture is taken and your fingerprints are verified again. No one really pulled my luggage aside to look through it. After that checkpoint I saw signs for my school and waited only a short time for a van to take me to the apartment. There three other people (2 from HR and one of the admin) took me to my apartment. Waiting for me: Part of my relocation money in cash, health cards, information, key cards to the room, forms to complete, tour of the apartment, questions answered, wifi password, and best yet: Food in the pantry and frig.

After they left I opened all of my bags and found running clothes to go on a short run after all of the sitting of the past day(s). The goal now was to stay awake until about 7 pm to try to avoid days of jet lag. I met another teacher, Erica, and we went to find Indian food nearby. The food was great and we also saw an organic food market. We shopped for veggies and some kitchen staples. Also we saw a vegetarian fusion restaurant we will be trying too. Pizza and salad will be delivered at 6 tonight to our apartment. Between all of this I did unpack my bags and was able to hang everything up in that one wardrobe. I also scoped out the rooftop pool and found the fitness center. Tomorrow I’ll iron everything that is wrinkled.

The apartment…

Small, but I do not need much. I made a video tour but it is not loading properly so will take pictures for the next post.

 

Waking up in China…

Jet lag caused me to only sleep a few hours at a time but used the time in between to finally get my VPN running on my phone, get my Garmin fitness watch to finally connect. I do have English speaking TV channels: CNN (has some American news but is mostly international with stories from all over), HBO, Star Movies, MTV, and a few others but all the others are Chinese. I have been able to connect to Netflix, and CBS All Access so will decide whether I want to keep those subscriptions.

I had intended to blog this official first day but was busy with a run in the morning followed by 6 laps swimming in the rooftop infinity pool. Beautiful. I did hang out there for some time just taking in the view.

Here is a cool running track I found outside. It is actually located in a running park.

Here are pics from the rooftop swiming pool:

 

We were picked up by van to go to the Shangri La hotel for a Dim Sum brunch that was absolutely amazing in the variety and freshness of the food. There we met others who are new to the faculty, met the admin team from both campuses, heard from the Director and took care of important business:

• Getting the Sim card for the phone. Now I can chat off of wifi. It is very cheap. We pre-paid 500 yuan for the plan: 99 yuan per month for 4G unlimited. This equals $14.53 per month.
• Filling out the forms to get a China Bank account where our pay will be deposited. The rest of the relocation money will open that account. We were not at the bank but filled out forms, they verified the passport and our picture was taken with a bank representative and one from HR to verify we were real. Seems strange but faster to do it this way. Tomorrow when we go to the bank, it will be fast and we will get our account numbers as they will already be set up. Yes, the bank opened up on Sunday just to open up our accounts. They have a special deal with the schools to do this.
• Picture taken for residence visa which we get in 4 weeks.

Picture from inside the Shangri La:

That evening we went back to the Shangri La for a pool party. More excellent food!

Tomorrow I’ll share pics from the apartment and other adventures. The food here is marvelous and one things that Guangzhou is known for!

All my bags are packed
I’m ready to go…  John Denver

Here are the bags:

Tomorrow afternoon I fly to JFK and then after midnight to Guangzhou, China. The second leg will be a 16 hour non-stop flight.

I am sure I covered all the bases with clothes and shoes as well as personal hygiene items I need to get started (it will take time to find where to get those products). As for clothes and shoes it is difficult to find American sizes there. My apartment is furnished with some items. I am bringing as little of those as I think I need.

I have received an itinerary for the week after I arrive as the school arranges what is needed to get established. Now to get there! Both excited and nervous about it!

I had intended to blog more but have spent the time with my kids and family as well as running 5k’s and eating out often! I will miss family and friends and remember a saying that I have used throughout the toughest of the years:

This is for my joy, not my agony.

Basically to look to the good and what strengths you can gain from a situation. I don’t expect the transition to be easy and I also expect the curriculum I will be teaching to be challenging as well. I will only be stronger as a result and have a lot to gain. I also remember a post from Martha Beck about focusing your life like a shelter animal. Just let yourself be here, then sit, and finally stay.

So for tonight I am spending time with the kids, brother, sister-in-law, and my dog. The next time I write I will be in China!