My routine remains largely unchanged each week. I have classes in the evenings and work extended hours on the weekend. The only real difference this week has been the absence of our D.O.S., Nick, who has been traveling to attend a wedding in Taiwan. His classes were therefore divided among the remaining teachers at the school. On the whole it wasn't too stressful, though I covered two of his classes on my already busy weekend. I taught a Small Stars chef station activity, helping 16 children to make sugar cookies with the help of two aides. I also had a High Fliers class. It was originally supposed to run for two hours, but it was reduced to a one-hour "Life Club" activity. During the class, we watched an EF produced "Marco Polo" video in which two instructors visit various locations around the world. The class has been talking about movies and entertainment so it made sense to watch the video of their tour around the film-making landmarks of Los Angeles, including the Griffith Observatory, Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood Boulevard, etc.
After the video ended I fell back onto my tried and true interactive whiteboard game "Hungry Hungry Shark", a variation of hangman where for each wrong answer a shark is moved closer and closer to a swimmer. It's gone over well in every class I've used it in.
During our time off last week Lee and I went on a short excursion to a nearby shopping center called the Galleria. It's a four floor mall, predominantly filled with clothing stores and restaurants. I did spy a movie theater on the top level and will probably go back to catch a showing of Elysium sometime soon. Here are some pictures from the stroll over to the mall, they don't allow photos to be taken inside for some reason.
After the video ended I fell back onto my tried and true interactive whiteboard game "Hungry Hungry Shark", a variation of hangman where for each wrong answer a shark is moved closer and closer to a swimmer. It's gone over well in every class I've used it in.
During our time off last week Lee and I went on a short excursion to a nearby shopping center called the Galleria. It's a four floor mall, predominantly filled with clothing stores and restaurants. I did spy a movie theater on the top level and will probably go back to catch a showing of Elysium sometime soon. Here are some pictures from the stroll over to the mall, they don't allow photos to be taken inside for some reason.
My flat-mate, Lee, took a two day trip to the neighboring city of Leshan, which he had organized with a number of teachers from his school. I kinda wish I had been told long enough in advance to reserve time off from school in order to go as well. Leshan is one of the areas that I would like to visit during my stay here. The area is up in the mountains and is home to many temples and the grand Buddha, the largest in the world, as well as monks, sherpas, and mischievous monkeys. I will have to try and organize a trip myself, perhaps with a few of the teachers from my school. I don't know if Ann and Rodrigo have visited Leshan, but I'm reasonably sure they would enjoy the opportunity.
In the meantime I'm continuing work on my various computer projects. The process of developing mesh avatars for Second Life has been fraught with hurdles. It seems like every time I solve one problem, another equally perplexing (and frustrating) one develops. So the process has been slow and convoluted, but I am persisting. I also meet with Ella and Emma on a relatively regular basis, both of them are eager to practice their English with me and we have some interesting conversations over dinner at the Bookworm or Coffee at one of the local shops, "Good Wood Coffee".
Last night, a number of the teachers got together for dinner at a Korean barbecue restaurant, in an alleyway nearby the English pub called the Underground. The food was good, brought out raw so that you can cook it on grills in the center of your round table.
In the meantime I'm continuing work on my various computer projects. The process of developing mesh avatars for Second Life has been fraught with hurdles. It seems like every time I solve one problem, another equally perplexing (and frustrating) one develops. So the process has been slow and convoluted, but I am persisting. I also meet with Ella and Emma on a relatively regular basis, both of them are eager to practice their English with me and we have some interesting conversations over dinner at the Bookworm or Coffee at one of the local shops, "Good Wood Coffee".
Last night, a number of the teachers got together for dinner at a Korean barbecue restaurant, in an alleyway nearby the English pub called the Underground. The food was good, brought out raw so that you can cook it on grills in the center of your round table.
There's a wide selection of food to be had on the streets of Chengdu. Here are a few pictures from the mobile Shoa koa grill that sets up on our street corner most nights of the week.