Sept 29 2013

Sunday! With Friday classes!

The day before YoYo kept contacting me over QQ about my Grade 5 class, wanting to get pictures of me with them during the class, so she asked that we just play games. We got a bit confused because my Grade 5 class got moved from Thursday to Friday forever ago, but eventually we got that across- so Sunday I had my Grade 5 class.

I dressed up a bit nicer as Katie headed out for another hospital appointment, and headed off to the school. I ran over some games I could work out with the kids, which could be fun. Katie mentioned that Greg had done that earlier during the week and they’d had him do the class outside, so just in case I planned some outside classes as well!

Finally I headed to my class and I think they knew something about it as well, because they were all shouting to go outside and play, something like that. I tried to keep them a little calmer with the quiet classes going on about, and it depended on what YoYo would say. Soon she came along, and said we would do it outside, then she left to go get the photographer.

Luckily, there is a class helper or president or something. As the kids started walking out of the classroom, we got them into two lines. Barely, though! They were so excited! Still, it helped a lot and for a few minutes I argued with them which playground to go to. We headed to the big one, but outside we saw the big kids on it, so I switched and we went to the playground- when I gave that order, they all split up and ran over there!

Two other teachers came over- one to keep order and one with the camera. The first one took almost 10 of my boys and had them in two lines, watching as I organized my kids into a big circle. It’s very complicated to get the kids into a circle. Lines, easy. Circle, no. The girls refuse to touch the boys. So I had to remind them they weren’t holding hands, and to come in closer. Anyways, I got along the lines of Zip, Zap, Zop, for a few minutes- although instead of clapping, I used a little bouncy ball which I thought would be fun.

Which they loved. I went to go see what the deal was with the group of boys out there. We had a hard time understanding each other, but I think they had been bad so they couldn’t play. Then they apologized, but I don’t really know what for, so I was a bit confused. Yes, some of them were definitely my crazy kids- like Stark- but I wasn’t too positive why, so I accepted it and just returned to the game.

The game was definitely getting out of hand! It was fun to watch but definitely not what I needed to be doing. The teacher with the camera stopped by and I think what she got across is that she wants me doing the games with the kids, not just watching. By then, the game was just tossing the ball in the air and everyone grabbing for it, so I stopped the game and tried something else.

It was then I attempted Marco Polo on dry land. Usually a pretty successful game. The teacher got some good pictures of me blindfolding the kids- but after that, it was a disaster of a game. The kids all huddled in, wanting to be grabbed and blindfolded! Haha, which I don’t blame them but it totally ruined the game and confused the blindfolded kid. Soon the blindfolded one was huddling in the circle, hands in the air, choosing someone to be blindfolded next!

I tried another version of a blindfolded game- blindfolded pirate ship avoiding obstacles to treasure island- but that didn’t work out either. I had three blindfolded at a time, linked together, but then everyone was getting in their way, teasing them, and putting their arms out. Thank goodness it ended soon. I got in a few nicer pictures with my kids, and class was over! I grabbed my ball, let the head teacher file my kids into lines, and left.

Definitely crazy, but I feel like they had a good time so I guess I can’t complain too much? I got upstairs, ate an awesome lunch. Oh, they brought something out on sticks covered in what looked like buffalo sauce! I took one. The meat was a fatty type, kind of like fish, but I really couldn’t tell. And it wasn’t that spicy, or sweet either… definitely interesting! I thought it was awesome.

After that, we were trying to figure out how to get to the train station. That really took a long while...

Eventually Katie was done and took a taxi back to the school to get things cleared up, and it ended up being exactly as we had first planned- Katie and I were finished so we headed out. Well, we changed and picked up everything at our apartment, and then we were out about 2 PM, heading into town. We caught a taxi to the train station. Luckily he was still willing to use his meter so it wasn’t too much.

Man it was crazy out there! I don’t even know how to explain it.

We found the ticket area, however, and got in line. I checked out the building inside, but it was more of the same booths with smaller numbers to pick up our tickets. We stayed in line 22 because there’s a 22 on our tickets and we figured that would do it. But now, I figure we could have gone to any line- even inside with the smaller numbers- and still have been helped since we’re confused Americans. Anyways, we stayed in line, Katie had all four passports and eventually we got under the shade, and finally to the desk.

It took a while because they had to find someone who spoke English. Katie brought out the passports and included the paper that Nicole had written up for it- it had a confirmation number, the train numbers we would be taking, as well as a sort of confirmation number. They say all you need is your passport but you’ll want other information as well, I guess!

They finally got it sorted out- well, half of it! They had a hard time finding our tickets in the system. They found all of Greg’s, but only one of mine. We were going to be taking three buses and needed separate tickets. We didn’t realize this until we got out of line, though, and sorted through them. Then they had taken out the first line to the left, though there was still a few people there so we got back in line for the rest of our tickets. We got a crowd of people there watching us curiously as we finally got the rest of our tickets. It also costs a fee to sort through that. I can’t remember now, but with four of us and three tickets each, it was over 20 RMB I think?

Anyways, we moved the receipts, sorted out our tickets, and had everything! By then it was maybe 3:30 so it went a whole lot better than we had planned, thank goodness. We got out of the way, and were a bit hungry so we looked over the street vendors and got some cold noodles and sat down to wait for Abby and Greg. They had still gotten out of their late classes, and arrived soon enough. We talked a few minutes, gave them their tickets, and they seemed a bit peeved that things had gone so well, as though they didn’t need to come so early…

They were hungry all the same, so we offered to watch their luggage as they wandered around the street for some food. Katie’s knee had started getting better but from all the standing around in line had made it swell up again already, so she didn’t want to move it anymore and I wasn’t about to leave her alone. We chatted and finished our noodles for a bit and waited.

Eventually Abby and Greg came back, found a little thing or two and even did a bit of shopping. The sun was getting ready to set, meaning we only had another hour or so until it was 7, time to go in for our almost 9 o’clock train. Katie’s knee started looking even worse, but Abby brought along most of her first aid kit which was a life saver so we bandaged up her knee a bit which ended up helping a lot throughout the week. Katie bought very spicy potato chips, a popular vendor dish, but it was too spicy for most of us! Then a few natives came around, offered me a cigarette, and talked to Abby for a bit. They didn’t talk too long, and eventually left. All the same, the four of us talked a bit and we had plenty of people freeze, then join our circle to stare at us.

It’s like an easy version of an airport, getting to your train. First line, you show your passport and train ticket. They stamp the latter, pass you through to security. You dump your bags on a conveyor belt, pass through security, a vague pat down, and you’re done. Lots and lots of chairs after that! We waited almost an hour and then they started taking us in. We grabbed our stuff and ran over, showing them our ticket which they hole punched. Then we wandered through and to the train!

It was a K train, basically about middle class. There’s a lot of info on the different Chinese trains which can easily be googled. We were going to be on one K train and two T trains and K is slightly nicer and faster.

This train we all got top bunks out of the three. Abby and Greg in one compartment, Katie and I in the other. We put our stuff on top of our beds, sat in the tiny available seats by the window. We soon took off. Katie and I chatted for most of the time, not too hungry or anything. We didn’t even eat our noodle bowls, which meant we had to carry them around.

So the lower beds are more expensive than the higher beds. There’s usually a little bathroom on each end of each compartment. Lights turn off at 10 and usually back on at 6. Katie and I climbed into our high up beds, and I used my sweater over the pillow. They’re nowhere as clean as America, so you learn to live in the germ, but I still try a tiny bit on occasion. Haha. The beds are definitely narrow but comfy enough. Katie slept better than I did, overall.