School's Out!

Due to the fact that Chinese students are wound so tight and get such few breaks, the last day of classes were predictably wild and frantic.

Most classes spent the day watching movies during and/or in between classes. I spent my last week playing English games and singing songs - so I guess it was a regular week for me. I chose a special song for the students called "Welcome to My Life" by a rock band called Simple Plan. I found it to be appropriately emo and angsty.

When the bell rang, 3,000 students exploded out of the classrooms, only to bottleneck themselves in the main gateway. They were shouting in joy, triumph, at other students, other teachers, and at me in various Chinese dialects. I totally understand their excitement as all the teachers were equally anxious for a much needed break.

I celebrated the evening in my apartment watching a movie. Call me lame, but everyone else was doing the exact same thing.

--
Byron Yee TEFL
English Teacher - Shenzhen, China

Learning Foreign Languages

Recently read an interesting article from the travel section of CNN:
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/22/travel/speaking-the-language-tl/index.html?hpt=wo_t5

I can definitely relate. The most interesting point was that Americans and other Anglophones are born disadvantaged when in comes to learning a 2nd language. why? English is everywhere, others want to learn it, so it's easy for us to speak in globally.

In my opinion, the US should follow Canada (all political and economic reasons aside) and introduce a 2nd official language. It's a step in the right direction - the "right direction" being developing a more respectful global image of our country, and fostering a bit more culture and understand of American people.

--
Byron Yee
TEFL English Teacher - Shenzhen, China

You Know You're in China When...

I had something hard and round rolling around in my shoe. So I took it off to shake out what I assumed were pebbles or sand. Nope. It was rice.

I don't know how or why, but I consider that a sign of integration.

--
Byron Yee
TEFL English Teacher - Shenzhen, China

Sha Jing Middle School's 55th Anniversary

At the end of 2011, my middle school celebrated it's New Year and 55th Anniversary. So of course they asked me to participate in the performances and of course I readily agreed. Nothing like a little Chinese choir practice to improve your skills.

1. The show opened with the school's staff choir singing it's school anthem and some other epic and majestic Chinese country hymn entitled "Love of the Motherland." If translated correctly, you could probably sing the song in Russia as well.
2. Lady Gaga: Me and 25 of my favorite students performed Lady Gaga's "Just Dance." complete with some original choreography and assymettrical eye makeup. It was a big hit, even for the teachers.
3. Closing off the evening was a banquet. Every good Chinese banquet has 2 things: not-so-smooth alcohol and even harsher karaoke. So I busted out my guitar, rounded up my English teaching coworkers and sang another famous Chinese song about friendship. People were very delighted that the foreign English teacher could sing chinese. The booze made the cheering even more flattering.

So, nothing like some Chinese music, wine, and Lady Gaga to produce a very important and effective cultural exchange. This day also helped me get closer to two of my life goals: Learning Chinese, and becoming Lady Gaga's backup dancer.

--Byron YeeTEFL English Teacher - Shenzhen, China

圣诞快乐!

On Christmas Eve, the Shenzhen school district hosted a dinner banquet for all the foreign teachers and our local Chinese counterparts. Of course the food was great, but the entertainment was even better. We were graced with performances from various teachers, students, and the school district head himself gave a - riveting  karaoke performance. Now with the cultural power distances and protocol for respect, we were obligated to cheer him on (perhaps in spite of him?)

Every good Chinese banquet always has a large collection of wine and liquor. So, give that to a group of 130 Americans - oh and offer them all hotel rooms for the night...It was quite the crazy after party.

This certainly wasn't a "traditional" holiday, but I was able to practice my Chinese, perform a little Shakespeare, and eat some delicious Chinese food (the latter of which is actually a tradition for me). So, all in all a great Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone!


-- Byron Yee TEFL English Teacher - Shenzhen, China

English Festival

Last week, our school hosted our annual English Festival, which is a week long competition designed to encourage students to get excited about learning and practicing English. Being the only native English speaker at the school, of course I was asked to be one of several judges.

The competition highlights included movie lip dub, where students dub their own voices over an original English movie. I helped students by transcribing various movie scenes - I can now quote the end of the Titanic scene rather well (the one where Jack freezes to death while Rose is floating on the door and pathetically cries). The funny thing was, when read by two male Chinese students, that scene has a lot more emotional insight (and humor) than the original.

My other favorite was the English singing competition. Speaking of Titanic, "My Heart Will Go On" is apparently still a really big hit over here. Except when a Chinese girl sings it, she seems to be lacking in a certain Canadian accent. There's also less bagpipes in the cover versions over here.

--
Byron Yee
TEFL English Teacher - Shenzhen, China

Teacher Q&A

There are times when my students' English levels after 10 years of English education is really frustrating, and other times when it's quite funny and charming.

Last week I was working with a newer class and we did a "Q&A with Mr. Yee" The notes were equal parts wonderful, hilarious, and grammatically incorrect. But they speak much better by themselves...

1. How did you visited so many places?
2. Can you make friend with you?
3. Do you love China girl?

Or my personal favorite that made me laugh out loud:
"Why are you so handsome?!"


--
Byron Yee
TEFL English Teacher - Shenzhen, China

My first shopping experience

Believe it or not, Southern China can actually get a little chilly. So that news and the fact that I packed very light coming here meant I needed some more clothes. This was my first time truly shopping in a couple years, so there was a lot of culture shock and other factors triggering some panic and anxiety. Such as:

- Rows of official and unofficial shops, all shapes and sizes
- Most of the goods were knock offs, or some feeble and failed attempt at writing something cool in English
- People shouting to attract customers
- people with microphones to out shout the shouters
- Loud speakers playing Chinese music to drown out the mics
- Louder speakers blasting techno music to drown out the pop music
- Employees clapping to the techno music to attract more customers
- Employees beating sticks and noise makers to beat out the clappers
- More employees ready to pounce once you do decide to enter a store
- Employees on ladders in the doorways making sure you don't LEAVE the store w/o paying

In the end, I've never had so many employees involved in my shopping experience. Yet even with the interaction of 15+ store reps, it was still ultimately and completely lacking in "customer service." I did get a nice shirt and pull over out of the ordeal though. So I guess I would do it all again...

--
Byron Yee
TEFL English Teacher - Shenzhen, China

More on Signs

So you know how awhile back I ate dog for the first time in a local restaurant? Well I was walking down that same street the other day. When I first moved into town, I always wondered why this particular restaurant had a giant poster of some Chinese words with a goat, donkey, dog, and smiling Chinese waitress. Now that I know more Chinese characters and have confirmed both by reading the sign and eating in the restaurant, this giant sign is no longer a mystery, its just very clear and blatant advertising.

Don't worry, the smiling Chinese waitress serves the animals - she is not one of the "dishes to be served." Just thought I should clarify...


--
Byron Yee
TEFL English Teacher - Shenzhen, China

Another Trilogy bites the dust

Well, I'm not ready as much as when I was in Senegal. I have a little less free time as well as a lot more distractions from TV, internet, and all the joys of the modern age.

But I recently just finished reading Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne trilogy. It comes highly recommended as its full of action, plot twists, and bits and pieces of various languages. All around a very intelligently and interestingly written set of books.

A couple warnings: First, don't read these back to back. Their too intense and exciting for that. Also, don't be expecting it to be anything like the movies. The movies are really good, but as always - the books are incomparable.

Did you know that Jason Bourne speaks English, chinese, and French fluently?? Hmm, you know if this whole teaching English gig doesn't work out for me, I may be sending my resume and cover letter over to the CIA. I'm not sure how the interview process works to become a secret agent, but as soon as my Chinese gets better and I brush up on my kungfu, I'm pretty much a shoe-in.

--
Byron Yee
TEFL English Teacher - Shenzhen, China