First Day of Teaching

Evidently, no one had told Gail that I was the substitute teacher, so she was expecting someone in the 30-50 range. She said she was pretty surprised when she first saw me. However, we have gotten along very well. She has helped me find my way around town a little bit.
Anyway, my first day of class was so-so. Much time was spent trying to figure out the student’s actual English level. They were all pretty surprised when someone their own age walked into the class. Also, every single one of my students is a girl. I don’t think there are any male nurses in China.
Today (Monday, May 19th), during class we had a three minute moment of silence for earth quake victims. For several minutes after class, sad children’s choir music was blasted through the loudspeakers. It was a little weird.
Also, at some points during the day they played air-raid sirens throughout the city. Gail told me that it is supposed to sound like wailing or weeping. Though I found many things strange, it was touching to see how people mourned for the victims of the Sichuan earthquake.