Comments for A Totally Impractical Guide to Living in Shanghai

Comment on I May Have Just A Wee Bit Too Much on My Plate by MaryAnne

MaryAnne — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:11:02 +0000

Totally! When are you leaving? I’m out of here June 14th!

Comment on I May Have Just A Wee Bit Too Much on My Plate by Sally

Sally — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:46:57 +0000

The new gig sounds fab… if totally exhausting. I have to agree that doing something creative and different and enriching with kids sounds so much more fulfilling than teaching academic English to university students. Most of my students are great and all, but I always feel like they consider my classes some kind of forced torture.
We must get together before you leave & I leave! I have a feeling margaritas will be in order…
Sally recently posted..Weeklyish Challengey Thingie: Buy Some Lady Shoes

Comment on I May Have Just A Wee Bit Too Much on My Plate by MaryAnne

MaryAnne — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:41:56 +0000

Maybe next week? I think I might possibly have 3 spare minutes to pop over to Yongkang lu for a coffee and petit four…

Comment on I May Have Just A Wee Bit Too Much on My Plate by MaryAnne

MaryAnne — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:40:30 +0000

9am to 10pm? Reminds me of my last year in Turkey (as DoS AND ADoS AND head teacher, as everyone tended to be away on one form of leave or another so I routinely wore 2 or 3 hats at a time, figuratively speaking). Bloody exhausting.

And yeah, the kids. One boy used to have a huge crush on me. Super sweet. And now he’s practically pin up material. Very disconcerting!

Comment on I May Have Just A Wee Bit Too Much on My Plate by Fiona at Life on Nanchang Lu

Fiona at Life on Nanchang Lu — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:42:23 +0000

Good gawd, you are one busy lady now! I’ll be sure to schedule in an appointment to see you sometime in…er….August?

Comment on I May Have Just A Wee Bit Too Much on My Plate by Waegook Tom

Waegook Tom — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:16:44 +0000

Now that DOES sound intense! My month of hell shall be coming up in August, where I’ll be working from 9am to either 9pm or 10pm several days a week during intensive classes. My head is hurting just typing this.

Maybe buy a pair of those glasses with eyes drawn on them and just sit in the corner and sleep as you “observe” the other teachers teaching class, once the program (programme?) starts?

And yes to your comment above about it being disconcerting about adult students. I saw a high school boy I taught a couple of years ago in the street, and thought to myself “wow he’s fiiiine” as I checked him out. He smiled and, “Hi Tom Teacher!” came out of his mouth.

I still feel icky even though he was 20 at the time.
Waegook Tom recently posted..Six Ways to Survive Your English Teaching Job in Korea

Comment on I May Have Just A Wee Bit Too Much on My Plate by MaryAnne

MaryAnne — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:58:41 +0000

They are cute, aren’t they? The crazy thing is, I’m still FB friends with a lot of them and wow, those little orta okul girls are crazy glam uni students now and some of the boys are absolute hunks. Very disconcerting when your 10 year olds who fed you cookies at break time and declared their undying love are now adults…

And yeah, I’m not a good freelancer. I need to be overbooked or I waffle about aimlessly.

Comment on I May Have Just A Wee Bit Too Much on My Plate by MaryAnne

MaryAnne — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:55:16 +0000

I think we’re still hiring (summer camp followed by a year round after school/weekend program)… are you looking? Email me if interested- koangirl at hotmail dot com.

And yeah, those Turkish kids- totally sweet but totally bonkers! Now, they had energy!

Comment on I May Have Just A Wee Bit Too Much on My Plate by The Turkish Life

The Turkish Life — Mon, 14 May 2012 06:47:49 +0000

Congrats! And a büyük bir kolay gelsin too. Must be super-stressful right now but the new gig sounds really exciting and invigorating. Absolutely empathize on the mire of aimlessness; it *seems* great to not have many responsibilities, especially after doing a difficult job for while, but life isn’t too interesting without challenge and purpose.

And how cute are your Turkish students?!
The Turkish Life recently posted..Seeing the light

Comment on I May Have Just A Wee Bit Too Much on My Plate by julie

julie — Mon, 14 May 2012 03:30:41 +0000

wow! the program you are creating sounds awesome! what a great challenge. i like the “counteract the deadening effects of the rote-learning at school” angle. (is all the hiring done? . . )

i hope you sneak in a nap somewhere.

those pics of the turkish kids are really heartwarming, too. thanks for sharing!