Track and Field Day

Track and Field Day. AKA a big deal for Da Guanghua. 

We came back from our vacation two weeks ago to a crazy TIC week. Our classes were shortened/cancelled. I only saw my homerooms on Monday and Tuesday because the kids showed up late and needed to be left early. Classes were cancelled Wednesday so we could all practice for the opening ceremonies, in which we had to MARCH (yes, march) around the track with the rest of the school to their little marching drum and then stand in the field while the principle said some opening remarks (all in Chinese, granted). How many times did we rehearse? Three times. Three times the whole school piled off of the track, lined up and then marched around again. Like I said, it's a big deal.

Thursday and Friday, all classes were cancelled, and we were down at the track at 7:50 AM to prepare for opening ceremonies. Were there any other schools coming to compete against us? Nope. What about parents? Nope. So, we marched around the track for the sole entertainment of...ourselves. TIC. 

We spent the whole day at the track, watching our students compete and sitting with them and cheering them on. It was so great to spend so much time with my kids outside of the classroom and to just chill and not yell "ENGLISH ONLY" every time they spoke Chinese. It was also awesome to just watch them interact with each other in their native language; to take away that language barrier and to REALLY see their personalities shine. 

Opening Ceremonies:

Jane, Lisa, Jessie and Jamie after their race:

Bryan and Laura playing:

Laura trying on Bryan's glasses:

Amy after her race:

Jane trying on my sunglasses:

Hanging out with my sweet girl, Jane. She is such a good girl, who always helps me out in class and who tries SO hard to speak English so that she can communicate with me. 

Hanging out with my darling Jessie:

Hanging out with the peanut, Ms. Vicky.

At opening ceremonies:

Friday was the same procedure. Sit at the track with out kids, cheer everyone on. Some of the ILP teachers were even asked to run in a relay with the Chinese staff. It was so fun to cheer them on. We had closing ceremonies, where we all stood on the field again while the principal babbled in Chinese and handed out awards (completely unsure what they were for) and then we high-fived out kids before they left for the weekend. 

All in all, it was an awesome two days of no teaching, spending time with my students, and soaking up the China sunshine and the breeze off the Yellow sea.