A month in...

Man does time fly! Its already been a month since I've moved into my permanent site, Liupanshui City.  The students here are the sweetest and they are so motivated to learn.  My colleagues are also very encouraging and sweet.  As a PCV who is in the TEFL program, that is all I can really ask for! Other than being busy with lesson planning and classes, I've had many chances to meet students and teachers to enjoy the local dishes. There is something called the "Dou Mi Huo Guo", Bean Hot Pot, which is really famous in Guizhou and so far every time I've had it, it never seemed to disappoint me! I've also had "Suan-La tang" which is translated to Sour-Spicy Soup.  It is also another type of hot pot but the pot is divided into 2 and there is the sour side and the spicy side.  I've also had several other types of hot pot but I must say that the bean hot pot is so far the best.  Also, for those who do not know, hot pot basically is when you cook your own soup with the stove on the table and you can add any vegetable, meat, fish and additional sauce you want.  The differences between all these hot pots are the soup base and usually what type of meat or fish is available to you.  I usually don't put any fish nor meat, just a lot of different types of vegetables.

Now, you probably ask why I've been eating so much hot pot and why everything is a type of soup... Well, my city is known as the "Cool Capital" and to support that, by the end of September I saw people with down jackets and every type of furry clothing you can imagine to keep themselves warm.  So the food here tends to center around keep the people's body warm.  Its a lot of hot pot and soup,but I can see myself eating this everyday because it is so good!

My host family and I have also drove up a mountain to a restaurant with a chicken farm in the middle of the woods.  They ordered 4 different chicken soup in which was in the form of hot pot as well.  The chicken was killed and prepared right there behind the restaurant.  I'm very glad that I did not see this preparation but despite all this, the soup was really good and tasty.  Also, I learned to play mahjong the Guizhou way and attempted to play against some family members which meant my host mom was looking over me playing for me. hehe!

PCT- to- PCV

After 2 months of training, I was sworn in by the ambassador Gary Locke on 8/29/13.  It was a very touching ceremony with lots of tears and laughter. Lots of pictures were taken and lots of hugs were shared.  Spending nearly every moment with these beautiful people made me realize that they have become my family.  We all have a different history yet it has let us to be here in the present and meet one another.  Even though a week has passed, I feel like its was just this morning when we were standing in rows and saying our oaths.  It was a beautiful day.

My language class and awesome Jung Laoshi.

My Chengdu host grandma!

My Chengdu host family.

Now, I've settled down at my apartment in Liupanshui, Guizhou Province.  Like I've mentioned before, it is a beautiful place with really sweet people.  I've taught my first two classes today.  They went really well and I cannot wait to work with these students.  Each of them have a different story in why and how they came to our university.  I'm hoping to spend more time and bond with them in and out of class. I'm totally looking forward to meet the rest of my students and my colleagues!  

My University's front gate!

So, finally after about a month, I get to actually update my blog!  Well, there is a lot to say but I’ll try to keep it concise!

I love my host families! I have one at Chengdu University (CDU), and I just met another at Liupanshui Normal University! They are both amazing and are a family of teachers!  We have been divided into 3 groups for training and I have been living with the CDU PCT family, who are just fabulous people!  I’ll talk more about my other host family next time!

For the past month, we had TEFL training and Chinese language classes Mon-Sat. morning till evening.   It’s a lot but because of this intensive training, I can speak and understand the necessary daily Mandarin already!  We also had Model school for 2 weeks, which is similar to student teaching.  My partner, Libby, and I were a perfect combo for our middle school students so it worked out really well! Model school, was also a time where I learned a lot about myself as a teacher, PCV (to be) and Chinese students. It was eye-opening to see how I adapted to the class and how the TEFL training came in use as a new teacher who never taught in a classroom setting.  In the midst of doing all this, CDU peeps have become really close together and became like a mini family.  Of course, I would travel out to the other training universities to meet with other PCT peeps but when you spend about 8 hours 6 days a week, its inevitable to not form a bond.

Last Thursday, the site placements were announced.  There was so much anxiety in the room that the affects of it lasted the whole night, maybe even to the weekend.  We were all holding our breath as each name was called and given a folder with all the necessary information regarding their site.  I honestly didn’t have a preference on where I went.  At first, I thought getting away from the heat and humidity may be good but as time passed and had adjusted to it the weather didn’t matter anymore.  So I really didn’t have any preference.  I got placed at Guizhou province, Liupanshui Normal University.  I know that Guizhou is one of the cooler province and has a high population in different Chinese minorities.  I have a lot to research and learn about this beautiful province.  When I arrived to my site for my site visit, I couldn’t keep my month closed.  It was absolutely beautiful because of the clear sky, the mountains of all sizes and the people.  I was able to point out the differences in appearance between the minorities.  However, I don’t know all the different minorities since there are 60+ minorities living in Guizhou.  By the end of my service, I hope to be able to know more about the different minorities and their cultures!

All in all, everything is going really well for me at China.  I’m creating some amazing bonds with some amazing people and learning a lot.  :D

So, some may ask why I didn’t get a chance to update my blog until now.  Well, I didn’t have access to my blog until my site visit where I was able to use my VPN.  I’ll have to talk about my site visit and my apartment next time after I actually move in to my own apartment.  So continue to stay on the look out! 

CDU peeps going to Guizhou! with Xia Laoshi!

Model School students with co-teacher Libby!

I'm finally at Chengdu, China!  China 19s arrived yesterday afternoon after 20+ hours of on the plane.  NY to San Francisco (stayed there overnight) to Narita, Japan (4 hour layover due to delays) to Bangkok, Thailand (9 hour layover, therefore we stayed in a hotel for 4 hours of it- PC wanted us to change and shower before we meet our PC staff in China) to Chengdu, China.  As you can assume, we were all so tired and jet-lagged!  I personally was a walking zombie; I thought I was floating around.  As soon as we arrived, orientation began.  After some presentations and introductions, we were given the chance to bring our luggage up to our rooms then went straight into vaccinations.  It was a long day, but dinner was amazing!  I wish I took a photo of my first Chinese dinner. :( I forgot to do it.  From the next 9 weeks, I'll be trained in intensive oral Mandarin and TEFL methods/skills.  For now, I'm staying at the hotel that is on Sichuan campus but this upcoming Thursday I'll be moving to my host family and have my training at Chengdu University instead.

As I thought, China is very crowded from what I observed in Chengdu.  The air is different as well because of the pollution but thankfully its not as bad on campus.  China 19s are amazing people and I'm already in love with all of them! Its so hard to remember names and faces of all 72 volunteers but I'm working on it.

I also had my first Chinese lesson and found out that we all had a Chinese name.  Mine= Li Zhen Zhen (it sounds like Lee Jenn Jenn) HA! I thought of all the AU peeps who calls me Jenn Jenn and got emotional for a minute.  BTW I miss ya'll! hehe.  So this is the very beginning of my PC experience, beginning with PST (pre-service training).  Can't wait till next week to see my host family! Xoxo!

In less than 24 hours, I'll be on the plane to go to San Francisco, CA for my orientation. Then, within 48 hours I'll be off to China! As you can see, I have a lot of luggage to carry around. :( I've been informed of the amount of travelling I'll be doing before I can actually settle down so I've been trying to reduce my luggage but it's just not possible!  O' well, I'll just have to bear it for a couple of days. 

I cannot wait to meet the other volunteers!  Peace Corps sent out our schedule and it seems like we'll have an early start everyday full of language lessons, TEFL/class management skills and cultural information sessions.  Even if I see the schedule and my plane ticket, I still cannot believe that I'll be leaving tomorrow.  It's bittersweet.  I'll be missing my parents, friends from AU, home and church A LOT!  However, cannot wait to make new friends as well as make new memories! ;)  Hopefully, I'll get a chance to write again once I meet my host family!  Love you all! xoxo

I received an email from our lovely staging officer yesterday.  There are over 70 of us who will be meeting up in San Francisco, CA to fly out together to China.  It's crazy how quickly this is happening.  I realized that I have less than a month before I fly out.  There are some small tasks that still needs to be done, such as sending a record of my bachelors degree (it's still weird to say that I have a degree now).

Never been on the West coast. Can't wait to see the city even if its for only one night.  More than that, I cannot wait to meet all the other people who'll be serving with me.  :)

Hello there!
It's been about 5 months since I've been notified about my service country for Peace Corps.  Currently, all I know is that I'll be serving PC for about 2 years in China teaching English.  Which province? It'll be surprise! (technically, depends on my pre-service training )
Well, I'm busy now running around trying to get my luggage together, but I don't know where to exactly start.  I guess it'll all fall in place once I get my staging packet.  My departure date to China is 6/28/13.  Please stay in touch, and pray for me! :)
Love you all!! <3