The First Week of School

After the chaos of last week, I was really looking forward to starting classes this week. My two roommates and I even took a “first day of school” picture to celebrate. (That was for you Mom.) Even though we are in class twenty (12+8) hours a week, I don’t mind it because I feel like learning Chinese is more like a hobby than a chore. It has also been sort of a relief to finally get on a regular schedule. I feel like I am finally beginning to get settled in Nanjing.

Monday-Thursday we have class from 8-12 in the morning. The first two hours are a speaking class with a female teacher from Nanjing University, and the second block is a reading and writing class with a male teacher from the university. I really like both of our teachers. They are both so Chinese in their teaching methods and mannerisms! They make me laugh. They are both so friendly and nice, and most importantly they cultivate an environment that allows students to learn without being afraid of making a mistake. I am glad I am enjoying these two classes, because they make up the bulk of our mandatory class hours per week.

At 3 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, we have a culture class with Dr. Honey, our program director. It was originally supposed to be a two-hour class, but I don’t think Dr. Honey wants to be there that long, so he reduced it to only one hour. No complaints here! After that class, we have an optional tai chi class at 4 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Haha I love it! Our teacher is a little Chinese woman, and she is intense! She has made it clear we are not just there to have fun and learn the basic movements. She takes it seriously and she fully expects us to do the same. On the first day, she kept pointing at me and saying that I was doing it wrong! No offense taken. :) Then she would come by and move my right food so that it was pointing at a 30 degree angle instead of a 45 degree angle. It reminded me of my cha cha final, except in China and with slightly less Cuban action. Please don't. :) We also have an optional calligraphy class on Wednesdays after tai chi that I am planning on checking out this week.

On Thursday, we also have another two-hour culture class taught by one of the professors at the school, which is supposed to prepare us for our trips on the weekends. I have no clue what the teacher talked about last Thursday! I know he was talking, and I know he was frantically writing names and dates on the board, but with Dr. Honey interrupting him and trying to translate into English while the professor was moving on to the next topic, I think I missed most of what was going on. I looked around the classroom, and based on the blank stares and drool coming from the other students, I felt like we were all in the same boat.

And that is it! We are done by Thursday at 4 p.m., and then we are free from class the rest of the weekend! I have actually really enjoyed the first week of classes, and I think that if I put in a full effort, there is a lot to gain from the material and my teachers. I enjoy the university teachers. I enjoy the other students, and I really enjoy my two roommates.

Next week, we leave for our first long trip of the program. We are still not sure exactly of the details, however I do know we are taking a 36-hour train ride (are you kidding me?) to a place called Dun Huang, and then we are flying to Xi’an to see the terracotta soldiers. I am stoked!

So yeah, that is my weekly class schedule. Throw in a good breakfast of bread and fruit, a good run three or four times a week, some daily ping pong, dinner at the local Hong Kong restaurant, and bargaining on the night markets, life in Nanjing is not half bad!