Talking to the students at the WuWei High School

After a 12 hour over night train ride, a short nap at the hotel, I arrived at the WuWei high school to talk to the students and say the magic words that will help them all to learn English better.   Just minutes before I am to walk in to a room of  at least a 100 students I find out that Dr. Tim Murphy, the person from CLC, that I am working with has just gone in for surgery to have his appendix removed.  I was just tired and now I am very concerned.  Dr. Murphy did not even  want to get a hair cut in China so I know that surgery was not top on his list of things to do.  I bucked up and did my job the best I could with these students and then had to figure out how best to get back to Xian.

After the students heard what I had to say and I answered some questions, I went to another room to talk with some more students. I answered questions and after it was over some students asked me to write something in their notebooks.  What was I supposed to write, "I'm just a welding instructor from a school in Illinois."  I was able to share some wisdom with them and I showed their teachers how to find the ICC Tumblebooks on the web and showed them the Merriam Webster on line dictionary.  If  they can use both of those sources then some of these students can improve their English skills.  Actually, I told the students that was really Da Shan, the famous star of Chinese television.  What you think Ava, do I look like him? After talking to the students I was taken across the street to enjoy a nice meal with the English teachers at the school. They were very nice to me and the food was very good.  I still kind of strange to be treated like that just because I came from the USA.  Hey I did my best and I did travel 12 hours over night on the hard train bench seat just to meet with them.  The teachers did say that they did not know about the web sites I shared with them.  I hope I did some good.

I did eat some of the best tofu I have had in China here.  I have had this tofu before but here is was crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.  The gelatin meat stuff was good also.  I had a salad that was great.  I enjoyed talking to all of them and I got a chance to practice some of my Chinese at the meal.

Once we had eaten it was time to try and find out how to change our tickets and get back to Xian and check on Dr. Murphy.  Last year a student on this trip also had to have her appendix taken out.  If I can change my ticket and not have to sit on a bench or stand up I will be happy.