Pickled, Curried or Fried.

Wow - what a blur.

We had our first full week of ESL training - can’t believe its over already, only one more week to go and us China vols are off to Shianghai for 2 days.

The classes have been good, very differant than I expected, but still good. Lots of grammar - way more than I know - as well as classroom techniques to improve learning skills and associated teaching skills. We have been teaching in groups these last 3 days - getting real time experience… it’s a bit dull listening (no fault of the group), but the teaching itself is a blast - call me crazy but I’m really looking forward to getting in front of 60 eager kids. The upcoming week is more classroom time and additional training… going fast!!!

Nights have been taken up by finding food and preparing class plans. All you professors out there know what I mean. It is pretty interesting preparing a plan for a topic that you know absolutely nothing about and being expected to be an expert in 24 hrs.

Foods been getting better as we have found the more local spots… big highlight today was a fried rice with the local Chiang Mai specialty sausage - it’s brine cured - nice and vinegary/tangy.

Internet has been pretty poor at the university - whole days will go with no internet - hoping that my online status will be better in Ningxia and hopefully even better (fingers crossed) in Guyuan.

Appreciate food that isn’t pickled, curried or fried. Appreciate water that isn’t bottled. Appreciate ice. Oi!