Welcome Party

All Chinese schools started on September 1rst so, although we came a month early to teach at a summer camp, school officially started last Wednesday. We are teaching brand new kids and we are also teaching with new Chinese teachers. On Wednesday, they had a welcome party for us. It was one of the funnest evenings I have ever had. We ate dinner and none of the American teachers could sit by each other. There were seven of us and then about twenty-five Chinese women in their twenties. At dinner we had a true Chinese/ American meal. We had corn, cantaloupe, broccoli, hot dogs, chicken wings, chicken feet, fried noodles and spaghetti. We sat at a really long table and had to learn all the names of the food in either English or Mandarin (depending on our native language of course). I actually dared to try a chicken foot. I only took one bite and that was enough for me. I was lucky enough to get to sit right next to the chicken feet the whole time and did end up finding a chicken head as well. I did however eat a great deal of Michael's delicious spaghetti. 

We had to introduce ourselves in Mandarin and the Chinese teachers introduced themselves in English. The goal was to make our introduction memorable. I only said, "Hello, my name is Tessa." Somehow, I do not feel like I accomplished that goal. Some of the Chinese teachers sang and danced to help us remember their names and it worked. One girl said, "You like Cherry, you like me. You like me, you like Cherry. My name is Cherry." One of my favorites went like this, "I like chicken leg, foot, skin, breast, wing but not chicken bone. My name is Apple!" We all talked and laughed all through dinner and then we went upstairs and played games. 

At one point, all the Chinese teachers were given one of our names and they had to find their partner. Basically what happened is that on the whistle 25 Asian women were running at us as fast as they could. It was rather terrifying I must admit. We also played a game where they blind folded us, put a tray with everything that was at dinner in front of us and made us say what it was in Mandarin or English. It was hilarious. It was a great night. We got to know the women we work with everyday which is nice because it is difficult to get to know them because of the language barrier. I hope they are more comfortable around us as well.