Some classroom thoughts.

So I've talked a bit about China, but very little about my students. I teach mostly freshmen, and they're the best (with the exception of the few boys in my classes whom I want to club quite often). They are so enthusiastic about almost everything I tell them about America -- I've found that including pictures of my family and friends will always elicit several oohs and aahs. Of course, they're still very shy and their English is quite terrible, but they're still much better than my one class of jaded and unimpressed sophomores, where everything is like pulling teeth.

I teach four oral English classes and three listening (terribly boring for both me and my poor students), plus this month I agreed to teach tow evening classes for non-English majors who want to improve their English. These are nice classes despite the extra work for two reasons: one, since these students are going the extra mile to study English, they enthusiastically participate in class; and two, because I get an extra 100 元 an hour.

Some things about my students: they are obsessed with Prison Break, High School Musical and Twilight. They also love me when I let them watch episodes of Friends (I prefer showing an episode of TV for four or five classes every once in a while as opposed to having to watch glittering vampires or Zac Efron for four or five classes every once in a while).

Students here are also obsessed with weight loss and dieting. I see girls "running" around the school track wearing jeans and coats and non-running shoes, and I wonder how they could possibly be comfortable. They also tell me about their crazy diets and how 55 kilos is fat. They have an incredible disgust for slightly chubby people.

Also, the students' text books are ridiculous. Take the following passage from one of them (emphasis mine) --

Whereas many Chinese enjoy snacking on natural foods like dried fruit, seeds, or nuts, many Americans prefer snacks like potato chips, buttered popcorn, and cookies. If they are really hungry between meals they even have a hot dog or two.

I would write more, but I'm a bit hungry. I think I'll go have a quick hamburger before lunch to hold me over.