The First Day of School

Yesterday, we toured the school and took our Chinese placement exams. We were also issued our uniforms: incredibly stylish, white, polyester jump suits. Although my uniform is already dirt-streaked, I feel more valid wearing it. Now, I'm not merely that white-girl-walking-down-the-street, rather that white-girl-walking-down-the-street-who-also-attends-school-here-and-therefore-belongs. 

Today was our first real day of school. My immersion classes at the beginning of the day flew right over my head. In English class, I was asked to stand up, in a room full of 60 Chinese sophomores, and tell them about The Monkees. Seeing as my only link to that band is from a song that was played in Shrek, I didn't have much to talk about. Thankfully, I only have two of these classes per day, and I am graded in neither of them.

Everyone seemed very excited to say hello to us. My desk mate, Samuel, frankly resembles a puff-pastry, both in disposition and physique: we became fast friends. 

After morning exercises, the rest of my school day was spent with the American students: Chinese classes, English, History, then culture classes.

Our culture class today was in calligraphy. We started with the basics. Let's just say that drawing straight lines wasn't basic enough…

It is weird getting back into the school groove after a month of touring China. Hopefully, the concept of work will come back to me.