Day 3

Observation 1: Students go to school from 7AM-9PM and have homework after class is over. When do they do it? I don’t know. Also, in the morning at 545AM, music is played over loud speakers to wake the students who live at the school. Of course, because some of the teachers (including me) live at the school in the dormitory as well, we hear the music and get up then with them. I have noticed a difference in how students value community property. Although I have seen students here and in America clean their school property, the big difference is that students in America only do so if they are in trouble, but here they do so because they want to keep their school clean and they say that it reflects on them what their school looks like. This is one of many things I have seen and experienced that makes me rethink my values and how I perceive things.

Observation 2: The whole school does morning exercises together on the track/field. They have uniforms that all students are supposed to wear, but some of them wear army camo clothes, I assume because there is not enough uniforms or they are waiting for a shipment?

Observation 3: Everyone here LOVES KFC! There are two KFCs here in Yanqing, which may I add is the only American fast food place in the small city. The school I am staying at (No. 7) has their own version of KFC chicken and I am excited to try it. Another thing about food is that here the cafeteria does not really serve meat items, but rather rice and vegetable. I am guessing because meat may be too expensive to serve for so many students (2000 students in No.7 Middle School). They eat a lot of meat-on-a-stick, ranging from flat and fried, hot dogs (with corn in them), and other things I am not sure what they are. Everyone here is very big on snacks and do not really eat too much during meal time, and instead have snacks throughout the day. These snacks consist of hot dogs with corn, flavored peas, sweet cakes, and much, much more.

Observation 4: Today after the students have taken their exams, they had field day type of games on their track. I thought it was interesting that their games consisted of activities such as who can make the neatest bed in 4 minutes.