I made it through my first week of teaching.

15 February 2012

你好家庭，

你好么？我是朱彦龙。

I am catching on to a little Chinese. I hope that this email will be a little simpler than the last couple. I taught four more classes last week. I had an assistant a couple classes; although, the class does get out of control sometimes. I am catching on a little. The second class that I taught alone was a lot better than the first. During one class I thought that I needed to teach both classes, since the other teacher is gone. There was a heap of balloon in my classroom, and I was planning to play a game and rest before we have the second class. I was going to teach them duck duck goose, but when I said game they went crazy, and ran to the balloons drawing faces on them. I have learned to teach the class. I will continue to learn as a teacher. I had some brilliant points this week. 彦 is the character of Brilliant, or that is what I remember the definition。

Most nights this week I went out with friends. I went out three times with 等一个人. I call him my cousin, for he is Yacht's cousin. His name is Yao. He took me out to a restaurant each time. Two of the times were in very luxurious places. This is a hint of how spoiled the children are. I met a girl the first time we made plans to hang out, which was Wednesday. She was "a sister of Yao's," but she is actually just a very close family friend. I asked if she would hang out with us; however, Yao made plans to hang out on Tuesday. Tuesday night we went out for dinner. I could never decide an informed meal at the restaurant, so I told them to get me something that I probably have never eaten, and Guess what they got me. They got me Duck Liver soup. It tasted interesting; kind of like egg yolks. Afterward we went to play pool, Yao thought that I was good, but I could not say that I am good at pool. Yao's friend Xu had great skill though, so Yao and I played to first game. The game would have lasted forever though because we could not hit the eight ball in a pocket; however, Yao scratched on it twice. We call it a tie; then, we played two on one, and Xu totally destroyed us.

The next night I thought that we were going to hang out similarly as the night before but with Youn Yi; however, since she is a family friend, the mother organized a great night out. We went to a new block in China. They are building new blocks and roads like crazy here. Today I went on my first run in China, and I saw the rare sight of a building being demolished, so they are building a lot here. We went to a special hot pot restaurant usually there is one big hot pot, but this one had one for each individual. Youn Yi said that her boyfriend was in the area, and they wanted to hang out since they rarely see each other. I was grateful that I was able to help her in that way. We watched Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. I was worried that it may be in Chinese like the Harry Potter movie that I watched it Thailand was in Thai. I thought that it was funny because it was the Chinese that had watch the movie in subtitles not me. Another crazy thing that I need to tell you about the movie is that it was a 4d movie; although, the movie was not 3d. It was wierd. A sharp burst of air would be shot at you went someone is shot. Wind would be made in the theater when the scene is changed to an exotic place, and water would be splashed at you went the camera in near the water.

The next night was Thursday, and everyone was preparing to go to their universities, for it started this past week. I wanted to hang out with Shirley a last time. I thought that doing it as soon as possible would be better, so she would not be in a rush or pressure later. She had me over at her house. The family had spring rolls during dinner, and her grandma made homemade noodles from buckwheat! Shirley alone spoke English. Afterward we went out with her parent to the mall. Seeing the culture of shopping was weird; however, it made sense for her family because the mother loves to knit, so she studies the clothing patterns. I humbled myself to see the greatest of the different designer's imagination, creativity, and style. When the parent got tired of walking, Shirley and I checked out the arcade. We saw a could girls, playing DDR, and I said that I know how to play that game a lot better than them. We decided to play the game, and I played mainly alone since the game needs skill. :(

Friday night Yao invited me to dinner again. I meet more of his university friends. Every Chinese student that I have meet has only attended one semester. We went to another great restruant, but after I did something that I never done before. I went to a KTV! ~ yeah. It is karaoke. I have asked around about places to dance in China, but the youth don't dance, so I am off the hook. Karaoke seems to be the dancing hobby of Asia for the soul to express it's artistic self with their voice. It was as I imagined. I do not know any popular songs, so I cannot follow the melody. I did sing a Beatles' song. They did not want to sing another Beatles' song though after the first, since the band is so old.

Monday was my last lesson. That morning Mary wrote in Google translate that the parents don't like me to teach.

I replied why don't your statement have a conclusion? Like although the parents don't like your teaching style. I trust that you will get better, and you still have the job. I did not understand why she would just tell me the opinion of the parents. Shirley asked what I will be doing these days. I assumed that I still had the class to teach. She asked if I still had to teach the next day. I wonder why she would ask and showed Mary the text to see if they were on the same page. Of course I was out of the loop. Mary then confirmed that I was not going to teach the next day. I asked her about the future of the class. She said that the parents still need to enroll in the class and pay tuition. hmmm.. That must have meant that I was not actually teaching the class. I was not being trained. It was a trial period to show the parents what is going on in the class, and that is it.

I know hope to learn Chinese. The people here see that the English language is popular, wanting their children to learn it. Since I have something that they want, I have a lot of opportunity still here. I hope to stay as long as I can, and that I will be accepted at BYU, so I can return in the Fall. I work now to continue my goals in developing the skill of teaching. Mary wants an experience teacher, and I am not an experienced teacher. There are plenty of opportunities here for amateur teachers.

Take care

Alexander Hicken

also know as

朱彦龙 (Zhu Yan Long)

Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan's names are also Long. I means Dragon.This year is the year of the Dragon, and I was born the year of the Dragon, so that's my Chinese name. Yan is the same middle name as Yacht's.