Soup Dumplings and XiaoLongBao

So I am at work now for the 7th day in a row...although I'm not really doing anything. I finished all of my grading and paperwork yesterday but I am still supposed to be in the office...just in case?

It's not so bad. I'm using this time to burn some CDs that Ned lent me and to organize some of my pictures and videos. Besides, I get to enjoy the heat in the office (which finally got turned on) instead of wasting the electricity in my apartment.

After leaving work yesterday I met up with June to wander around old Shanghai. It was fun to do that again. We did some shopping. It was no where near as crowded as it was when we went in September. That was nice.

I like this picture because it's old Shanghai and new Shanghai together. You can see the financial tower in the background.After some shopping we decided to go to the restaurant (one of June's favorites) we didn't go to in September because the line was so long. This time the top floor was almost empty! We nibbled on raw ginger and sipped green tea until our food arrived. We each got a soup dumpling, along with some xiaolongbao (crab dumplings) and a kind of fried shrimp dumpling.

Here is June with her soup dumpling.
June took this silly picture of me enjoying my soup dumpling in the proper fashion. First you use your straw to get all the soupy goodness out of the dumpling. Then you tear it up and dip the pieces in vinegar. TASTY. That little red tag on the straw has a warning in both Chinese and English that the soup inside is BURN-YOUR-MOUTH-UP-HOT.
The soup dumplings at this place were AMAZING. We had them across the street last time and I thought THEY were amazing. But the amazingness of these far outstrips the amazingness of the other ones.

What are in these dumplings you ask? Well check out this sign I saw on the way out:
If you can't read that it says "Dumpling stuffed with the ovary and digestive glands of a crab". Don't let that deter you though. They really are delicious.

I was excited to find that they sell xiaolongbao and these fabulous fresh fried dumplings (that taste just like the ones I had in Nanjing) in the food court under Carrefour. The other night I ordered some to go and then wandered down the street back to my apartment eating them while checking out street vendors. For once all the street vendors spoke to me in Chinese first. I guess I looked more like a native eating my dumplings with my chopsticks.

MAN I am making myself hungry.

Here is just one more picture for all of you.
I went shopping for Harbin last night so I will probably post pictures of all my fancy new cold weather clothes. Also once I finish organizing videos I will hopefully post some from Suzhou and New Year's Eve.

That's all for now!

Love!
Stephanie

Fighting in the hall...

So that was pretty scary.

Last period today I was showing a few episodes of "Friends" to my class after a hard day of exams. One of my students who was sitting by the door suddenly opened the door and went out into the hall. I didn't think anything of it at first. The rules are kind of lax in between exams since many student head to the library to study or outside to play basketball while waiting for their next test. I heard excited voices from the hall and figured that maybe a former student was coming back to visit or that a special afternoon snack had arrived (both common events).

I stuck my head out in the hall to find out what was so exciting and saw the tell tale "something bad is happening" circle of students. I figured out a second later there was a fight going on, and with a sinking feeling I realized I was the only authority figure around.

I rushed forward in an attempt to get between them but the one closest to me was lunging towards the other student so I pined his arms down and held him back. Luckily some students on the other side grabbed the other student. After struggling a bit the student in my arms seemed to calm down so I let him go and stood between them in the typical "both arms out, keep 'em as far away from each other as possible" stance. I told the students gathering in the hall to go back to their classrooms. I took a quick toll of the situation and noticed one student had some scratches on his face and the other was bleeding from the mouth.

The student I had been holding back before tried to push past me and kick the other, so I had to hold him back again. Luckily at that moment the principal showed up and things cooled instantly.

I herded my students back into the classroom and put "Friends" back on. I am so glad that fight didn't happen when I was teaching a real lesson because I doubt you could force students to pay attention after that. In this case, watching a sitcom was the perfect distraction.

I'm sad that one of the students that was fighting was one of MY students. The other was an older student. I feel oddly protective and also proud of my students when they do well. Kind of like a big sister. When they do something wrong I feel disappointed. Of course, I can't pass judgment because I have no idea what the fight was about or who started it. It's in the hands of the administration now.

I hope I handled the situation well. I was mostly in shock when it happened. I never would have expected to see a fight here and I really never expected that I would have to be the one to break it up.

Quotes from my Evals..

I am mostly writing these for myself. In case next semester I start feeling down on myself I can look back at all the nice things my student wrote about my class/me.

-Your classes are very interesting. I have a lot of fun.
-Cheer up!
-Take care yourself~
-You're doing a great job.
-Stephanie's class is the best English class in my English study life.
-Fun, I'm lovin it
-Stephanie is great.
-Good teach you are, but the students are too naughty.
-Stephanie really makes our classes interesting and full of fun! :-)
-Your classes are the best classes that I've ever had.
-You always very care about us. When we looks tired you will let us have a game sometimes.
-We can have a lot of fun, learn the knowledge in a relaxing atmosphere.
-I like the class atmosphere now, I hope you can keep it.
-I like you, you're nice! :-)
-I like your class very much.
-(Under suggestions) More class! more Stephanie's class in every weeks!
-I think all the things is good. REALLY.
-You are very interesting. I like you very very much!
-Stephanie you are lovely.
-(Under what do you like best about my class) Creativity, things usual teachers don't do or won't allow.
-The classes are quite good!!!
-Your class is really interesting, I like it.
-The class is very funny.
-I like your class! Hope you can teach us a long time! =)
-I'm so happy to have your class in this term.
-I like your class very much!
-The class is very good!
-It's comfortable to have your class.
-I think Stephanie's class is fun. It's very relax for me.
-You've been so kind to us. I really appreciate that. I'm really looking forward to next semester. Thank you!
-She is really kind and so patient to us. She always have fun with us, activities left a deep impression on me and this is a good way to quickly get to know each other.


My only worry now is that I am TOO lenient of a teacher! Ah well.

I got some good suggestions too. Some student wrote specific songs or bands they would like to learn about. A couple gave me ideas for games. A few said they would like to go outside. Oddly enough a lot of students said that the love letter was either their FAVORITE or LEAST FAVORITE writing assignment...huh. Maybe some students thought it was a little embarrassing.

I suppose that's all for now.

Love!
Stephanie

My first semester is winding down...

Things are both more and less busy right now.

Teaching classes is easier since the students are mostly studying and reviewing for their finals which start tomorrow. I've been playing games or teaching them songs in class. However, very shortly I will have another STACK of final papers to read. Thinking back on all those midterms I had to read makes me shudder. Ah well...one last hurdle before break.

Yesterday in class I noticed a student was using their cell phone under their desk. Rather than take it away I tried to convey to them how OBVIOUS it is when they use a cell phone in class. I took the girl's cell phone and asked her to stand in front of the class as though she was teaching. I sat in her seat and looked down at her phone as though I was using it. Do they really think they are invisible two feet in front of me in a class of 15 students?

The school doesn't require it of me, but I asked my students to fill out evaluation sheets for me. I wanted to know what they felt about my class and about me as a teacher. I asked them not to put their names on them so they could feel comfortable saying things they didn't like. I think I will probably make a post with all the nice things my students said about me. It would be nice to have a look back on when I am feeling like a crummy teacher. Oddly enough, some students asked for harder tests and more work in class. One student even said I should be more strict. How is that for a sign that I'm too easy as a teacher!

I have to invigilate one final on Tuesday and one on Thursday. I have to sit and watch the students study for two classes on Tuesday and two classes on Thursday. Wednesday I have nothing...Friday through Sunday...grading papers! Whoo!

I am a little worried about Harbin. I looked on weather.com and last week it got as low as -17F. OH DEAR. This week I am going to take a trip to Decathalon (the sports store) to get myself some boots, a good hat, thick socks, and maybe some thin gloves to wear under my other gloves...

I can't believe that I am coming home to visit in just 16 more days. Time seems to move so quickly now.

Anyway, off to my last class of the day.

Love!
Steph

Christmas Stuffs

I finally got around to making this video...

Suzhou Pictures!

I finally put my pictures up from Suzhou.

Here are a few previews:



The rest are on Facebook and can be found HERE and HERE.

New Year's Eve

So I had a few choices of what to do for New Year's Eve.

First, Lucy invited me to go with her and her friends to Suzhou. Since I just went to Suzhou last weekend I decided not to. Zeno also invited me to go with her to her church for a choir performance. I'm not a religious person and thought I might feel a little awkward so I declined. I was invited on facebook to go to the "I <3 Shanghai" bar for their "Halloween on New Year's Eve" party, but I went there for the real Halloween and only have my jester costume. I also wanted to do something more traditionally Chinese since I won't be in China for the Chinese New Year (January 26th...just FYI).

I took a look on the City Weekend website and found out about the Longhua Temple. It's the largest and most complete Buddhist temple in Shanghai and is famous for it's 3-ton bell. The tradition on New Year's Even is to ring the bell 108 times (108 is a really luck number in Chinese). They also have a celebration with fireworks and a dragon dance and such. So I decided to go there.

Zeno warned me that it was going to be super crowded so I decided not to bring my bag. In big crowds it always seems to get caught in a wave of people. I'm glad I decided not to bring it! And not because of the temple! I headed out early so I decided to get off the subway at Nanjing Road East since I still have not been to the Bund. (I swear I am going to be like those people that live in NYC all their life and never go to the Statue of Liberty.) I ended up walking the wrong way and ended up at People's Square. It was CROWDED. Like...if I had seen that my first week here in Shanghai I think I would have run in the other direction screaming and crying. No exaggeration at all...if I had stopped walking forward I would have been lifted by the sheer force of people. In comparison, the temple was deserted. I'm still glad I stopped there though. It was kind of fun to see the crowds there. There were tons of young people buying glowing horns or fuzzy hat that looked like cow heads. All celebrating the Chinese year of the Ox.

I took the subway from People's Square to a road near the temple, then took a short taxi ride to the entrance. The first thing I saw was this lovely lit up pagoda outside the entrance.

There were already fireworks going off. There were tons of scalpers (or "huangniu" if you remember from my post about the Jazz concert ;-) ) selling tickets. I got a bit worried since I didn't know you needed tickets. I thought I was going to have to deal with one of the scalpers and get some outrageous price for being a foreigner. Then I walked past the ticket booth. Haha.

I really want to go back to the temple during the day and during a normal weekend when I am sure it will be less crowded (although it wasn't as bad as I feared and no where NEAR as bad as People's Square). The temple was beautiful. There was one hall that was full of hundreds of small golden Buddhas. I didn't see any signs saying pictures weren't allowed but just to be safe I didn't take any inside of the buildings. Besides there were people praying and I thought it would be rude. If I go back and find I can take pictures I will to show you guys because the insides of the temples were lovely. There were giant braziers filled with burning incense. My jacket still smells like incense and firecracker smoke. I love this picture.
After I walked all around the temple I went back to the front where the main event was happening. They announced the 108 people who were going to ring the bell before midnight. The video screen at the bottom right of the next picture shows the procession of people ringing the bell.
After midnight struck I turned around a snapped this picture of the fireworks going off right outside the temple.
Then there was a dragon dance. This was the best picture I could get. I took some video too that I will put up later.
When I walked out of the temple there were people burning incense in little fires all over the place.
There were also people writing wishes onto ribbons and either tying them on to or throwing them into a tree outside the temple. I tried to take a picture of it but they all came out looking like fuzzy orange blobs.

There were an insane amount of firecrackers going off. At one point a wave of smoke that looked like a scene out of the movie "The Fog" rolled over and past me. I had to breath through my scarf until the air cleared and I could see again. Take a look at this picture. All that red stuff you see is the remains of firecrackers.
After all that I wandered a bit looking for a cab. I figured it would take a very long time so I was surprised when it only took me about ten minutes to get one. I happened to be walking past an apartment complex and some guy was getting out. I hovered around the cab until he paid and I snatched the cab before someone else could come along.

When I got back to school the gate was locked and the guard was asleep. Usually just the latch is locked and I figured out long ago how to reach my arm through the bars and undo it. This time there was a chain around the door and it was padlocked. The guard was asleep in the guard shack with the door closed. I felt bad but I was cold and tired and I had no choice but to slam/shake the gate over and over again until he woke up and let me in. I wished him a happy new year "xinnian kuaile!" and then went back to my apartment.

And that was my semi exciting New Year's Eve!

Just a side note. I think this is funny and I want to share it with all of you. By the time I finish explaining it, it won't be funny anymore. Oh well. The Chinese year of 2009 is the year of the Ox. Ox in Chinese is pronounced "niu" which sounds like "new". Sooo...I can say to people..."Happy Niu Year!".

Ahahahaha!

I amuse myself.

Happy Niu Year!
-Stephanie