Chinese Dumpling Dinner with TEFL Class at HU

Rolling the wrappers

Preparing the filling

Making the dumplings

So pretty!

Delicious!! The TEFL class participants from Liaocheng invited Matt and Shoshannah for a traditional northern Chinese dinner of pork and cabbage dumplings

TEFL Class Visits the 4H Fair!

Julie Hendryx introduces her goats and explains the four H's of 4-H.

Petting the biggest rabbit they've ever seen!

HU Institute for TESOL and Tong Sheng Hu Experimental School in Changsha

I was able to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Friday morning for Huntington University's Institute for TESOL Studies to work with Tong Sheng Hu Experimental School in Changsha, Hunan Province.  Now we're back in Hong Kong ready to fly home tomorrow morning.  It's been a long and productive six weeks.  For those of you still reading, thanks for sticking with the blog until the very end! - Luke

The express train to Changsha

Luke M and I took the express train to Changsha on Thursday to meet with Alex Zhang from the Tong Shen Hu Experimental School to discuss partnership agreements between our two schools.  The train topped out at 311 kph - about 200 mph.  Negotiations are going equally fast, and it looks like we'll be signing some sort of agreement this morning!  -  Luke F

Great friendships

So many friendships made in the last few weeks with such wonderful people. - Megan

Saying Goodbye to Megan. Megan needs to get back to Huntington for RA training.

Luke with Jumbo He and Mr. Zhang - two of his oldest friends in China

Goofing around after the official camp photo!

The erhu and more old friends

Three students play the erhu - a two-stringed Chinese instrument.  They were part of a rather impromptu talent show that turned out to be a ton of affirming fun.

This is Umbrella.  Her English name was Kelly when she attended the Doumen camp back in 2009. She remembers having Audrey as a teacher, and she remembers many of our other regular team members.  It was fun to connect with her during a few free minutes this evening. - Luke

Swing - Line Dance Party

Two of our students posing during our swing dance/line dance party this evening.  A blast . . . a hot blast! (Temps in Zhuhai are low 80s at night and upper 80s during the day - the humidity matches the temp.)

Free talk and friends

Luke M and Megan leading a free talk session on the stairs of one of the academic buildings.  It's not too hot here in the evenings, and the students enjoyed the change of scenery.

Our HU team with Kitten, a university-aged helper that has been one of our campers in Doumen over the years.  

Zhuhai Camp - long days . . .

Big day!  Long day!  Hot!  The team was talking after the day, saying things like, "Well, we burned off our lunch calories."  Another said, "We burned off any calories we'll eat tomorrow too."  This was topped by Kaleb who summed it up with, "I think I burned off my children's calories."  (Kaleb is 19 and doesn't have kids.)  All energy . . . all day!   

Afternoon writing relay.

Courtney with her host family "sister" - Savannah.  

Kaleb at our outdoor game night.

About the Zhuhai Camp

The Zhuhai Senior High Camp is in full swing.  For the next eight days, we'll have three sessions a day - starting at 9:00 AM and ending at 10:00 PM. We have 75 high school sophomores in the camp at Zhuhai #1.  Seems like a pretty high caliber group. Our closing day, Wednesday the 13th, we'll be done at noon and then heading to Guangzhou for the team to fly out. - Luke

 Students wearing their Norm shirts and enjoying the first full day of English Camp in Zhuhai.

Janiece's Group name is "Mentos & Coke."

A facebook post by Ashley

Missing my favorite primary English teachers!!! - Ashley Burson with Audrey Fetters

Zhuhai Camp Opening Night!!

The Zhuhai team preparing for High School Camp

Luke is heading up a team of six HU students for a Senior High English Camp at Zhuhai #1 high school.

The HU team enjoys karaoke

The Huntington students had a very fun night out last week with some of the Doumen camp helpers! They took us Karaoking and out to dinner. We sang songs in English, Chinese, and Korean! 

TEFL Course Farewell

All 19 of our TEFL course participants completed the course, shared what they had learned through skits and poems, received their certificates, and celebrated with cake together Friday afternoon. It was a bittersweet afternoon with feelings of accomplishment quickly followed by tearful goodbyes.

Ready to Go!

The Doumen team arrived in Zhongshan this afternoon.  We enjoyed dinner together, and tomorrow we head out!

Zhongshan farewell

We cherished having a few final chances to interact with teachers from the training when we visited their schools.

Zhongshan

Photos from our Saturday morning outing to the countryside school where Rose (training participant) teaches…

Zhongshan

During our Saturday morning outing, our third stop was at a countryside primary school where one of the teachers from the training, Rose, teaches.  After touring the facility, they shared a refreshing snack with us in their garden area.

Zhongshan

The third stop on our outing with Mr. Pan was to a countryside primary school where one of the primary teachers from the training, Rose, teaches.  She, along with her principal and a few other colleagues, gave us a tour of the school.