The day before Orientation started we did get a chance to check out the Nanjing Massacre Memorial...it was very sobering to see. The Memorial was very well put together and was a reminder of how ugly history could be.
Each stone represents a person who fell victim to the massacre
Beautiful room for reflection
All together 300,000 innocent people were victims. The statue of the woman at the top was a Chinese American missionary who wrote a book about what happened in Nanjing called The Raping of Nanjing. Writing the book and the details of the Massacre scarred her so deeply that she committed suicide.
A view from near our hotel in Nanjing
Welcome to Jinan!
We left orientation Thursday afternoon and took the fast rail train to Jinan.
The school is located right in the heart of the city. The tallest building in this city (of 6 million people!) will be 50 stories tall when its finished being constructed (below)
The school has an apartment right across from the main building for foreign teachers so we all live on campus. My apartment is big and its nice to not have to worry about rent...ill put up pictures once I get settled in.
Its nice to be back in a professional, school setting again. The school has a middle school, the high school, and then the international wing where there are 240 students between 3 grade levels. There is a basketball court, tennis courts, ping pong tables, a track, and a soccer field all on campus.
Friday we got settled into our office and our apartments and then starting Saturday we had to come into the office to plan classes. I will be teaching American Studies to the new Senior 1 class (2 classes of 35 kids a day) Even though ill only be teaching 2 classes a day, I must be in the office from 8 AM to 5:40 PM when the last class ends. We do have lunch from 11:30-2 which is kind of nice...but getting done with work at 6 gives me little time to do much.
Jinan is known for its natural Springs. They are not too far from the school so I went down and checked them out...very beautiful!
Im hoping tomorrow I will get a chance to explore a little bit more. Its hard readjusting to a new place that is smaller, less developed, and much more "Chinese" than the last one that I lived in.
Not to mention I work with all guys...I'm in need of some female friends!
Nanjing looks like an interesting city! Jinan too- the Natural Spring look awesome, and it is nice to be in the center of the city. So, are you able to use the track for running at the school or the facilities? Ping Pong : ) Isn't there a University in that city???
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