Chapter Books and Chicken Heads

Well, I'm back in China and it doesn't really feel like I ever left.  Is that how can you tell whether something feels like home?  The big difference is that I've said goodbye to the dirty, spit-soaked streets and hazy skies of Wuhan and hello to the relatively cleaner streets and blue skies of Dalian.  Dalian is located on a peninsula in north-eastern China right next to the Korean peninsula.  This city has an entirely different feel than Wuhan.  I don't notice as many people staring at me for one.  If you know me at all you know that I'm not one to crave or thrive off attention.  In this respect, Dalian is a welcome change.  Being pointed at or having my picture taken (willingly or not) was practically a daily occurrence back in the 'Han.  It's only happened here once so far and it was by a kid whose mom asked to have his picture taken with me.  I don't mind taking pictures with people as long as they do me the favour of asking first.  I know it made that kid and his mom pretty happy and he probably told all his friends the next day that he met a foreigner and got a picture.

I started work at the Dalian Maple Leaf Foreign Nationals School today.  I'll be teaching an ELL (English Language Learner) class to students from grades 4-9.  What's the difference between ESL and ELL you ask?  The term ESL assumes that these students come to school only knowing one language and that English will be their second.  However, for many of them it's simply not the case and English will be their third, fourth, or perhaps fifth language.  Their language levels are still being assessed so I don't know exactly how many I'll have, but I should find out tomorrow.  I believe I'll be teaching lower level kids which can mean everything from a basic grasp of English to knowing nothing at all.  I must admit I'm quite nervous as this is my first real teaching job, but I have confidence in my abilities.  I know that at this moment I'm in the right place and am doing what I should be.  It's a two year contract and I'm excited to see what God has in store for me over that time.

This is already getting long for an introductory post so I'll just leave you with some pictures for now (sorry about the poor quality).  Feel free to leave a comment.  If you prefer to mail me using pen and paper instead of electronically here's where I can be reached:

Shane Krahn

c/o Dalian Maple Leaf Foreign Nationals School

104 Shengli Road, Xigang District

Dalian, China

116021

Listening to: Sigur Ros - Kveikur

View from the bus stop next to my building.

Sometimes when you mean to order chicken wings you get a head instead :)

Bowling?!?!  In China!?!?

Probably my best score ever.  You'll notice that my scores drop significantly after the 7th frame.  This is because I slipped on my first throw of the 8th and severely pulled my hamstring.  All good now though.  I had a shot at 200.  Shame.

Apparently this makes me a professional now.

The fridge in my apartment.

Olympic Square

Amazing spicy, fried noodles with clams.

My building.  I'm on the 8th floor.

The front door and plaque of the school where I work.