(Spoiled Laura)
Today we had a banquet at a nice restaurant with our partner Chinese teachers. These are the Chinese English teachers who teach our classes English year-round - we are the compliments to their curriculum. My partner teacher, Barrel (yeah, that’s her name), was telling me about how most of them live on campus in teacher dorms. That sounds alright, doesn’t it? Teacher dorms - there’s probably a nice lounge area for doing your marking, separate rooms and most certainly there would be heat. After all, you must keep your teachers happy. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Barrel, like all of the other teachers in these dorms, shares a bedroom with another girl. If they need to use the washroom they must walk to our office building and use the communal toilet that we all use during the day! Shower time? To have a shower they’ve got to walk in the freezing cold to the communal shower building and shower where all the students shower! And they still have to pay to live there!!
I’m continually reminded here of how cushy my life is in Kaifeng compared to pretty much everyone else. When I arrive back home after work, my bed is made, new towels are hung and sometimes the cleaner even does my dishes! I have my own washroom, TV (not that I understand what’s on it), microwave, fridge and hot water supply. Now if only someone would do my laundry…. Joking.
Today we had a banquet at a nice restaurant with our partner Chinese teachers. These are the Chinese English teachers who teach our classes English year-round - we are the compliments to their curriculum. My partner teacher, Barrel (yeah, that’s her name), was telling me about how most of them live on campus in teacher dorms. That sounds alright, doesn’t it? Teacher dorms - there’s probably a nice lounge area for doing your marking, separate rooms and most certainly there would be heat. After all, you must keep your teachers happy. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Barrel, like all of the other teachers in these dorms, shares a bedroom with another girl. If they need to use the washroom they must walk to our office building and use the communal toilet that we all use during the day! Shower time? To have a shower they’ve got to walk in the freezing cold to the communal shower building and shower where all the students shower! And they still have to pay to live there!!
I’m continually reminded here of how cushy my life is in Kaifeng compared to pretty much everyone else. When I arrive back home after work, my bed is made, new towels are hung and sometimes the cleaner even does my dishes! I have my own washroom, TV (not that I understand what’s on it), microwave, fridge and hot water supply. Now if only someone would do my laundry…. Joking.
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