Hey Hey and a Big G'Day toya,

Ho! Ho! Ho!
What did you call me!
Eighteen separate classes each week.
So last night I attended nineteen different parties!

Christmas Eve began with a big dinner with some of the teachers, the Head Master and the guy that owns the school. We then headed back and spent the evening munching on candy, peanuts, watermelon seeds and some of the biggest apples I’ve ever seen. Each class held their own Christmas Party in their classroom and yesterday came up with a list of fun activities they all wanted to do.

It turned out to be an amazing evening!

This week in class we are playing games while I try to explain that in the west reindeer's and sleighs fly and at the same time carry a really big fat man and an entire world full of presents. They stop at each house and the big fat man somehow fits down your chimney which surprises most families as most people now days don’t actually have one. He then unloads a handful of presents, leaves them under the Christmas tree and prior to climbing back up the chimney, he raids the fridge and drinks all of the family’s beer.  

And he does this for all of the world’s children!

For some reason I don’t think they believe any part of the story and I don’t think it’s because a really fat man can’t actually squeeze up and down a chimney whether it actually exists or not. I have a hunch that it maybe or even could be that none of my students nor their friends or their friends friend’s etc have ever woken to find a hand full of free presents left in their lounge room by someone they don’t know.

Or it could be because I tell them it’s just a story at the beginning of the lesson but as we answer questions and jump from one side of the room to the other I introduce more Christmas words and add it to the story board….they love it!

As for New Year? No idea actually.
As far as I know I have five days off.

But…sometime over the weekend (still unsure when) we are having the end of (Western) year school performance and as I practically teach every student in the school up to Grade 9, I really REALLY don’t want to miss it. Also I have to put my saving boots on as for the first time in eight years I actually have concrete plans for my month holiday over Chinese New Year (Spring Festival). My buddy Judy (who taught in Tiandong when I taught in Tianyang 2005/2006) already has tickets to leave the land down under, cross the big blue and land on Tropical Hainan Island where we will spend a wonderful two weeks in a friends beach front apartment in Sanya city.

Life really is pretty tough over here mate!

Happy Christmas to my family, friends, fellow bloggers and readers and here is a Christmas Card for each and every one of you to enjoy (thanks Mar & Par).
Click here for your card. 

Beers N Noodles toya…..shane
PS: Thanks for the chocolates Jude, you’re a bloody marvel!
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The soundtrack to this entry was by Jazzhead
The album was 'Ears For Civil Engines’
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