Ni Hao

That's chinese for hello or literally - you see. There should be some tonal marks on ni hao but I don't know how to type them. Last night I started chinese lessons. The vocabulary was easy enough most of the words I have already heard and even used. We did however spend a lot of time on pronounciation of letters and the tones and that's the hard part. Mon. and Thurs. nights I'll be working away along with Emma who is from Australia and arrived when I did. Melissa who is also from Australia but been here for a year will be joining us.
When I'm typing this I can never remember what I have already told you so sorry if I repeat myself. I joined the gym in my apartment complex and so far have gone swimming every day after work. I have also started using the treadmill. You'd think I'd be losing weight here between the sweating, walking everywhere, going up and down steps all day and swimming but no not an ounce.
My brother John tried to comment to me on the blog but was not able to even though he registered or tried to. Has anyone else had problems? If so e-mail me at cathybarrie@yahoo.ca
Work is going well. We are starting portfolios on the children and tomorrow we will have an in-service about them since it is a new concept to most of the teachers. I think the aforementioned Melissa and I are the only real ECE's. Everyone else has a teaching degree and some of them I wonder if they are just here because they couldn't get a job back home. I know one woman from England who has actually been here for a number of years teaching in a variety of international schools has had problems in her previous jobs and this is the first time she has taught younger than grade one. I believe last year she taught grade 6. She does not get emergent curriculum. Speaking of work it's time for me to get started. Zhijian. Goodbye