keep health

the past week or so we've been talking about health in class... and it's been a lot more exciting and interesting than i thought! :)

some of my favorite highlights from teaching about it is introducing new vocabulary, like diarrhea and constipation, and reading their journals about some of their interesting health experiences! here's a few of my favorites that made me smile or laugh...

"As far as I'm concerned, if I had a fever or a cough, I will eat more hot water and do more exercises" (hot water is the cure for everything in China!)

"Once upon a time, I have been sick in the hospital..." (like a fairy tale eh?)

"...maybe squeeze with my brother in a small dormitry bed, is easy to let you get sick" (hahaha i'm still trying to figure that one out, but i think he meant to say "spoon" with his roommate in bed because they get so cold sometimes, poor students!)

and this one is a sentence with the new vocab word- scratch

"I want to scratch myself in the large sofa."

ohhhh the humors and mistranslations of a 2nd language! :) at least it keeps my job interesting and full of surprises hehe...

speaking of health- please think of my roommate Laura's health... it's no fun to be sick... but ESPECIALLY while teaching in China! please ask for healing, strength, and encouragement- thank you!!

hit or miss... and dental floss

Here's a picture of a fairly successful grocery store trip- brown eggs, bags of milk, chinese chewy chips ahoy, lettuce, and a ripped banana. haha


finding things in a local grocery store or even walmart is often a "hit or miss" experience. they either something one day and not the next day... so it's an adventure trying to have a successful shopping experience :)

some items that are not guaranteed in a big walmart like supermarket: ground beef, cereal (usually just one kind or two if you're lucky!), strawberries, spaghetti sauce, lettuce, asparagus, dental floss, and so on...

speaking of dental floss...

i was going to purchase some more so that all my 150 students could try it this week during our health lessons- but sadly, there was not enough. so instead i only brought the one thing of dental floss i had to class today... we talked about going to the doctors and then i asked them if they have ever been to the dentist. out of 42 students only about 5 of them raised their hands, then i pulled out my dental floss thing and wrote it on the board. they looked in confusion as to what i was holding... a few of them guessed it was medicine but they were wrong. then i pulled out a few inches of the dental floss and tried to explain why we use it and how to use it. i demonstrated flossing my teeth and trying not to laugh as they stared intently... then i asked if anyone would like to try it but it was silent. after about 5 more times of offering it to any brave soul to try it- one student timidly raised his hand and immediately hands were popping up in the air like daisies to try it! i only gave a sample floss string to a few students and told them not to share it or keep it after they were done. their responses were my favorite, one said- "i want to find this and buy it for all my dormmates!" another said- "hao chi!" (which means, tastes good!) hahaha.. i definitely look forward to teaching my next 3 classes about floss and hopefully they can have luck and find it in the stores one day :)