The last week of October was welcoming, since it brought with it the EID Holiday - where able bodied Muslims make the trek to Mecca , in Saudi Arabia. After much deliberation I decided to head to Sri Lanka, since I was able to get my hands on some cheap airline tickets. It was my first trip travelling solo and I decided to wing it without any planning, or Lonely Planet guide. I was fortunate to have a 22hr layover in Bahrain, en route to Sri Lanka, which I used to hire a driver for the day and explore the dessert.

Bahrain Highlights

- The National museum was closed on the holy day of Friday, so I hired a cab driver to be my tour guide for the day. After an hours drive, we made it to the first oil well on the Arabian side of the Persian Gulf (circa 1931!) . It was interesting to see where it all started and view the industrial mess of an oil field.

- The 'tree of life' was by far the most interesting stop. In the middle of the barren dessert rises a large planet Pandora style 'home tree'. After seeing only low lying grubs and burnt grass in the dessert, the tree was out of place. It is said to be over a 1000years old - it's survival and longevity a testament to the power of nature.

The next morning it was off to the airport to make the trip to Sri Lanka. The flight was the most enjoyable one yet, since a drinking party started at the back of the plane with a group of Westerners. The complimentary drinks kept coming, until the beers, vodka, wine and whisky ran dry. I was invited to join an American and Syrian working out of Qatar on their Sri Lankan tour. They had a private driver, fully booked accommodation and a backpackers thirst to see the 'whole island' during the short 6day stay. All I had to do was show up with my Visa card! After covering over 1500kms (at an average speed of roughly 40km/h) it was the most packed vacation imaginable.

Sri Lanka Highlights

- Sigiriya Rock (UNESCO World Heritage Site) was impressive. It's basically a downsized version of Ayers rock in Australia. On the top of the rock and surrounding it lies the ruins of an ancient kingdom. The most interesting part of its history is that King Kashyapa lived on the top of the rock with his 500 mistresses. During the day he would be carried down from his rock, where he would bathe with his women in one of the many artificial swimming pools. It was basically an early day Playboy mansion, with a moat, drawbridge and fortified rock, to protect the Kings bunnies.

- The Temple of the Tooth in Kandi was worth seeing. It can be described as the Vatican of the Buddhist religion, since it houses the only remaining piece of the Buddha (his tooth!). The tooth was tucked away behind locked doors, so we never got the chance to see it.

- Adams Peak proved to be the most illusive attraction. It took over 5 hours to get to the base of the mountain from Kandi. The mountainous roads we took to get there were extremely poor. To complicate matters, we drove through the tail end of a hurricane, with fallen trees, blocked roads and tangled high tension wires. We planned on climbing to the peak during the night (starting at 2am) and we even purchased gear for the 5000+ step climb. The tropical storm raged all night and we had to abandon the climb. It was unfortunate, but will give me a reason to return to Sri Lanka one day to finish the climb.

- Prices! The civil war in Sri Lanka (Tamil Tigers VS Government forces) only ended in 2009. As a result, the tourism industry is still recoverning. Accommodation, food and transportation costs are quite reasonable - even cheaper than Thailand.

- You can go a full day in the backcountry without seeing other tourists. Even the capital of Colombo has a low numbers of foreigners. Visit while you can - Lonely Planet just ranked Sri Lanka as the #1 travel destination of 2013. The floodgates are about to open and wash much of the authenticity away.

Overall, Sri Lanka was an excellent country to visit and I would highly recommend it to others. Most locals know basic English and run their lives on 'island time'. The country has a rich history stretching back 1000's of years and it is even said to have been the location of the 'Garden of Eden'. It's Buddhist roots and mountainous topography make it a uniquely spiritual land.

A Few Weeks In

There's a popular saying throughout the Muslim world, which is Insha'Allah. Translated it means ‘God Willing’. The Qur'an states that no Muslim should talk about the future without adding a dash of Insha'Allah into the statement. Kuwait seems to run off of 'Gods will'. With 94% of Kuwaitis employed in the government sector (cradle to grave welfare state) you can imagine how slowly the government runs. When do I get my civil ID? In Insha'Allah, it will come. It is all in the plan, Allah says so.

 

As for teaching, it seems every day is a new learning experience. In the classroom I feel like a cross between Cesar Milan and a UN Peace Keeper (Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese, Iranian, Palestinian and Kuwaiti students make up the classroom demographic). On the streets of Hawally (a district I live in), I feel like a displaced refugee circa Gulf War 91'. Garbage, sand and decay blanket the streets, with garbage kitties prowling for chicken snacks wraps. I live in the immigrant section of town and aesthetic beauty seems to be the last thing on the residents and governments minds. It makes the streets of China and Vietnam look like 1st world countries. I'm fortunate to live here though, as food is cheap, the cultures rife and people are friendly.

The collection of co-workers at my school is excellent and I've been pleased with the expat/embassy socials. Time is passing quickly and I look forward to heading to Sri Lanka for a week’s holiday in late October!

Arriving in Kuwait

Downtown Kuwait City

I flew into Kuwait the night of August 25th and was picked up by the schools driver. Orientation started the next morning, so I crashed upon arrival in the new apartment. A year spent living in China and travelling through Southeast Asia did little to prepare me for the rising sun. Prayer speakers blasted at 4:30am in the name of Allah and Islamic world immersion kicked off. By the time I left at 7 to walk to the school, it was already 30degrees. Sand and garbage lined the streets and next to the school lay a complex that was bombed out during the Gulf War. For over 20 years it had sat, bullet encrusted and collecting stray animals – as the neighbourhood went about its usual business. When I finally arrived at the school, it was like reaching an oasis in a sea of decay. Since it's a British International School, they didn't skimp on the facilities - indoor pool, basketball courts, science labs, and a 15foot concrete wall around the property – even though it resembles a jail, it should be a great work environment!

Some observations and inquiries made thus far:

- The car culture in Kuwait puts America to shame. Everyone seems to drive a full size SUV since gas is about 40cents/litre. There's also a reckless disregard for safety, with drivers speeding around like little Mario Andretti's.

- The bulk of the fresh water in Kuwait comes from desalinization plants on the coast of the Persian Gulf. On almost every block there's water taps for drinking water. A good government initiative to keep the low income workers hydrated and in line.

- Foreigners outnumber Kuwaitis 3-1. Gaining Kuwaiti citizenship is next to impossible.

- Every foreigner living in Kuwait is here for one primary purpose: the money. The saying goes “Another day another Dinar.”

- Kuwaitis are among the most privileged citizens in the world. Health care and education (post-secondary included) are free. Taxes are next to nothing, food stamps are distributed regardless of income and government checks are handed out to citizens based on oil revenues. It's not uncommon for a Kuwaiti man to have 6+ children and/or 3 different wives.

- Alcohol is illegal and pork products are banned. There's a lucrative black market for these products, but expect to pay a premium.

- Embassy parties occur frequently and serve liquor. The property belongs to the home countries and are thus outside the 'eye of Allah’ / exempt from Islamic law.

As with any country, adjusting to the culture will take some time. I hope to learn as much as I can about the Middle East and Islam during my stay.

Teaching Review: Sino-Canadian International College (SCIC)

For prospective teachers at SCIC (Sino-Canadian International College) I have composed a brief review of the school.

SCIC 2 - teaching building on bottom right. 

Positives:

- Only 16 teachable hours a week.

- Excellent students who are throughly interested in learning. 

- Behaviour issues in class are minimal. 

- No inspections or class observations by administration. Relatively, stress free classroom environment in which you are free to teach the way you want. 

- Teachers accommodation provided (on campus). The accommodation is quite good by international standards, especially if you get a lakefront flat. 

- Everything you need is on campus (cafeterias, cheap street food, small grocery stores).

- The campus is beautiful, with small manmade lakes and an abundance of green-space.  

- You get your own office, complete with computer. 

- New desktop computers were purchased in 2011 and you can get one for your flat. 

- Fairly decent classrooms, with computer and projector. 

- Great international staff (Americans, Canadians, Aussies, Brits, etc). 

- Abundance of things to do in Nanning. 

- The cost of living is very cheap. A 710ml bottle of Tsingtao beer is 4RMB (75cents). 

Negatives: 

- The pay is low (around 6000RMB or $1000/month). 

- Administration can be a pain at times. They have a way of doing things their way, with little to no staff input. 

- SCIC is a back door entrance to Guangxi University. The students who do not get the grades to get into the regular University system, are given an alternative option. If they fork up the money, they can attend SCIC for two years of English training. Once complete, they will be allowed into the regular University system.

-  Year 1 English teacher = 40 student class. Year 2 English teacher = 80 students. Year 2 content teacher = 200+ students. 

- A 30-40 hr work work week can be expected with marking/planning. 

- The winter is cold. Classrooms are not insulated or heated. It clouds over for 3 months and rains.

- Is not an internationally accredited school. This can make it more difficult when applying to international schools that use Canadian/British/American curriculum. 

Summary  

If you are looking for an amazing cultural experience, look no further. I don't regret a thing about teaching at SCIC - it was an excellent experience! 

If you are chasing dollars, look for work at an International school (Grades KG-12). 

Guiping - Teaching Retreat

Welcome Sign at the High School

Every year the school I teach for sends its teachers on a 3-day retreat to another city in Guangxi Province. The purpose is to conduct English lessons at Chinese high schools and exchange teaching methodologies with the staff. This year we traveled to Guiping, a 'small' Chinese city of 1.8 million, approximately 4 hours Northeast of Nanning - the provincial capital.

Our bus arrived in style to our hotel, with a police escort. The mayor and members of the local communist party were on hand to welcome us to the city. The kind reception we received was a good sign of things to come, as the retreat produced a couple highlights:

1) I have never seen a Chinese high school before, thus an opportunity to teach a lesson at one was met with excitement. Upon arrival me and my colleagues were paired with a Chinese teacher and directed to their classrooms. All of us foreign teachers went in different directions and anticipation built as I heard applause and shouts echoing from behind; a sign that some of my colleagues had made it to their designated classrooms. I came to a large building at the back of the school grounds and was led up several flights of stairs. As I walked down the hallways, classes came to a standstill with students cheering and climbing over each other for a better look. After the dramatic entrance, I arrived in the classroom and the students excitement was like nothing I have ever seen. Clapping, screaming and a pair of students grabbing each other and shaking violently to top it off! It was as if a skid of Red Bull and Skittles had been airdropped into the classroom. It's something I will always remember, given that I'll probably never experience it again.

Overall the lesson was a great success as we talked about Canada, sang songs and showed each other our 'special abilities'. One student sang a Lady Gaga tune, one flexed his pecks back and forth like 'The Rock' and one even gave me an English beat box welcome. They were surprisingly well behaved (there were 89 students in the class!) and were very keen when it came to learning about North America. Many of the students come from a low socioeconomic background and have probably never seen a Westerner before (up close), which explains much of the excitement. They are also in school 7 days a week, from 7AM - 10PM and live in dormitories on the school grounds. I imagine that my lesson was a much needed break from the strenuous lifestyle of a Chinese high school student.

A Lazy Susan, Within a Lazy Susan, Within a Lazy Susan

2) Our hosts treated us well during our stay in Guiping, especially when it came to the meals. Extravagant food was served (mainly meat dishes), with a dozen courses for most meals. Private dinner rooms were rented for the occasion, which came equipped with motorized Lazy Susan's (especially helpful for the 22 person round table), washrooms, a bar and lounge seating. It's customary at formal dinners to toast all guests, whether in groups or individually. Around half of the toasts ended with 'Gam' which is the same as saying 'Cheers'. Meanwhile, 'Gambei' (dry cup) was uttered for the other half, which means that you are expected to chug your drink. Copious amounts of red wine was served, with Baijiu (40-60% rice liquor) reserved for communal toasts. Opposing tables are sometimes matched (and wagered) against one another, to see who can 'outdrink - outlast - outplay'. Like it or not, the Chinese will argue that this is a part of their culture and those that don't participate, risk being ostracized.

Overall, the trip was a culturally enriching experience and I was able to educate students on the English language, along with the home country of Canada - which I love so much!

The Beautiful 'Li River'

Karst Mountain Landscape - Li River

During the application process for my teaching position in Nanning, I did some research about the area. Google image searches for 'Guangxi Province' turned up countless photos of the famous 'Li River' in Guilin. I had seen the area before, as it is probably the most famous scenery in China, next to the Great Wall. If you go to a local Chinese buffet, you are bound to see a painting (cheap reproduction) of the Li River landscape. Its beauty has inspired artists for thousands of years and it attracts hordes of tourists every year.

I have done little travel in China thus far, choosing instead to head south to Vietnam and Thailand. The main reason behind this is:

A) Since I work in China, my holidays align with Chinese holidays. This means that in order to escape the mass migration (Spring Festival being the largest annual human migration in the world), you must exodus the country. With over 1.3 Billion people, the last place you want to be on the holidays is cramped on a Chinese train. Tickets are hard to come by, they sell more then there are seats, every washroom turns into a horror scene within an hour and survival of the fittest reigns supreme. You are also taking your chances when it comes to visiting popular tourist destinations (overcrowding). Keep in mind that when the Chinese travel, they tend to bring the 'whole' family along – Children – Parents -Aunts – Uncles – and Grandparents from both sides.

Cruising Around Yangshuo

B) China is a fairly new tourist destination, having only really opened up to the outside world in the early 1980's. As a result, tourism is not as developed as you would find in other Eastern Asian countries (excluding North Korea!). English is also relatively non-existent outside of major metropolis centers and Lonely Planet destinations.

To the gratification of my students, I chose to head North, to Guilin and Yangshuo for the week long tomb-sweeping holiday. Highlights of the trip included:

- Taking a cruise up the Li River to Yangshuo. The cruise lasts about 5 hours, lunch is included and the second level of the boat is open for taking pictures. The boat power hauls it upstream, in formation with a dozen other cruise ships.

- Traveling to the famous rice terraces of Longsheng. They are unique in that they are situated in the mountains, at elevations ranging from 380-880 metres.

Rice Terraces of Longsheng

Crowded Streets of Yangshuo

Li River Cruise

- Spending the majority of the trip in the town of Yangshuo. The tourist section is a throw back to classical Chinese architecture, cars are forbidden and there are many unique stores/restaurants. I was surprised by the number of foreign tourists in Yangshuo, the number of foreign owned businesses and the amount of English. The town is a major tourist trap, but a must see! 

A Month in Thailand

Elephant Riding East of Bangkok

After my final marks were submitted it was off to the Nanning Airport to greet my father. We decided to spend a few days in Nanning, before moving on to greener (and sunnier) pastures in Thailand on January 14th. This is my fathers first year as a retired teacher and it was a pleasure to show him around my stomping grounds. The first few days in China are always the biggest eye openers, as you have to adjust to chopsticks, the lack of traffic laws and curious stares. One of the benefits of working in China is that during Chinese New Year or ‘Spring Festival’, the country basically shuts down. Most Chinese have about seven days off from work, while students and teachers have a full month. Many Chinese cities turn into Baghdad during the festival, as fireworks are shot off to scare away the evil spirits. Most of these fireworks wouldn’t make it past customs in the West due to amount of powder they pack. After a farewell party with coworkers, it was off to Bangkok. Instead of declaring my love for Thailand in a 3000 word essay, I will list 10 reasons why the country is a must-see travel destination!

1) ‘Sanuk’! This is Thai for ‘make fun’. Thais approach life with this attitude, including work. They don’t see the point of doing something if you can’t have a little fun. I have never seen so many smiles in my life. There is an obvious reason why the Thai smile is famous…they practice it constantly on a daily basis! 

Practicing the ‘Wai’ at Crystal Cave Temple

2) The party atmosphere in Thailand is something to behold. There is no other destination in the world that can hold a candle to ‘Walking Street’ in Pattaya. Picture one big bachelor party with 15,000 people packed into one street. The American soldiers were initially responsible for transforming Pattaya into the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah. During the Vietnam War they flocked to Thailand for some R&R and with them came the dollars that transformed the economy into one which is 'service' based.


3) A free 30 day travel VISA is provided upon arrival (by air). If you are travelling anywhere else (China, Vietnam, Cambodia), you need to get a VISA beforehand.

4) Thai food is excellent, especially the seafood. The price is also affordable averaging $5-10 for a meal (including alcoholic beverage). Because the country is so westernized, expect to find American style breakfasts and all of the fast food restaurants you would back home. 

5) The beaches in Thailand are some of the best in the world! After reading ‘The Beach’ by Alex Garland in high school and watching the movie, it was a dream come true to walk the sands of Maya Bay (which is situated on a deserted island, with National Park status). Unfortunately the popularity of both has meant that hordes of tourists (1000+), descend upon the small bay every day. However, the crowds can be avoided by signing up for a camping trip to the island. The trip reaches capacity at 20 and from 5PM – 9AM the island remains in splendid isolation.  

Scuba Diving in Ko Phi Phi

6) Thailand has some of the best scuba diving sites in the world. A full day of diving will only run you around $120. Visibility is absolutely amazing, ranging from 20-30 meters at times. Sea cucumbers are also ripe for the picking!

7) Because it is a backpacker’s paradise, expect to meet new and interesting people from around the world. The further you get off the ‘regular tourist path’, the better. Try renting a motorcycle ($5 a day) and take a back round. 

8) The National sport in Thailand is Muay Thai. The fights are a must see and are quick, lasting only 5 rounds. Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok seats 9,500 and they are one of the few places where gambling is permitted. It looks and sounds like you are on the floor of the New York stock exchange, just with the addition of beer and Van Damme tiger kicks. 

9) Roughly 95% of the Thai population is Buddhist. The ‘wai’ or Thai greeting is widespread and is deeply routed with the Buddhist faith. Visiting wats and temples in Thailand is both a spiritually enlightening and educational experience. Since all living things are welcome at these holy sites, expect to see all kinds of animals. Tiger Temple, east of Bangkok is probably the most famous, with around 100 tigers. Initially I was against seeing tigers chained up and seemingly drugged (which they aren’t), while tourists flooded in for photos. The reality is that their natural habitats have been destroyed and without sanctuaries like Tiger Temple, they wouldn’t be alive. For three hours a day the most people friendly tigers are chained up during their siestas and tourists are guided from tiger to tiger for photos. Most of the tigers have been handled by humans since they were cubs and actually enjoy getting a back rub during 3 of their 20 rest hours a day. Afterword’s if you pay an extra $15, you get put into a cage and get to watch the tigers snap out of their siesta and play fight. A chance to walk one of the tigers is also provided! As with most people I would rather see tigers in their natural state in the wild. It is good to see that admission costs are being used to care for the tigers and construct a larger sanctuary which will allow the animals to live an 'almost' natural environment. 

Ko Phi Phi Leh

10) I have to include shopping on this list. For $120 you can get a tailor-made suite, which would easily cost $800+ back home. The Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok is massive, with over 200,000 visitors a day. Khaosan Road also offers plenty of $3 tea shirts, $5 board shorts, Ray Band glasses, $30 Rolex watches and everything short of firearms for weaponry. Bargaining is a must as most foreigners are seen as a walking wallet. It is an exciting sport, the more emotion you can toss in the better! Treat everything as a 50% off Boxing Day sale. You should never feel bad when it comes to bargaining, as they wouldn’t sell it to you at a loss. If anything the shop keeper will respect you more for not devaluing the Thai currency and tossing it around like monopoly money.

I will never forget Thailand and the one month father/son trip across its lands. It was quite the change returning to overcast and rainy 10 degree weather. I heard from coworkers who stayed in Nanning that the sun had not shown itself since we left. Semester two has started at the University and its smooth sailing from now until July when I return to Canada.
 

Chinese Dormitory Living - A Students Perspective

The College's 10th Anniversary Celebration

It has been over a month and a half since my last update. Time passes quickly here without the seasonal changes that one is accustomed to back home in Canada. Although Santa failed to deliver snow to this part of the world (it has not snowed in Nanning since 1996), we are still in 'winter' mode here. The temperature ranges from 4-18°C, from the months of November-March. After going to school in Thunder Bay for five years, you would think these digits would be tropical in nature. The problem with lower temperatures here are the ways in which buildings are constructed. Forget timber frames, insulation and drywall, everything is made out of concrete with rebar veins throughout (floors, walls and ceilings). In the winter months these concrete 'bunkers' absorb the cold and are difficult to heat. I am fortunate that the AC units of my apartment also act as heaters. Unfortunately, the same does not hold true with the classrooms. Expect to teach in a coat for a few months!

Every week my students are given a topic for a journal writing assignment. The good thing about these assignments (besides improving their English literacy) is that I can have them write about something I want to learn more about. Opinion pieces act as a deterrent to plagiarism and they can give you an insiders perspective of Chinese culture and life, through the eyes of a first year University student. Since many of you reading this have experienced dormitory life in Canada, I will give an outline of what it is like to live in a Chinese dormitory (according to my students).

Student Dorm Room - 8 Person

Chinese Dormitory:

- Campus Internet speeds are comparable to dial-up. The Internet also gets shut down at 1AM (World of Warcraft players beware).

- There are between 4-8 students per room, usually with one washroom. Scheduling bathroom time can prove difficult when you share many of the same classes with your roommates. The rooms are small and bunk-beds line the walls.

- If you are not back into your dorm by 11PM, you are locked out by the guard.

- Hot water is only operational (in the female dorms) between 5-8PM. The male dorms do not have hot water heaters and students must endure the cold water. Screams can be heard in the morning from the cold water showers!

- Dorms are segregated by the sexes (male and female dorms). Guards are posted around the clock and visitations by the opposite sex are prohibited.

Some Rooms Do Not Come With Desks - Improvise!

- No cooking is allowed in the dorms due to fire hazards.

- Most students are already accustomed to dorm style living by the time they enter a post-secondary school. Boarding schools are common place in China, especially at the secondary school level. It is not uncommon to share a room with 9-15 other students at these institutions. 

- Many Chinese parents want their children to attend a boarding school, or live in a dormitory. Due to China's 'One Child' policy, many children grow up without siblings. Things like interacting with peers, selflessness and sharing is lacking for some 'only children'. The fact that most children are also raised by their grandparents while their parents work, does not help the situation. The term 'little emperor' is used to describe a spoiled male child, with no siblings.

All Space is Used

- There are no washing machines, unless you want to carry your clothes across campus and pay a high price to use a washer and dryer. The majority of students wash their clothes by hand, which is very time consuming.

- During the summer months, some of the students sleep on the dorm roof because of the heat.

- Living in a dorm costs around 800RMB per year ($125CDN). Utilities not included.

Although the accommodation is rough, even by Chinese standards, there is not a single student in my class who regrets their decision to live in the dormitory. After all, what doesn't break you, only makes you stronger!