Correction: We ARE going to Hubei

So, for a while now we haven't been sure what is supposed to happen with us. But the word is in and we are officially heading off to Macheng, Hubei tomorrow morning! Here is the plan:

Meet up with the Yew Wah students in the early morning
Hope a 6 hour bullet train to Hubei
Arrive in the afternoon and settle into the hotel
Meet with the local English teachers
Dinner, team building with Yew Wah students
Prepare for the next day

This next camp is supposed to be 200 students strong, which means our 10 teachers will each have 2 Yew Wah helpers and 20 students to control. The students are supposed to be older elementary schoolers, but speak about kindergarten level English, so we'll need all the translation help we can get. We'll be teaching in a pretty neat little school, but we'll have blackboards and wooden desks to contend with, so hopefully we can clear out or rearrange the rooms before the students come. We're bringing all of our drama, sports, and English stuff with us, so it will be quite the train ride, I think.

http://www.sacu.org/provmap.html

For those who aren't aware, Hubei is near the center of China. Okay, maybe not in the geographical center, but it is pretty well in the middle of the populated region of China. Much of what is in the Western portion of China is dessert, which explains why the provinces out there are so expansive and why much of the nation's people live in the eastern and middle region.

I won't be doing much teaching out in Hubei, but I'll still be keeping busy! I'll be acting along with Media as the intermediaries for the Witt kids and the local teachers, making sure that we are providing what they expect for the kids and that everything is going smoothly. I hope that everything does!

After that camp, we'll have a little time off, and it looks like I'll be off to the panda reserves and a national park in that area. Here is what I'm interested in: pandas and park. I'm working out the details about travel and trains with Media now, since I'll be going on my own. However, I'd like to say right now that I will be fine! Will people please stop making such a big deal about this? I'm going to well protected areas in well know cities and I'll be bringing my laptop and making daily updates, so please stop acting like I've never traveled alone before. Everyone keeps giving me this, "You're going by yourself? Are you sure you'll be alright? Remember to be safe!" As if traveling alone suddenly removes all of my memory of how to be safe and protect myself and my belongings? I appreciate the concern, but I've already heard it, so not every person I speak with has to express their worry for my wellbeing.

As for seeing the Great Wall, I do not think that I will be able do it within the next week, but I will try to do something before I leave. If not now, I can always come back on vacation when I work in Japan. I should go to buy apples soon, but I'll try to fill in the blanks later. I'll stay in tonight most likely, so expect a lot of posts!