Oy.....
Chinese students are a very serious lot. They study all the time. When they don't study, they sleep. Any remaining time is split equally between computers, TV and eating. You can imagine the culture shock for them to be studying in New Zealand. They do nothing. Their idea of a good time is sleeping- and I don't mean with someone. (Not that they'd mind)

There was a bit of a culture shock for me in teaching here. I am an action girl. I don't understand any kind of inertia- if you knew me in Spain you knew how little I slept because I couldn't figure out which was more exciting, days or nights. There was so much to DO.

When Chinese students come here they will often choose an English name which they wear like a badge of individuality. They even refer to each other by their English names while speaking Chinese. Some of the teachers I've worked with have complained that students don't really "get" the English name. We've all had students like "Comma" and I got a "Lion" and a "Simbah" in the same week. It took a lot not to laugh. Occasionally I'll hear of a teacher refusing to call a student something "Prince" was one. (I met Prince yesterday- he's lovely!) :-) I hadn't yet come across one I was unwilling to use. Until yesterday...

Yesterday I had a new student come in.
His name is Xiou. I asked if he had an English name and he replied, "I am Hard." I bit my tongue and said "What??!" >he repeated, "Hard. You know, I work very hard. I study hard. Hard." I bit my lip, tried to breathe and turned red from trying not to laugh and finally gave in with tears in my eyes. My students were amazed and all trying to guess what the matter was. I said, "I'm sorry. I can't call you that. Umm...it's a sexual reference to say 'I am hard' in English. Um...(laughter) umm... would you like another English name...ummm...like uh...You know, I can call you by your Chinese name. It's perfectly fine." He acquiesced although he looked a bit confused and potentially hurt (bad form for me to laugh like that). It took me another several minutes to be able to compose myself completely.

Today at the break, the students gathered round and asked again about it. They were mystified and fascinated and definitely wanted to get to the bottom of this mystery. I'm usually most dignified and yet always willing to talk about anything including sex and bad language if they have questions. To see me effectively lose it for about 5 minutes and then periodically throughout the lesson was a very strange experience warranting further investigation.

I explained that saying, "I am Hard." in English had a sexual meaning and I demonstrated with my hands (vaguely) while adding words like erectionand sexually excited and the oldest male student suddenly got it, laughed and explained to Xiou in Chinese. Xiou turned red. You could almost see him thinking back to how many people he had said, >"I am Hard.” to. (ROFL) After thinking for a while he thanked me for letting him know. Apparently I was the first to mention it. He looked mortified. (ROFL)

Ok. Signing off. I'm laughing so hard that tears are in my eyes....rofl...