I Have a Host School! (But Do I Have a Host Family?)
Hello all! There’s quite a few posts here that are Pre-Departure, I suppose that makes me a bit of a hypocrite, but I guess I’m willing to accept that. As soon as I start going off about naps and dinner schedules, however, I expect one of you to stop me.
Anyway, on to business. This past week or so since my last post have been interestingly complex in such a way that you’re not sure whether to be excited, disappointed, or anxious. I’ll start with the most plainly happy news; I have a host school! I have known the name of it since I was notified of my family, but thanks to Anna (Glimorized on CS) I have found my host school’s website. Or, at least, what most likely will be my host school. Interestingly, the name produced in my information email for my host school said that I would be going to the Heilongjiang Provincial Erperimendal High School. Well, Melodie (Mel…Moi on CS) was also placed in Harbin (which is awesome) and she’s going to the Heilongjiang Provincial Experimental Middle School in the same area. We’re both the same age (actually, she’s a tiny bit
older) so there would have been no reason to put us in different grades. Anyway, after a bit of confusion and some help from a few friends on CS and Facebook, we figured that, most likely, my school information had a few typos in it. HPEMS (that’s how I’m going to refer to it as of now) has hosted AFS students before, (there were apparently 6 last year) and is in the same area as where my school’s address info is, so I’m guessing this much. It may end up that I’ve taken too much liberty with my assumptions and am horrendously wrong. If so, well, *shrug* at least it’ll make for an interesting post. After all that blather I best get back to the point. Here (http://www.hljsyzx.cn/index.asp ) is the school’s website. Bits and pieces of it can be put into English using web translators like WorldLingo. The school is beautiful (and so freaking POSH!) Seriously, they have a dance studio, a lecture hall, and a pottery lab. I swear, I’m afraid to bring pictures of PV in case they think that Americans don’t put any money into education. Not that we do, really It’s a private school for sure, but even the public high school’s are stuff only of legend here in the US. *shrug* Maybe it’s just all of the schools I’ve been to.
The Library
So I said in my last post that I had gotten into contact with my host father through email. Well, I’m half right. In fact, the person who wrote the email was Dianhong, my host Sister, who was translating for her dad. When I asked for “him” to give me her email address, she switched to her account and emailed me. Well, because her address was in Chinese, my mail carrier took her email as Spam, so it sat in my spam box for a week. You have no idea how silly I felt after I found out, because I had been really scared that I had said something that made them stop emailing. Anyway, my host sister is ADORABLE. I’ll add pictures of everything when my computer’s being less…weird. Anyway, so part of the email she sent me was a bit confusing.
In China, we study senior high school for 3 years,in September this year,I’ll be a Senior 2 student.But in my school, host family should be Senior 1 student,so in September you’ll know your genuine host family. And,it’s a pity that maybe we can be your host family…:-( But don’t be worried about this,you’ll know your host family in September soon.
So, from the sound of it, they’re not going to be my host family after all. I don’t really understand her explanation, so right now I’m just waiting for her to email me back, then I’ll call my AA and see what exactly is going on. I can’t say I’m not a little disappointed. The Chens sounded like an amazing family, very nice and a group I could slip into. Apparently, they are either my “welcoming family” until I get another one or I’ll have a whole new host family before I leave. *Shrug* What can you do?
The Gym
UPDATE: Jul 22nd, 2008 – So I’ve gotten in contact with a boy named Erik, who was in Harbin last year. Turns out we’re going to his school! First of all, apparently the name of the school has been recently changed, thus there’s a great deal of confusion about translation. In China, there are three levels of school. The elementary levels are called “Small School” our middle and high schools are meshed to create “Middle School” and “Big School” refers to college. Thus when someone translated the name for Mel, they went literally and called it a middle school, whereas for mine they referred to it as a high school, which is the level translation. So unless logic means nothing and the sky changes to bright emerald green, that’s the school I’m going to. Yay!
According to Erik’s description, it should be a fairly interesting. From the sound of it, the school sets everything up quite cleanly for exchange students, and it slowly falters out throughout the year. There are quite a few exchangers who go to the school (5 last year, not 6) comparatively. I’ve heard most schools there are usually 2 and PV never seems to have more than 3. Anyway, this means two things: Large support system and a greater chance I won’t integrate with my class. I’ll admit I’m a bit worried, in that all of my Chinese friends (and their family) think I’m not going to get much of anything in Chinese culture, as Harbin is quite separated from the rest of the country and has a great deal of European influence. On top of that, I’ve now had two inbounds tell me that most Chinese students do not get very close to exchange students, mostly because the vast difference in workloads. Can’t say I blame them, after AP junior year, most kids who were not in our classes sort of lost touch, just because the workload was in the way. I believe I’ll get a bit of the language, but I just have a feeling I may be a bit separated from the “Real Experience” my parents wanted. Again, *Shrug* who knows? It just means that I’m going to have to thrust myself in there while I’m still “a novelty” and work as hard as they are.
Second thing: HPEMS is a public school, not a private school. So scratch all that I said about it not being comparable to PV’s facilities because of that status. It really says something about a country that puts that much into education. In reference to teachers and student relations, the court will be out for quite a while, but so far facilities is a point to HPEMS.
The Lab Building
Pre-Departure
Ok, I told myself that even if I did decide to write a blog it wouldn’t be started ages and ages beforehand, where it’s stuffed with mundane ‘not-actually-on-exchange’ posts. (After all, this is an exchange blog, so I’m assuming everyone reading isn’t terribly interested in what I had for breakfast, or how much homework I have.) Yet as I progress through all the application and pre-departure process, I have a feeling this is a time I’ll want to look back [and laugh] at while/after my exchange. So, I’m going to make a quick post about my pre-departure, just about expectations, preparations, and stresses accompanying it. Forgive me and skip over it if you’d prefer.
So, my application’s all in and there are plenty of spots left for China. My AA called, and I need to get a TB test, check my immunization records, and hound down my counselor to write me a recommendation. Fantastic, because this whole process hasn’t been like pulling teeth from my father and counselor. To be honest, I have no idea when I last got immunized, so I’m prolly going to have to go to the doctor and get a ton of shots as soon as possible. That’s going to be a ball to ask my father about. My counselor has been lovely, but a bit preoccupied and lazy. It takes me 2 or 3 planned meetings to see her, and when I finally do meet her, I may not get what I need. After four or five of these false starts, she tells me “I know AFS, they don’t really need a recommendation.” -.- I knew she was just trying to avoid it when she said it, but I just waited for it to be brought up. I, not wanting to deal with it anymore, just gave her the email of my AA and told her to give it directly to him. Damn it people. I’ve learned something from this though, and that’s that I could never be a supervisor. Oh well, *Checks off list*
So I won’t post again until I have something more interesting to say (with pictures?). I’ll just revise this post when [knock on wood,] I get accepted for AFS USA, and later AFS China. Until then, have fun!
UPDATE: April 20th 2008– Alright, so it’s been a while. I’ve gotten my recommendation (All 4 sentences; Jesus Christ my counselor is lazy) and my med tests (as much fun as I anticipated) into AFS America. I was officially accepted by AFS USA on Tuesday, April 7th, 2008! It was so amazing, and so gut-wrenching, because I hadn’t heard from my AA for days and I was very very close to the deadline (April 11th, later moved to April 30th). Another step in the anticipation process was over!
Ah, but the work’s not done yet. I still need to make a picture packet about me and my life to send in for China (since, frankly, the one’s I put in my application sucked). It’s kinda hard, because I’m not really a camera type of person, but fun, because it’s a great excuse for going out and doing things! I’m nearly done with pictures of family, pets, school, friends, with only activities and pictures of me (*sheepish smile*) left. I’m taking my time to do it right this time. I hope my AA won’t mind the wait.
Well, I have another 2-4 weeks before I hear back from China, so I guess that’s going to be my next big update to this. Until then!
Another Update! May 9th, 2008- I love coming on here, because it’s always good news. Well, it’s been a while, so I’ll back track. I’ve received my Culture Trek packet that I was so excited for and it was…well, as lame as everyone told me it would be. xD, Seriously, I suppose I see why they issue it, but it’s pretty basic stuff: People will be different there, so don’t jump to conclusions, remember to read between the lines. The pre-departure was much the same.
OH! The Pre-Departure! That deserves a whole new paragraph, seriously. Ok, first of all, it was the day after prom, in Nevada city of all places. You want boondocks, that’s the place (sorry NC ^.^;; ). Anyway, so prom being the night before, we got NO sleep. I wish now that I was exaggerating. Anyway, we head up there, we being Yen, her mother, my father and I, and the two of us can’t keep our eyes open. So we arrive and I’m literally holding my lids up, so I tell Yen I need a caffeine pill. Y’kno, one of those ‘two cups of coffee’ things. Well, half of the people reading this are probably already laughing, but for everyone who needs a bit of filling in I’m hypersensitive to caffeine. I’m sitting in the chair like a little crack baby, with so much boost my leg wouldn’t stop moving. We were told to stand up, say who we were and where we’re going, and then say something in our host language. Me, on my caffeinated self, had only one phrase come to mind; Wo bu yao la! – basically “I don’t wanna” or “I don’t want it”. So basically the lady said “Lee, now say something in your host language” and I replied “I don’t wanna!” xD Yen and her mother started dying laughing, while everyone else smiled politely. I dunno if my dad knew what I meant, but he got the tone all the same, because I got that look I get when I tell a mean joke. ;D Anyway, about the people in our area, I don’t remember them all, as I was a bit out-of-sorts at the time, but we have about 15-16 people. A boy going to Norway, a girl to Switzerland, a girl to Ghana, A boy and girl to France, 4 (3 girls one boy) to Japan (*Waves to Alisha*), 2 boys to Chile and Costa Rica, a girl to Italy and…that’s all I remember. We talked about basic safety stuff, expectations and fears, the whole ‘Culture Trek’ shebang. Speaking of expectations, I’m going to write this one down, so it’s ON RECORD. I want to get more active in China. Riding bikes, walking more, doing taichi in the park with the old ladies, I don’t care!
Oh, now what I really came here to update for. I’ve been accepted by AFS China! Yep, now I have a guarantee that they’re gonna put me somewhere in the country. I’m going. It’s finally final. No more worrying about going back to school, no more freak outs about backing out. As long as I don’t seriously fuck up, I’m gonna be in China by the end of September. God, what a rush.
So I suppose the next update in this extraordinarily long post will be my host family or school designation. Maybe I’ll post some pictures of stuff here in California, just to give a feel of the shift. By the way, don’t expect a post this long coming from me ever again. I’m too lazy for it xP. Until then!
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