Job Discussion Forums

Hamish · Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 333 Location: PRC

ALL teachers have been asked not to travel outside Baoding during the two day (5/1-2) holiday for obvious reasons. At least here, there is no emphasis on foreigners.

regards,

china_gurl · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 9:51 am Post subject: In Shanxi

The holiday has been completely cancelled, in fact. At least, that's what I've been told. No, wait, it's been 'postponed'. Anyway, I don't think you'll find anyone else travelling, really, unless they're running from Beijing.

MartinK · Joined: 01 Mar 2003 Posts: 344

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

I wonder what my school will do if I go to Shanghai this weekend. (Zhengzhou, Henan) This past Thursday and Friday our school had its sports meeting. Reasonably enough, some local students made use of the opportunity to go home to Kaifeng, about an hour away. Somehow the school found out about it. They have no temperature, no symptons. They have been quarantined anyway, and have to stay in a small place, nothing to do, for 12 days.

I seriously wonder, no joke, wonder how many Chinese will kill themselves because of failed businesses. I go by some of the local places, and they are so dead. The local farmers who run some of the local eateries are big time depressed. They come everyday, but almost no business. You should see the hopeless look on their faces. These are people who work all day for 20 yuan to eat and save for the winter

Per Scott · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 10

I was told today that I must not leave the campus unless I had a very good reason. The school also asked for the name of my private doctor and phone number. I don't know if they're within their rights to deprive me of my freedom, but I'm checking on it.
I'm in a little town in Sichuan, Renshou, that has no SARS cases.

Update: Yesterday my lawyer told me that the school's action should be considered legal and valid, but the American consulate said it wasn't. For-tunately, things have smoothed out now and I'm able to go out again. Chinese English speakers don't always know how their forceful dictates sound to foreigners not used to oppresive measures, so I expressed my dissatisfaction with the order and got good results. Let's hope they hold.

Seth · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 575 Location: in exile

I'm semi-confined to my campus. We're told 'it's not safe' to go downtown, but aren't forbidden to. But we are working more than usual. I now work 6 days a week, and the middle school teachers were going to work for 10 days, one day off, and then another 10 days. However, the middle school students held a walk out yesterday morning and got today and tomorrow off. No students can go home until June 15! The Chinese teachers in my office are looking really haggard from being overworked.
The primary students are getting antsy, as well, and the English teachers have started showing them cartoons on TV instead of teaching. I can't really blame them.

Today I heard that one of the very top guys at my school has just come back from New Zealand and thinks those in charge are over-reacting and might change things a little.

MW · Joined: 03 Apr 2003 Posts: 115 Location: China

Closed Campuses are now prevelent throughout China to reduce potential exposure to SARS, not eliminate exposure or punish anyone.

Use the closed campus as a debate topic for oral English.

The students are very passionate about this topic and speak very well when upset and forget how little capability they have in English. After the debate, make the teams change sides and debate again. This is even more challenging.

Then take a vote and see how attitudes may have changed. This leads to further discussion.

Try using a bad situation by converting it into a good teaching tool rather than sit around complaining!

Dragon · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 81

Yes I abhor you to listen to Comrade MW and never complain again on this forum. It is not for that purpose. The comrade has given you some advice and not adering to it would be your downfall.
comrade I apologize for them not listening to you.
Dragon Exclamation

chastenosferatu · Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 50 Location: Anshan, China (USA)

So now MW you would encourage us to us the closed campus as a debate topic? So let me get this right, you actually want us to encourage our students to be critical of a government decision Question

Are you running a fever?? Have you forgotten what country we are in?

chinasyndrome · Posted: Fri May 09, 2003 2:17 am Post subject:

[quote="arioch36"]