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tw
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:25 am Post subject: April 4 is now a national holiday in China, so don't teach! |
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As of 2008, Qingming Jie (Tomb-Sweeping Festival) is now a national holiday in China. For those of you teaching at public schools, classes will be cancelled next Friday. Enjoy your three-day mini holiday!
Also, please note that the May 1 Labor Day holiday is no longer a seven-day holiday. Starting this year, the May 1 holiday only lasts three days.
Other festivals now designated as national holidays are Dragon Boat Festivals and Mid-Autumn Festivals. |
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11:59

Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 632 Location: Hong Kong: The 'Pearl of the Orient'
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:38 am Post subject: |
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I thought April 4th (Ching Ming Festival) had always been a national holiday? It has always been a holiday here in HK (and Macau). |
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7969

Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:45 am Post subject: |
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11:59 wrote: |
I thought April 4th (Ching Ming Festival) had always been a national holiday? It has always been a holiday here in HK (and Macau). |
not here. at least until now. people have always recognized this day in china, but until this year, i've never had time off on tomb sweeping day. |
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malu
Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 1344 Location: Sunny Java
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:54 am Post subject: |
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Every time I get a holiday I seem to get a weekend day suddenly morphing into a work day at around the same time. Funny, that. |
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arioch36
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:01 am Post subject: |
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Friday? Friday? Who teaches on Friday?
next week is the sports holiday for many.
My contract states that I must be notified three days in advance for any schedule changes. If they reschedule a class to a Staurday, just talk to your class leader and re-reschedule it |
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7969

Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:35 am Post subject: |
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arioch36 wrote: |
Friday? Friday? Who teaches on Friday? next week is the sports holiday for many. My contract states that I must be notified three days in advance for any schedule changes. If they reschedule a class to a Staurday, just talk to your class leader and re-reschedule it |
i did that last year. if the holiday resulted in me having to come in for a class or two on the following or preceding weekend, i'd get the monitors together and sort it out (reschedule classes). unfortunately, the school got wind of this and this year have put some kind of fear into the monitors telling them to not agree to any changes unless i go through the office first. it requires more deviousness to bypass the office these days, but i manage. |
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kev7161
Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:14 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
Also, please note that the May 1 Labor Day holiday is no longer a seven-day holiday. Starting this year, the May 1 holiday only lasts three days. |
Actually, the May 1st holiday USED to be a 3 day holiday. Many schools would trade off weekend days for weekdays and turned it into a 7-day "golden week". For example, let's say May 1st was on a Monday. Odds are, some would have to work on April 29 and 30 and then get May 1st through 7th off (3 days for the holiday, two days traded with the weekend before, then the as usual weekend after).
Now the holiday is just one day (this year happens to be on a Thursday). Some will be lucky enough to get Thursday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday off while others (like me) will get Thursday to Saturday off but will have to work on Sunday in trade for that Friday off (which is not a holiday) - - - same old s**t, different year. |
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lf_aristotle69
Joined: 06 May 2006 Posts: 546 Location: HangZhou, China
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:33 am Post subject: |
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kev7161 wrote: |
Quote: |
Also, please note that the May 1 Labor Day holiday is no longer a seven-day holiday. Starting this year, the May 1 holiday only lasts three days. |
Actually, the May 1st holiday USED to be a 3 day holiday. Many schools would trade off weekend days for weekdays and turned it into a 7-day "golden week". For example, let's say May 1st was on a Monday. Odds are, some would have to work on April 29 and 30 and then get May 1st through 7th off (3 days for the holiday, two days traded with the weekend before, then the as usual weekend after).
Now the holiday is just one day (this year happens to be on a Thursday). Some will be lucky enough to get Thursday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday off while others (like me) will get Thursday to Saturday off but will have to work on Sunday in trade for that Friday off (which is not a holiday) - - - same old s**t, different year. |
The designated National holiday day off for Qing Ming Festival is actually on the Friday. So, you are in fact working on Sunday instead of Thursday, not Friday. Therefore, I guess you'll have to follow your usual Thursday schedule when you go to school on Sunday. I guess your school leader had to get away early to beat the crowds on Thursday, or something. Of course, he/she probably won't turn up on Sunday in any case. But, he/she'll make everyone else suffer. Even if he does show up, it must suit him/her in some way.
It seems as though China, like Australia, is becoming a "Land of the long weekend".
Fine with me. I'm a student of Chinese this semester, and my Uni (ZheJiang University) is still giving us a full week off for the May 1st holiday in any case. And, no classes to make up on preceding or following weekends, as far as I know... It kind of fits in as a mid-semester break for educational institutions I suppose.
LFA |
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GeminiTiger
Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 999 Location: China, 2005--Present
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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I don't work on Fri, Sat, Sun or Mon... buhahah |
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kev7161
Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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No, the tomb-sweeping holiday is on Friday, I agree. We get Friday-Saturday-Sunday off. I was referring to the NEXT holiday (May Day), which will fall on a THURSDAY this year. So our school for THAT holiday will get Th-F-Sa off and have to work the Sunday in trade for the Friday off since Friday, May 2nd is not a holiday any longer. |
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Moon Over Parma

Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 819
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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11:59 wrote: |
I thought April 4th (Ching Ming Festival) had always been a national holiday? It has always been a holiday here in HK (and Macau). |
It is also a holiday in Taiwan. Do they still allow folks to bury the dead here, legally? Perhaps I am mistaken, but I thought cremations were mandatory in the PRC. Will this be "urn dusting day?" |
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tw
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898
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Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:13 am Post subject: |
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I have only one class on Fridays this term, and it's the first class of the day.  |
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Silent Shadow
Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 380 Location: A stones throw past the back of beyond
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Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:54 am Post subject: |
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It's nice to have the day off. ANY day off.
The problem I find, though, is that it mucks up the schedule. Both my classes on Friday will for the rest of the term be one lesson behind the other classes.
I would rather have a REAL WEEK off, halfway through the semester with no extra classes at the weekend (as used to happen during the May and October holidays). That would be a welcome break without disrupting the schedule. |
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arioch36
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589
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Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:00 am Post subject: |
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Shadow
Quote: |
he problem I find, though, is that it mucks up the schedule. Both my classes on Friday will for the rest of the term be one lesson behind the other classes |
yes, my Thursday class will be two classes behind my Monday class (Sports day)
Always happens with christmas/new year |
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beck's
Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 426
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Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:56 am Post subject: |
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Just got the good word. Friday is indeed a holiday and we don't have to make up the classes. Let the Good Times Roll. |
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