Time to go to the school yard!

     Nǐ hǎo!  Hello!  你好

     I had for days of orientation at my new school last week.  For the last couple days we rode the MRT home.  The MRT is the subway here.  You have to have an EZ link card to ride it.  Sometimes it is so packed you can’t even grab the railing. 

 

 

     In Chinatown things are getting very busy because of Chinese New Year.  Here is a picture of a huge snake made out of lanterns that we saw.  We got decorations for the celebration of Chinese New Year.  Usually the decorations are based on the animal of that year.  This year is the year of the snake.  They have good luck knots and lanterns. 

 

 

     Here is a picture of a fruit called durian.  It really stinks!  My dad says he wants to try it.  I don’t!  I seriously smells like poop!  My dad says that he has heard that it tastes like it too.

 

 

     Today was my first official day of school and here is a picture of me getting off the bus.  It is huge and it does not look like a school bus in the USA.  It actually looks like a regular bus.  We sit in individual seats with the seat belts that actually have the shoulder part that you would wear in cars.  There is a bus “auntie” that keeps you in line.  If you do something wrong she corrects it.  Don’t misbehave!!

 

     My new school is cool.  My teacher’s name is Mrs. Tuli.  She has done 35 years of teaching.  Today I had Mandarin lessons.  I have them every day.  Ni hao means hello.  I learned how to write the Chinese character for “ren” which means people.  We call our Mandarin teacher Lee Lǎoshī. 老师 

     My school is a really big school.  The cafeteria is open to the outside and we have a soccer field and pool.  At lunch recess we are allowed to go to the library or the gym.  We have drama once a week and PE class for the next four weeks is swimming.  In art we are drawing self portraits of us as superheroes.  My name is “High Note” because she flies with super sound.  J  Her side kick is a white tiger and instead of stripes he has lines and notes like a piece of music. 

     This Friday we have to dress up in traditional Chinese wear for our school festival.  We also get 2 days off of school for Chinese New Year.  I am excited to celebrate and I will write another post with pictures as soon as all the events are done.

     Zàijiàn! Goodbye! 再见