HZ HAPPENINGS

Well, we do have a saying, “time flies when you’re having fun.” I must say it has been mostly fun. Twice we’ve had fierce storms that flooded the bottom floor. That’s the bad news. The good news is how everyone pitched in. Staff, teachers and even some students all wielded mop0s and buckets and, in fact, it was kind of fun to get to play in the water!

a big family

Our student population went from 50 to 150 in one session. Yes , the “summer rush” was on. Several teachers came up from Zhuhai to help us. The influx of younger students meant lots more rice had to be prepared. Young people bring hearty appetites with them!

We were delighted to have our first “second generation”

After her month here, they are going for a family holiday to the U.K. They’ll get lots of practice speaking English there!

My students know that in my classes it is possible to have a “dream class”. This is a class in which the students talk for the whole time and I just sit back and correct English. I’ve had that happen several times since we opened and that has been wonderful. Recently I had a class of six lively women. Emily Lee, Linda Fang, Liza Wu, Lydia Shan, Zoë Jiang and Stan Chen.     

 

girls' class

They flew through the tasks in the book the first week and the whole second week was a “dream week”! What an incredible experience for all of us. Believe me, the discussions were very lively. These were women of strong opinions which they didn’t mind expressing. I learned so much from them. I don’t think any of us will forget our time together.

Several of them wrote a story and they are attached to this newsletter. We love to include student stories on  our site. Yes,  even after you leave us. Remember, once here, you are always part of our GLVHZ family.

We continue to have new teachers join us. We now have teachers from Indonesia, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia,

"We are the teachers."

Britain, Canada, the U.S, the Philippines, India and of course so many parts of China. It’s a great group.

We were warned that in the summer Hangzhou is a furnace and I wasn’t looking forward to it. I’m a big baby when it comes to weather. I want it not too hot and not too cold. Hawaii weather, in other words! I have been so delighted to have such lovely summer weather here. Yes, there’ve been a few “furnace” days and if out in the sun in the afternoon, better bring an umbrella – but it is cool in the evenings and mornings, there is usually a nice breeze blowing; it’s been a lovely summer in this beautiful area. Of course there are those amazing thunderstorms that make the air smell so fresh.

I hope all who are reading this can also say that they are having a beautiful and fun summer.

Aloha,

Sandra Lee  

 编辑：江筱汝 Ruby Jiang

系列报道相关链接

本文中文翻译：杭州平和夏之趣味与可爱

英语原稿：杭州夏季之趣味  系列报道之四