Photoessay #2797 - Naomi's kids

Naomi came back with this cute picture of her seventh graders in middle school in Macau.  It also included a nice note from her teacher (pictured) and all the students signed their English names.  She said things like "There's Michael, acting goofy like usual."  She wasn't at all sure she wanted to work with middle school kids; she intends to teach more at the elementary level.

But that's where they assigned her.  And, no surprise, she enjoyed her kids.  She taught English speech and writing lessons.  She pointed out that there's no 'sounding out' in Chinese so all English words must be memorized.

She came home feeling that it was easy and pleasant to live in Macao.  Quite wealthy, the median income is 71K. She couild go back and teach for them.

Now it's back home.  My Thanksgiving is contracting a bit.  Now as 12.

Photoessay #2782 - Naomi at the beach

I think Naomi is having some fun in Macau.  It's warm there.  Sometimes I get a better idea of what she's doing from her roommate's pictures.  That water?  That's the South China Sea, how about that?  I think they had a cookout at the beach; looked pretty fun.

She's got just about a week left in Macau.  Then a short visit to Japan and back home.

Photoessay #2563 - Naomi in Macau

Jackie and Naomi on a cable car near their school in Macau.

Another example of a picture presenting itself in the morning.  Jackie writes that this cable car which runs above a path to a historic site.

She's been there about four weeks; assisting teaching English to seventh graders in a large school in the older part of the city.  The economy in Macau is centered around huge casinos; bigger than Las Vegas.  She's had the opportunity to spend time in Hong Kong and some in mainland China.  Next weekend, they are planning a trip to Beijing and the Great Wall.

It's hot there being substantially south of Japan where they will stop for about a week before they go home.

I remember taking a class about China in 1972 at UCSC.  At that time, China was in the midst of the Cultural Revolution and nobody from the outside was allowed in.  It was all a mysterious world.

Photoessay #2436 - Naomi in Hong Kong

Another day when the picture comes early!  Love this picture of 'the group' at a market in Hong Kong.

The eight Central Washington University education students participating in the Macau program.

Naomi front and center.  They're all looking good near the beginning of their 10 week trip.

Seven-Eleven stores were all over Japan...Hong Kong too.  I remember a conversation with Natsuko when she was so sure that those stores started in Japan.