Brothers and Sisters

Teaching in Beijing is an experience unto itself.

The last few weeks have lead to many surprises. My kindergarten has been bought out by an Australian company which has lead to us uncovering a scam but in the end, we're getting more money. We've had one girl bite the dust, or sand if you will, and we've got a new teacher in. I've lost kids, and got new kids and had kids that were apparently there the whole time just magically appear. Going to school here isn't exactly a requirement.

I teach the oldest and the youngest kids in the school. All together I have 42 students, if they show up. Out of those students 9 of them openly have siblings, 2 of which attend the same school. I'm surprised that I'm surprised that my kids have siblings. You can get around anything here in China as long as you know the right people and have money. A second child can set you back at least 10,000 yuan which is a astronomical for some. Wouldn't you hate to be the second child born? Imagine having that hanging over your head. And even after the fine, some siblings are banished to the country side where they are to be peasants.

Some kids have brothers and sisters that live in America or Canada and they have plans to follow when they have graduated from this school. The great thing about kids is that you can ask them intrusive questions and they won't question your motives. I ask about their family abroad: when do they get to see them? What do they do in North America? When are they coming to visit China? The most interesting answer comes from m brightest student, a little girl who slides between Mandarin, English and German so easily and gently that you might mistake them as one language. She said that her older sister stays in America because "she isn't allowed to be in China" but she'll see her in 3 years when she turns 9 years old and she can move to Seattle to live with her.