When I was teaching at Yuexiu University in Shaoxing China in 2010, I met Rita Hu and she subsequently visited Australia several months after my contract finished. Today I met her again at the airport in Brisbane, this time towing her younger brother who is hoping to improve his English while here.
His English is very basic, though I know he understands me a lot more than he will admit. He is a very tired young man though (he is 18) and the travel has worn him out so lessons will start more seriously in the morning.
Today he slept most of the day - but we did manage some communication as I waved toy animals in a shop for him to identify in English. Bit of crazy fun really. He wanted to see the beach so we made our way to Beachmere where the tide was way out.
His English is very basic, though I know he understands me a lot more than he will admit. He is a very tired young man though (he is 18) and the travel has worn him out so lessons will start more seriously in the morning.
Today he slept most of the day - but we did manage some communication as I waved toy animals in a shop for him to identify in English. Bit of crazy fun really. He wanted to see the beach so we made our way to Beachmere where the tide was way out.
There were thousands of tiny soldier crabs racing back and forth along the shallows - and quite fascinated the Chinese siblings, who seldom visit the sea. Rita of course has visited beaches here in Australia, but her brother was seeing it for the first time.
They chased and chased the tiny crabs and caught one without being bitten, and took a few photos.
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| Soldier crabs racing into the water. |
Back home Owen slept, Rita did and I spent an hour on my bed resting. I made a stir fry for dinner, and helped Rita make an apple dessert on puff pastry. I had to teach them to peel an apple.
It has been a long day.
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