7th Grade Adventure Trip

So the 7th graders went on a "bonding" trip yesterday. It was awesome. First, let me compare; Bus ride in my old school in the states- kids standing and shrieking, new immigrant kid getting pushed out the window, and small fires being lit in the back seat. Bus ride with SAS school: students share Korean dried squid snacks, kids reading books(!!), kids sleeping and talking. Hmm... So the bonding trip took us to a park called Oriental Green Boat. I guess PC terms haven't hit China yet. Anyway, we ran through an obstacle course, did dragon boat racing, scurried across swinging bridges and generally sweat enormous amounts. It was an all day trip that is a precurser to the CHINA ALIVE trip that we will take as a grade in April- six days in Beijing, climbing the Great Wall and touring the Forbidden City!
My ESL students are mostly Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese, and Chinese. A note on names; most Koreans have two first names- like Jun Sun or Yee Eun or whatever. When they get to American schools they change to an 'anglo' version. So, here Jun (the boy) and I pose. The girls are Ellen, Emily, and Susy. The girl Emily was Yee Eun just a few weeks ago and still doesn't respond when I call her new name, Emily. The Korean kids are bundles of energy when you get them out of the school setting (where there are generally neurotically studious). People call the Koreans the "Irish" of Asia- boisterous, loud, drinkers who enjoy socializing and are extremely outgoing.
A note on passports. This is the American school and over 60% of our kids are "American". However, if you look at them, many appear Asian. We have the ABC concept here. This means American-Born-Chinese. Many kids' moms go to the USA to have their babies and bring them back with the child's American passport. So the kid speaks Chinese at home but is a US passport holder. Interesting when your Chinese kid tells you he is American but has never travelled to the states. Other kids have moms or dads who have worked in the States and kid went to school there for a few years and now they live here, with the intent of continuing at an American university.
(n.b.- click on any photo to see it larger!)