The Local School

The "new" school that was built after Jane went to school is actually in the next village over, literally just across the bridge. School runs from 7:30 to 12:00 and then a 1-hour break for lunch. The local kids go home for lunch and everyone else eats at the school. From 1:00 to 2:30 they all have a nap at the school. This is a must for all Chinese students as they stay up really late and get up really early. This skill then is useful for the rest of their lives as most Chinese are able to fall asleep anywhere for any amount of time. They then have school until 5:00. The older kids, maybe 3rd grade and up, return to school at 6:30 until about 8:00 in the evening.

The kids pictured above are some of the kids that crowded the windows to see the foreigners!

A first grade chalkboard -- they're starting to learn Mandarin. Perhaps we should have stayed for the class.
Tim thought it was strange that as kids returned from lunch there were kids everywhere without a teacher in sight. These kids were just hanging out by themselves in this classroom until they invaded for some pictures.

These are the kids that are from neighboring villages that then sleep in dorms during the week and only return on the weekend. Maybe their village doesn't have a school or their parents think this one is better and pay a little more money to send them here. We thought of signing Adayla and Tally up here.

This is the bridge that the kids from Jane's village cross over the river to get to school....looks real safe right?