The Chinese version of Field Day!

I remember being in elementary and middle school, when the most exciting day of each school year was Field Day.  We'd all get to spend a 1/2 day outside playing games, having friendly competitions, winning prizes, and hanging out with friends; it was a completely carefree day when you could just be a kid!  Well, China has Sports Day, which is kind of like Field Day if Field Day was on steroids.

On Thursday and Friday, the school that I teach at held "The 12th Spring Games of Primary Part of SMBS Show of Cohesion of Class Spirit and Style of Athletes", or "Sports Day".  But this wasn't the same carefree day of friendly competition that I remember from my childhood.  Sports Day here is an intense die-hard competition that the students have spent hours a day over the past month training for.  It's the kind of thing where students can get into some serious trouble if they don't do well.

So Thursday began with an opening ceremony and, oh my goodness, the things that our 6-12 year old students can do would put any American high school marching band to shame.  The performances that these kids do are incredible!

The games and races they have are pretty intense, too.  Some of the typical races are 100M, 400M and relays.  They also have races where you have to carry tires or other people, slowest bike race, some kind of team hamster wheel-type race, 4-legged race, Dragon Race, and Caterpillar Race.  Some of the games are Chasing the Pig, various jump roping competitions, shot-put, high-jump, long-jump, some kind of balloon-catching competition, and a hula-hoop competition.

Even with the high-stress atmosphere everyone had an amazing time!  After 9 months of teaching these students, that was the first time I've seen them act like kids.  I got to hang out with each of my classes throughout both days and actually got to interact with some of my students on a personal level. 

The girls and I made bracelets, braided hair, taught each other various hand games, and they taught me how to make those cool string-design-things. 

The boys taught me how to make various origami shapes and tricked me into trying disgusting foods, we arm wrestled (I actually won a lot!) and I taught them several practical jokes that any "good" teacher probably shouldn't  ;-)

Hanging out with my students and getting to build relationships with them during Sports Day(s) has by far been the most amazing part of teaching in China!