June, 2008
Reflection of the partnership between the University of Calgary and CSDJ
For Kelly and myself, we knew very little to nothing about the contract that was shared between the University of Calgary and CDSJ. In the future it would be helpful for us to see the contract in advance. Now obviously this is more the UofC’s responsibility, but having clearly defined items on the contract like accommodation/lodging, financial support, and our teaching assignment would greatly ease any apprehension or questions we had.
Being your first year in contract with the UofC I must say that this whole process has been seamless at times. Our contacts made our stays an incredibly comfortable transition (as it can be quite difficult moving overseas) and I constantly felt as if I could come to them if I had any problems whatsoever. They helped us out with acclimating to the area, attaining our visas, meeting new people and overall just feeling comfortable in a place so foreign to us. I can honestly say without their kindness I wouldn’t have enjoyed this experience half as much as I did.
The workload was perfect. When we were still doing our University course work the amount of teaching, preparing and lesson planning didn’t overwhelm us at all, but any more might be too much, though this depends on the individual. After our University work finished up we were ready to take on more of a load and that is where our role in the Kindergarten class became increasingly important. I think it is a good idea to have the student teachers instruct at two different levels to get a different perspective on this experience.
The amount of financial support was greatly appreciated. We had enough money for food and other expenses while still having some left over for various events (ie. concerts, souvenirs, pieces of clothing). Any more, in my mind, would be too much as the individual is in the mind set of breaking even or spending money rather than making money by coming over here. I must say thought that the extra money implemented in the last two months has helped me to attend various events, shows and concerts that have made my time in Macau richer and helped me experience the culture the city has to offer.
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