On the Tropic of Cancer: Mojiang

On our first evening in Mojiang, a banquet is given in our honour by the Mojiang County government. This is an area of many minority 'nationalities' and afterwards there's a performance of singing and dancing. Some of us notice that the Hani courting dance looks not unlike teenage behaviour in Australia!

More pictures of dancing

Mojiang straddles the Tropic of Cancer and in the morning we visit the Tropic of Cancer Park before walking to Mojiang Number One Middle School with Mr Su. After our teaching experience at Yuanjiang, we're less nervous and there's talk about ways of improving our 'lessons'.

Teaching at Mojiang Number One Middle School

At the school, we are made welcome by the principal Mr Liu and vice-principal Mr Li. Then we are taken off to the classrooms by our teaching partners. Their students wait eagerly and some of us wonder whether Chinese students are always as eager as these.

Afterwards we talk informally with senior students and notice that most of them do not have brothers or sisters. We are told that the 'One Child Policy' is applied quite strictly but that minority nationalities can usually have more than one child. Most of the people we talk to are supportive of the One Child Policy.

Background Information about Yunnan Province

Lesson plans (open in new windows):
Years 7-8 Studies of society and environment 'China's One Child Policy'
Years 1-3 'Chopsticks'