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Catherine in China

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Prestwich teenager - and former Bury Youth MP - Catherine Rawsthorne is teaching children in China this year.

Catherine undertook a five-month fundraising drive so she could spend eight months in the country's Gansu Province teaching English to youngsters.

You can follow the 19-year-old former St Monica's RC High School and Holy Cross College student's progress through her special online diary.


Part 11 - Chinese new year with the Chin family - February 18, 2010

Dongfanghong Square

10:38am Monday 22nd February 2010

Happy Year of the Tiger!

Part 10 - Snow in the middle of the desert - February 12, 2010

A shrine to Buddha at a local temple

10:32am Monday 22nd February 2010

And so we’re back in lovely Lanzhou.

Part one: The start of my adventure - January 7, 2010

The view from the plane before Catherine landed in China

1:25pm Monday 8th February 2010

After more than twenty-eight hours, we’ve finally made it to Beijing!

Part two: Notes on a smoggy city - January 10, 2010

Catherine on her travels

1:26pm Monday 8th February 2010

Just a quick update before I leave for Lanzhou tonight.

Part three: The 'real' China - January 13, 2010

Hotpot - China style

1:27pm Monday 8th February 2010

After the glitzy skyscrapers and romantic side streets of Beijing, we’ve come down to earth with a bump, and a hard one at that.

Part four: Classroom capers - January 14, 2010

Lanzhou city

1:29pm Monday 8th February 2010

As I mentioned in my last post, the students have worked exceptionally hard to gain a place at the school, and every year more than 5000 students apply from all over the Gansu province to gain one of the 900 places the school has to offer.

Part five: Weekend weddings - January 17, 2010

Catherine, on the right, with two people from the school in which she is teaching

1:30pm Monday 8th February 2010

Saturday is most definitely the day for weddings, and yesterday I witnessed not one, but three couples entering banquet halls.

Part six - Birthdays and KFC - January 22, 2010

A street seller with quail eggs

1:31pm Monday 8th February 2010

We've had a ridiculously busy week with teaching and trying to find our feet, but we’re slowly getting there.

Part seven - Banquets and baijiu - January 24, 2010

Catherine with Mrs Chen, her landlady when she first arrived in Lanzhou

1:32pm Monday 8th February 2010

I write from a rather smoky internet cafe as school has now closed for the Spring Festival.

Part eight - Downtown disaster - January 28, 2010

Terracotta warriors

1:33pm Monday 8th February 2010

Well it’s been an eventful few days. After the school closed for the Spring Festival, we lost the sense of security and familiarity gained from the friendly smiles from the students and helpful advice of our colleagues.

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