Foreign teacher focuses on cooking, wellness during special period

The outbreak of the coronavirus has changed daily routines for many. For English teacher Sophie Newell, that means more time for cooking.

Newell has always enjoyed cooking, and took advantage of restrictions caused by the outbreak to improve her cooking skills and create new dishes. 

Shanghai Daily found out her best recipes and experiences amidst the outbreak.

SD: Great egg Benedict in the vlog! Would you please share your recipe?

Newell: My friends and I have been sending each other our kitchen creations every day during this special period. It’s been fun inspiring and challenging each other. 

My current favorite dish is the avocado toast and eggs featured in my vlog. It’s a tasty breakfast option to start my day in a healthy way!

Here’s my recipe:

Avocado Toast and Eggs

Ingredients:

• 1 pinch of salt

• 1 pinch of ground pepper

• ½ a lemon

• 1 avocado

• 2 slices of thick bread (your choice)

• 2 large eggs

• Butter (for toast)

• Mixed berries (to serve)

Method:

1. Avocado: Cut the avocado in half and remove the stone. Scoop the insides into a bowl. Mix with a fork until smooth. Squeeze the lemon into the bowl and add the salt and pepper. Mix well.

2. Toast: Toast your bread in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 180-200 degrees. Alternatively, gently fry your bread in a pan with some butter or use a toaster. Butter the toast to your preference.

3. Eggs: Here’s where you can have some fun with this recipe. You can make any style of eggs you prefer – fried, poached, scrambled, boiled! I find poached eggs are delicious with avocado toast, so I will describe this method. Crack each egg into separate small, shallow bowls. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil over high heat then lower the heat and simmer. Stir the water in a circular motion to create a whirlpool and gently add the eggs one at a time into the centre of the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes for a soft yolk or 4-5 minutes for a hard yolk. Place the eggs on a paper towel to drain any excess water.

4. Putting it together: Spread the avocado mix onto the toast and top with the eggs. Serve with some fresh mixed berries. I prefer blueberries and raspberries.

SD: What was the biggest challenge during the outbreak?

Newell: My biggest challenge during the outbreak is the requirement to restrict myself to my home as much as possible. 

Usually, I don’t spend much time at home as I will be spending time with my friends. It’s difficult to adjust to such a big change in daily life. Staying at home every day can have a negative impact on your well-being if you’re not careful. 

My top tip for anyone who is in a similar situation is that if it is safe enough for you to do so, going outside once or twice a week for some fresh air and sunlight under necessary protection will have a positive impact on your health.

You could also catch up with your friends and family via video call. They’d love to hear from you too!

Ti Gong

SD: How often do you go out? What precautions do you take?

Newell: I have been heading outside 2-3 days each week.

Usually, I go out to take a walk, pick up some groceries or catch up with friends in a safe environment. 

Both the Shanghai government and EF have ensured that I am taking active action in protection during this special period.

Every time I head outside, I wear a mask and carry hand sanitizer. I comply with the Shanghai government by accepting precautionary temperature checks and providing my contact details whenever requested. 

If you live in an area where it is safe to do so, I find it’s beneficial to your health to go outside for some fresh air and sunlight.

SD:  Cute mask in the vlog! Where did you get it? Have you had any difficulties in getting masks?

Newell: I grabbed my masks at the pharmacists by my office before we left work for the Chinese New Year. This was in the early days of the outbreak, so I didn’t have much of an issue picking up a box of masks. 

However, there was a long queue at the counter as customers rushed to join! Later when the it got more serious, the EF executives helped purchase masks and send them to us. I also got a few from my Chinese colleagues which is so heart-warming.

SD: How old are your students? Are they bored at home?

Newell: My own students ages range from around four to fourteen years old. 

They have all shown a positive attitude to their online group lessons whilst they have been studying from home. Many of them have also been sending us regular videos of them practicing at home. 

SD: How is teaching online different from your usual teaching? Are you ready to get back to normal?

Newell: Teaching online differs from offline as we are unable to interact using our usual classroom activities. However, we have developed numerous interactive activities to use in our online classroom. These activities have proved to be successful with our students as they continue to learn and build more confidence in English. 

All teachers online are all from our offline centers that have built deep trust and familiarity with students. Also, students learn with their offline classmates online, which makes this online classroom just like offline with full interactions. Students and parents have responded enthusiastically to EF’s engaging online classes as they continue to learn with their regular teachers.

I am ready to return to normality, but I’m very happy with the way EF has handled everything during the outbreak as an employer. 

EF has taken excellent steps to ensure the safety of employees during this special period. They have even sent care packages and set up support platforms for employees to communicate and share wellness tips during this special period.