Whew!! Okay, so now you're caught up on vacation, at least through pictures. I still can't get over how fast time goes by when I'm here. That whole adventure was already two and a half weeks ago! The day after we got back, we started the new semester at school. I'm teaching one of the "baby" groups. I'm not sure why they call them babies when they're actually toddlers, but maybe they don't use that word in China. I'm not sure.. But, teaching this group has really made me miss my nursery kids! It's obviously a whole new ball game, but its nice when these kids can remind me of the four little ones back in Virginia. Carolyn, if you read this, please hug Ivy for me today!
My students are adorable, aggravating, stubborn, and sweet. They're only two, and have only been around me for a few weeks now, but they already know how to push my buttons and how to make me smile.
Yesterday we celebrated International Women's Day. Now, you may say "I've never heard of Women's Day." Well, thats because the US, sadly, does not celebrate this fabulous holiday. After classes were over and the students had all gone home, the school was filled with music, laughter, and a lot of good food. We put all the tables together in the lunch room for dinner, it looked like a Chinese version of Thanksgiving. The food was fabulous. Then once we were done eating, we all introduced ourselves to one another. The Chinese teachers had to speak in English and we had to speak in Chinese. Very funny. It turns out that a woman's love for shopping is universal. The other girls in my group, I feel, have picked up a lot more Chinese than I have. I think I managed to say something like "My name is Shaila. You are all beautiful. I miss my home and my family." Those things are all true, but I promise that I have learned more than that! Those were just a few of the words that managed to come to mind when I got put on the spot like that. After introductions, we went up to the dance room where the Chinese teachers taught us a dance and we taught them an American/Mormon?/strange dance. Funny funny stuff. I really enjoyed the whole night just because I was able to see the other teachers open up and have fun. We work beside them everyday, but they're much more serious and rarely communicate with us. So, it was just nice to relax and have fun with them for a night. I'm hoping that more nights like that will happen while we're here.
Wan an! Wo ai ni!
PS. The picture of me with the autograph wall thing is from a photo exhibit that we got invited to go to. We showed up and were treated like celebrities, complete with our own paparazzi! After being photographed by a hundred strangers while I was eating, I vow to never ever do anything that will make me famous enough to have a REAL paparazzi.
My students are adorable, aggravating, stubborn, and sweet. They're only two, and have only been around me for a few weeks now, but they already know how to push my buttons and how to make me smile.
Yesterday we celebrated International Women's Day. Now, you may say "I've never heard of Women's Day." Well, thats because the US, sadly, does not celebrate this fabulous holiday. After classes were over and the students had all gone home, the school was filled with music, laughter, and a lot of good food. We put all the tables together in the lunch room for dinner, it looked like a Chinese version of Thanksgiving. The food was fabulous. Then once we were done eating, we all introduced ourselves to one another. The Chinese teachers had to speak in English and we had to speak in Chinese. Very funny. It turns out that a woman's love for shopping is universal. The other girls in my group, I feel, have picked up a lot more Chinese than I have. I think I managed to say something like "My name is Shaila. You are all beautiful. I miss my home and my family." Those things are all true, but I promise that I have learned more than that! Those were just a few of the words that managed to come to mind when I got put on the spot like that. After introductions, we went up to the dance room where the Chinese teachers taught us a dance and we taught them an American/Mormon?/strange dance. Funny funny stuff. I really enjoyed the whole night just because I was able to see the other teachers open up and have fun. We work beside them everyday, but they're much more serious and rarely communicate with us. So, it was just nice to relax and have fun with them for a night. I'm hoping that more nights like that will happen while we're here.
Wan an! Wo ai ni!
PS. The picture of me with the autograph wall thing is from a photo exhibit that we got invited to go to. We showed up and were treated like celebrities, complete with our own paparazzi! After being photographed by a hundred strangers while I was eating, I vow to never ever do anything that will make me famous enough to have a REAL paparazzi.
