Harbin Part 1

Well, I'm just back from a youth leadership retreat, and wanted to get the first installment of Harbin pictures up for you to see! I have over 600 with the three of us who went... i'll spare you the hundreds and try to just give you a taste! :)

It was a wonderful trip - definetly on the cold side, but so fun, and we just loved all the adventure and cool things that you got to do there. Harbin definetly makes the most of their being a cold place to live! Went with two other teachers from school - Beth and Janai. They are a blast, and we had fun taking awesome pictures and enjoying being kids. We did every ice slide in harbin about 3 times... with video to accompany! :) Those are coming later...

Having lunch in a russian cafe(delicious food! we ate their twice!), we got interviewed to be on the Harbin news. They asked me what I thought of Harbin, and I said, "Very Cold..." that was the extent of my eloquence... :)

My favorite of the ice sculptures along the walking street. It actually played music too!

Everyone loved taking pictures with us, so we obliged! :)It's the trend to get a foreigner in your pictures.

Peace!

Stalin Park - the frozen river, where they had ice skating, inner tubing, horse carriage ride, and an ice slide. It was cold, and an adventure!

You could get some cotton candy! We even saw a guy feeding his poor sled dog some...

Disney Ice/Snow Sculptures... We're sitting on Daffy's hand.

Inside an ice sculture tunnel - aren't the colors incredible?

A simple trip to the post office...

So everything here is a big deal to accomplish... take my trip to the post office today. After waiting in the drizzle for a taxi, I got to the post office, but had to call a friend (who speaks mandarin) to ask my driver to stay so that I could catch a ride back to my apartment and not have to walk to the subway station to catch a bus/taxi.

Once inside the post office, I tried to pick up a package, but they told me, through sign langague that i had to go outside and upstairs to find my package... OK... so I tried to buy stamps. After figuring out how much would take for one letter to America, I used my sign language and my counting skills to tell him that I wanted to mail yi, er, san, si, wu, liu letter... only to find out that i would have to use the rest of my cash to buy the stamps(of course they didn't take cards...) and I wouldn't have enough money to pay for my cab... One problem solved though as I got stamps and escaped the crowd that was around me waiting as I used my limited sign language to try to get stamps...

Now to find my package... I had to go around back to where they unload the trucks, and after finding my slip again and dropping my wallet in a puddle, I finally showed my package slip to someone that took me through halls and upstairs past all of these offices to a backroom where a at least 15 postmen were smoking - one of them said "Hi" in a not very comfortable way, and i was just praying that i wasn't left there while my package was searched for! the postman with my package got it from his office, and then I got back in the taxi to go home, thankful that the cab driver hadn't left me during this 15+minute excursion. once back to the LQ I had to ge tmoney from the ATM to pay the driver... all the time hoping that he wasn't totally fed up with this crazy American that can't speak chinese or get her life put together!!! So that was my adventure to simply get a package and buy stamps... keeps me on my toes, and always relying on the one who placed me here. You just have to keep up a positive attitude - there isn't any other way to survive.

I'll post pictures and tell you all about my trip to Harbin over Christmas hopefully in a day or two! It was a wonderful adventure in an ice wonderland - they certainly know how to make the most of their frigid weather!!! Off to sleep and get up to run ... gotta get back in the routine as the Great Wall Marathon is only 5 months away... :)

A Picture is worth a thousand words...

So I'm short on words, but have plenty of pictures to share with you! So enjoy the pictures and descriptions of the latest adventures in my life! :)

I had a wonderful sleepover with 6 of my small group gals on Fridya night - we had a great time of discipleship and growing together. WE did bible trivia, memorized the books of the NT, had a devotion on Christmas, made/decorated sugar cookies, revealed secret santas, had 45 minutes of study time reading different books, and finished it off in the morning with devotions and more bible trivia with breakfast. Oh, and we did get 4.5 hrs of sleep in the middle of it all! :) It was a blessed time of growth and excitement. And the girls are off on their assignment - memorizing the 1st chapter of 1st john before we cna have our next sleepover!

Friday was our Christmas Performance and party - and I stole one of my students props from the play- and forced the students to call me Miss Angel. I got a few looks from other teachers in the hall - forgot what was on my head! The students shared the birth of Christ in the performance - it was a great message, and then we did our gift exchange afterwards with snacks. Only one student got made about the stealing presents game - the rest thought it was awesome! :) Couldn't really blame him though - the knit gloves he got had pink and a bear on them... not very manly! :)

Holiday plans - I leave Wednesday the 24th for Harbin where it's between 20 and 40 below C! We're going to see Ice and snow sculptures, watch Siberian Tigers eat chickens we purchase to have fed to them, and possibly get some snow skiing in too! :) i purchased a whole new outfit for the occasion - almost as much as my plane ticket was! :) But it's something you do once... and don't normally return, so I'm glad to get to have this experience over the holidays, esp as we only have 2 days off.

We get New Years Day off(thursday) but have to return to work on Friday. It was a nice jesture - but a 3 day or 4 day would be more worth it in my mind. But at least we only work 3 days next week and 4 the following. that is a blessing! And then for Chinese new year (3wk break) Emily's coming to visit me - she arrives the 20th of January!!! Yeah1!! and we'll go to Bejing, Xian, and then have some time in shanghai at the end of the trip. I can't wait to see her! Then I'll head to Taiwain for the remainder of the break. It should be a nice long vacation! :)

Newest adventure - I tried gao sha tonight - back scraping! It's like a massage except they do it with a piece of bone and have oil on your bakc. supposed to help you with illness and to make the effects of a cold better. So we'll see if it helps! :) Right now I just feel sore... though it didn't hurt as bad as I expected. I'm not sure if you get bruises from it like from cupping...

Merry Christmas, and happy new year! I look forward to posting about my adventures this week so you can see all that I experienced over the holiday! :)

Gluten free pizza --- yum yummy!!!!

Just a quick note - off to bed for a week of school. But I ate tonight, for the first time in four months, PIZZA!!! It was so amazing, and Gd totally provided for me! The Worship coordinator at church also has similar allergies, but his reactions are more severe, and so they invited me over for pizza tonight ! It was so delicious, and so wonderful to get to share in enjoying and talking about what we've been able to cook and find in Shanghai. Just the encouragment that I needed that I can be good and healthy - and that's it worth it not to cheat! I got to try soybean butter - like peanut butter - which was quite good. And I'm going to look into getting a toaster oven and possibly a bread maker. I'm quite encouraged that a wheat/sugar/milk free diet can be done, and that I can have the diligence to not cheat. You can support me in keeping me accountable! :) I'm so pumped - and my stomach is full of yummy, good food! I wish I took a picture... next time I will! :) It was the highlight of possibly my week! Right above getting my white down ski jacket for Harbin !

Happy Holidays! Christmas is just around the corner!!

Ahh... I get it!

Do you ever have a moment when all is right in the world? You sit back and say, ahh, God is good, he is at work, and I can see him in everything. Tonight was one of those times for me. I met with 5 of my small group girls early for dinner and extra study(requiring memorization, bible reading, prayer) and then we went to KG for another two hours and more small group time.

We had 10 girls at small group - the most so far! It was such an incredible blessing to connect with them on so many levels. Every time we're together God just provides more ways for me to get out of my comfort zone, to encourage them, to inspire them. And in turn, they are an inspiration and challenge to me to answer their questions and support them. They are all going to invite one non-christian friend to come to KG next week and to our Christmas sleepover - so we may have a houseful in my wee little one bedroom apartment, but God will provide the space we need!We're going to do a christmas devotional, an hour of study on different topics, bible trivia, and prayer as well as a christmas movie and revealing secret santas - so its should be a great time to grow spiritually and closer to each other. Two, possibly three of them, want to study to get baptized, which is so amazing!

I'm so fulfilled and content that though life is sometimes uncertain and we don't always see all the pieces that are getting put into place, we can trust in the one who does. And every once in a while he lets us take a peak to see the other side of the tapestry that he's weaving, and we sit back and say, ahh... I get it! Thanks, Abba. I needed that.

I did it!!! In 2 hours and 29 minutes!!!

I ran my first 1/2 marathon - and lived to tell about it! Right now I'm laying on my couch - to tired to move, but feel such a sense of accomplishment! My time was 2 hrs 29 minutes - under 2 30 which was my goal! :) I'll post pictures of the race when I get them. It was easier running than i thought. Especially the last 1/2 - the first 1/2 was a bit challenging, then I got in a groove, and wasn't too winded by the end. Definetly was low on energy, but it was so worth it! I got a metal and certificate to prove I did it, as well as a bottle of soy sauce??? A bit random, I know. There were so many people there - over 10,000 runners- I guess the Shanghai Marathon is a bit deal - kind of up there with the New York Marathon...

Went to lunch at Element Fresh for an amazing salad - yum yum- and am getting an hour foot and and hour back massage tonight - it's going to be good!! :) I feel free knowing it's behind me - now I only have to run if I want to! :) Though I was thinking during the run about doing the Great Wall Marathon... not until May, so I have some time to decide ! :) It was be much more intense, but another fun claim to fame!

Thanksgiving Feast #1 in my classroom - all the mom's were there to help - it was a breeze. Complete with sushi, dumplings, and chicken nuggets! The closest thing to the real thanksgiving was corn and beans! :)

Thanksgiving Feast #3 at Angelia's Thursday night - it was almost all ordered in - an easy way to celebrate! I made the deviled eggs and they were delicious!!

My First Shanghai Tree! I bought it Carrefore last night for 130 rmb - it is a little small, but the lights look so great on it - and all the decorations that mom sent in my "open on thanksgiving package"!! I decided to go red and silver to match my room - and the packages under it make it look really great too! :) Christine came and helped me put it up - we had fun together, and then drank mango smoothies! :)

so blessed...

I am so blessed. I am sitting here in my living room - and it hits me... i'm living in china - china!! someitmes it just becomes a way of life I don't stop to think about how absurd and yet a reality it is. I had a most wonderful converstaion with my TA this afternoon - very heartfelt and so encouraging to hear her testimony. I am reminded of how Gd has us each here for a reason - sometimes we don't know it, or understand it, or want it to be like someone elses. But he has great things in store, and I feel like I'm waiting on the edge of a precipuse - in anticipation of how he will provide or guide my next step. The horizons are so big - the options are so plentiful here - it feels as though Gd could do anything through me, through our ministries here.


The feeling of peace from my parents visit is still hanging around. It was so confirming to have them here - to be the one to show them around my life, my neighborhood, to meet my friends and students - it confirmed for me that I do belong here, and that they support my ministry - and now know it to such a greater depth. I was so ecstatic about their visit - jumping up and down in the airport and for most of the first day - it was something i didn't realize would really happen until they were here in the flesh - I couldn't quite believe it for the first days that we were having a conversation not over skype -a nd could actually get out everything we wnated to say and discuss - and be in person! :) It was incredible. And I'm sitting here enjoying the fruist of their visit... a grilled cheese sandwich made on spelt bread hand carried on the plane with sheep cheese they packed frozen in their suitcases! Yum yum!!! :)

First weekend we went to Zhujajio - a place I'd been to before, and thought they'd enjoy. Got to test my bartering skills out - and they relied on me for my chinese - it was a good experience for me to see how I could function with my limited though growing vocabulary.
Sunday after service, a 9.5 mi run, and lunch with friends, we went on a cruise down the Huangpu rive r- something i hadn't done yet - and a ride up the oriental pearl tower. It was nice to have visitors so you're forced to be a tourist again! :) You can see all of Shanghai from the top of the tower - it was great! You can also see the JingMao tower - 5th tallest in the world, and the Bottle opener/Shanghai Financial Center - the 3rd tallest in the world after the one in Dubai opens.



















Momma hung out with me in my class all week - and was a great blessing. my students loved her, and she got to help out with many things - Native American story telling, crafts, games, and worked with students. It was a wonderful blessing, esp. during the busiest week of the year with Parent saturday(parents observe you teaching your class) with parent/teacher conferences in the afternoon. I'd never heard of anything like that in the states - but they have it here! :)

Mom even taught a lesson on the writing process since she is now an author of a ch. in dad's book. They enjoyed hearing her share. It was fun for them to experience other perspecitves and hear other people talk. My dad came in on Friday and did a talk about his book and his career. They kids had some pretty interesting comments, such as, "Man, my dad should read that book - he works too much!" Hopefully some of them will follow-up with that.




The second weekend we went to Century park and rented a 4 person bike and rode it around the lake there. It was such a blast! This is a pic of us standing by a rock that says... guess what? Century Park! :) Imagine that... :) We also went to Nanjing Dong Lu and saw the amazing malls they have there - one after another - all the lights, it was a fun downtown city experience.

This week was like a recharge of my battery - overflowing with blessings of time, felowship, memories, chocolate and food from the states! :) , i didn't want it to end - i just wnated to keep on experiencing it - but it revived my spirits and was a good motivator to keep pressing on through the holidays. I have two months without visitors, adn then Emily in January, Mom again in Feb, Micah in March, Nathan in April, and then jo's wedding in June - so i'll go by fast with all of the wonderful visitors! And I have my plane ticket home on July 1st ! I haven't bought my returning one yet... but I will be.





It has turned so cold here as of this last week - basically the day after my parents left. I don't leav ethe house without a scarf, gloves, and at least one coat. but even my winter coat isn't quite enough - and it isn't much below 40 farenheit - it just feels so cold here. i haven't quite figured out yet why... they don't have good insulation(or really any at all...they are all cement walls) and there is a constant wind. but it makes it feel like the holidays are here - i started listening to Christmas music yesterday! :) Yeah for the holidays! Can't wait to decorate my apartment! I'm off to sleep for as long as I want on a Sat AM - haven't gotten to do that in at least a month! :)

parents visit - the highlight of my month... or next few months...

Well, my parents headed home last night and I am sad they are gone... sniff sniff... but we had such a blessed time. It was just what I needed - the encouragement, connection from home and with things going on there, so confirming that the ministry and place I am here is where I'm supposed to be. Just to have them here and sharing in my every day life was incredible. I am pumped up and ready to do whatever comes my way this week!

We got to do quite a few things during the week, and esp. on the weekends - it was actually amazing what we were able to fit into a weeks time. The best part was getting to do it all with them, of course! :) My kids loved my parents - they thought they were so wonderful, and wanted to share everything with them. They even wrote them encouragement notes when they left... very sweet...

And I also am writing as they told me how many people are reading this... I always wondered how many actually take time to read the blabberings of my mind, and I guess there is quite a gathering? So here is a bit of an update to let you know I"ll post pictures and tell you about all the adventures we experienced... from my point of view... sometime this week. Stay posted... Thanks for your support!

Oh, and now my TV is surrounded by Christmas presents - screaming at me to open them.. and alas I have to wait for a whole month and a half!!! Yikes!

Catch up - on the last month...

Just got back from a very WET weekend in Hangzhou. It was such a blessing though! Julie arrived Friday early morning from Wenzhou, and visited my classroom in the afternoon to present on eye health and told the kids about her eye tools. They really loved having someone else come and present to them, especially Dr. Jochum! :)

That afternoon we left for Hangzhou. It was an adventure just getting on the train! We went to get on the train and found out we were at the wrong train station – didn’t even know there were two in Shanghai! So after a mad dash to a cab, a few frantic calls to someone who could translate to the taxi driver, and exchanging our tickets, we were finally on a train out of town! Our hotel was very nice – complete with an included hot breakfast. It felt fun to be in a nice hotel by myself with a friend – made me feel grown up and quite independent.

The time in Hangzhou was wet - we did shopping... drank coffee... more hsopping... drank tea. Visiting the tea farm and bartering was quite fun. Every day we were soaked and tired, but it felt like such a long weekend getting away. I need to do that more often. It made it feel like more than just two days off of school. I was tired getting back, but it was a fun trip.

Oh, and I got my 1st haircut in china today – it was a very pampering experience with a long hair wash, scalp, neck, back and arm massage, and then cut and style. It was a whole hour, and my hair turned out great too – I was a bit worried, but decided to try the cheap place – 2 USD – before going to the expat place – for 65+ USD. I’ve experienced many blessings in my classroom, and am truly enjoying my students. We’re learning so much together, and getting to have so many neat experiences. Sports day was a blast - had so much fun with my kids! It was tiring, but a good experience. We did our cheer to Beach Boys Surfin USA to keep with our classroom Hawaii Theme.

October Holiday - Retreat and Suzhou

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Suzhou
The beginning of the week I spent in Suzhou with my friend Rachel. We stayed with some of her friends from Taiwan, and had a wonderful time. We toured the city of gardens, pagodas, and more gardens. By the end we'd seen enough gardens and pagodas though - they get a bit redundant. It was beautiful especially at night, and so wonderful to just get away and relax.

One morning we went running (well I did and Rachel walked) around a nearby lake. It was so peaceful! It was a blesing getting to stay with the family there - and the view from the 26th floor apartment was incredible, especially with all the lights and fireworks! My favorite sky scraper was the one with a Tetris game on the side of it - the blocks were actually moving down like in the game! :)

I will have to say that the feeling of coming back to Shanghai, to the Zhangjian subway station, to the bus stop, to the LQ, and it being home, was incredible - like it is truly the place for me!

Here are some pictures of our trip - I added captions for the important ones. We had a wonderful time fellowshiping with others as well, and got to visit a body there. What a blessing to praise together despite language barriers! We still had the same object of our wrshp in common.

Encountered 2008- Inspired
I am just returning from our youth retreat, and am dead tired, but wanted to get some ideas on my blog while I'm still inspired! It was an amazing three days with the youth I got to hang with. Gd worked in so many amazing ways - it's hard to know where to start. I was not the same person who left Shanghai that returned.

We stayed at Silver Pearl Garden Hotel in Quinpu - about 1 1/2 hours out of Pudong - the nicest resort I've ever been to a youth retreat at! I had a two room suite to share with my 2 small group girls that came - Sydney and Carolyn. We had a bedroom, bathroom, and living room with couches. Oh, and we were in the older of the villas, too, so some where even nicer! :) It was definelty coosh!

I went with not many expectations - of how He'd work in my life - or in the youth's lives. He didn't dissapoint. I come back changed - my perspective of ministry, my purpose here in Shanghai, my confidence in the power of pryer, my idea of leaving a legacy behind. I went to the retreat feeling inadequate, that I didn't hav emuch to offer, and I didn't. But God worked through my pryrs and despite my failures, was able to use my prayers to break walls down around girls hearts, to draw others near to him. I was humbled that he choose to work through and in me. I came away with the confirmation that I am suposed to be here, that there is a place for me, and my talents within this mnstry and this country. How good it feels to be blessed of Gd!

Such a blessing this time was for me to get to know my two small group girls very well - they are such blessings to me, and I look forward to continuing to pour myself into them. The weekend truly broke me and broke away the walls of security I'd put up when I moved here - opened me up to be used of Gd - to be stretched and to focus on others. It was a great last message today as Alithia spoke on the legacy that we leave behind. I thought to what ministries and people and relationships I'd left behind in Oregon or California - and how my legacy truly needs to not be me but needs to be Christ. That is the legacy that I want to leave behind- aromas of Christ.

So I am inspired (the theme of the retreat) to get back into a week of school, to see my students tomorrow, to invest myself even more in the relationships I've developed and that Gd has provided here. I can't wait to see what he has in store... already he's given me passions for new opportunities that are arising, and for getting focused on life here.

Language break throughs!

Today I had two aha moments... First, I was able to order cold soy milk in a full sentence- "I want to buy one container of soy milk." I had a repeat part of it, but the lady understood me, and there was a connection as I was able to communicate!!! Yeah!!! I've felt so isolated at times not being able to explain what I want or to tell people simple greetings. It's exciting to be able to use what I'm learning and see it's practicality.

I met with my language partner today, and she actually commented on how well I pronounce some things - like a native Chinese speaker she said. I think she was stretching the truth, but encouraging none the less.... :)

We're using the book as our textbook, and we're in 1 John. I wanted her to start reading something important to her, and she suggested I also start reading Chinese words of Gd. So I started memorizing John 4:19 today - "We love because he first loved us." What power there is in those words - and to be able to say them in another language brought tears to my eyes and humility to my soul. I'm so excited to be able to together study the most important book in the languages we are learning - it's powerful and meaningful learning for us both. And I can't wait to see how He'll use this.

The biggest truth I've been learning lately has been to dwell. At our youth leaders meeting last night another leader shared Psalms 37:3-5 - that talks about dwelling in the land - to do good and prosper - committing our ways to the Lrd - trusting in him. I've been struggling in my attempt to fit in here, yet not let relationships with people at home dwindle. But the fact of the matter is that I'm here, in China, to be in China - to dwell here, to make the most of every opportunity here because the days are evil, to remain in Him, to trust, and to commit what I do to Him. I am so comforted by that fact.

Today as you serve go about your day and activities, work and school, may you dwell in the land he has given you - and enjoy the pasture he's brought to you!

Zhujiajiao

Today was awesome! Finally got to get out and see something outside of Pudong! We went to a water town which was amazing and fun. it was an adventure getting there- our group got seperated as we got off the subway, and then missed the only bus there. So we got a guy in his mini-van to take us there and back - our own chartered private transportation! :) It was a fun day and neat to see the area. Definetly a tourist trap, but got to enjoy different foods and the boat ride was awesome.

This was the group that went - Steve, Mary Ann, Tara, Carmen, and Owen. We had a fun time together- especially once we got there. The view from the boat was especially wonderful - the trip was very short, but it was worth it especially since it was only $1.50 USD. There was a nice breeze to break up the muggy day.

Fun weekend! Finally!!

Well I was finally feeling good for a weekend, so was able to do some fun stuff! :) Yeah!


I ventured to City Store down town by the Oriental Pearl tower. I was so excited to find raw sugar that I started crying right there in the store - I was so thankful that Gd provided! I found gluten free mixes, rice pasta!!! rice dream and soy ice cream!!! Chocolate and vanilla soy milk, annie's salad dressings, and I have almost all my ingredients to be able to bake now! :) It was so much fun, it was like heaven on earth! To know that I can find things that I need, and that they do have some things here, was such a blessing. I spent a lot of money - I haven't calculated it in USD becuase I don't want to know how much I spent, but it was worth it. It totally made my weekend! Here is a picture of my cupboard all full of wonderful food! Oh, and I also got two packages from home today too, complete with peppermint patties and spelt noodles, so I'm living large! :)



We also went to the Super Brand Mall - 8 stories high, with western stores(more expensive than places in the states, but good to know that you can find stuff if you want it.




Here is a picture of me with the Olympic torch! :)

















This is Thanksgiving Fellowship! It's just a 5 minute walk from the SMIC campus. I'm on my way to a meeting for helpers for the youth tonight. We're having a retreat coming up soon, so that'll be fun to get to hang out with the kids.

Olympic Torch - First week done!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a picture for you of my precious students! Two of them are holding the Olympic Torch that our CEO of SMIC got to hold during the torch ceremony before the Bejing Olympics. I have a picture took of myself and Grace with the torch as well. It was quite an honor, and something you don't get to see very often!

We finished week 1 successfully. I am very glad to have two days to not think about lesson plans or anything school related. I had so much fun this week, but am tired and ready for a break for my brain. Being out of practice for a year I forgot how much teaching took out of you - emotionally, mentally, vocally... :) It was a rewarding and exciting week bonding with my students; got a hug from one of them when they left today. One student adoringly calls me Miss Gel Gel - his nickname for me that has kind-of stuck. These 21 students have successfully wormed their way into my heart, with their laughter, smiles, and enthusiasm for learning. Overall they are a bright group of students, just waiting for me to inspire them. I've had some of the most fun lessons I've ever taught this week. And this is just the beginning, laying the framework. I have a feeling this year will be out of this world! :)

The Father is so good. I've joined worship team and will play once a week on that. And tonight I visited KG the youth group at Thanksgiving. It was a wonderful time; I got to know a sweet 6th grader from the UK named Anita - it was her first time too, so we hit it off. I have to pry about it this weekend, but during worship Gd was just telling me, are you ready to do this? Ready to serve? This is what you're here for - this is where you're supposed to be. Yes, teaching, and that is a great mnstry, but this is going to be my support group with the other leaders, and my way to give back, and in something other than school. I'm anticipating great things through His strength.

Tomorrow I'm finally going to make it to down town for fun - we're going to Super Brand Mall, which has high end stuff, but it's by the Oriental pearl tower and is more in central Shanghai. After that we're going to a health food store! I can't wait to find some gluten free food that I can have! It's been interesting so far finding food, but the Lrd has provided. It will be a blessing to find somethings I can have beyond fruit and veggies though - maybe some chocolate?? I don't think I can last 3 months without it... :)

Until next time...

I feel at home here...

I was so excited to write and update you all tonight. I felt so at peace today, like I belong here, like this is my home. I had a good day with my students; they are such darling kids - so eager to learn. They are like sponges just waiting for me to fill them up. My relationship with my TA is wonderful, and we're getting to be a productive team. I got lots of planning done after school today for next week, so that feels good. I have a student already leaving for a week... it's a big holiday in Korea they are going to celebrate, I forget what it's called. I bought a plant for my classroom for less than 3 dollars, though my friend bartered for me. My language partner ( who teaches music in the Chinese Track) is starting to teach me vocabulary for shopping, though, so I do know how to say that I'm just looking, or no thank you. It's excited to be starting to pick up the language.

I bought fruit after school for 3 RMB - which is a great price as it was 50 cents for four peaches! The school provides this to us as a service - so i'll definetly have to take advantage of it!

I wish i had more time to talk, but i have to get up at 5:45 to run 3 miles - it's a longer marathon training day tomorrow. But then Friday is my rest day! I do think that tomorrow night will be a massage night though... my back is feeling it! I was proud of myself though, it has been almost 2 weeks since my last one! :)

Thank you for your pryrs. I hope to remember sometime soon to take a picture of my class, so you can put faces to the darlings that I tell you about. They are a blessing to me, and I simply thrilled about being back in the classroom.

First Day!!!

I am exhuasted and need to get to bed, so I can get up to run at 5:45am(I'm training for the 1/2 marathon in shanghai in November) but wanted to say that my first day of school was great. I have a wonderful group of students, and am glad to have the first day finished. Lots of unknowns are through, and I can focus on getting into content and giving my students all the tools that they need this year. They are well behaved and follow directions well. They are used to talking out when not called on, so that will be something we work on, but other than that they are quite dears. I'll post pictures when I can. So many adventures to tell you about when I have more time...

Oh, and I passed my Reading Endorsement PRAXIS test - which was what my master's was for - so a friend and I went out to celebrate at Element Fresh tonight - a Western place in Jin Qiao. It was expensive - about US standards - but it was yummy food! And it was fun to get to celebrate the excitement of knowing that I have everything finished for my endorsement! The Father is so faithful.

More to come later...

My classroom!!!

I wanted to get some new pictures up here of my classroom! It's ready to go for Monday and new students! I have lesson planning to finish up this weekend, and then I can get excited for the students to come.

Here is a picture of my reading corner and my monkey... flew all the way to China in my suitcase with me!

Grace(my TA) is hard at work getting journals ready for my class. She worked so hard this last two weeks - I couldn't have done it without her. The 3rd grade staff took our TA's out to lunch today as a Thank you for all they do.

This is the funniest part of my room - there is a stage at the front under the white board. It is a very Chinese style of instruction - the teacher is at the front teaching, above the students in more ways than one... I'm excited to use it for plays and for kids to do readers theaters so that they can be seen better, so it will work out.

At a meeting this week we had to lead our TA("blindfolded" with cotton pads) with our verbal instructions only through a maze. It focused us on communication, encouragement, and team work. Then they switched the tables and we had to be the one led through the maze by their instructions. Grace was actually better than I at giving specific instructions. It was a fun activity - and the best meeting of the week too!

I met 6 of my students last night at New parents night - they are so cute and seem quite well behaved. I will enjoy getting to know them this year. Just so long as the other 15 are as enjoyable... :) Just kidding... I'll make sure to post about my first day of school! Many adjustments to the school system over here, and the supplies that are avaliable, but also some wonderful things too - like a full-time TA and some helpful technology. God is good and faithful, and I'm thinking about each and every one of my students that he's placed in my care this year - please think of them with me too! Until next time...