Off to Guilin

Yabba dabba doo.  I'm so glad for an extended weekend finally.  I'm taking an overnight train to Guilin and Youngsha.  It is a mountainous area that is very famous.  Going with a group from Koinonia.  Can't wait to see the mountains, go hiking, biking, maybe rock climbing and check out some cool caves.  I'll post the pics when I get back.

Middle Schoolers

So I'm learning how to teach choir to middle school.  Believe me it is not easy.  Getting them to sing and even listen to me is a huge challenge.  I finally realized I needed to treat them like little kids and be super controlling.  I have put numbers on the chairs and they have assigned seats.  Today I was trying to get them to do a rhythm rap and certain individuals were not following directions so I kept making the group do it over and over until everyone was doing what I asked.  One boy openly said we won't do it we rebel.  So I said you are welcome to leave my class and go sit with Mr. Stubbs, the administrator.  There was some disgruntalment, but no one left.  Sometimes I think middles schoolers are more talk than anything.  They don't like being put on the spot and peers are so important.  So we listened to a Bon Jovi song today.  I decided to teach them Bon Jovi's It's My Life.  First time I listened to it today. I like it.  Anyways one day I'll be able to sit back and laugh at the insaneness of what I'm teaching this year.

Gypsy Girl

So I'm letting the gypsy in me come out.  Life is way to serious to be serious.  I'm craving dancing around a bonfire.  I'm craving dressing like a free-spirit.  I'm craving jamming with my music friends.  Come sweet wind that blows throughout the world.  The gypsy in me is calling to be free, free indeed and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.  Come let's all dance and play a tune of joy.  I might yet live a life of wandering like the famous English poem the Scholar Gypsy.  Through pastures and desserts and mountains.  Yes we all sojourners.  Listen to your inner gypsy.  

Bingo Night

Last night the school had a family/bingo night.  Each class had a performance.  My class performed a song about Multiplication.  The money from the bingo night was going to new playground equipment.  There was a silent auction, too.  Each class was responsible for putting together a basket to auction.  My eight year old's basket was full of games, especially chess games. Our basket actually sold for the most money.  The money raised from the silent auction went to the True Children's Home here in China, an orphanage for children who need special surgeries to live.  I visited this home two months ago.  It was so encouraging how well the children are taken care of and that these children are given a chance in life.

University Students

So I finally am starting to adjust more to life in China and my job and feel like I can branch out a bit.  One of my friends has been trying to get me to go to the Dongguan University for English Club.  I went the other night and it was so much fun.  I felt like I was working at the English camp up in Quinghuandoa.  We had the Dating Game Show contest.  I felt like I could be my goofy self.  Unlike at school.  I can be goofy sometimes, but most of the time it seems serious to me.  I think I'll make Tuesday English Club a priority.

Sushi

So I found a new sushi place.  Very cheap good sushi.  I like eating at sushi bars, because you can eat alone, but still feel like you are eating with other people.  

Staff Game Night

So the staff had our first game night.  We all brought food to share and then played games.  In one room was Bunco and in my room was Mahjong.  It was a fun time to mix and mingle with  staff and a great way to bring the American Staff and Chinese Staff together.  We really needed to just have fun together.  Let me tell you no spring break is really hard.  Going straight to the end of the year definently wears you out.  It was nice to see us all having fun instead of being stressed.

Hong Kong Pics

So here are some pics of Hong Kong.  I'm hoping to go back and spend a night and do some hiking and take a more organic approach to Hong Kong instead of power shopping materialism.  Ahhhh!

My lil Nephew

So my sister just sent me some adorable pics of my lil 3 month old nephew in a Winnie the Pooh outfit I gave her.  I have to include some cute pictures of this little guy.  I'm so proud of my sister and can't wait to meet this lil guy.

Yeah for a Good Landlord

So I am so grateful for a good landlord.  My landlord lives in another city, Shenzen, but he has been so helpful.  With the rains lately some mold has grown on the wall.  I let him know about it and he came to check it out with his family.  He came the crazy weekend I had been to the hospital three times, the kitchen fire, etc.  Anyways when he came the first time he cleaned up the fire mess for me when I was so sick and couldn't.  Today he came with the apartment management team to fix the mold problem.  So efficient.  He also shared many helpful information.  He told me to stay away from meats unless I knew it was good quality.  He told me what type of oil to buy to stay healthy.  And he told me to be careful about medicines doctors give me.  So kind.  It's wonderful to know God takes care of me wherever I am and will send the right people to give advise and take care of problems.

Hong Kong

I finally made it to Hong Kong.  I went with another teacher from another international school.  She's been to Hong Kong multiple times and knows her way around.  It was basically a day of power shopping.  It was so nice to get certain foods, too.  We ate at Outback.  I never ate at Outback in America, but eating good American type food is so yummy.  It's a special treat.  The streets in Hong Kong are really narrow and all the buildings are super close.  I'll post pictures of some sights when I get home.  I'm so glad I live in Dongguan, China, though, rather than Hong Kong.  Yes it's nice to have accessible things, but Dongguan has a special place in my heart.  It feels more like home to me.    

Learning New Things

So I'm learning how to do powerpoint to help teach cultural studies.  Yesterday was my first experience using it to teach my students.  It was a completely different class.  They were like zombies.  It was surprising.  A much calmer class.  I think this is a TV generation and anything with TV calms them down.   I'm excited how to learn more neat affects with it. 

Something that made my day is one of my high schoolers came in this morning just to say good morning and tell me I'm beautiful.  That was very flattering and surprising, too.

Artists Everywhere

So I've been auditioning students for a variety show.  Today I let a girl audition for me during one of my planning periods.  She performed the most beautiful dance.  It actually brought me to tears.  You just know when someone is dancing or playing an instrument from the heart.  When I see beautiful things like this it makes me cry.

On a side note I can no longer watch youtube here in China.  Big bummer, because I would search for music songs and share with my music classes.  Oh well, just a little reminder that yeah I'm living in a communist country.