Crushed it

Tuesday 4– 2 -13

well today was Dani Kindergarten. I got up and face timed Morgan while I was getting ready and headed off to the gate. I met the director and her driver there (its usually Chloe) and got into the car and waited for Rachelle... and waited... and waited. I’m usually the first one there so this is normal. Only it became unusual when 20min passed by and she wasn’t there.. now would have been a good time to have access to a phone. Well, they then got in the car and started driving! Well, looks like I am going to be tackling this on my own today! So I took the time in the car trying to figure out how to do this and then I realized I am just going to have to combine classes and take 40min instead of 20min. Okay... so I have a book, a spoon, a hat and stickers... let’s do this. I had 18 kindergarteners sitting at the edge of their seats for 40min while using a foreign language … Crushed it. I don't know how or why. Or maybe it’s because they are in awe watching an adult act as strange as I do while explaining why the little bear is so sad because his porridge is gone while wearing a pink bucket hat and holding a plastic spoon and imaginary bowl, but it worked and I am proud. Usually Zoe is there at Dani, so we are set on the whole English translating thing but today of all days she was gone... perfect. While I was waiting in the car for Rachelle, I realized my bladder was totally full... of course my body senses that it is far from a bathroom so then it has to pee... badly. So when I got to the school I told them 1 Lao si (1 teacher) and the number 2 and pointed to me. She got that much and then I said. Bathroom? Uh Pee? WC? And she just smiled and gestured “be right back” … she didn’t get it... so I went up and taught, pawned the lesson as mentioned before but now you know another reason it was such a miracle.. I did it with a full … Very full bladder... part way through it the teacher handed me her cell phone and it was the angelic voice of ZOE!! ah, to be able to communicate... she told me something about my school (where I live) having a party or something and I should be there but I can eat at Dani and what do I want to do? So I just told her I will go to the school after I am done teaching and eat there. So she said she would let the teacher know and I will be taken back. I said thanks and started teaching again. After I was done teaching I still had to pee and if I didn’t need to before, I really needed to now. Normally I think I probably would have been annoyed with the fact that Rachelle was probably sleeping right now. But I just really wanted a bathroom and I could not for the life of me remember where it was! Well the teacher of the class that I taught ushered me into a room of little kids that seemed to be having singing time. I got handed a cup of water and watched to see if I drank it... yes I did. O boy... I sat there with my belly as big as Santa and my insides turning into knots watching the clock wondering what was going to happen next... an hour passed by when finally, I saw car keys and I got motioned to come. THANK YOU! I can make it! Its just to the school, up 229 stairs and then I can pee. I can do this... we got in the car and I was ready to go. We started heading off and then I noticed my driver asking me “right or left” uhhhh... how am I supposed to know?? as if that wasn't bad enough pretty sure I was starting to become delusional from this full bladder of mine. But, I had my eye on the prize and I pulled myself together and pointed left... I focused really hard to see land markers that were familiar and then told her “right” we drove some more then it was a “left” then a “right” and after a few minutes low and behold there was my beloved home! I did it! I figured out how to get home, held all of my bodily fluids in side of me AND taught 18 kindergarteners with two hands, a hat, spoon and book! Now to tackle the stairs... 229 stairs later I am happy to tell you I was able to relieve my waters before my insides exploded. Wow.

I headed to lunch were I met Rachelle who told me she slept past her alarm and felt bad. I don't mind. I mean if she was there to help I would have been able to accomplish all those things myself. You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you’ve got!

I spent the next little while packing for my Vacation tomorrow because we leave at 1:00 and I am so stoked! Its supposed to be pretty warm too!! WAHOO!!

I got done just in time to head to TKD and watch Lee's class... I got lost and had to ask for help by motioning and punching in the air, but I found my way. I actually found some clues.

I wasn’t sure about the building but I found a poster on the wall that stood out because I noticed some NBA pictures of Chinese players 
 
 and then I saw a TKD poster!

Then I went down the stairs and thought it was a dead end until I saw a sign over my head! Oh man I’m getting warmer!

I got stopped by Bruce the Gym teacher who asked me in broken English if I would want to meet his friends daughter who speaks English very well or at least he says and I told him for sure I would he just has to set it up with Kelly and it would be like a home visit!

I found my way to the room and was just in time for class. It was the first and second graders that have ILP in the morning and oh man they are crazy. Not with Lee though. He kept those kids in line for sure! It was fun to watch them but it really made me miss my TKD stuff!

At 4:00 I went to go but then Lee asked where I was going cuz the students will leave.. dang it! He was going to give me lessons! So I tried to explain ill be there on Monday I just have to help teach today at 4:15 I think he got it... I hope he got it...

I headed off to English corner where Luke ended up telling me that we are watching Modern Family for class... really? I could be learning TKD right now and I can't even play dodge ball?

English corner ended and I headed to dinner. After dinner I did laundry and then Sam and I headed to the small market at the end of the street so I can get some snacks for tomorrow because we have a 20hour train ride. They sell food on there but you never know with china. Its probably still oinking or swimming in your bowl...

I finished all my lesson plans. Got everything ready and I am so stoked for tomorrow!!

LUOYANG ITINEARY

Wednesday, April 3rd

1 pm- Take vans from Weihai to Yantai tran station

3:17 pm- Take sleeper train from Yantai to Luoyang

Thursday, April 4th

10 am- Arrive in Luoyang and go to hotel

Hotel: Xishan Mingzhu Hotel

East Gate of Xishan Botanical Garden,

Shuncheng West Street

Luoyang, China

Friday, April 5th

Longmen Grottoes

Shaolin Temple

Peony flower festival/flower gardens

Yuanti Mountain

Saturday, April 6th

3:44 pm- Train from Luoyang to Jinan

Sunday, April 7th

4 am- Arrive Jinan

1:47 pm- Jinan to Weihai

10 pm- Arrive in Weihai