Old Glory

Monday 4-1-13

Today definitely started out with a struggle, I got up and walked out into the cold, wet, windy weather... why is it that every Monday seems to be the day of the week that is so freaking cold?! Ai ai ai... o well, we got on our little Bus and made our way to the back (because that’s where the cool kids sit) and headed on our way to pick up the kids from their stops. Some get picked up on the side of a street out of their parent’s car and then others are picked up outside their apartment complexes. No matter where they get picked up though, they are always accompanied by either their mom or dad who always ecclesiastically wave goodbye as the bus drives off. I am not sure if the kids go home every day or stay there for the whole week, but I do know that either way, these parents really do love their kids and want the best for them. With every goodbye or pat on the head as they kids enter the bus I can feel a little bit of the love they feel for their child as well. It makes me so happy to see parents love their children the way heavenly father wants his children to be loved. I have been around many people who have been involved with Foster care and heard stories about abused children and it makes me sick to think about kids being hurt and neglected like that. There is something about a little kindergartener that can't be described in a single word that makes me glow inside. Their curiosity and eagerness to be alive excites me and I just hate to think that anyone would dampen or try to take that away.

When we got to the school it had started raining, so Me, Rachelle, Hannah and Maddie ran inside with the kids to try to stay as dry as possible but also warm. This school is about 20min away in a car and on the bus its about an hour because of all the stops but it is right next to the beach. I’m not sure if this is right but in my head it makes sense but I think that’s why it is always so windy and especially cold. But it also doesn't help that the school is made of cement and without heating... ice box.

We got up to our rooms and my class wasn’t there yet so I decided to walk around the class so I could try to keep somewhat warm. I was already starting to lose feeling in my fingers and toes. I explored the classroom and then noticed something out the window that broke my heart. I saw old glory up in the trees tangled up and raggedy.

The way that it was up there was not respectful in the slightest, but also didn’t look purposeful. I am usually not one to make special requests but I honestly considered saying something or at least gesturing something to one of the teachers. But then I decided to try and myself in their shoes. If I saw a Chinese flag tangled in the trees would I care? No not really, should I care? … well, maybe now, I will. But I also thought, I don't think I’ve ever seen another Flag tangled or dismantled in the USA... but wait, if this flag blew away and got stuck in the trees, it must mean that someone was flying it... so I guess that thought was good enough for me. I am proud to be an American. I love my country and especially those who sacrifice for it. For me, the flag in the trees is more than just a flag. Its the memory and legacy of all those who have died fighting for our country, a universal symbol that we, along with them, are still here, Strong and proud, maybe terrible with money and sometimes dramatic but still it’s the United States of America. Perhaps that is why it bothered me to see it up in the tree but if I try to focus on where it came from rather than were it was, I feel much better about the whole thing and slightly proud that even in China, old glory still waves.

At this school, I have two classes with two and three year olds. Last week I would have told you this with an edge of annoyance because I really just felt like I was talking to myself the last time I was teaching them, but there we go with the humble pie. Today, for some reason, that has all changed. Rachelle and I decided from advice given by our head teachers to keep the class together for the first 5 min and sing songs like the itsy bitsy spider and once there was a snow

man to try to get the kids to break out of their shell. At first they stared at us like we were psychotic... so we know that they are smart. And then one little boy I named Morgan... ;) … is very outgoing and border line a terd, came up to me and I had him stand in front of me and I used his hands while I sang the song to make the actions. Well that seemed pretty cool to the rest of the group so one by one I sang the itsy bitsy spider and borrowed the tiny hands of each two year old to complete my song with actions. We then spilt up classes and taught our lesson.. it was a BLAST. It might have been my lesson or the songs or just a good day but wither way I had so much fun I recorded cute little Morgan as I explained “yucky” because his reaction was priceless!

We met in our usual frozen room after classes were out and I noticed on a chalk board the usual Chinese words all over it but there was one word and phrase that was in English “religion” and “he cannot lie” … hmmm that was interesting. This was in the same room as the jesus picture.

I came home and found myself pretty overwhelmed with all my different school's things so I got folders and I spent my afternoon organizing folders and chatting with My Morgan till he had to go to bed and then it was dinner time.

After dinner, Sam's vacation crew came in and discussed their vacation and I cleaned/organized my area in my room. I am trying to get things all ready and organized because we leave on our vacation

This week and I want to make sure that everything is done and organized so I don't jeopardize my lessons and sanity over this trip and I can still have fun!

Well I have to head to bed now. Goodnight!