Picture Day!

Picture Day!

Monday 5- 12 – 13

Today was a pretty fun day! I got up and met everyone on the bus. I was a little later today because I remembered this morning that it was picture day and that’s just what happens on picture day! I don’t have a curling iron or blow dryer here so there wasn't much to do about the hair but I put make up. Once I took a step back to take a look at the finished product, had to play the reflection dance in the mirror. I didn't recognize myself! Thats going to be fun, going back to America and thinking I look great, looking like myself! I guess being here in China has helped all us girls lose sight of the unnecessary things in life, blow dryers, straighteners, makeup, plumbing, consistent hot water and full closets of cute clothes. I wonder if I will forget how minute these things are when I go back to America. I hope that I can keep the same perspective on life that I have developed now. “Whatever, it’s just a shirt no big deal if it gets dirty.” “Eh, shower fast and warm up after.” “Close your eyes and just chew, don't think too hard about it.”

I hurried down the steps in my sun dress and sweater and started to sweat. Am I really in Weihai? Its borderline hot! I hopped onto the bus and joined the crew. After about 5min I started to feel the back, sweats and any sort of sweat area you can imagine. We tried our hardest to get the windows to open to no avail. Whatever, we just had to deal with it. It wasn't so bad when we were driving down a road not directly in the sun but when we were, that bus was a hot box. We were enjoying the bus ride in our tiny seats laughing and joking when a song came on the bus and we heard all the little voices singing along to the song. It melted my heart. They are so cute!! Sometimes I have to remind myself that my students aren't at the same level as the students in Daguanghua and it’s not because of my teaching or their lack of intelligence. My kids are still learning how to speak Chinese for heaven’s sake! I wish I could see them more than just once a week, I bet that would help a ton.

We pulled up to Charlie's stop as he looked in the window at me, the big toothy grin crept on his face as he ran onto the bus and abandoned his dad on the side of the curb. He came right over and snuggled right up to me as we both waved back to his dad. Charlie felt like I did today, we had our runny noses and just had to deal with it only Charlie took the more convenient approach to the problem by wiping his arm across his nose leaving a nice long trail of snot on his sleeve. Man, I should a worn long sleeves! Any other kid would have done that, and I would be gagging. But with Charlie, I just had to roll my eyes and hope it didn't get on me. I know that whenever I am feeling under the weather my mom wouldn't care how crappy I was feeling or gross I looked, she always cuddled up with me and I bet all Charlie wanted was some loving. Yeah, I think I know why I have been sick 89% of the time I have been here but, what doesn't kill me makes me stronger right? I have no clue why, but these little boys are the ones that get me. They are so cute and so funny. If you haven't noticed already, I have grown very fond of this bugary bug named Charlie.

We got to the school and ate our yummy breakfast. We headed into the school and I went up the stairs waiting for my class. Today we are going to attempt musical

  

chairs. My SPE is Gym this week which is really hard to get language out with because the kids go so wild and don't want to speak they just want to play, but who can blame them? I sat up in my room for about 15min with no signs of life. I came back down and Rachelle told me that Equal wants to take pictures soon. oh. Well that’s cool. So we just sat there and talked. Susan came with us today to evaluate us but it looks like that isn't going to be happening!

We got summoned outside about 30min later and found ourselves standing in front of the school with a photographer and each of our classes, a sea of grey as they were all wearing the school's new uniform. Rachelle and I have two students who do not look Chinese. Austin and Matt. Austin is older and Matt is in our baby group.

  The first week we noticed that he didn't look very Chinese, but after the second week we noticed a red dot in the middle of his eyebrows. After my Humanities 1100 class in high school required me to do a 15min presentation on Hinduism and customs of the religion, I recognized that mark right away. Austin and Matt are definitely not Chinese, they are Indian. When we walked outside,

we were greeted by their parents. Their father and mother started talking to us and after they figured out that Rachelle and I were their son's teachers, they insisted on pictures with the family. I’m not surprised that Austin's parents speak English by how well Austin picks up on things. I couldn't tell with Matt because he hasn't even mastered his first language whatever it might be, although it’s most likely going to be Chinese.  

We took pictures with our classes and had one more left when I saw my stud of a bug Charlie walking over. Oh my gosh he is so cute! The class was all lined up for pictures and I took the liberty to go kneel down on the edge by my favorite bug. Charlie didn't seem to mind as he took my hand and leaned right into me like we were on the bus. He gave me a hug as they walked away

  

Equal, again, went above and beyond and gave us all the uniforms that the teachers and students were wearing! They are grey with stripes of green and white checkered pattern on the side of the arm and leg and of course, accompanied by the school logo.

We were sweating up a storm by then from being outside and taking pictures so we went back inside to have enough time to teach our last class which is our babies! I walked over to their room and the teacher lead me over so I could change into my sweats and teach! Rachelle followed and joined in while we were singing our songs. I pulled out the balls that were in my back pack that I was going to use as non-items for my lesson and taught them “Ball” and would only give it to them if they said it. Then we taught them “give me”. After a while the difficulty was heightened and our babies were saying “give me the ball” that class is so fun. The Chinese teachers are so nice and we just laugh at some of our little ones when they do something crazy like chuck the ball and hit themselves in the head.  

After we taught we waited for lunch in the “religion room” (the room that had a Jesus picture on it)

There are a bunch of computers there so we tried to hop on and found that the internet was good enough to chat on Gmail! I got to chat with Sister Paris for a little bit before, like always, the internet went wacky and it kicked me off.  

We wandered to the lunch room and ate our yummy food. Equal drove us home and we trucked up the stairs sweating like crazy. I asked Lee on QQ what time we should meet today. I got the quickest response saying 2:30. oh snap that’s in 20min. I wasn't able to practice this week with all my home visits and then feeling bleh on Sunday so I was going to hurry and try to practice before I went down to take class. I picked up my bag with a gut wrenching feeling when I felt how light it was.. shoot, they aren't in there! Where are my nanchaku?! Ah come on! Where did they go?! I looked everywhere; I searched frantically to come up with nothing.  

Sam said she hadn't seen them and I had no other place to look so I had to QQ Lee.. I told him to not be mad but I can't find my nanchaku... he didn't seem mad in the slightest when he told me that he found them in the classroom. PHEW!! I told him thank you and he replied by telling me that we were going to learn more actions today. I said I was excited and that I would be there soon! Right before I left, he told me that the conversation on QQ was all him and no Translation! What?! I remember the first time we met, he couldn't even say that he was the teacher! I was super excited that he was able to communicate so well!

I ran down to class and met Lee he pulled out my new uniform which made my day.  I now have a uniform from China and Korea. Im too legit to quit … jokes. Lee told me that he was looking at computer and learn new actions. Sweet! Lets go youtube! He taught me a move that I named windmill. Not only was it hard, but it made me very dizzy and was slightly out of my comfort zone. Lee looks awesome doing it but I feel like a goober trying to do it. Thank goodness I got a new uniform. Maybe that will help? Now, all I need is dark skin, darker hair and yes, squinty eyes and maybe I’ll look cool too! But I gotta do what I gotta do. I spent the next little while in the corner waving my arms around and getting tangled up with myself, one smack to the face and many failed attempts later, I finally got it down for Lee to give me the thumbs up! Finally! I practiced my other techniques and the part of the form that the has created for me all through the course of his two classes. I was there from 2:30 – 5:30 practicing and just having fun. I love this stuff. Everything about it. Well, I take it back... the extra knuckle bruised jaw and knee cap, I could go without but, its worth it.

During the last class, one of the students left. I don't know if you know this, but I don't know Chinese, but I would be willing to bet he was kicked out of class by the way he was behaving. After that class was done. Lee sat down and started to tell me in broken but good enough English for me to understand and wish I hadn't. Lee told me that his classes in the afternoon are not good because the students do not care and they don't practice. He showed me a video of his younger class in the mornings and told me that they are better and that I could go to that class. I told him I have to teach then so I can't and I am sorry. He told me that he is sad because his students don't care and he will maybe be leaving June 1st... WHAT?! Ugh! Don't leave!! please?? I knew that there was a possibility because the semester ends around that time but it really hit me when Lee told me in person. I felt a little bit of a knot build up in the back of my throat and the tears try to form when it meant I have only two more weeks to practice and teach Lee. I don't have long conversations and inside jokes, but I respect him and all the knowledge and passion he has for Kungfu. I look up to him like he is a celebrity. I know I have to go home some time and that I have things and people I miss back home but right now I love it here and a big part of it is because Lee has been kind enough to teach me and let me get a glimpse of Chinese Kungfu. I honestly have no idea what I would be doing or if I would be loving China as much as I do right now if Lee wouldn't have agreed to teach me or if Ben hadn't walked passed the Kunfu room and showed me where to start asking questions. My biggest regret is not finding Lee sooner.

I headed upstairs and showed the teachers my new uniform and got back to my room in time to catch Crista and Sam heading out for a run. I don't know if it was a pity invite but I took it and hurried out the door and down to the track. My feet let me do more than one lap around the track and I was happy to be able to keep a 10min pace for the next 3 miles! I ended with an ab work out and headed upstairs to a great warm shower! You know its been a great day when your shower is nice and warm!

I cut up an apple to make up for not eating dinner and am ready to turn out the lights. I don't feel 100% but I do feel a lot better than I did last night! Thank goodness!