Stuff up the WahZooo!

It is really embarassing how much stuff I have accumulated. I can't believe it. I honestly didn't really realize until I started to pack up my stuff and found that I had to send another box home or I wouldn't have made it. I am making a promise to myself that I will never do this again. What I mean is, I will never accumulate so much stuff on an overseas trip again. I think I went a little overboard. Yikes. Just this morning I went out with Brenda cuz she told me about this really cute fairly cheap place to buy traditional Chinese looking clothes, and I bought some more things. Then I started packing and, woa. When its spread all over my apartment it didn't seem like much. But trying to fit it all in a couple suitcases is quite the task. I'm worried about being overweight and having to pay airport fees. Would the Lord honor a prayer for weightlessness after my splurging?

Yesterday was my last day of teaching. I was determined to spend it well. It really was a nice day up until the end. I was surrounded by my students. Most of them had no idea I was leaving so soon and that I wouldn't be back. So just a few who really have taken the time to get to know me made it a point to seek me out throughout the day. The last class still was challenging. When it was over I was relieved. But at the same time I love these kids. My last thing at school was to be English corner. I had prepared a nice time. We were going to play a game and chat and take pictures. I was really looking foward to it as were the students who would go. As we walked to the English Corner classroom, about five students and I, we had a great time chatting and lauging together. I was getting really excited to make one last memory here with them. As we entered the classroom, there sat Lillian. In her perky manipulative voice she told us that she is cancelling english corner so I could help her translate something. What a kill joy. I was so angry. I told her that this is my last day and I want to spend it with the students not being used by the school. This was the last thing I wanted to be doing. So she smiled and said, oh! ok! I'll give you 20 minutes. Oh my goodness. I wanted to cry. And so did the students. I wanted so much to tell her off and refuse, but I didn't want to make a scene in front of the students and cause anyone to lose face. I was mad and she knew it. But she didn't seem to give a darn. All she was thinking about was getting her stupid translation thing done. So the kids and I took some pictures and said goodbye. And off I went to be a schmuck, a doormat, a chump, a pushover. Gotta love the thesaurus. They've never asked me to help them with translations before until this day. Anyother day I would have been happy too. Arg.

I really want to see a couple students before I go, like over the weekend. But there are so many things going on. And Arthur and Anna are leaving tomorrow morning and I'd like to say goodbyes to them too. It will be nice to be home where I can just crash when all these goodbyes are over.

I keep thinking of ways that this whole experience could have been better. I mean, how could I have made more of this time. I should have prayed more. I should have taken more pictures. I should have spent more time outside of my apartment. I should have been more open about my faith. I should have taken more chances like eating crazier things, going parasailing, taking the train. I should have taken more time to spend with my students. I should have done more physically active things. I should have taken more initiative in making friends. I should have learned more Chinese. I should have bought less!
I think these are my only regrets.

So I went to the post office today to mail one last box. I think the worker girl there was new because she was slow as ever. The last few boxes I've mailed went smoothly and fairly quickly. But this girl was so slow and so ditsy it was taking forever. I am so glad that this will be my last trip to one of the worst places in China... the post office.

While Brenda and I were out this morning we took some snap shots of the lovely faces we see everyday along the street. Then we had them printed out and gave them each their own picture. It was so cute! They loved it. Like Brenda said, this is the best gift we could give them. They are so great.