Check it Out!

I just found out that I don't have to teach at all next week!!! How easy do I have it? The students have mid terms starting Wednesday, and want Monday and Tuesday to study. I could go somewhere! But I should hang on to the little cash I have. I know that once I get back home it won't last me as long as it will here.

I just finished watching the Bruce Lee story. I've seen it like 3 times already, but it always intrigues me.

Last night Mark told me that some people from Australia would be here and they would sit in on my class. He told me to be prepared. I feel uncomfortable with people other than Chinese observing me, but made up my mind to just do my thing and not worry about it. But I guess I was more anxious than I realized cuz I had a dream about it! I dreamed that this Australian guy came to visit my class, and when my students would ask questions he would answer, and he eventually ended up taking over the class pushing me aside. Crazy! So I woke up all feeling all this crazy anxiety. When the time finally came, no one from Australia showed up! They visited someone else's class. Instead, there was a Chinese girl that visited my class. She's a college student soon to graduate. She was a cutie. She might be an English teacher in the future. She thought my class was very interesting. I usually get a positive and enthusiastic response from Chinese who sit in on my class because my teaching style is so completely different from the Chinese teachers. Theirs is teacher focused whereas I strive to keep mine as student focused as possible.

My Friday afternoon class got a little out of hand today. The boys in that class are these big tall basketball crazy guys. They are a lot of fun, but they just can't keep still or quiet for two seconds. And it doesn't at all help that it's Friday afternoon. And I'm feeling so close to the end that I really don't care how unruly they are at this point! It's probably so bad for me to give up, but you should see these boys. They are like 6 feet tall. I'm not even joking. I can tell they do things to get my reaction. At least they treat me like I'm there. There's one class that goes on as if I wasn't even in the room. There are other classes that I truly a delight to be in though. They soak up everything I say and participate so well. They make it all worth it. I love them all, the good ones, the crazy ones, the naughty ones, the sweet ones, the ones who just sleep in class, the ones who hang on my every word. They are all so great. They are each so unique. Man, I am really going to miss them.

It's only just started to get out that I will not be returning. I haven't told anyone but the higher-ups, but tonight I got a message from a girl ("watermelon") who found out I was leaving. She's really disappointed, and she's not even my student!! She was Nigel's student. I see her on the bus now and then. She's a teacher's daughter and her English is amazing. It's so proper and her vocabulary is huge. But it's so text book that it's hard to have a real laid back conversation with her. But I know she is sincere and sweet.

The weather has all of the sudden turned cold again! It's so weird. Just a couple days ago we were drenched in sweat, and now we're back in our jackets. Strange!!!!!!!

Wow. I just realized that as far as teaching goes, Apri is already over! I can't get over how incredibly fast the time is going. Brenda says that when you get older it just gets faster and faster. I can't imagine it going any faster then it is now.

I got another note from Amy. She said that no one has ever treated her so kindly before. You should see her smile. She's got an incredibly sweet smile. In her eyes you can see she has been hurt badly somehow, but there is still so much hope and dreams in there. Such an adorable girl.

It's such a great thing to be here.