Strange Stuff

Let's begin with the first thing on my mind right now... bugs. Holy buckets they are sick. I was on the phone with my friend Danni when all of the sudden in a split second my entire place was filled with at least a million of those mayfly-type bugs!! They must've hatched or something. But it was so freakie!!!! I couldn't stop freaking out. It was like a surprize attack. We've figured out that they like light. So I turned off all my lights and left my door open so they'd follow the light into the hallway. It took about a half hour to get the situation kind of under control. In the dark I could hear their buzzing and it was so gross. It's like a bad dream. I took a peak out in the hall, and I could hardly see to the other side the bugs were so thick swarming around. Wow. So nasty. I called Brenda and she had them too. Now it's the morning after and there are bug wings and carcases all over the floor. Gross.
I killed my first cockroach today. Go me! Usually they freak me out too bad, so I make someone else do it for me, or I just sheepishly let it win the standoff and I run away. I've turned into such a sissy. But today I knew if I didn't get this guy I'd be dealing with his billions of offspring.
Another bugger has been the mosquitos. I check my place before I go to bed and it all seems clear. But as soon as that light goes off, it's like they all come out of hiding and buzz around your ears so there's no chance of getting a good nights sleep. One morning I woke up with five fattened-up mosquitos inside my mosquito net. They can get in somehow, but they can get out. They're easier to kill when their all fed-up anyway. So I just tell them to do their worst and stop buzzing in my ears so I can sleep. They'll just get it in the morning.

Well, last week was a doosey. I had given the students the previous two weeks of class time to work on their performances. So come performance day, so many of them were like, "Miss Leah, we're not ready, can we go next week." At first I was merciful, but then it just got annoying. So towards the end of the week I started to get tough. Some classes were such a delight, though! Some classes really had fun with this. That's what it was supposed to be! They did awesome jobs, and I am way way proud of them. There are those who I know their spoken English isn't great, but they still tried. Then there are those who I know can speak fairly well, but put zero effort into this and came up with a pathetic display. I was really disappointed in them. So it was such a crazy week with highs and lows. I wish I could remember all of the performances. I wish I had a video camera at times like these. Some classes, the kids gave me their script, so I can share with you a couple of the performances just to get an idea what it's like. They are so funny when the kids get into it and do the voices and actions. I will post it here word for word, mistakes and all:

Team Name: Window Shopping
Title: Cinderella
Backgroud: long long ago, there was a ball held by a princess in downtown. That night, a prince lost his ball-shoes on the stairs. Princess picked up the shoe and made up her mind to find the prince. So she took the shoe house to house. One day she came to the prince's house finally.
Servant 1: Is anyone here?
Step-Father: Who? Don't knock at the door so loudly! (open the door)
Servant2: Morning! Gentlemen! Our princess is looking for the man who lost the sport-shoes. Every man has a chance to try it on. If it's suitable for you, you can get married to our beautiful princess! (princess comes into)
Step-Father: Welcome! Welcome! Or beautiful princess! I'm sure that my son can try the shoes on! Come on, deer. (to elder brother) Cinderella, go back to the kitchen!
Princess: Oh, no! Please let him stay here. Everyone has the chance!
Step-Father: Well! If so, you just stay here.
(brother sits down, he is ready to try the shoes on)
Servant 1: Please!
Elder Brother: How cheap the shoes are! Oh, no! They are too small for me to try them on.
Step-Father: Oh, my dear! I can't believe that. Dear, try your best again! Now that let me have a try too.
Servant 2: No! No! you can't try the shoes. You're so old!
Princess: Let him have a try. (towards Cinderella)
Cinderella: A worn-out shoes. I think it must be the shoe which I lost last night. The princess is so strange! Why not buy a new one. I want a pair of new shoes. I want Addidas! Nothing is impossible! (Cinderella takes off his shoes)
All: How foul his feet are!
Cinderella: Don't say so. I'll be sad. Look! How fit for me the shoes are! Now, I can get married to my beautiful princess!
(Princess falls in a faint)
Background: not long after they married, princess demanded to divorce because prince not only had a hong-kong foot, but also that there was stench came from him! He didn't sleep at night, didn't keep awake in daytime! Just ate and did nothing, searched the internet, met lots of girls! His lovest white horse was so dirty that became a black horse!
End

[ok, so they are a little crazy.]

Team Name: Capucino
Title: The Legend of Human and the Wolf
Long long ago, Red cap and his grandmother lived in a peaceful forest. Because of the drought, there is no food to be found in the forest. Until one day, Red cap's grandmother went out to pick mushrooms. she met a big wolf which had searching for the food for it's son.
W:Grandma, nice to meet you!
G: Nice to meet you.
W: are you searching for something to eat, too?
G: Yes, I got some mushrooms. But it's not enough to eat. My grandson is very hungry now.
W: I know. My son is also hungry at home now.
G: Oh! I have an idea! I can be your son's food. and you must take care of my grandson!
W: What! (very shock) OK, let's go!
So the grandma went to the wolf's nest to be the little wolf's food. Red cap was very sad when he knew this news. After a few years, both red cap and the little wolf grew up. One day there is a hunter breaking in the forest. He killed many animals include the big wolf. Whith the help of mother little wolf ran away. At this time he met the broken hearted boy, Red cap.
Red: Oh! you're a wolf! I will kill you!
Little Wolf: No! You look at me carefully, can you see something!?
R: I see some ocular secret.
LW: No, do you remember the old wolf? I am her son.
R: Oh! I know you! Nice to meet you!
LW: Let's drive the hunter out of the forest!
R: Let's go!
Hunter: Ha-ha! I'm a great hunter. I want to kill more animals to make more money!
R&LW: Don't move, hang up! Get out of our forest, or I will kill you!
H: Stop! I'll go by my self.
They drove off the hunter out of the forest and lived happily.

So there's an idea of some of the better skits.

Friday was the most interesting day. I was really encouraged by the morning classes, they were so so great. On group did the piece from the Sound of Music where she teaches the Vanderbelt children how to sing. It's like speaking and singing intertwined.. Doe a deer and female deer, etc. They were soooo great! It was all choreographed and everything. They were definitely the best so far. But then cam Friday afternoon. I knew they would be a challenge, because this class always is. But this time it was utter chaos. I could not get them to sit down and shut up. They were all over the place like it was free time or something. Kids were listening to their music, walking all around, chatting, wrestling with their buddies. It was so out of control. I had it up to here with trying to get them to cooperate, so I picked up my things and started heading out the door. It was the last place on earth I wanted to be. That place was beyond fixing with my puny words. As I walked out, only one boy noticed, and he asked me where I was going. I just said out. And he got really sincere, and was like... ok just give us 10 minutes to get ready for our performance! So I said alright and waited there very stern staring at my watch. The tone of the class slowly began to change as they started to realize how really really ticked off I was. Only two groups presented then. And it was a very sorry sight. I know these kids. They are great kids. They love talking to me. I know what they are capable of. I was very disappointed. After the sad performances. I knew I had to say something. So I gave them a bit of a lecture. This is the first time I have been so disappointed and angry with these kids. And they knew it. And they needed to hear it. After class a couple of the girls came to me appologizing and told me that the Chinese teachers say the same things about this class. So I know it isn't just me. One girl in that class has been a good friend to me this year, and I knew she was ashamed because usually she loves to chat with me after class, but I only saw her with her head on her desk. Ayekarumba. Afterwards I felt so bad! I kept having to remind myself that I am in the right! It's so difficult for me to be so confrontational and to cause anyone to feel badly. I know that hearing it from me was different then hearing it from their Chinese teachers. They expect it from them. So I really hope that next time they can shape up a bit. They will be my last class ever here, so I want it to end well.

We had English corner again, and this time Brenda led it. I just joined for fun. And it was really nice. The most memorable thing about it was when Amy spoke. We were all telling something about ourselves. And she told everyone something that I had told her in a letter. You know we have been writing notes back and forth for a few weeks. A while back I asked her if she believed in God and she replied that she hated God because he cheated her. Supposedly He told her she'd get a good grade on an exam, but she ended up failing. So I wrote to her telling her that we don't alway understand his ways. Like a storm, sometimes it seems terrible and like it causes harm, but in the end helps things to grow... something like that. And I told her that he really does care about her and her grades and that he loves her. So in English corner, she told everyone that God cares about her! It was so so so great! She was looking at me when she was sharing all these things and smiling. And I could have cared less who was listening or what they thought, because it was such a precious thing that just happened! I am so blessed to know that the Lord has revealed his love to her. Please keep prayin for Amy.

The weekend was very busy. I spent some time with my students shopping, taking photos, and hanging out. They are so fun. We went to this part of the shopping center that I'd never seen before. It was the music section. They have sound proof rooms you can rent to play piano. So bummer, I couldn't have been playing piano all year if I knew that! They asked me to play them something, but I have pretty much lost anything I had. So sad. It was neat to see all the traditional Chinese instruments there along side the electric guitars and drums.
Sunday I met some other students at McDonalds at 8am. On a Sunday, waking up at 7am feels more like 5am. So I wasn't good for much the whole rest of the day. I was so exhasted. We ate McD's for breakfast, then went to the public library to use the internet. Then we did a little shopping, and taking some of those little sticker photos. They love it. The girls who ran the little photo shop really wanted to take pictures with me too. They were so giddy when I agreed. Funny. Later we had lunch at "Tracy's" house. Her mom made a great meal. Shrimp, clams, jellyfish, dumplings, noodles, soup, vegies, and a special chicken (special cuz it had never laid any eggs in its life). But it was pretty quiet, cuz they didn't know how to talk to me really. And I was so tired. So I watched them play video games. They had the first Mario Brothers! Finally I went home and took a nice long nap before another dinner date...
Sunday night was a lot of fun. Brenda and I were invited to a Chinese English teacher's house (Lillian). Lillian is married to "Golden" who is a hear doctor, and they have a ten year old son, "Sterling."She had one of her old friends come too, along with her eight year old daughter, "Grace". We had another fabulous meal. Brenda and I fixed a good ol' fashion salad with lettuce, carrot, onion, and tomato. Brenda even mixed up her own vinagarett. This was a new experience for them, and they really liked it! Lillian made some great fish, shrimp, soup, vegies, and dumplings. For desert Brenda fixed the kids PBJ's. This was a new experience for them, too, and they loved it! After dinner the kids put on an English music video, and we taught them the electric slide and macarena! What a riot. I brought my cards, so we taught them how to play Uno. What fun. They caught on really quick and it was a blast. The kids were halarious. The whole gang has extremely healthy lungs, so it was so loud! Little Grace was so fired up.
After that Sterling demonstrated his mad yo-yo skills. That kid is gooood.
Then Golden made us some really great tea and we chatted a bit til it was late and we had to go home. They sent us home with a big bag full of fresh picked leechees and Sterling gave us one of his yo-yos. Good times.

I have finally finished my Teaching Summary. As foreign English teachers we were required to write a teaching summary of the past year. I had kept track of all my lesson plans, so it was such a time saver to be able to cut and paste. We're to put the summaries on this USB flash disc drive that belongs to the school. Brenda put her's on there then gave it to me, but I lost it!!! I can't find it anywhere. Yikes. So I think I have to buy a new one. Dang.

Brenda's been sick on and off for the past couple weeks. She's had ear aches, stomach aches, head aches, sinus problems, bronchitis threats, and more. So ya'll praying for me, thank you so much! I know if it weren't for your prayers, I'd be in no better shape then her. The Lord is so good to me!

I'm trying to think of something really nice to do with the students for the last week of class. Can you believe it! I have only a week and a half left. Wowzers. Most of the time I am really looking foward to coming home. But the other night I was thinking a lot about the changes, adjustments, etc. and of all the things that I'm really going to miss... and I got really sad! For the first time I was feeling anxiety about coming home. There are some thing that I am not looking foward to, and things that I'm really going to miss here. I wish I could have the best of both worlds. It is really like being in two different worlds. I wish I could buy my vegies from these sweet ladies on the street. I wish I could have my family and friends close, as well as my students and friends here. I wish I could have a great body of believers to fellowship with, then go out for lunch at some road side dumpling shop. I wish I didn't have to worry about paying bills or buying gas or working 9-5.

Life is strange stuff.