I’m in panic mode right now. I have 24 hours to get ready to leave for a 16-day trip to Nanjing, Suzhou and Shanghai. I’m sooooooooooooo excited!!! Warmer weather! New sites to see! Train rides!
Last Wednesday night I had my first sleeper (overnight) train experience when Jim, Evan and I made the trek to the coast city of DaLian in NE China. Each car has 66 people in it and 3 bunks are stacked on top of each other. I had the top bunk!
DaLian was a gorgeous city! The three of us had some crazy adventures which I will share in-person. . . We were all pretty excited to see OCEAN!
Last Sunday, I spent 4 hours at the Summer Palace in the MOST GORGEOUS weather with my friend, Carrie. The entire complex was in bloom and the sun was out.
The highlight of this week was my family’s visit! I spent Monday night and all day Tuesday roaming Beijing with them! It was pretty surreal to be their tour guide for a day.
The loves of my life right now are my students. Every Wednesday, I get out of class at 11:30am, grab lunch and get on the bus for an hour-long trek out to a poorer section of Beijing. I volunteer at a school for migrant worker’s children. The school has 1100 students ranging from k-6th grade and the school receives no government support. The students are not allowed in the public schools because their parents do not have permanent residency in Beijing so without this school they would be left at home/wandering the streets while their parents work everyday. I teach English from 1:20-2:50 to two consecutive classes of about 60 students with no previous experience. None of the school’s teachers or administrators speak English. The curriculum for my class is entirely up to me. It is the scariest and most challenging thing I have ever done. I LOVE it. The kids are AMAZING. I look forward to every Wednesday when I get to see them.
So, that is a quick update. My internet isn't letting me post photos too easily right now. LAME.
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