The Weekend...went by faster then I wanted

Well the weekend stared off with ...wait for it...rain! Friday night it poured so hard that you could hear it against my windows. The next day was full of lesson plans that gave way to a AAA event (Adults of Average Age) 30 of us from fellowship met at M-Kitchen (it was good, but not as amazing as everyone told me, sorry guys) then we went bowling. I haven't been bowling since I was 17 and I still stink at it, the only good thing is that I can bowl with either hand. I start out left handed and then switch to right when my left gets exhausted. It was a fun night and even though I can't bowl for my life I had fun just hanging out with people. The night ended with the temperatures dropping. Earlier in the week it was 80/90's so I summer-ized my bed at this point. So with freezing cold temperature I just shivered for about a half an hour before I got up and put on flannel pj's and grabbed a very warm blanket. I finally fell asleep and then came Sunday...

                Sunday was a great day at Fellowship after I went and did errand running (which means I went to Zhong Bai (you say it like jong by)and met my old nemesis the fish head in the ice by the eggs) and made food at home. For dinner we had pizza, not back home this is normal I have only had pizza here in China 3 times so it was a big deal. Plus the frozen yogurt was out at a store on the mall. It was good (not as good as Taylor's ice cream) but I got to put dragon fruit on it so it was pretty good. It was a very eventful and very tiring I was glad to call it a night. Which brings us to today which was full of rain and thunder, but not as much rain as Michigan. Hopefully I will talk to you soon and that it will warm up just as soon!

Exercises and ...Celine Dion?

            First off sorry about the gaps in post lately, my fault. This past week was pretty crazy, out of 14 possible classes (we worked on Sunday) I only taught 3...why is this you might ask. Well we have a government official coming to the school so the want to impress them. The students and teacher (except for us ) have been learning this dance/kung fu number...its crazy and looks exhausting. So last week most of my classes were taken over my the PE teacher to get the students practicing. This was after they told me that I need to do better and be more like Amber...so frustrating. Then we don't have class for a week, how do I improve if you never let me teach?

           On to the Celine Dion appearance no not really her but after lunch one day Amber and I were just chilling in the office it is dead quite until one of my 4th grades starts singing 'My Heart Will Go On' we bust out laughing at this point it was pretty random but she is quite the icon over here in the Middle Kingdom. It was a nice pick me up of laughter after a frustrating few weeks.

      Ok on the the heavy stuff, as some of you know back home I am planning on coming back to the States for a few years to get my Masters Degree. There is a law change here in China now with the new government. I have to be TEFL/TESOL certified in order to teach anywhere here in China. I could teach here again next year if they asked me without being certified but they way things have been going lately 1)I'm not holding my breath for them to ask me back 2) I"m not sure I want to come back after all the double sided-ness and stress from this year 3) they have terrible internet and not wifi in our apartments so if the internet is down and i can't turn in an assignment I'm screwed. I would like to do well with my TESOL masters. It is a 2 year program and I am looking at Azusa Pacific or Southeastern. They are both online so I can work anywhere in the country I don't have to be in Cali or FL I can be where ever there are jobs. After I am certified I want to come back to China, I really do love it here. I am sad to leave and I feel very torn, but I know I can't teach anywhere else until I get my degree/certification. I can really use your 'thoughts' right now, I can't tell you how many times I have cried over the thought of leaving China even for 2 years. I have come to love the culture, food, and people. I know the Father will take care of me but there is still a sadness at having to go home. This also means finding a job and getting on my feet as quickly as possible, I am going to see if I can get my TEFL certification and start looking for jobs right after as I finish my TESOL part of my masters. (you can get the first one and the classes roll over into my TESOL masters). If it works I could come back next year Fall of 2014 and teach in China, but that is very wishful thinking still it would be nice. Thanks for reading and i hope this fills in gaps for people if you have question you can talk to my mom or Facebook or Tweet me I am happy to clear up any confusion.

 

 Benjamin, Maddie, and Sammy enjoying the weather

Daniel and Benjamin at dinner time