16 Days!

I will be home in 16 days! Yay!

I bought my ticket to Japan. I'm going to hang out in Korea for a week with Ian first. I will be leaving on August 15th.

I have a lot of pictures, but it's not working at the moment. Some are on facebook.

Hope all is well!

See you soon!!!

Drum roll...

Japan. I'm going to Japan next year. I'll leave home on August 22ish. I'll be there a year. I'll only be teaching ESL this time around. I'm doing it. Woah.

We had a three day trip to Harbin, a city up north by Russia. Famous for it's ice festivals and snow. There was none of that, seeing as it's June. The kids did all right, better than I expected them to. It wore me out though, not helped by this being a 7 day work week with Monday-Wednesday off next week for the Dragon Boat Festival. Don't know what that means.

26 soon. Home shortly after.

Time flies!

My class at the Tiger Park in Harbin.

Dave, Chris and I celebrating the end of the Harbin Trip.

Just a little wrestling on the way home. (Everything is a good idea at 5am)

English Primary Teachers with Kazuya in front of St. Sophia Cathedral in Harbin.

Emma has been dared to stop shaving her armpits for 6 weeks.
This is the before shot. Shockingly, they both just look like models.

 

Live, laugh, love, Shenyang

Things have been pretty standard here. We're preparing for Mid-Term Exams and a 3 day trip to Haerbin. I am 99% sure I know what I will be doing next year, but I'm going to wait a bit longer to make the official announcement. I have a plane ticket to fly into Virginia and then join the Dalsimers for the reunion in the outer banks. I will be arriving on July 9th. YAY! We did a double decker tour bus around Shenyang, just because we felt that was a good idea. It was as expected. That's really all. Here are some pictures of me in China.

Night out with BossmanDave.

On the tour of our lovely,grey city.

Coleen and Chris arm wrestling.

Dinner at the night market.

BossmanDave, Robert and Aude. Robert is the head of the German Department.
Aude just went back to France to have a baby.
Oh, they're a couple.

Playing with BossmanDave.

Some pictures.

At the top of the mountain. It took us about an hour to climb.

Jumping around at the top.

The Li River.

T-Rex!

Emma and I enjoying some days off.

Giggle

Me at the top of a mountain.

Dino sneak attack!

Riverside.

And just like that- it's May

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Last week was Labor Day, so after a 7 day work week, we had Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off. I went to Guilin and Yangshou, which are in southern China. We went on bamboo rafts, climbed some mountains, and bought some China stuff to bring home to share. I have been applying for a few jobs around the world and I have decided that I will fly into the Outer Banks on July 9th. I will spend some time home this summer to renew my passport and see my family. I think I have one more year abroad in me and then I am going to really get my life on track. That is the current plan. Solid chance it changes again in about 45 minutes.

I was going to put more pictures, but it's not working. I'll try again.  Happy Spring!

The inspiration behind the 20 RMB note.

Jumping around at the top of the mountain.
 

57 days of work

That's nothing!

Sports Day next Friday, then work Saturday and Sunday then I'm going to Guilin because it's Labor day and we have 3 days off. Should be cool. Lots of hiking, scenery and other stuff like that.

I'm still trying to decide what to do. I basically have three choices. Stay here, try the states, try another country. Thoughts?

This is Nobunari, my student with MELAS. He's 12 but functions at about a 5 year old level. We walk to classes together and sing songs. We've been working on his manners. Since its spring now, (FINALLY), and I wear my spring jacket, we match. The other teachers call him my little penguin buddy. I never thought that I would have the patience for a special needs student. I do and it's pretty neat. I think.

 

A whole new world!

Shanghai is amazingly like being in a whole new country. It's a weirdly futuristic city. It's very hard to explain what I mean, but it's like being in China...except not. But you are. It's cool. I had a good time with those Irish folks. I went with Emma, the Primary 1&2 homeroom teacher, her boyfriend- Roger, who I run with, and Shauna, the one I went to Cambodia with.

Monthly Exams today and tomorrow. It's been interesting to see who's learning the subject and who's just learning English. I can't decide if it makes me feel like a great teacher or a terrible one. I'm also creating a class website. It you're interested, email me and I'll send you the website. I don't want to post it cause I'm nervous about that kind of thing.

I'm starting to do some real research and make some real "plans" for next. Nothing for sure enough to share yet.

It FU**ING SNOWED HERE LAST NIGHT. It's cold and I'm sick of it. It was 18 C in Shanghai. It is 2 here. Terrible. Spring!!?!?! WHERE ARE YOU!!!!??????????

Emma, Shauna, Me, Roger. Shanghai People's Square.

The Bund from our river cruise!

Thats me!

Me and Shauna at a village about an hour out of the city.

"Kung Fu" in the circle door of a temple. Cause, why wouldn't you?

The Bund.

Yes, that is in fact 12 12 year olds.

My desk. Family and dinosaur.

Plugged into the tour bus. 30 RMB for a 24 hour bus ticket. On and off when you want.

Shanghai Brewery. Sounds good to me!

Em and Rog all plugged in and studying their maps.