23 days until liftoff. Since my last post I literally haven't had time to find a cafe, log on, and update my blog.
The last few month have dragged by, but now that I have just over 3 weeks to go I find myself needing more time to do the things I want to do.
I'm going on a trip starting the 13th, return the 22nd. I'm excited but nervous, because I"m going by myself (though my former Chinese teacher said that she would try and mee tup with my halfway through). I'm going to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, mostly to eat sichuan food, but I'll be able to see pandas and the giant buddha oh LeShan. 3 days in Chengdu then of to LiJiang in Yunnan Province, reputably one of the most beautiful places in China. The city itself is said to be full of old style stuff and history. Then the main event: Tiger leaping Gorge. A 3 day hike 2300 meters above sea level, supposedly the world's deepest gorge. My friends who have gone have spent 2-7 days there, I've giving myself 3-4, and can't wait, should be a blast. Please don't worry about me travelling by myself too too much, it's likely that I'll pick up hiking/general travel buddies along the way, since I'm going to fairly touristy/backpacker destinations.
This trip really cuts my time in Dalian, and there are still far away beaches I haven't had time to go to, food I haven't eaten, and hanging out to be done!
My last day of work is this Friday, hip hip hooray!!! I've been training the new teacher, whom I don't particularly like but whatever, and hopefully he'll be ready by the time I leave. It's interesting seeing him make all the same mistakes I made, being the experienced teacher.
I have 6 'last days' at work, since i see everyone once a week. My favorite class on Saturday made me particularly sad to leave. I like the teacher, Kevin, because he's really easy to talk to (i.e. his English is amazing) and he does well with his classes. Almost all of the students are really smart, and even the ones that aren't are enthusiastic, or at the very least attentive and not disruptive. Anyway, Angel, one of my students (who when I say things like 'am I beautiful/pretty/nice/etc' as vocab words she says, "noooooo, ugly teacher! hahahaha"), comes up to me after class, and hands me this watch made from shells and plastc green beads (they all know my favorite colors etc, we play favorites word games a lot), says 'Kate I'm going to miss you" and starts crying. Aw! I gave her a good long few hugs and reassured her that the new teacher was good and she'd like him, and told her when she grew up she had to come visit me in America. I've only been with that class since February, but still it's my favorite class, and Angel one of my favorite students (any teacher that says they don't have favorite students is a liar). It was the only class I gave my e-mail adress to, and i told the kids i'd only respond if they wrote me in English, to which i received a loud groan.
My favorite class, Angel is in the white dress in front
I honestly never thought that I would grow such an attachment to these kids, and them to me. When the new teacher was teaching, I would see the kids looking at me for confirmation of what they were supposed to do. A truly validating feeling, like yeah, i've done good. even my 3 year old students, who won't remember me in 5 years, or 5 weeks even but now still look to me when the scary new teacher make them afraid or cry, when I made them afraid just a few months ago.
No, I don't want to be a career teacher. But I'm glad I did it. I did enjoy it. I learned a lot from it. And I will miss some things about it.
Let's see, what else. Oh I hosted the quiz again a few weeks ago, and it was a really good one, but bad weather so there were only 10 people there to take it. Nick came and sat with me, I was glad to have the company.
I went to Ayi's house for lunch last week. The same Ayi (who asked me to call her Mama) whose family I went to hotpot with a few weeks ago. A really lovely family. I asked her if she could teach me how to make dumplings, which I've made before, but i figured it'd be a fun activity for us to do together. It was fun, I ended up hanging out with the family/eating/walking around from about 10-3, they wanted me to stay til after dinner, but I was kind of tired from being paraded around town to Ayi's friends. XiaoYi, Ayi (Ma)'s daughter was going to start her senior year of high school the next day. Get this, she was going to a school that takes like 1 1/2 - 2 hours to get to by bus, and so she would be staying over night during the week and coming back for weekends. As a senior in high school! All so she can go to a good high school so she can go to a good college so she can get a good job. crazy. I'll hopefully get to see them again before I leave.
Shushu, xiaoyi, xiaoyi's friend, and ma
Peter, and his mom and dad. I taught Peter (3 years old) one on one for about 2 months, and in that time ran about 50 miles chasing after him
molly and her boyfriend Andrew came for a visit this weekend! it was so much fun!
Cheers for now, will try to frequently update til the end, it should be an action packed few weeks, not sure how often i'll have access to internet cafes on my trip, see you all soon!!!!
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