So, a lot has happened in the last couple of days. First of all, my Apple decided to stop working. I don't know about you guys, but a great deal of my life is in my computer. I was so upset when it wouldn't turn on, but I told myself not to worry because the next day we were going on an all-staff retreat for four days...surely in that amount of time, I could find someone tecky (hopefully one of the tech guys at our schools) to help me out. Despite asking several people, I still do not have a working computer...in fact, no one even looked at it. The tech guys promised to help after break, the idea another guys gave me (who had no idea what to do with Macs) did not work, and another guy was not able to work on it because the internet at the hotel we were at was not working.
Now, keep in mind, this is the way I was beginning my break. I was in a horrible mood and I couldn't think of any good reason why they were making me go 45 min away from home to stay in a hotel for four days with everyone else when all I wanted to do was sleep. I am ashamed to say that I kept this attitude for the whole first day that I was there. However, Dad is merciful and teaches us things a little at a time. My first night at the hotel (despite very hard beds) I slept for 11 hours (plus a 2 hours nap the afternoon before), I read part of a book (something I had not done in ages), and I spent a great deal of time talking to friends. The two days after that followed the exact same trend. So, despite my horrible attitude about this weekend, I am coming home well rested, at peace and content, and I have grown closer to some of the staff at our school. Isn't it amazing how even when we are griping and complaining, Dad chooses to show himslef to us in ways that we neither expect or deserve? I am so grateful that he has given his love to me.
Anyone else feel that way too? I love you all and I really hope that someone is reading this blog... :P

International Day

So, each year our school has an International Day. This day is meant to celebrate all of the different cultures and countries represented in our school. Students and teachers dress up in native costumes or clothing that "represents" their culture, we eat a lot of food, and we play games. I figured I would just use this blog to share some of my favorite pictures with you.

Here is Alice being goofy. This was her first day with me as a teacher. :)

So, most of my class decided to crawl under my desk to have their picture taken. So here is Hannah, Phoenix, and Christina.

David and Paul...

David and Tae Yoon...



One of two Americans in second grade...She is doing a Mardi Gras-Chinese combination. It was actually really cute.


Learning the limbo...In Korean dresses...


Learning something like a square dance...


Chinese Games...

Living the Dream

So, you know all those cliche movies you see that say the person is "living the dream?" Well, I always thought that was so silly cause every time we reach a goal or dream we get a new one. It is something that just makes us human and constantly gives us something to strive for. However, I realized today that I have been living my dream and I have not made up a new dream. I am living my dream. I am soaking it in every day and the unbelief still hits me every moment of every day.
I have not yet found the ocean common. I haven't taken my wonderful job for granted. I haven't hit culture shock (which supposedly is supposed to return every few months). I am not only contenct where I am but happy as well. I am being stretched, pulled, and at times broken, but nothing has made me regret moving here. In fact, I am elated with the direction that Dad took this season of my life. I am developping good friendships though I still miss those at home. I am learning to like new food even though I still have horrible cravings for American food (those are the days I go to McDonalds for dinner :P). Oh, and the best part is that I am getting enough sleep that I am not constatly zoning out because my extreme lack of sleep is making me unable to focus. Haha...
Oh, and for everyone's information, I have not found China Man or a boyfriend or whatever you want to call him. I'm waiting for Dad's timing on that and if he decides that is a never than...well, life has been an adventure up till now and not having a guy does not and will not "short change" me in any way. Ok, that's my guy rant...everyone keeps asking...I just thought I would let the rest of you curious people know too. :P
I love you all! Oh, just so you know, we had International Day this week. I put pictures up on Facebook, but I will try to post pictures on here a little later.

So, I don't really have anything special to share right now, but I feel like I haven't really talked to you much, so I would like to give you a short update.
The Olympic hype is finally cooling down. Where as we struggled to get into our apartment complex before, the guards are significantly more relaxed now. I don't think as many people are as excited about the para-olympics (which is a same because they are amazing) as the Olympics. We are still looking forward to the day when they unlock all the gates again so that we don't have to walk as far.
The weather here is turning beautiful. It's only reaching a high of about 84 F each day and the humidity seems to be turning down quite a bit. The nights are actually gorgeous at around 66F. It is so nice to walk home at night and just enjoy the cool air. It's so shocking to think that just a few weeks ago the air was so thick that you could see it and the night was never any cooler than the day. We have also had the good fortune of seeing the sunrise almost every morning. The sky has been so clear lately.
My class is going very well. I love working with me kids although I do go home exhausted every day. Each one of them is so sweet and desperate to please. And they are all excellent at drawing. It shocks me every day that these 8 and 9 year olds can put out work that takes my breath away. One of the students is exceptionally good at art and his favorite thing to draw is dragons and dinosaurs.
Getting to know the people that I work with has been a great amount of fun. There are about 100 foreign staff and almost as many teacher assistants. There are so many names to remember that at times it can be very very overwhelming. However, when you put all of us in a room together it feels like you landed in a family reunion. We are all talking and jabbering. Everyone is watching out for everyone else's kids. There is always food. Babies are passed off quickly and everyone is always catching up. We actually met our next door neighbors just about a week ago and we have already eaten with them once (we are eating there again tonight for dinner) and we have babysat their kids. It is also great because now whenever the mother sees me, she hands over her 4 week old baby and lets me hold him till he starts crying too much. I love it! Can I stay in this family forever?
Oh, and for those of you who listened to me right after I got to China last fall and heard me whining about all the weird things they do and how they look...I have found that Qingdao is like San Francisco as opposed to some place like Los Angeles. The city is clean, full of cars, full of kind people, right on the ocean, and just fun to live in. I love living here so much and I am stunned by the beauty of this place still. I can't believe it. The morning walk to the bus along the ocean always takes my breath away. The waves roll gently (or not so gently if there is a storm) onto the beach and calms all my worries for the day. On the days when there is a storm coming, I watch the waves crash on the shore and I am amazed that a storm has touched another place and it affects us even so far away. My favorite day on the ocean is when a typhoon (aka hurricane) hit Japan. We got very little rain from the storm, but the wind ripped across the ocean and the land. Because the wind from that storm was so strong, the waves not only crashed on the shore, but they were crashing up over the wall above it as well. Now, for those of you who can't see why that is so amazing, let me tell you this. The wall is about 100 feet above the ocean. On that day there was no beach simply water relentlessly beating at the wall. It was spectacular and awe inspiring.
Ok, I'm rambling about nothing so I'll finish this blog. Some things to remember when you think of me is the staff here. We are having an Open House for the parents tonight and tomorrow. Tonight is middle and high school and tomorrow is elementary school. We are all a little nervouse, but also excited. Also, many of us have family at home who are sick or in the hospital. Please keep them in mind. We are all feeling the stress of being seperated from our family. There are many people here who are contemplating going home for Christmas just to be with their loved ones. Lastly, there is a lot of sickness going through the school. One family has had every member sick and the mother had a bad case of pneumonia. There are several awful bugs going through the school and we are fighting them as best we can. Anyway, time to go live. :) Thanks for your thoughts. I love you all so much and I miss you too! I'm on Facebook if you want to talk or you can send an email through my Mom. :)