Today I learned a very important lesson in 2nd grade...
Being the teacher makes you the automatic target in a snowball fight with your students.
My students were all so excited when it started snowing this afternoon. I quickly gave up on holding their attention and we spent a total of one hour outside playing in the snow. (Not all together...I promise...) What a lift to the spirits snow is... :)
Oh, and just so you know....It is hysterical to watch children try to make snow angels and snowmen in about 1.5 inches of snow...They promptly gave up on those ventures and started lobbing snowballs...gotta love it!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Sorry it has been a while...
Here is a letter that I just sent out...in case I missed anyone.
My dearest friends,
I know it has been a very long time since I have written and I am very sorry for that. At the end of September my computer’s hard drive died and I have been using my school computer for basic internet needs since then. However, I was able to send my computer back to America with a friend to be fixed and I got it back when I visited my family for Christmas, but then again, I am getting ahead of myself.
At the end of September our school faculty took a retreat together. We had a wonderful weekend relaxing and getting to know each other better. The next week I got a cold that quickly developed into pneumonia. Dad taught me a lot about patience and admitting my own weakness as I battled pneumonia for the next 4 weeks. It was horrible and all I did during those weeks was sleep, talk to Dad, and watch movies. Luckily I had a companion in my roommate who was just as sick as I was and started going back to school just a week before I did. I was only one of 5 cases of pneumonia within our school faculty and their families.
However, I finally returned to school at the beginning of November and I have never been more glad to be anywhere in my life. I had to take things slowly, but I returned with a passion that I had not had before. That month went quickly as we prepared for Thanksgiving. In our class we did a unit on Thanksgiving and held a very successful Thanksgiving lunch in our class. We had a lot of fun and the parents were a great support.
During Thanksgiving break, the teaching staff went to Hong Kong for a conference. It made the break exhausting, but I learned a great deal. When we got back we did not stop running until Christmas break. In my classroom we began a unit called Christmas around the World. We explored 9 countries and their Christmas traditions during our unit and the kids were very excited to have their very own “passports” to visit each country. During December we also had a Christmas Program, a Christmas Fair, and a Christmas Day. It is the busiest month that we have had all year.
When break came I was more than a little excited for a break. In early September I had bought a ticket to go see my best friend, Anna, in Minnesota. After I got pneumonia my mother also told me that she wanted to see me over break and I traveled there to go see her and my family in New Mexico for Christmas. Spending time in both places was wonderful and exhausting. I finally got over jet lag after one and a half weeks only to come back to China 4 days later. I spent a lot nights that I was unable to sleep talking to Anna until all hours of the night and I did enough shopping to make a person crazy while I was with my sister. You would not believe the shouts of excitement and joy a new baking pan will bring out of someone living in China.
Overall the last three months have been everything was horrible to wonderful but I was very happy to find that when I returned to America I did not find it hard to leave. Now, don’t get me wrong. I already miss my family and friends and I wish they were here with me, but after 5 days in America I found myself missing China desperately. When I got off the plane in Beijing on the way back I almost started crying because I knew in that instant that I was home. I have no idea how a country that I had no intention of loving went from the place I worked the home in just five months, but I know for sure that I will love China for the rest of my life. I hope that Dad never asks me to leave, but if he does then I know it will be for the better.
I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year. How are you all doing? I would love to hear from you!
In Him,
Amy
My dearest friends,
I know it has been a very long time since I have written and I am very sorry for that. At the end of September my computer’s hard drive died and I have been using my school computer for basic internet needs since then. However, I was able to send my computer back to America with a friend to be fixed and I got it back when I visited my family for Christmas, but then again, I am getting ahead of myself.
At the end of September our school faculty took a retreat together. We had a wonderful weekend relaxing and getting to know each other better. The next week I got a cold that quickly developed into pneumonia. Dad taught me a lot about patience and admitting my own weakness as I battled pneumonia for the next 4 weeks. It was horrible and all I did during those weeks was sleep, talk to Dad, and watch movies. Luckily I had a companion in my roommate who was just as sick as I was and started going back to school just a week before I did. I was only one of 5 cases of pneumonia within our school faculty and their families.
However, I finally returned to school at the beginning of November and I have never been more glad to be anywhere in my life. I had to take things slowly, but I returned with a passion that I had not had before. That month went quickly as we prepared for Thanksgiving. In our class we did a unit on Thanksgiving and held a very successful Thanksgiving lunch in our class. We had a lot of fun and the parents were a great support.
During Thanksgiving break, the teaching staff went to Hong Kong for a conference. It made the break exhausting, but I learned a great deal. When we got back we did not stop running until Christmas break. In my classroom we began a unit called Christmas around the World. We explored 9 countries and their Christmas traditions during our unit and the kids were very excited to have their very own “passports” to visit each country. During December we also had a Christmas Program, a Christmas Fair, and a Christmas Day. It is the busiest month that we have had all year.
When break came I was more than a little excited for a break. In early September I had bought a ticket to go see my best friend, Anna, in Minnesota. After I got pneumonia my mother also told me that she wanted to see me over break and I traveled there to go see her and my family in New Mexico for Christmas. Spending time in both places was wonderful and exhausting. I finally got over jet lag after one and a half weeks only to come back to China 4 days later. I spent a lot nights that I was unable to sleep talking to Anna until all hours of the night and I did enough shopping to make a person crazy while I was with my sister. You would not believe the shouts of excitement and joy a new baking pan will bring out of someone living in China.
Overall the last three months have been everything was horrible to wonderful but I was very happy to find that when I returned to America I did not find it hard to leave. Now, don’t get me wrong. I already miss my family and friends and I wish they were here with me, but after 5 days in America I found myself missing China desperately. When I got off the plane in Beijing on the way back I almost started crying because I knew in that instant that I was home. I have no idea how a country that I had no intention of loving went from the place I worked the home in just five months, but I know for sure that I will love China for the rest of my life. I hope that Dad never asks me to leave, but if he does then I know it will be for the better.
I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year. How are you all doing? I would love to hear from you!
In Him,
Amy
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