3 months

It is official I have lived in China for three whole months. That is the longest I have ever been out of the country, which is weird but cool at the same time. I have been learning a lot about myself and what my strengths and weaknesses are and what a daily schedule should look like. I am calling this first semester of teaching the "practice round" am I taking too much on? are the kids learning anything? am I good teacher? that kid is driving me nuts! all daily thoughts that go on. Most of them are true and I am working on changing a lot of things. I find that the closer to the end of the semester comes the more I start to debrief and see what were great things and what was just horrible and how I can make the second semester better!

Some things I have done this past week have been fun and interesting and definitely have to do with my future. I don't know where I am going in the future or what road I should take but I have a lot to think about! I will be partnering with the Concordia International School in Shenzhen to help with a summer camp that more Concordia University, Irvine students will get to come and teach at! I am excited to be given such a job and hope I can live up to the standards that they have. I am excited to see what happens with this group and most definitely excited to show them this city!!

I also have been busy with teaching different things and figuring out what would be best for the students. Right now we are learning about directions and how to give them and how to ask for them, which is surprisingly really hard to teach...who would of thunk it...but it is fun watching them try and struggle and then have that boost of confidence when it is correct. I have been enjoying having them work on their own maps and saying what each building is and where it is located on the street. It is almost like an arts and craft time with english thrown in! It is different then most of the lessons I have been teaching and it has been a nice break!

It has been really rough knowing that the holidays are coming up and it has been really hard knowing that one is coming up in 2 days for me. I was told by my fellow expats thanksgiving is not the hard one, because they don't celebrate it here...it is Christmas that is tough. So I am taking it day by day and praying about it and hoping I can get through this time of year without missing home too much. It pretty much sucks and is something I try my hardest not to dwell in. We found out that a local restaurant that caters to foreigners and especially Americans is putting together a Thanksgiving dinner. So Christine, Jessica and myself are going to go and see who we meet and enjoy a meal together. I am so thankful for that opportunity and really look forward to it!

I was given a chance last week to have a family dinner with my friends Christine, Rebecca and Jessica. Christine had brought back tortillas and so we made tacos and had fresh salsa! It was pretty epic and was soooo nice to have some mexican food again. It was quite delicious!!!

I have been sick the past couple of days and have been dealing with the "sore throat of death" most of my illnesses I add death next to the name just for fun. I took the day off school and relaxed and that was the first time I have been home all day in probably 3 weeks. Even though I was sick it was so nice.

The one thing that added to the homesickness of three months was this very nice man to wear an In-n-out shirt....Some would say I am obsessed with it, I would say its not that bad...but I was definitely homesick after that and I called him out on it! I told him "how dare you wear that shirt in China!" I was glad he was not offended by it hahaha I was pretty rude!

That is what I have been up to these past few days and have of course been super busy. 3 months. great. sucky. depressing. amazing. fantastic. He is good in all things and in all places.

Highs:
good food
good talks
good friends
Skype dates

lows:
missing people back home
missing family
missing the best friend
missing thanksgiving...

Prayer request for my future and what is being offered and what might happen. Also pray for the sore throat I have come down with, I hope that it goes away soon.

with love,

Ashley