There are only a few weeks left in our semester here. It's almost time to pack up our apartment for two months [to prevent molding in the humid summer weather] and start saying goodbyes to teammates and students who won't be returning in the fall. It's such a bittersweet time, and it's going by way too quickly! Please be thinking of us as we end our first year in China. We want to end this semester well, growing closer to friends and spending quality time together. As one of our good teacher friends said during a barbecue picnic last weekend,
"I think we are such good friends, so we can spend time together in a big group like today."
Yes! That's why we came to live and work in China. While we enjoy teaching and exploring new places, it all goes back to the relationships we form-- really wherever we are. Through teaching in Dujiangyan, we've grown close to our coworkers and students, and that is where Light is coming in. People here often ask, "Why would you come to China when you could make a lot more money somewhere else?" Our Chinese friends are curious about our purpose, they often ask questions, and sometimes we have opportunities to share, even if is only small glimpses of the big picture. Thankfully, we're not doing this alone!
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| A middle school coworker invited us to a barbecue with close family and friends. It was good food and great fellowship! |
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| Barbecue/grilling out is called "shaokao." |
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| Mrs. L. is such a wonderful hostess! |
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| Another American family from our school also came. The kids had fun playing together! |
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| Sara's students practicing their puppet shows. |
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| There are 18 kids at our school from over the mountain. They don't get to go home on the weekends since it's too far away, so we've had them over a few times to "watch TV" (aka watch the kids' cartoon show called Avatar dubbed in Chinese so we can practice the language and they can understand what's happening)! They love the show now, and they also have grown quite attached to eating the yummy cookies that Abby brings;) |
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| Getting invited over to coworkers' apartments is always an honor for us. We try to remember to bring a small gift each time, like fruit or candy. It's similar to the Southern hospitality we're used to in America! |
Here's to the last two weeks of school!
~Jesse & Sara
