Happy New Year!
Yes, I know what you're thinking, didn't she already say Happy New Year in her last letter? I did, but it just so happens that there are two new years celebrations here. One for the western calendar at the beginning of January and one for the lunar calendar at the end of January. The lunar new years is more important here than the one we celebrate. Everything is closed and people go back to their hometowns to visit their family, visit their ancestor's graves, and have many parties with close friends and neighbors.
I was suddenly told by my administrator that I would no longer be teaching at the university because they needed me to teach at the primary school instead. So, half-way through the quarter, I had to say goodbye to my students. I really miss them. I was so afraid to teach there, but the Father made it a huge blessing for me. I hope to stay friends with many of these students even though I no longer teach them.
I made my university students little goodbye heart cookies. You'd think I had brought them precious gold or something the way they acted. No one would eat them! They just kept taking pictures of them and giggling! "Teacher you make these?"
"Yes, I did."
"Oh, very good! Hehehe..."
Not sure what that means, but they liked them.
We were invited to a special Lunar New Year lunch with my old university students last weekend. It was so wonderful of them. They made a big lunch all by themselves and then we ate local style: everyone sits on the floor and takes what they want from any bowl they please. I enjoy eating this way!
Well, I started my primary school classes. I teach seven of them with about 30 to 50 kids in each. It is really tough to get them to settle down and pay attention. For some reason they all think it is a big joke to tell me "No, teacher" when I ask them to do things. Once they have me a few more times, they will know better than to say that.
The most exciting part about this new job is that I am working with my old administrator. We co-teach two of the classes, so I get to hang out with her every week. What a blessing it is!
Some funny stories:
Student - "So teacher, what are your plans for New Years?"
Me - "Nothing."
Student - "What!? Why???"
Me - "I can't visit my family or my ancestor's graves; they are all in America."
Student - "Oh, that's true teacher. Okay, then I will come to your house!"
They sell lots of fruit trees during New Years. I really wanted to get one because I love fruit. "Oh teacher, you cannot eat the fruit. There are too many chemicals on them!" Why sell fruit trees when you can't eat the fruit?! So I had to freak my students out by pretending to eat the fruit off the tree.