November 15--Day 131

Dinner with Molly! We learned a lot about each other tonight Haha. And, this little boy cracked me up. He was moving around to different bikes, stabbing chopsticks into the wheels. I have no idea what he was thinking...

November 14--Day 130

Our...interesting choices for lunch. Snail and Donna thought we were crazy that we chose niunaibin and qing bu liang. But it's what we wanted! I'm so thankful we can play piano. An hour in one of those rooms can wash away so much. It's absolutely therapeutic. We waited for Ray to get back on campus and ate with him tonight, although, we did not eat at the Yolo family. One day, we'll have to.

November 13--Day 129

My window seat! I absolutely love it. Today was really hard, as an understatement. Before I came, I prayed for strength. And since I've been here, strength seems to be a resounding theme. I'm running to Him, begging for strength. It's so good to know He's already given it, and He'll keep giving it. We had a game night with some of Alison's students. Spoons and charades. They're a good group ;)

November 12--Day 128

This is my Friday afternoon class. The one I just haven't been able to figure out what to do with. But, after hanging out with them a few nights ago, they're all completely different people! We had a great time at my house. I've never had a group open up so quickly! Especially after being so reserved before. We got to be judges at a story competition tonight! It was...interesting.

November 11--Day 127

Happy Singles Day! Yep. China really does have a special day. Also! Bruce's birthday party. Super fun. We went around the table, telling love stories. Loves lost, loves found, loves never even started. I know I've said it before, but I love these guys.

November 10--Day 126

November 9--Day 125

First official IEEA in-service training! It was a great afternoon of brainstorming and learning. We had a ton of fun, but it also helped focus my attention on improving my teaching for a while. Sometimes, I feel like there's so much more I can do for them. It was good to actually sit down and figure out how I can do that. Then, Mexican pizza at Coffee World! (It tasted like Taco Bell. Amazingness.) And, we celebrated the Carol's, Laura's, and Bethany's birthdays. Next time the whole gang will be together is Thanksgiving!

November 8--Day 124

Today was great! I got to go record again for the Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Hainan Longmu Bay advertisement. And this time, Cathy got to come with me as my translator! So, meet Cathy. We met her in August, as we helped her prepare for the speech competition. She's actually still my student. We're good friends now; she's one of our "regulars." We're always around her. Pr*y for her. We haven't had many opportunities yet. But, I know there's the opportunity for opportunities. 

And! One of my students made me an apple Jack-O-Lantern after I taught them about Halloween last week. Isn't it the best! 

So, I have this one class on Friday afternoons. It's basically the worst time to have a class. All semester, the students have just been dead and unenergetic and uncaring. But, I had tea with them last week. Now, they're a completely different class. Absolutely unrecognizable. They're excited, eager, and willing to work. Hallelujah! I'm having them over to my house next week. Can't wait to see how much more they'll open up!

November 7--Day 123

November 6--Day 122

What a great night! We finally had the workshop gang over to cook. Man, what a blast. We had Coca-Cola chicken, fried egg and pepper, carrots and fish balls, eggs and tomatoes, eggplant, and our American addition, mashed potatoes. Jake owns a shop in the canteen, and after we taught him how to make them, he said he'll add it to his menu! We had tons of laughs, magic tricks, and a few near-death experiences (Spoons is a dangerous game).

November 5--Day 121

Happy Guy Fawkes day! I had a great day with my class, and I ate lunch with one of my super-quiet girls, Eunice. I think it'll help her to open up more. I hope so. And! We convinced Molly to try the pig's feet when she visited. She also got to experience what it's like to be dragged along by an electric bike. I think she never knows what to expect when she goes to visit us crazies.Seriously, I do think all of campus thinks we're crazy by now. Ha. And, of course, we finished off the night with V for Vendetta. Remember, remember, the fifth of November. Gunpowder, treason, and plot...

November 4--Day 120

Ok, so I know it looks disgusting, but this is the "fried cookie salad." Also, for your viewing pleasure, delicious meat stuffing (just add floss), mini sandwiches, and "delicious fashion" unidentified dried something or other.

We ate lunch with Ray today. We met him randomly on the bus in August. I love my students; they're amazing. But the best feeling is when someone moves across the line into real friendship. It makes all the difference in the world, just being able to do nothing with them, just hanging, just being comfortable. I wish I could be this way with every single on of my students. Pr*y I'll be able to get so close to all of them.

Tonight, Nikki (a student from two years ago) and some of her friends (Cindy and May) and her mother came over for dinner. It was a great time. She was just as much an encouragement to us as I hope we were to them.

Nikki and her mother and Cindy and May and Ray all know Him. It would be amazing to add more names to that list.

November 3--Day 119

And most of today's photos were taken by Rachel. This collection is called, "Choir Practice through the Eyes of Rachel." She's officially the world's cutest child. These pictures don't do her justice. Oh, and this is Nancy. She's from Kenya, but now she works in Hainan. Today was such a great day. I have the most amazing friends. I love Sundays.