life

so, i think we just finished week 8 today. we had an "october carnival" where the kids and teachers all dressed up. we had booths, and they came around and played games and won candy. it was lots of fun and a big success. i was very stressed out, and i'm really glad it's over. i was a japanese geisha, and that went really well. i was a little nervous doing something asian, but i asked my friend and she said it would be fine, and it was. they loved it. they wanted pictures with the tall american-japanese girl. it was sweet.

after school on fridays i have to rush home because i have mandarin class at 4. it's going really well. i love it. it's hard, and i still can't communicate with people, but i am learning the basics. i am also learning to read and write, not just speak. so, it was pretty amazing the other day when i looked down at a sentence of characters and read it. in chinese. i am so thankful for the class. i would feel worthless if i wasn't working towards learning the language. i have a chinese name now. i went to the dentist, which is another story, (no novocain), and they needed my name, so my roommate and i quickly named myself. my family name is 'guo', which is just the family name of my friends here, its my "last name". and then my name is "ai tian" which means "love heaven".

school is going ok. have i mentioned yet that i have realized i am not cut out to be an elementary teacher? it's very clear to me. i struggle so much with patience with the kids, and
that's one thing you must (i believe) naturally possess. i am working on it. and i am working on getting adequate sleep, that also helps.

since school began, i have been being observed by two of my superiors, something i am not used to. it added to the already horrible stress i felt by being way out of my league. but, i
got through the observations and had the "evaluation" with both of them earlier this week. it was scary, and i thought i might get fired, but i left with my job and a sense of encouragement. they definitely gave me tips and critiqued me, but they also encouraged me and praised me for my hard work. so, that's a big blessing.

i've been trying to figure out some other areas i can "help" in while i am here. my schedule is already so busy. teaching is a full time job, and i also lead singing at our local fellowship here, so it's a packed week, but then i feel a little guilty for chilling on the weekends, but i am so tired by the time they come.

i did start teaching english to a little brother and sister in my home on saturday nights for one hour. i've only done it one time, but it went well. they are sweet and terribly shy, and i found out i called the boy by the wrong english name for the entire class, but i don't think he knew the difference. :/

we still go to the "orphanage" on thursday nights to see the kids that are gymnasts. i can't remember what i've mentioned on here. it's not really an orphanage. the man that runs the "place" trains these kids all day to perform and make money. so, there's no hope of adoption for them. and i don't know if they are homeless or if they do have families somewhere who will take them back when they are through. we're a little iffy on the details. but i love going there. we went last night, and we are going to go again tomorrow and bring them candy, and hopefully just hang out with them.

that's all for now. so excited to come home for christmas! i miss america.