Traffic

I usually get really irritated by the lack of courtesy from other drivers. When two vehicles come face to face, instead of moving out of the way for the other, they will just lay on their horns for a solid ten minutes. Do not get in front of a bus because they will run you over. They won't slow down, they'll just honk their horns, and you'd better get out of their way, or you are dead. Literally. It reminds me of Africa and the buses that we called "matatas". Red lights, who cares? People in your way? Who cares? Just plow through. Lots of people will park their cars in the middle of the road, and get out, not caring that they have stopped traffic. One time I was coming home and the whole road was blocked because two cars decided to stop and talk to each other. All the other cars and scooters were laying on their horns, but these two cars didn't seem to care less. When I finally squeezed around them, I looked to see if it had been an accident, because I couldn't believe they would incontinence everyone else, just for a chat. But there was no sign of an accident. Just a lack of consideration for others. Yesterday I was coming through 'suicide alley', and half of the road was blocked off for construction. Usually suicide alley is used by scooters and bicycles, but today there was a car stuck in the middle causing a huge clog. Everybody was really mad, and normally I would've been too. But instead I just laughed. I often don't have tons of patience, but that's why I think living over here has been good for me. To face frustrating circumstances and learn to be more patient from it. Yesterday I realized how impatience can get you all boiled up, but that doesn't make anybody happy. So I chose to laugh it off. Now I know it's not easy to chuckle at the annoying things in life, but if we could, life would be so much more enjoyable. Many people say that your attitude is your choice. But it is one so challenging because that would mean taking control of your emotions. That is something we can't do alone. Sometimes we need to face some really big challenges to help change our attitudes. Right now part of me cant wait to go home, where things are more simple, but I am so glad I have come to china this year to face challenges and find out more about myself. Sorry if any of this is hard to read. I am writing this while my kids are taking Chinese math class, but I'm still in the classroom, so it's a little distracting. I hope everyone back home is doing well. Please know that even though I am terrible with correspondence, you are all loved and missed very much!

Spring time!

I'm so thankful that the sun is shining, and I am no longer sitting and shivering in my classroom. Spring is my favorite time of year. It's not too hot, not too cold, just right. I also start to appreciate things in life more, after a bitter harsh winter. I think that new year's should be in the Spring. Maybe that is Chinese influence over me, but think about it. New Year should begin with new life. Not in the middle of winter when everything is dead and cold. Who is really motivate to start and stick to a new year's resolution at the beginning of January. "I'm going to exercise everyday", when the weather is below freezing? Yeah right.

I also feel like it's a new stage in life for my first graders. In the fall, they barely understood one word of English. Now they are speaking English all of the time. I had another foreign teacher ask me if I had an "English Only" rule. I told him only during class time. But here my kids were running around speaking English during lunch and recess. Teaching 1st grade is probably one of the most challenging grades to teach. They start out so helpless: can't read, can't speak, can't tie their own shoes, etc. They need constant attention. Imagine being the single parent of eleven kids all between the ages of 6 and 8 years old. That's what it is like being a first grade teacher. Not only that, but you are expected to make all of them function as a well organized class. Then there's the parents, "my kid has too much homework", "I want my kid to have MORE homework", "does my kid have friends?", "Please keep my kid away from so and so", and on and on.

But while 1st grade can be exhausting and stressful, I think it is one of the most rewarding grades to teach. You start with a child who has basically no skills, and you get to help mold them into these fun, bright little people. Now all of my students can read, they can speak English, and they know proper behavior. They have accomplished so much in one year, I couldn't be more proud of them. They know how to joke with me, they know how to help each other learn and improve. They are just amazing kids! I will have wonderful memories of them.

Now do I want to be a teacher again? Probably not, I can't imagine starting all over from the beginning again with a new class. However I am really thankful for all I was able to learn and experience this year.