The End

Exams given and graded.  Class averages are now being calculated to be turned into the dean tomorrow.  Thus, completes Hubby’s first semester of teaching at the university.  (I am pretty sure Little Man was most helpful in getting all those averages calculated!)

The semester has flown by, but I think if you asked him, he is ready for the break.  It has been intense.  He has taught a lot of english, literature, and philosophy….but he also has had a lot of learning to do.  The key word has been flexibility as he has learned that the Chinese way of giving exams, planning a semester and turning in grades is done completely different than what we expect as Americans.  I keep telling him next semester it will be easier!  We shall see!

The students are now packing up and returning to their homes for Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), the largest Chinese holiday and the largest break in the school year.  The students won’t return till March. See even the breaks are opposite from the States (long one in the winter, short one in the summer.)  It takes some time to get used to.

As Hubby is winding down my art classes are gearing up.  Since November I have been meeting with folks at the orphanage getting one approval after another, submitting paperwork, evaluating children….you get the idea.  On one of the visits to the orphanage when I was trying to convince the director that the blind children could participate in my art classes…I began to wonder if my creative side that makes me think outside the box would be to much for them and we might never get things all arranged!  But, the time has finally come!  Classes start this week.

I am busy making a gazillion batches of playdough to get us started.  Nothing like playing with clay!  It is a great down the middle activity that should help me get to know the kids better.  I would appreciate your pr@yers Tuesday and Friday afternoons as i hang out with these special kiddos.  May they see the love of JC through playdough, paint, and a crazy art teacher who thinks even blind kids can make art.

Let the adventure begin!