Camp is over and I finally have a few moments to collect my thoughts and share with you some of the exciting things that have happened over the last 4 weeks. I had such a wonderful time at camp with the students!! These Chinese students are so welcoming and sweet! I am so thankful that I was able to meet them…but I'm getting ahead of myself. :)
The first two weeks that I was here, I was in teacher training. I learned all about how to teach using the communicative approach (i.e. teacher lingo for "getting the students to speak often in English"). It was a very informative training and well organized. It was also a time to get to know my fellow teachers. I am very excited to be a part of this team!
These last two weeks have been devoted to the English Camp for the Chinese students. They paid to come to Camp in order to improve their English by one on one time with a native English speaker. It was a great week! There were times that I was greatly humbled by the fact that I don't know what I am doing. But it turned out to be a great camp--beyond even out greatest expectations.
We were able to watch the opening night of the Olympics with the students. It was very exciting to share this great moment for their country with them. The Chinese did an amazing job with the opening ceremony! It was spectacular and the students were very excited.
I have now moved into my permanent dwelling place for the next 2 years. It is ki
nd of like a studio apartment. There is one large room where I have my bed, TV and couch (I was able to buy a used one from a teacher who was moving and didn't want to move the couch). I have a small kitchen with a little fridge and a stove. One of the teachers who left gave me her little oven and her water cooler…I am so thankful for how He has provided for all my needs. It has been fun getting settled into my new place. It has been about 2 ½ months that I have been living out a suitcase but it went by so fast that I hardly noticed. I went shopping at a large market down the street and had a good time bargaining for some items. We had a student with us and she was a good bargainer so she was able to get me a couple of good deals. We were also with a fellow teacher and she is really good at bargaining; I hope to learn from her. :) China is definitely a shopper's paradise.
To celebrate the end of camp we went out to eat at Pizza Hut and it was very good. I haven't really 
been craving western food too much because at camp they served us western meals at least once a day for the first 2 weeks. However, the pizza was excellent…just like home. We ordered my fave, pepperoni and cheese. :)
Tomorrow, I am heading off on a little trip. I am going with 6 other members of our team. I am looking forward to doing some more shopping and also visiting some of the sites that are well known in the area. I promise to take plenty of pictures and post them when I have a chance.
*Diedra*