The Best Kids Ever!

So I was thinking about how my Homeroom class really wanted to meet my family and all the sudden I got really homesick. I have been missing you all like crazy!! However, these kids are my new family now. They are my pride and joy. As you can see they are the most precious things ever. Take a look and tell me if their names fit their faces!































All of their names just in case you couldn't see them in their pictures are....
Logan, Tara, Bailey, Lily, Jason, Howard, Jenny, Emma, Jazzy, and Taylor.
Ps....A few of the kids in my class had to change because they weren't compatible with some of the other kids so Howard and Jason are new. Just so you know.

FIELD TRIP!!!

King (the guy that's incharge of us) told us we were going out! He said the school was going to show us Changzhou and hoped we would enjoy ourselves as we went about the city. To our astonishment we ended up going to the ancient city of Chanzhou. How could we not enjoy ourselves!? It's over 3000 years old!!!

This is the front gate to before you enter into the actual city.














This little building I called my own. Not to much to ask for right?


















Once we got into the city after walking past all the other old buildings you simply just walk into the most beautiful place ever. I sort of felt like I was in Mexico or something when I say these arches!














On our way out I felt like we were walking away from a castle or something. It felt so protected there. It's crazy how the Chinese deal with certain things like that.

Memoirs of an American Tutor

My first thought of coming to China was...I can't wait to meet my little kids. I knew they would be super cute and I just wanted to be with them and teach them. Seriously how hard could it be to teach them English? Boy let me tell you it's not as easy as you think it is. The first week of teaching went rather interesting. We had a meeting about 2 hours before our first class (in which none of us understood one word) and the nerves started to hit. But by the end of the meeting they calmed down after they greeted us with the lovely flowers you see me holding. They wanted to make us feel at home and thanked us for our generous time with helping their kids out.....I thought was going to cry. Then teaching began....and surprisingly it went rather well. But I knew it was only the beginning.














Katherine and I were so ready to teach we couldn't stand it anymore.














Abby was teaching Old Mc'Donald had a Farm and of course she had to have pigs!! I think the noses would work wonders with the little kids don't you!? They look fantastic!














These are some of the kids we thought we were going to be "tutoring" ... They are probably the cutest little things ever! Some of them can be very restless at times but by the end of the day you can't help but love them.














All of these girls are amazing! I will have you know I couldn't have asked for more while being here in China. They are becoming my best of friends!! I love them all.

The Humble Abode

I thought it was a bit rude not to invite you all over, so here is a formal invitation for all those who want to come!! Welcome to my humble abode!!!! I hope you can forgive me for not asking sooner!!

I know it's not much but please take into consideration the circumstances I'm living in......PSYCH! In case you haven't seen the pictures already it's pretty much incredible!! Considering the school is only a year old, the staff member's thought it would be great to give us all our own rooms complete with EVERYTHING! It's one thing to be spoiled back home in America but here in China too?? Who would have thought?

The bed is the highlight of my room, despite the rock hard pad I have under me every night, it's quite comfortable.















I even have my own 2 sinks and washer and spinner. In case you don't know...there is no such thing as a dryer in China. They hang their clothes instead.















The mini fridge and freezer hold all my beverages....and again it would be rude of me not to offer you something to drink so go ahead. Take whatever you'd like! You can choose from Water, Juice, or Soda! I have all three. The TV never comes on because all the channels are in Chinese. But it's there for looks. And of course we can't forget the Microwave that's in the corner of my lovely desk/closet! Amazing eh?















My squatter and shower are connected in the same room. And FYI squatters are the best invention ever!
Most of everywhere you go you could probably go to the bathroom and shower at the same time right? Not here, you can pee as you'd like without getting a drop of water on you!

Little Warrior!!

Us girls were out shopping in the city of Changzhou and we happened to stumble across a few little kids along the way. They were super cute! However, one little boy would not stop following us around. He was pointing, laughing, and "trying" to hide as much as he could. I called him my little warrior.


















When I pulled the camera out to take his picture this is what he did....So warrior like eh? Totally ironic.














Me and my little Warrior!

Airplanes, Trains, and Buses!

Traveling to China really isn't that bad. The flight to San Francisco went by faster then you can say Magoo and then from San Francisco (dispite all the chaos with our luggage) to Taipie wasn't that long either. Just take a sleeping pill and it's like you're in America one minute and Taipie the next! Beautiful stuff I tell you just beautiful!!

This picture is of Abby and I on the first flight to San Fran!














And our adorable roommates! Kayla on the left and Katherine on the right.














Our first bus ride to the Hotel in Hong Kong was such a great experience. Our tour guide Matthew told us there was going to be a Typhoon that evening! In case you don't know what that is pretty much described as a Hurricane! No worries...yet again WELCOME TO CHINA!














This is me and Brielle on the sleeper train! It was probably the coolest thing I've ever seen. Besides the fact I had 2 other people sleeping on top of me....on their own beds of course! You never know what can happen in China!

So from Airplane to Airplane to Airplane...we jumped to Bus to Bus to Bus....then to Train to Train to Train! All in all traveling took us about 37 hours and that doesn't include waiting for each airplane, train, or bus! If you only knew what it was like. I have one word for you....Exhaustion!!



Traveling can be such an adventure!















And this picture is of a man we met on our train ride to Mainland China. His name is Ming. He was absolutely adorable! He knew English really well and even taught us a few words in Chinese. He knows 5 different languages and is only 24 years old! I envy that. I want to speak 5 languages! But if I learn 1 I think I will be satisfied....hint hint.

Hong Kong Continued....

Victoria's Peak is beautiful. However, it was a super cloudy day and the pictures weren't coming out so good. I messed with a few of them on photoshop so you can see the colors and how cool it really would have been if it was a clear day. Since it wasn't however I did my best to grasp the concept.



























Next I just want to say Welcome to Fisherman's Ward! As you can tell by the boat just imagine about 3000 more exactly like it and you've got the visual! Everything else just fits in.

The man you see sitting with his legs crossed was our tour boat driver who couldn't speak a lick of English. So we just said our "Ooh's" and "Ahh's" the whole time. Pretty intense no!?

Hong Kong Adventures!!

So I have been in China about 2 weeks now and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get updated but it's been kind of hectic here. Jumping from airplane to airplane, train to train, and bus to bus......and all the other chaos in-between with our luggage and all, hopefully you can understand.

But where do I begin?? China is incredible, amazing, fabulous?? In all honesty I don't know if these words describe it well enough. There are certain things that go on here that back home would repulse you! But here it's like WELCOME TO CHINA! I'm surprised by the filthiness of everything yet how green it all stays. The fogginess is something to get used to but after awhile it's almost natural. The smells, oh the smells almost made me gag but I embraced it fully. I knew I was going to have to sooner or later anyways however it wasn't as bad as I had prepared for...

My journey all started in HONG KONG!!!

I must say the Temple in Hong Kong was an incredible experience I will never forget! Here are a few pictures to show you...





This is Abby and I in front of the temple.































I can't believe how Holy the grounds felt!

It's absolutely beautiful!!!! Isn't it!?

When I walked into the temple I felt an overwhelming feeling come over me. It was as if I were HOME.....away from HOME. Knowing I have the gospel in my life is such an outstanding blessing, I can't possibly imagine living without.

The man standing next to me is the temple president!! He was awesome!