Church Picnic

This week I have felt like I have been playing catch up all week. Since I missed Friday I had nothing prepared for Monday and that started the cycle for the whole week.
The week actually went well but I'm glad that it is over.
On Friday we were sent home because of a possible typhoon (like a tropical storm) hit in Guangzhou. Well I was excited to see what that would look like because I have seen it rain side ways when it wasn't a typhoon. Guangzhou was not hit with the typhoon as bad as it was suppose to.
On Saturday I went to a paper cutting experience. It was hosted by the school where I'm going to be taking Mandarin classes, which start today. I had a good time and met some of the other people who take classes there. I met a lady and her daughter who are from Canada. I also met a couple who live in the same area that the school is in. So there is another connection that I could follow up on if I'm ever bored.
Sunday after church was a church picnic. This was both a really good time and also an eye opener. I met some people that I had yet to met and I also socialized with people who I kinda new. There was one part of the day that I wish did not happen. Lisa, my mentor, and I were trying to find a place to sit so that we could take about
the book that we were going through. The place that we found was outside by the soccer and baseball diamond. We found a bench a ways a way so that we could talk with out being distributive to anyone else and still be around people. The people playing soccer were all guys for Africa. And at two different point I had complete strangers come up and try to start conversation. It's not bad if we are just sitting there talking about nothing but these men interrupted us when it was clear that we were talking about something serious. I wish I knew how it was culturally sensitive to tell these men that I'm not looking for a husband right now because it was obvious that they were looking for a wife, one man even made a statement about husbands and wives.
On a different note, I thought that it would be best to fill you all in on how I send my days.
In the mornings I wake up at 6 o'clock to get ready for school.
7:30 I catch the bus out at the front gate of our garden
8ish we arrive at school.
8:25 we must be in the classrooms.
What we do in the classrooms is going to be changing next month so I'm not going to fill you in on that.
At 11:45 I am done teaching and can go have lunch. Actually I am done for the day at that time.
Next month, though, the whole schedule is going to change. We will need to stay long three days a week. This is until 4:30 o'clock. We do not teach during this time but we prepare for classes.

It actually works.

When I first arrived in China I believed that I could not access this website. Either is was the website that I was using or it maybe open now because of the Olympics. Here is my latest update.
Greetings from China.
This week has been really short and really long. It feels like weeks ago that I did my performance on Saturday but it was only one week ago. I look back on the week and think about how fast it has gone.
At 9:00 Friday night I had the police officers come to my house. They came checking passports and visa. They were not mean or anything but the whole experience kinda freaked me out. Romans 13 talks about obeying the authorities and with my present visa, which is a visitors visa, I'm not. I had to tell them that I was not working yet but that I was getting the proper visa and that is why I only had a photo copy of my passport. God is so good and nothing can from it. I believe that the only reason that they are checking is because of the Olympics that start tomorrow.
Saturday was the performance that my kids had been practicing for 2 weeks on. I think that I was more nervous then they were. Once it was over I felt like it was really bad. But after thinking about it more I realized that it was not. The kids did their lines near perfectly, they could of used more body language but they are kids. The two things that made it feel so bad is the music and the kids playing with the mics. The kids loved to hear their own voices in the mics and when they were not talking they would either blow in them or talk. I just wrote it off as being their first times using microphones. The music people made the whole production look bad. It wasn't even people from the school. They did not look at me as to when to start the songs or when to end the songs. Kid either had to wait for the songs to start or wait for the songs to end. It was a lot longer because of that. But all in all it was a good performance and I am proud of my kids.
Tuesday night I got a phone call from the foreign principal San. She wanted to know if I could go to the good-bye dinner for the couple who left today. Non of the other foreign teachers knew about it because plans were made official after everyone left. The supper was really nice and it was such a small gathering that I think that is how I would want my supper to be. Peter and Becky are the ones who left. The are a couple from Canada and they are the last people to leave from the area that I am from. I am now the one who as been in our garden the longest and it has only been 3 month. I will miss Peter and Becky a lot and they were the hardest people to see leave.
Yesterday was a really exciting day. I picked up my new glasses. My old glasses I have had for at least 3 years if not 4 or 5. They have been so banged up since being here that I decided I wanted new ones. And because they wouldn't sit on my face properly. At first I wasn't completely sold on the glass and as I tried on different pairs I realized that these were the ones. And after wearing them for a day I really like them. They make me look older. I also got payed on the 6th, which means that I am off my probationary period at the school. And I took my first moto ride. Moto's are motorbikes that you can take places, like a two wheel taxi. Except that they are scary and I have heard to many bad stories to ever take one myself. I am actually amazed that I haven't had to ride one till my 3rd month here. I can tell you that I wouldn't be taking them often. It was so scary because when you go around corners it feels like you are going to fall over.
This week as been one of the best ones for teaching. I have had only 14-12 students in the class on any given day. It is such a small number compared to what I am use to. They kids seemed to have fun and I feel like they have actually learned something this week and that it is not just something that they were repeating. One girl imparticular has really started to speak out this week. She is one of my shyest girls but she was in the play and I think that is what has given her the confidence to be louder this week.

Praise:
- That the kids are actually understanding the English that I am teaching them.
- That I am still in the country and have a visa that I doesn't make me feel bad for working.
- That God has been opening my eyes and allowing me to have these new experiences

Pray:
- That my relationship with my roommate, Anna, and the other foreign teachers would improve. Not that it is bad right now but that it would grow beyond the surface stuff.
- That I would not feel lonely now that Peter and Becky are gone.
- That I would get spiritually fed both at church and with my mentor. Even though God has been showing me things a lot lately, I don't want to put off getting to know Him even more.

God has recently been teaching me about praying for other people. So if you have any prayer requests I would be more than happy to have them.
God bless
Thanks
Natasha

3 WEEKS!!!!

School is very busy right now but it will be done in 9 days. Classes end on Wednesday and finals start on Thursday but I don't have any finals until Monday and then I have 4 finals with in 3 days. But God has being great to me over this school year and I know that he will be with me over the next week. I also have 4 small assignments due with in the next two days but I have started or finished most of them. As of tomorrow I will be leaving for China in three weeks. Fundraising has been coming great. God has blessed me with people donating more than I could of imagine them donating. Right now I have $2225 in my account but on Saturday night there was a steak night for me and with what was raised and private donations I got $600. So that put me over the half way mark of what I need to raise. As well other people took my donation letters. God is good.
Thanks again for prayingNatasha

30 Days

It's only 30 days til I head to China. Time has just been flying as school is coming to a close and papers are all due. But the great thing about finishing is that I get to go home and see my parents. The hardest thing about leaving so soon is that I will not have a lot of time with my family before I leave, especially since Tyler's grad is the weekend be for I leave. That will mean that I will have relatives around all weekend. Which is fine but I would also like to spend time just with my parents and brother. I'm sure going to miss them.
Also I just found out that I will be getting my wisdom teeth removed that first Monday that I get into Saskatchewan. I'm excited that I won't have the pain any more but I'm scared about dry socket and if my face will swell up for Tyler's grad. All I can hope is that it will be gone by that Friday.
Well enough procrastination back to paper writting.

42 days and so much left to do!

So I don't know if anyone reads this but I will write anyways. It is only 42 days until I leave. Honestly if it was 60 days I would probably be a lot more excited. With in the next 3 weeks I have 13 different project due, which include 2 research papers. I need peace so that I can actually end up doing these. As well I have a leaving date MAY 6th. So awesome.
I have also raised $1425. Thanks so much everyone.

Yesterday I met will my mentors. It was such an encouraging time because it cleared alot of the questions that I had. I know that I am privaledged to be going to China because alot of the others do not know alot about where they're going or what they will be doing.