Today, Friday, is the last teaching day I will have at this school.    My Business English students, 1st years,  will finish their conversation tests by 9:30 a.m. Meanwhile, my second year students in English Education Class 102 will be having the last group teach the class. 

My last group of 2nd year English Education majors get ready to teach the class. Everyone is relieved to be done!

 Photo Ops are Starting         

        Since I’ve been with the 2nd year students longer, it’s a bit harder to say goodbye.  Yesterday, the 102 class invited me out to take pictures around the campus.  We spent 30 minutes in the sizzling sun, standing in front of trees, sitting on benches, and posing next to flowering bushes while a student photographer snapped away.  I just planted myself where I was told and let the students surround me again and again for numerous shots with their foreign teacher. 

          “Come on!  Don’t be shy!” our monitor encouraged her classmates. 

          This would be the last time we’d be taking pictures together.  Everyone knew there wouldn’t be a second chance so they took full advantage of it.  I don’t think anyone had less than 3 pictures with me in different settings with different poses.  I’m happy they were so excited to get those last memories of our time together.  They will treasure them for many years to come.

Big Rains Hit

          Over the past week, we’ve been having gigantic black storms blow in during the afternoons.  Mornings, we’ve all been roasting and dripping in sweat during class time but when the downpours hit, it has been a blessing to cool things off. 

          These rains are the greatest blessings for the plants.  My own balcony flower pots have really struggled under the glaring sunshine, even when I water them twice a day.  The overcast skies and torrents of water pouring down have livened them up immensely, especially my poor rose bushes which just don’t fair well in direct sunlight.

         As for our campus garden which the elderly have so painstakingly cultivated, it is flourishing as never before.  Their garden plots of squash, beans, corn, eggplant, carrots, cucumber, hot peppers and numerous other vegetables are thriving. 

         In between classes, I’ve stood outside the classroom and gazed down upon our garden paradise in awe. Just look at it grow!  Pretty amazing, huh?

God’s Water is an amazing thing, as our elderly’s garden can attest.

I’m looking forward to a restful weekend before tackling packing up all my things into boxes.   Never a very pleasant thought. From Longzhou, here’s Ping An (peace) sent your way.