Meesa Lindsay ... we want to color animals.

Well folks, it's about that time of year. I'm about to hit 4 months of being in China (CRAZY RIGHT?!), and I think the "culture shock" is starting to hit. Before you jump to conclusions, no, I'm not wanting to leave China and come home. Farthest thing from it. Culture shock is different for everyone since every person is unique. So for me, alot of my "culture shock" expresses itself in my frustration with the system and the complete lack of anything resembling efficiency. 

For example, the education system at my school frustrates me a great deal. There's a ridiculous amount of pressure on my kids and on my co-teachers, and it's not fair or just. And I think that's what I have the problem with the most: I see injustice and I want to fix it. But I can't. 

It's strange how the things I thought would frustrate me, don't. And the things I thought I could deal with drive me crazy. For one, I thought the language barrier would make me want to pull my hair out. Nope. I thought the people and their attitudes would make me hate China. Quite the opposite actually. 

I never considered that my job would be the thing that frustrated me the most. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE teaching. I LOVE my kids. I LOVE my co-teachers. What I dislike is the system. And I dislike it because it is just ridiculous sometimes. With a lack of direct communication, it's hard for my co-teacher to know what they're supposed to do. And then it's even harder for them to communicate to me what I'm supposed to do. And what really just makes me so angry is how much pressure is put on my babies and on my co-teachers. My babies are SIX YEARS OLD!!!! It is absolutely ridiculous to expect them to be able to all score a 95 and above on their exams. Just ridiculous. And if my babies don't do well on their exams, the hammer comes down on my co-teachers. It makes the protective mama bear side of me come out. Nobody messes with Meesa Lindsay's babies or co-teachers!!!

And it also doesn't help my frustration level when I get back from a break on Monday morning and get handed a new book and told I need to start teaching from that book TODAY. 

I practiced labor breathing to calm myself down so my head wouldn't blow off. Hee-hee-hoo-hee-hee-hoo-hee-hee-hoo

But as infuriating as my job can be at times ... it also is my greatest joy, the thing I love most about China. And there's those little moments that happen every day, every class that make all my irritation melt away. Then there's the moments Father gives me outside of school that remind me of all the lessons China is teaching me. 

Exhibit A:

I was teaching my kids about different animals. When I put up the picture of a pig, all 36 kids in that class started making these ridiculous snorting hog noises. I about fell over laughing. 

Exhibit B: 

I had a lesson where my students got to draw different animals as part of an activity.  Unfortunately class 3 didn't get to draw animals because we ran out of time. However, news must have spread quickly down the hall about Meesa Lindsay's fun drawing time because on last Wednesday, after class 2, I met my genius kid Dustin out on the hall. This exchange went down:

Dustin: Hello Meesa Lindsay!

Me: Hello Dustin!

Dustin: Meesa Lindsay, this afternoon, in class, we want to color animals.

Me: OH MY GOSH!!!!!! OF COURSE YOU CAN COLOR ANIMALS!!!!

Heck, I would've let them color anything they wanted. This kid's English is amazing!!! Why on earth is he even in my class?! He should be teaching the class for crying out loud!

Exhibit C: 

Last Sunday I was on the bus heading back from a trip up to the north part of the city. It had been a rough couple of days, and I was just feeling exhausted. The bus trip was good for me because I just got to sit and clear my head for a while. Well, I transfered busses near my school, and I noticed a kid wearing one of the red winter jackets with our school's logo on it. I did a double take and it was one of my kids!!!! It was Tim from Class 1!! He was riding on the bus with his mom. I said hi and was greeted with a gigantic smile and a shocked "Meesa Lindsay!" exclamation. He told his mom I was his teacher, and she made him stand up so I could sit down. He sat on my lap the rest of the ride back to school. 

Me and Tim on the bus!!

Exhibit D:

On Saturday, we went out grocery shopping at a store called Carrefour. We get up to the entrance of the store and there's this huge advertisement campaign thingie for some kind of laundry detergent. Anyway, we went in, did our shopping, and came out. But, just as we were coming out of the store, I noticed that some of the employees working the campaign were lining up as if they were about to do some sort of dance. So we stopped and watched. 

Well, as we watched their little dance to Gagnam style, these three college girls came up to me and Sarah. One of them was like "Do you remember me? We met on the bus." She looked kind of familiar, and I've met several college students on the bus before. Anyway, we started talking about the employees dancing and how silly it was. 

Then, the inevitable happened. 

One of the employees came up to me and gestured towards the group dancing, saying "Come, come!" He wanted me to go dance with them. I was like "No, no, no, no." But he wouldn't back down. 

So I went out and danced with the crazy laundry detergent people. 

IT WAS AWESOME!!!

Crazy dancing

And of course a crowd gathered and everyone had their smartphones out video-ing the crazy 外国人 (foreigner) dancing. 

AFter the dance, I walked off back to Sarah and the college girls (who also all had their smartphones out). Then one of the guys I was dancing with runs after me and gives me a big thing of laundry detergent for free. And THEN their professional photographer guy takes my picture with the laundry detergent. 

I would not be surprised if I see my face with the laundry detergent plastered all over Taiyuan. I can see it now "Look! Even foreigners like our laundry detergent!"

So yeah, just another crazy moment in my Taiyuan life. 

Oh and the college girls asked for my number. They said they wanted to practice their oral English, so I gave them my number. And as it turns out they both go to Shanxi University, which is right down the road from my school! I got two adorable texts from them today: 

"Hi Lindsay. I am so happy to know you today. My english name is summer. can i make friend with you?"

"Hello, lindsay. I'm Miki. This is my telephone number. I feel very lucky to meet you today. I hope we can be good friends!!!"

They're so stinking cute! So yeah, I have two new friends, Miki and Summer! 

It's amazing how Father provides these little encouragements in my life exactly when I need them. His timing is impeccable ... of course I should've already learned that lesson by now. I keep having these moments where I'm like "KSJDHFLIAWUEHFLIBJKDSBLGAUHRUI I'M IN CHINA!!!!!! I'M IN CHINA!!!!!!! ASJDFHALSKHF!!!" But, it's where Father wants me for this season. And I am so blessed to be a part of everything here. 

Me and Dasha waiting for the bus. Isn't she adorable?!

Hope y'all enjoyed these little stories. Please continue to lift up me and my team as we navigate adjusting to a new culture. 

Thankfulness

So it's the season where everyone starts talking about things they are thankful for. And so I thought it would be appropriate to take some time to say a few things I'm thankful for (actually it's alot of things, but that's a good thing right?)

1. I'm thankful for my amazing team:

• Our team leaders: Dale and Allysa: for being there for us, leading us, letting us do crazy things, putting up with our silliness
• Chesney: for bringing so much joy to our team. You always make me laugh and smile
• Hailey: for all your wisdom, sarcastic comments, and love of stupid scary movies
• Sarah: for your steadiness and servant's heart.
• Asher and Dasha: for just all the love and fun you bring to the team
• Anna: for being my best friend for the last 4 years; you're a big part of why I'm here in China, and I am so thankful for you

2. I'm thankful for my wonderful family for being brave and letting me come to the other side of the world. Your support and love mean more to me than words can express. I love you all and miss you so much! 

3. All of the people who made it possible for me to come to China. Your outpouring of love and support overwhelms me every day! I am awed and humbled by your kindness and generous hearts-may Father richly bless you for your sacrifices to help me come to China!

4. My fellowship here: I'm amazed by the transparency and love of Father that you have shown me. Thank you all for your wisdom and for your willingness to share you wisdom with young people like me. 

5. China. Oh China ... as frustrating as you can be at moments, I'm so incredibly blessed to be here experiencing your culture and your people. Here's a few things about China I'm thankful for:

•  Jiǎozi: Oh  Jiǎozi how I love you
• Muddy, bumpy roads: you make life fun
• Insanely crowded buses: granted sometimes you can give me major motion sickness, but there's never a dull moment on a crowded Chinese bus. 
• Lack of efficiency: you're teaching me that life does not always run by a schedule. And it's ok to just fly by the seat of your pants some days.
• Fireworks and construction: thanks for making sure I never get to bed before midnight and never sleep past 7:00am (on most days haha)
• Chinese fashion: I could seriously go on about this forever. But I'm just happy I get to have many chuckles to myself multiple times a day when I see Chinese people wearing crazy outfits.
• Hot water and more clothes are the remedy for every illness ... *coughcoughNOTcoughcough*

6. Gerry, our Foreign Affairs Official (FAO): Most schools that have foreign teachers have an FAO who is in charge of taking care of the foreign teachers. This ranges from making sure all their paperwork is in order, to informing them about school events, to making sure they have drinking water in their apartments ... well this last one probably isn't in the job description but Gerry does it anyway. Gerry is AWESOME!!! He works so hard to take care of us, and he's the BEST FAO EVER!!! Sorry to my friends at other schools, but Gerry has all your FAOs beat by a long shot. He's also got a fantastic sense of humor!

7. My co-teachers: Monica, Candy, and Jenny. For putting up with me and my craziness and total lack of teaching background. Also for making sure I know that I should drink more hot water and wear more clothes when I'm sick (not that I listen to them, but it's sweet they try to tell me how to take care of myself). These ladies are amazing-they are fantastic teachers and wonderful people. I'm so blessed to get to work with them. 

8. My babies: Oh my babies ... I want to scream out across the world I LOVE MY BABIES! Or like that scene in Elf I want to sing out "I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOOOOVVVEEE YOU!!!!" You all teach me something new every day-I'm overwhelmed by your love and your sweet spirits. When I look into all of your big, beautiful brown eyes, my heart just melts. I don't know how I'm going to say good-bye in a few months. You will always have a special place in my heart-all 288 of you. 

9. Father. Father, it's been a crazy, wild ride to get me here to China. Thank you for teaching me about love, surrender, trust, and the myriad of lessons you've taught me in the last 10 months. As much as I fight with you some days, you still love me and you do what's best for me. You love me, freely, despite all my faults and my doubting. Thank you that you can change even the most stubborn of hearts. 

Me and Class 3

MY ADORABLE BABIES!

So this post is for the people who do not have FB and cannot see all of my pictures (coughcoughMyfamilycoughcough).

I've been trying to take more pictures of my adorable babies, just because they're so stinking cute and I love them so much. 

Left to right: Jessica, Chelsea, Betsy, Judy (Class 8)

Left to right: Mandy, Katie, Susie, Amber, and Ava

Me and my awesome Canada (Josh)

Me and my dear sweet Katie

Madison and Gabbie (Class 4)

My sweet, precious Archie

Me and my Becca (Class 3)

Me and Betsy (Class 8)

Left to right: Belle, Piper, Jami, Meg, Ava, Wendy (Class 7)

Left to Right: Aidan, Ryder, Jesse, Corey, Gabe, Andrew, Archie (right beside me),
Flynn (Behind me), Chase, Piper, Jamie, Kay

AREN'T MY BABIES THE CUTEST?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They're a mess, but they're so much fun. I love just walking down the hall and having all of them screaming at me "MEESA LINDSAY!!!! MEESA LINDSAY!!!!" I'm overwhelmed by their love every day. 

Twick-o-Tweat!

Oh my goodness, where to begin? So much has happened since the last time I posted.  

Oh and it was parent's week ... this meant there were about 10 parents in every class I taught watching my class. They all had their smart phones out, videoing me and taking pictures of the crazy foreign teacher. And when I went out to dance with the kids during exercise time ... you would've thought Kobe Bryant had just showed up at SMBS. I had parents everywhere taking my picture, videoing me dancing next to their kid, pointing at me, staring with their mouths wide open. It was hilarious. 

I celebrated Halloween with my kiddos. They learned pumpkin, jack-o-lantern, trick-or-treat, and candy. I had them color pictures of jack-o-lanterns, and they also got to "trick-or-treat." I made them all masks out of cardstock, marker, and glitter glue ... let's just say for about four days my clothes, my room, and my hands were covered in glitter. The looks on the faces of my kids when I brought out the masks were priceless! So many oo's and ahh's. 

So yeah, I passed out the masks, after telling the kids that if they hurt the masks they would make Meesa Lindsay very very sad. [Not that I really cared, but I was not about to have 36 kids/classroom going nuts with the masks]. They had to hold up the masks and say "Trick-or-treat" [which sounded more like "Twick-o-tweat!"] and then I would give them candy. 

IT WAS THE MOST ADORABLE THING EVER!!!!!!!!!

Can I just teach American Holidays for the rest of the year?

The parents were also here during Halloween. Pretty sure they thought I was completely insane. 

Here are some shots of the kids with their masks:

My dear Archie 

Sheldon and Bruce (Class 4)

Class 1 Row 3

Josh loved his mask

Class 8 Row 3

Oh yeah, and I've learned a few more things about some of my students. I was showing Jenny all the pictures of my kids, and she would tell me different things about them. And some of these are just things I've noticed about my kids. 

For one, Dustin in class 3 is apparently a genius (as if I didn't know that already). Jenny told me she had to walk him to the bus to go home once, and as they passed all the parents in their cars, he could tell her the make and model of every single car. He knows all his colors in English, as well as a ton of other English words. So yeah, he's awesome. 

And Josh apparently went to Canada over October Holiday (who knew?). So his new nickname is Jiānádà, which is Canada in Chinese. And he is in Class 7's performance for the English show. And he's a Rabbit hahahahahahaha. 

Peyton is not just a troublemaker. He's also super smart. He is playing the part of the Farmer in Class 7's performance. 

Peyton and Josh learning lines in the office

One of my kids in Class 4 has a dad who is a big leader in the Chinese military. 

Stan had surgery on his tongue because it was malformed, which explains why he has a hard time speaking. 

Sheldon is a genius-he scored a perfect on the big midterm. And he remembers everything Jenny teaches. 

I've also got to spend time just hanging around with my kids after classes. They all go outside and have scheduled play time, which includes everything from play-doh, to jumping rope, to basketball, to coloring, etc. 

Meaghan and Anissa (Class 1)

My boys from class 1

Girls from class 1 coloring

More girls from class 1 coloring

Oh and yeah, my kids are AWESOME at jump rope. What was really funny was when I showed them I could do it too. I was hanging out with class 1 and Brody gave me his jump rope. All the kids gathered around, talking excitedly and laughing. Most likely they were saying, "The foreign teacher is going to try to jump rope! How silly!" Well, they were completely shocked when I actually could jump rope. A few of them even told me "Very good! Very good!"

Joslyn (class 8) jumping rope

This is Clay, he's the Class Monitor of Class 1 (meaning he's in charge of keeping the other kids in line). He wanted me to take his picture while he showed me how he could jump rope. He also wanted me to count how many times he could jump rope. He hit 57 by my count. 

Clay

My kids are AWESOME!!! I love them so much. Father is using them to teach me patience, love, and gentleness. He knows I need those lessons, and He's definitely using them to teach me patience. There are days when I just want to bang my head against the wall because the kids are being so naughty. So yeah, Meesa Lindsay is learning patience.