Bittersweet.

So it is my last week. It is only Wednesday and it has been a little bittersweet. My birthday was yesterday. It was the best 20th birthday i could ask for. On Sunday, I had a birthday dinner. I went out to Pizza with my team. Oh how i miss it so. I was thinking about how i am not sure how it could get better. I mean this is pizza we are talking about I have been going through withdrawals. On Tuesday( my birthday) it was wonderful. It started out with the girls on my team decorated the bathroom and covered my bed with balloons. :) Then at school my students surprised me. They are great. It was really funny, they would not let me go in to the room. When they finally did let me in they had decorated the board and sang me "happy birthday". It was great. Along with the everything else they got me birthday cake. I was definitely surprised. But i guess it was easy to plan because most of the time i have no idea what they are saying. Then I had some of the teachers classes sing happy birthday. Needless to day it was a wonderful birthday.

It is really sad to think i will have to leave all of them. I just now feel like i have figured out what i am doing. Or where i am. Monday i was looking at the lesson. Each day we learn about a new country. Well monday was china. I was looking at the map. I found Hong Kong. It was then when it hit me that was there i was. I know i have been here 3 1/2 weeks and i just now figured it out.
I am leaving in 4 days. I am really happy but at the same time i don't want to come home. I feel like now i can acctually be of use. I guess that is how it goes. I have never done this. This as in making close friends with someone i might never see again. I makes me really sad to think about.
One the girls on my team has to leave tomorrow. Her class did this whole big goodbye. They sang to her. It might have been one of the sweetest things i have ever seen in my life. I starting to relize that i am leaving. I hate it. I don't like it all. I mean i almost cried at school. I could see how bad she was taking it. I do not want friday to come. I am not ready.
I guess i just have to trust. He knows what he is doing. I will see them again.

Panda.

I went to Ocean Park today. It is a park like 6 flags. yeah, anyway i saw a PANDA!

Reconsidering.

I have made it through 3 weeks of teaching. It seems like yesterday that i was home. It makes me sad to think that I have to leave the people i have met here. It is so weird how teaching has allow me to see things in myself I never knew were there. For example i thought i was a patient person. Yeah sometimes i feel like that is lie. I love the kids though. I always thought that i would never be able to work with Junior high, and that i never thought i would come to Asia. Yeah funny how things work out. I guess someone else had plans for me. I had an amazing momment today. I was having a hard time getting the kids to be quiet. I wanted to get through the lesson. i thought "if we get through it then we can just do nothing" right. Yeah they forget the meaning of shut your mouth. So i told them that they would write in their journals.
I was a little angry with them. I thought to my self" If you would only pay attiontion i would be able to bless you with free time." Then i remembered what my dad once told me" Betsye if you would only pay atention i would be able to bless you. I think i got the point. Saddly i had to drag my students down with me to figure it out. Somwtime i feel like how in the world can these kids like me? I feel like i am yelling at them all day. I mean they gave up there summer break to spend with me. Poor kids. Anyway, as i said before i have them write in Journals. I ask random questions just to get to know them better. Today i had them write 2 journals. The 1st was the the normal. 2nd was the punishment. Yeah ok back to my point i told them to write about anything they wanted to. I was kinda having a hard day. I was reading them some time later and i came to this one. He had wrote down. "I know it hard to teach our class but i think you do a good job, and you work hard. I think you can do it. " It was something like that. I almost cried. If you know me that is hard to do. I feel like i just starting to know these kids and now i have to leave. It stinks. although I am happy to go home a part of me will stay. I realized today that some of the people i meet here i will never see again. :( yeah so keep me in your thoughts.
So yeah here is my random disorganized blog. I hope it makes sense. Love and miss you all.

Home.

I had pizza today!
I also went to Harry Potter.
It was like i was home.

Begging on the Street.

My time here is almost over. I am not sure if i am sad or relieved. I am amazed i made it this far to tell you the truth. I am getting to point where home is sounding pretty good right now. I finished my 2nd week of teaching today. It sometimes seems like i have been here forever. I think i am starting to really get the hang of things. We had a scavenger hunt today at the school. I was so happy to be the teacher of my students. they are mine. Well not really mine but i think you get the point. Just thinking of them makes me smile.

I had the opportunity to go to a night market tonight. Not sure how i like it. A street full of items i do not need. The process of buying goes against how i function.
1. you walk into the section of items you might want to buy.
2. You try to look not interested. (Never pick anything up. The second you do the owners go in for the kill. They come and starts begging you to buy it. )
3. Ask for price. (They say 100 you say 50 this goes on for a minute or two. Very awkward. you get them down 70)
4. you walk away. then they grab you. whispering in your ear "for you i will go lower" (Lies. they don't care about me. I am just some blonde girl from America that they know that can get money. then they go down to 50. Score what you wanted. or is it?)
5. Walk out with an arm full of stuff you don't need, passing the beggar on the street wondering if it was right to go in the first place.

As i said, it made me wonder if i ever wanted to go back. Kind of scared me.
other than that i have been good. Hope you are too! see you soon!

Mango juice.

So I am sick. Who would have guessed it, i am sick. Man i wish i did not get sick all the time. I feel like my throat is screaming at me. Even the thought of screaming hurts. My team leader, Mandy, took over my class yesterday. I thought i was going to pass out but i am ok now. I have to say i needed the break.
My class is performing a fairy tale. I am so proud of them, i did not even teach today they just took over. I just sat there watching them work everything out. I am counting my blessings. The kids are great. I think i am starting to get the hang of this teaching thing. I do know that I would never want to do this for the rest of my life. But who knows i am an not even sure of what i am doing tomorrow.
I think i am starting to figure out why i am here. I was thinking about it yesterday. So i am going to be an RC ( RA for those who call it that). At first i was like why am i doing this. Why in the world have i been chosen to do that? I am not a leader. Well this trip has allowed me to really get to know myself. I am finding that I can do a lot more than i thought i could. At this point i think i am ready to take on the challenge of this year. Who would have thought that I would be in Hong Kong drinking Mango Juice discovering my place in the world.Hmmm.

i think i am growing.

I just got through my first week of teaching. Who would of guessed i would be in Hong Kong teaching english. I think i am figuring out that i am in here. It is weird to think that in soon it will be over. I know that i have just started, but it feels like i have been here forever. I am finding myself changed. I can see myself taking control of my life. I know that i am not doing it alone. I know it is not me that will change these kids. I am just the start. It sad to think that the friends i meet here i might never see again. I know that this is just the beginning. I know that i still have more to learn and a lot more to grow. I know that with time this will happen. I am excited to see the person i will become, but i know that i have to wait. Because everything is perfect in his time. Who know what will happen but i am willing to wait:)

hmm i think it hit me.

I had my first day of class today. It was ....stressful. But it was a day needed. Today was the first day i figured out i was here. Hong Kong is very modern so sometimes i think i am in Chicago sometimes.Except for the part where it is hot. I figured out that i am going to smell for the next month and there is nothing i can do about it. The City is huge but i am not as scared as i was. Things are well. I went to a really nice restraunt the other day. This is stupid i know, but i had no idea that Fortune cookies and Sessamee Chicken was American. Who knew. Anyway it was weird to walk around and everyone stare at you. I am not to sure i like the only hot drinks at every meal. hmm. yeah other than that i am good.

It is Hot.

So i made it alive. After being up for like for what seemed like forever i survive the first day. The plane trip here was an experiance. I had a lay over and missed a flight. But i am finally in California. I leave for Hong Kong in 3 days. Wow that is soon. I don't have much time to talk but i wanted to say that i am alive. I have leared a lot in that past few days, like how to cross the street and the fine art of going to the bathroom. :) fun times.