The first week of May was XIS's Spirit Week. This is similar to a high school's homecoming week in the states....Because I am not good a delegating and like to be busy (and maybe bossy-get that from mom:)) I was in charge! This meant lots of planning and making sure everything got done.
Monday we were out of school for the official May Holiday similar to Labor Day for China.
Tuesday- Twin Day! At the end of the day we did things like water balloon toss, 3 legged race, and relay races!
Wednesday- Pajama Day! a good excuse to wear pajamas to school! then we watched a movie in the afternoon.
Thursday-Pirate/Ninja Day- Dress like a pirate or a ninja! Then that afternoon we did a treasure hunt obstacle course...6 tasks to be completed by each team in each of 3 divisions and there were treasure maps to get you to your next task! So much fun, but it was real hot that day...
Tasks: Cannon ball toss, ninja monkey, ninja skills, swab the deck, shoot the target or walk the plank, cave diving...these were all fairly simple tasks with a ninja/pirate name...:)
Friday- School Spirit Day!- Dress in School colors and then do fun stuff in the afternoon...one of those things was to make a big XIS on the field using all of the students! Thanks to Darron, those pictures turned out great!!!
To top off the very Spirited week, we held a charity concert to raise money for one of our school's custodians. He fosters 3 children with pretty severe disabilities and doesn't really have the proper things to care for them. So we wanted to help. This was actually a student's idea! So we put on a concert. There were about 5 acts...one of which involved me singing...The headlining act was OSAW (official size and weight) which is made up of a few of our students and a couple of homeschooling kids that we know.....With all of our efforts and some divine provision we were able to raise 14,000 RMB which was way more than we had set as a goal. So the custodian will be able to do a lot to his home to make caring for these kids easier. I was so so proud of our students. They really are impressive people.
Also the next week, we had our first official XIS 'formal'...I use the word 'formal' loosely because there wasn't really a dress-code, but it was a special outing for our 9-12th graders. Because we have so few students, it didn't really make sense to do a prom/dance....there were lots more boys than girls...so with the suggestion from a really smart and creative girl I know, we decided to do a murder mystery dinner! This was so so so fun. We reserved the 2nd floor of a restaurant in Xian and had a great dinner and lots of fun solving the mystery! The kids played along really well and I think they had fun so that is what I cared about. I think it was a great event to have toward the end of the year! So much fun! It was set in the 1920's and so several dressed for the occasion which made it even more fun! Of course there are pictures.
Once that was finished, I had a yearbook to make happen....This year it was an awesome 4-day yearbook. I think that my eyesight has been damaged because of the hours that I spent looking at the computer, but after all was said and done, we have a winner! Of course I didn't do it all by myself...I had some students work on it too, but they don't stress out about it as much because they are not in charge of making sure it happens...
Also, while all of this was happening, I got a JOB for the Fall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My first interview was on Pirate/Ninja Day, so I had to go home and shower and get ready for my 8pm interview :)...While interviewing with them for a math position, they asked me about my chinese....if I had been studying...I told them that I had been studying 3 hours a week for almost the whole time I had been here...I wouldn't say that I am fluent yet, but I can carry on a conversation without too much trouble...then they asked me if I would be interested in helping them start a Chinese language program at their school?!?!?!?! I of course said most certainly I would! I wouldn't need to teach the class just help in the organization and help the kids if they need help....score! They said they would get back to me....so I waited and waited and a little over a week later we did yet another interview...ugh...I was a little disappointed at this point cause I was feeling less confident about it...BUT the next day they called me and offered it to me :) What a blessing it is to have a job even before returning to America! I also have a place to live! The Lord has truly blessed me and is making the transition back a lot easier than it could have been!
Pictures from the MAYhem!
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