Ni hao!

So I just wrapped up my first week at ISW and my fourth full day in China! I was expecting the transition to this new place and culture to be more difficult, but the Father has truly given me an amazing network of people to encourage and support me both here and in the states.  I have felt more love, grace, and understanding these past few days than I could have imagined.  I have felt so welcomed by all of the staff at the school, and I am being included in many things that make me feel like I am part of this community.

School itself has been absolutely wonderful!  The staff works well as a team, and I have enjoyed getting to know other teachers within the past few days.  Many people have introduced themselves to me in the hallway or stuck their head in the classroom to see me.  It's been a big blessing to see how many people have reached out to welcome me and make me feel right at home.
I also had the opportunity to extend this same the love to a few of my students as two new girls joined the second grade class on Thursday.  One of the girls speaks English fluently and had no problem joining right in with the routines and conversations of the other students, but my second girl barely speaks any English.  I felt like I could see a little bit of myself in her as I watched her simply look around and watch the other students with a scared look on her face.  I'm trying my best to smile and communicate the best I can with her, but I feel like my efforts are so small.  I wish I could simply comfort her and let her know that everything is going to be okay in this new school where she can barely understand what is being asked of her, but I know that she has been put in my class for a reason.  I will do my best to love her through my actions and words, even if she can't understand everything that I say to her.

On another note, this week has been teacher appreciation week at school.  Even though this is only my first week there, the students have already showered me with gifts and cards.  On Wednesday I got a beautiful bouquet of flowers from the school.  Thursday, students brought me jelly beans, a cappuccino, and a sucker in addition to Starbucks from the school.  Today, I was invited to go to a teacher appreciation breakfast with food made by parent volunteers.  What a week to come into the school!
I also had the opportunity to teach science the past two days!  I'm teaching about changing weather patterns and the water cycle, and the kids were absolutely great during my lessons!  They were attentive and participated during my instruction which was a great way to start my role as a teacher in the classroom.  One of my students even told me, "Miss Lovejoy, you are like a real teacher now!" I love just hearing my name being said by the students whether it's "Miss Lovejoy" or simply "teacher".  I'm falling in love with my students more every day, even through the tough times of classroom management and discipline.

Sorry this has been such a long post, but there are just a couple more things that have happened that I would love to share!  The music teacher is letting me borrow one of her bikes while I am here, so I will have a faster way to get from my apartment to the school in addition to getting around the city.  I also got to go to Cup Stacking Club yesterday because my cooperating teacher is the leader of it.  It was so fun to be able to watch the students enjoy this activity and learn some new things from them.  Their faces lit up when I asked them to teach me for a change!  On Thursday evening, I had the opportunity to go out to dinner with the other student teacher at the school, the principal and his wife, and one of the IT guys from the school.  I am so privileged to have had the chance to get to know all of them a little bit better over some delicious pasta :)

That should bring everything up to today! I got to go closer to the center of the city today as a small group of teachers were able to go to the ELL teacher's husband's noodle restaurant closer to the center of the city.  I was on the most crowded bus ride I've ever experienced, and I ate more food than I could have dreamed!  As a custom here, the more food you are provided with, the more you are welcomed or appreciated as a guest.  Well, we were brought 9 dishes of food in addition to noodles and soup to enjoy and sample courtesy of the ELL teacher's husband.  It was wonderful to get together and enjoy an evening with the wonderful ladies I got to spend time with at the restaurant!
Well, Friday is here and it looks like I have a weekend of lesson planning ahead of me.  The joys of being a teacher!  I also get to go to a park to celebrate the birthday of one of my apartmentmates! I also get to work with my cooperating teacher to map out some of the curriculum that I get to teach over the next several weeks :) I'm looking forward to all the Father has planned for me here and I am so thankful for all that He has already done!