Happy New Year!

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Hello All:
I hope everyones new year went well and hope this year will be as good or better than the last.
New Years in China is not celebrated on the grand scale that we in the west do. I gave my students a presentation on Kwanza, of which many of them were already acquainted. I then asked them what they would do on Dec 31st to celebrate the new year. I was met with blank stares and questions regarding what there is to do. So evidently, its not like the high speed affair I usually plan for new years. Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) is apparently the time to ring in the new year (based off lunar calander, this year it is Feb14th) and they throw a feast and have crazy parties with fireworks.
This year I have plans to go to my students hometown for Spring Festival. I'm wondering if I can even make it because it is 3 days after I get back home from the states. But it sounds like an event to not miss so I will definitely try to make it.
This new years I went out with some girlfriends, danced like a crazed party monster then crashed until I couldn't get out of bed the entire next day. It was definitely a reminder to how old I'm getting and how I'm starting to handle things differently. So 2010 is here time to shape up!

In any regards, My finals are over with and I officially turned in all my grades today. In my one oral class their final was to ask me 7 questions, of which they all aced. Then in my writing classes they were to write me 500 word essay about any topic they wanted. They had 4 weeks to prepare so I figured the last four weeks I would be getting sporadic essays from students turning it in earlier, and in this way I could stay on top of grading because I didn't want to spend the next full week after exams grading. Of course my assumption failed me (as usual) and they all waited until the very last day to give me their essays! However, despite my worries, the grading process was rather quick and actually pretty interesting.
Most students wrote about their hometowns, families, sports, hobbies. A few wrote about generic issues like the environment, animal rights, smoking in public. Then I had some that were really interesting and thought provoking. Some boy wrote about ''sex before marriage'' with some very good valid and well put together points. Some other girl wrote an amazing piece about ''Things are never black and white''. Then I had 2 other boys write essays about me! Lets just say they were both positively suggestive in their observations. I must admit one of them actually had me blushing :-*

Now that everything is over, I'm so relieved and actually ready for a vacation. On paper the job seems cool and easy and for the most part teaching is like that. However, as I'm getting situated with living here, I'm starting to realize that living here is a job in itself. Due to language barriers and mass disorientation its like a job living here. Problems that are solved in 5 minutes back home can turn into a 45 minute ordeal. Yesterday, Shelly and I went out for sushi. We were both starving like no other and as we began to calculate the time before we even got into the taxi, rode downtown and ordered the food it would be least another1.5-2 hours. I thought how hilarious it is to include the time in which we got anyone to understand what we were even ordering. We went for it anyway because the idea of eating anything that has not been cooked to death is nonexistent in China. So the sushi was definitely worth the wait.

I'm leaving to come back home next week! wohoo! and I cannot wait to see everyone! There will be new editions to the family via my sister and can't wait to see family and friends. I'm not sure if I'll be back in the summer so I've definitely got to soak this trip in.
I'm wishing everyone a happy new year and if I'm comin to see you, get ready!
Zaijian

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Photos

monday
Monday morning oral class

girls
Some girls in my oral monday class

more monday
More Mondays

Rainey
Rainey from Monday morning

Monday evening
Monday evening class

girls
Girls from Monday evening.

one of my faves
monday evening

hilarious
monday evening

boys
monday evening

1st herd
wednesday girls

2nd herd
wednesday girls

Herd 800
Thursday girls

Herd 5768
More thursday girls

Comments

[Minna1004]

hello~ just passing through looking for nanchang journals. you're coming back to china for chinese new year's? where are you planning on going? :)

[Daddy]

Happy New Year Sweetie
You look absolutely wonderful Latifa. I think you have found your calling. The pictures are really great. I wish we could see you this time around when you come home but life is as it is and perhaps next time. I know it will be exciting to get back home. I hope to go to Columbus also for a visit after Kiya has caught her breath back :) May Allah ride with you on your trip back and make your journey pleasant and comfortable. Love ya, Daddy

[Tifa]

hello
Hi There Just noticed your blog. Welcome to Nanchang. You seem to like it here and thats the attitude to have! For Spring Festival I'm going back to WuYuan. Its a small charming town in Jiangxi, about 3 hours from Nanchang. If you haven't been, you should check it out sometime. They have little villages around the area where you can purchase some pretty cool things. In any regards, cheers and happy new year!

[anonymous]

:)
i either love nanchang or hate it depending on the mood and the day. i guess that's just like anywhere else, though... hehe. interesting you're going to wuyuan, that's where my boyfriend wanted to go for a mini-vacation before new year's. anyway, hope you have a safe and wonderful holiday!

[Umm Latifa]

Happy New Year with lots of love
Insha Allah looking forward to your visit. Your students look like they adore you. That is so wonderful!! Rainey looks like she has such a pleasant disposTion. YOu are truly blessed. I'll pick you at up at the airport. Insha Allah

[AishaL]

Dude, it's so awesome that you are teaching in China. It looks like a blast. And your students look like they really love you!! Are you going back? I hope so. Just flipping through the blog and it looks so interesting. Hope your celebrations with family were fun! Congrats on the new additions to the family! It's strange to think that your sister has so many kids now. But as you nicely point out, we are getting older!! See you on FB. P.S. I will admit to being a badass ninja in my downtime. ;)