Is that rain?

(These pictures were taken a couple of weeks ago. Joelle was sick, so we took pictures for her on her desk in the office. Aren't we professional?)

Today when I was walking back from the market to get some lettuce at 5:30, I realized it was raining. And then I remembered that it had been raining for several hours! But alas, I didn't really notice it! I think that was a great realization. My day had been so full and pretty good, that I hadn't complained about the rain even once.

I'm feeling a lot better today. My ear still hurts a little bit, but I'm getting most of my hearing back. And I only coughed a little. So thanks for your many, many thoughts!! China's not a very fun place to get sick.

After teaching about Easter again, I went to lunch with a couple of my dearest students. We just ate rice and fried tofu while we chatted. We talked about class, and they said how they love my class. They said they liked how I made my students be more active, and how the class was a lot more creative than their other classes.

They think the American way of learning is so fascinating and different than the traditional Chinese way. The two girls said that all their other classes did not encourage discussion or questions. They were supposed to sit in class and "receive information" from the teacher all day long, every day. So I guess that little insight encouraged me, especially when I often think that I'm not a very good teacher.

Some days it gets overwhelming when students and random people like to gush about how great America is. If people face anti-Americanism going to other countries, just come to China. They love America, for the most part, although all of their ideas of America are from the movies. I agree that America is pretty blessed and grand in a lot of ways, but I'm also not such an avid defender of the States anymore. It certainly has many positive aspects, but it also has a lot of negative aspects. Lately I sort of feel like I don't have any country. I don't get really fired up about any country, America or China. Maybe that means that I'm really a citizen of that place up above. :)

I don't know where those thoughts came from. It's probably time to get some lesson planning done, though. Have a wonderful day, no matter what country you're in!