Can't touch this

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If you like Call Me Maybe and you like Europe and shirtless men... click on the link above. If you don't... what is wrong with you? Happy Monday!

Sneak attack!

I took photos of my sneaky sixth graders and their art today. We started off pretty poorly with one of the boys cutting in front of one of the girls. When the girl told me, he kicked her. I ordered him to sit down and he tore his drawing in half. I was disappointed and almost stopped taking photos all together - I'm glad that I didn't. I think that only here, can this happen. It's not the first time it's happened in rural China, but it is the first time for me. 

Take a look at this picture.

At first glance, you might see the smirk on his face. You might look at his drawing and wonder... whaaaaaaaa? But then take a closer look. 

Is that?

Noooo. 

Yes. If you haven't seen it, look at his left shoulder - his left, our right. 

Is that a braid?

It's a bird. 

Like all the other students in class, he stood in front of the blackboard, put his drawing in front of him, but unlike the other students - he pulled what looked like a stuffed animal out of his pocket and put it on his neck.  He positioned it and smiled, then walked back to his desk - no problem.

It's a baby black birdee on his shoulder! After class, I told him to come to the front of the room and show me the contents of his pocket.

He put this on my table. Hi, cutie - stay a while! I asked my student where he got this little creature - he shrugged, nonchalantly saying that he found it on the way to school - I think it's sweet that he's been taking care of this chickadee for the past four days!

8 First Grade Portraits

Try as they might, first graders have the toughest time hiding their true selves, even for a second. Today in class, I vowed to capture each student in a uniform way, but after loading my photos onto my computer, I saw that there was no way that my students were going to fit into any mold.

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A Welcome to My Home!

For two years, I've been living at 中国云南省临沧市云县茂兰镇哨街村哨街学校 - a house with no number, in a village that is so small that it has no post office. 


I will miss this small plot of land on the side of the mountain that has been my primary residence for TWO years. I cannot stress this enough. It astounds me to think that I've lived here for so long. 


On a recent trip to Beijing, a friend introduced me as having lived in China for years - while I nodded in assent, it was strange to hear it for myself. This wooden house that leaks in rain has built a stronger me. All it took was two years. Also attributing to this new found strength - a rat, non-stop bugs, a broken foot, dirt and dust and ash and dirt, no electricity, no water, no refrigeration, no showers, no cold things,  everything opening directly outside, more rats, some cats, entrails at my door, way too many water bottles in my room, sneaky students, loving students, hard-working students, barking dogs, a mysterious donkey/door sound, moths the size of birds, mold, a true understanding of what it means to own ratty clothing. 


This past weekend, Caitlin and Kristen came over in order to sort through the piles of clothes, food, and stationery that Phoebe and I have accumulated over the two years. Most of the food and stationery were mine; Phoebe was giving away most of her clothes!


As a note to self, I took a picture of the clothes that I was giving away in order to remember, so as to not look for them in a few months - going crazy, tearing through my wardrobe looking for these pieces. 

A farewell to threads

Caitlin and Kristen pored over our things and fairly distributed our things between each other, as well as for Nora. To commemorate their visit, Kristen and Caitlin both took photos - and here is a photo of Kristen's that she has shared with me!

I live the mix of modern objects and the aged design of our humble home. For two years, we took this place over. Thanks for visiting, ladies! Thank you also for opening my eyes again to how  unique and unusual this experience has been, how extraordinary these two years in Shaojie and Teach For China have been. I look forward to seeing who will live here in the following years. 

I nailed it!

This continuous fascination is not healthy but you have to admit they look awesome. Here are the other two posts I've made in recent times about my nails ( here and here). While I know this is a habit that I simply can't maintain in America, I'm pledging to continue to take full advantage of the fact that getting my nails done here as a manicure costs 15 rmb ~ 2.357 USD.

Looking at these nails has reminded me how much I enjoy wearing black and I will fill my wardrobe with new and delightful black clothes once I return to America - in a month.

I want this top

Dear The Limited,

When I get back to America, will you still have this shirt for sale? Even better, can you put it ON sale?