that time again.

It's that time again. 

The "travel, observe, grade, smooze, encourage, repeat" part of my job has started once again. Today was my first observation out of 60 this semester. 

8am bus face.

I have 30 students in 3 cities this semester. An uptick from my meager start of 12 students in one city at this time last year. 

The class was a great start to a busy semester. My job is part laison, part teacher, part counselor, and I think it's a good role for me. I'm thankful for my job because of the interesting people I get to meet. It's hard work, it's rewarding work. I'm not exactly sure how I will survive the semester with starting collecting data for my dissertation (a post to come soon! exciting things happening!) and also my other part-time job, but I know it won't kill me. *knock on wood* 

 high school class.

The highschool class that I visited was funny. It is a "joint-degree" program with a high school in the states. The students are carefully selected and are paying $17,000USD a year (massive amounts of money in Ch.ina) to participate in the boarding school program. At the end of their high school years, they will receive the diploma from their Chin.ese school, and also a diploma from the affiliated American high school. This is gold to these Chi.nese kids and their futures. I spoke with the director of the program following our visitation and she spoke of the education business within Ch.ina with great fervor. It was interesting and eye-opening. I'm thankful to get to participate in all of this cross-cultural education of young people. It's fascinating.

Hangzhou Normal University Affiliated High School. 

There is a big work decision in the works that I am grappling with right now. I don't want to chat about it in such an open space (privacy? weird!) But I want to mention it for memory sake. I have to make a choice regarding my future that I did not think I would have to make for at least another year - a choice that would change my location, title, and the trajectory of my near-future. I've been blessed with a big choice. Cross your fingers for me. :)

Obviously Mushu is rivoted with all this work talk....

sleeping kitty. 

Sorry my work talk will be so vague. I want to mention my job since it is 30+ hours of my week, yet I sense the need for more professionalism in my new role. 

Geez. Growing up! Weird. 

work slow. xoxo.