Dear South Africa...

Thank you ever so much for hosting the world cup last year. Because of this, now my students in China are enthralled with you. I can't lie, the Waka waka dance has made an appearance at several points throughout my experience in China thus far.... never for the public eye, but most definitely for entertainment purposes. You were a wonderful host for such a glorious world event. Thank you for K'Naan's song ["Wavin' Flag"] which instantaneously makes my classrooms erupt in cheers and festivities. It's absolutely wonderful because it gives me a beautiful platform to talk about you, Nelson Mandela, apartheid, forgiveness & grace.

Lucky for you, I have a classroom here in China who really likes to sing. The other night, although it was Thanksgiving, we had a little dance party to some awesome music, all of course from you, South Africa. Of course, these students asked me to sing a song from you. Lucky day, I actually had one tucked away from childhood. It's called, 'Njalo'. You know it, right? I thought I’d capture it on video to prove that your songs are being sung world wide.
 

Thank you, South Africa, for being a wonderful country, not afraid to show your history and scars, and even more so for allowing the world to learn from your painful lessons. You are a nation filled with a rich and vibrant culture and beautiful, beautiful people. I will make it over there to see you someday, and more importantly visit the friends whom I’ve been separated from for years. You will always and forever be on the top of my list.
Sincerely Yours,
*kayla

Never Too Old

As I sit here and write this my mom is probably waking up and putting a turkey in the oven [okay, well maybe not quite yet]. While most of you were sound in slumber I was sharing our holiday of thanks with my beautiful students. The biggest lesson they took away about thanksgiving is that Santa Clause comes at the end of the parade. The biggest lesson that I took away about thanksgiving is that you're never too old for these...

The following are some glimpses into my classroom for today. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. May you take this day to celebrate and

rest in the grace & peace that He has continually poured into our lives.

Carmen & Tessa

Vicky & Joy

Clearly, these two missed the "turkey memo".

Helen & Lillian

Colby & Lara. Colby's reads: "I thank for teachers so much. Thanks for helping me!"

Dear Gary...

There once was a time that we just knew you as “that guy who teaches French”. We just knew that you lived on the second floor, and we just knew that you had been here since February. I specifically remember one day sitting on a bench next to Laura and waving to you. I told Laura that we should be friends with you. Then, there was that one time the school took us to a banquet. They had a table for all the Russian foreign teachers and a table for all the American foreign teachers. They stuck you at our table; I’m so glad they did that! I speak on behalf of my team when we say “your English is ballin’”.

Then there was this one time we had a breakfast with pancakes and stuff for everyone on the second floor. We are so thankful you came, we wouldn’t have survived without you. Your ability to communicate in Chinese and English basically blew us out of the water, and you saved us from a lot of really awkward moments. And then, as if you weren’t amazing enough, you even brought Laura some legit French bread.

This is everyone at multi-cultrual breakfast, round 2.

Do you remember that one time that us girls were standing out in the hallway and you came out to talk to us because you heard us from your flat? Remember how you told me about how you used to be in an improv theatre troupe in Paris? Three words, Gary: that’s ridiculously awesome. And then remember how you were talking about making your students do something involving theatre for a French competition? You’re rockin’ my world señor. I’m really glad that our team got to take you out to dinner too. Oh, and then I’m really glad that you decided to hang out with us afterward. Thanks for sharing your dreams with us; you’re going to be a great film animator some day. Seriously. You and your friend are going to make a movie that is going to rock this world. And those tickets to the premiere…who did you promise those to again? [Oh yea, that’s me.]

Thanks for having videos of your improv theatre troupe on your external hard drive. I’m so glad that we ran into you at the tea shop and that you invited us over to watch your performances. To be completely honest, I don’t speak any French, but it was really fun to watch.You had a fro goin’ on back then too! Thanks for providing the English translation for us. Just so you know, it made us all super happy to see our notes and those “breakfast photos” of us on your refrigerator.

I don’t think any of us were expecting to come to China and leave with a new bffl [“biffle”] from France. Then again, you probably weren’t expecting to make friends with six crazy Americans either. Did we mention we’re really happy to know you? We’re looking forward to Friday’s movie night with you. Just please, for my sake, don’t pick something like The Exorcist. I don’t watch movies like that.

Oh, and I don’t know if we’ve officially told you yet, but you’re going to be spending Christmas with us. Hope that’s ok with you! :)

Sincerely Yours,

Kayla & Team Harbin

The Girls of 1416

You know you want my job.

Say "hello" to some girls from class 502, the "Bright Skies"

We had shared a song with them; they're returning the favor. <3

You caught me.

I admit it. 

Instead of allowing my creative juices to process, instead of allowing myself time to sit down and write out a witty blog post, I'm instead defaulting to videos. [I'm not denying the fact that they shed a whole new light on what's goin' on over here. They are quite fun :)] For the past several years I've termed November as "Demolition". As the Father shifts the changing weather outside, He runs a parallel to my inner workings: crafting, cutting, welding. Why November? I don't know. The leaves of 'what was' fall and it leaves me

longing, Elmers Glue & tape won't fix the heap of color and shelter that's at the roots.

exposed, all the twisted and jutted edges that are normally hidden by whats on the ground

& shielded, as all the inner workings of a tree trunk brace themselves for winter.

Sometimes I like to think that trees can think. Sometimes I make up their inner dialouge.

"Man, just wait till spring. I'm gunna bust out some leaves that are bigger and better than those measely ones on the ground. Bring it on winter, you don't know what's comin'!"

At least if I was a tree, that's what I'd think.

Sleeping Sound

How to make Kayla cry:

Step One: Send a sketch-tacular package, complete with illegible Chinese and a hole in the middle.

Step Two: Include a custom made pillow case adorned with signatures of beloved friends, beloved professors and Messiah College concert choir members (& alumni!)

We have now entered the season where homesickness is is being caught faster than the common cold. Truly, friends, your blessing could not have been received at a better time. Thank you, thank you, and again I say thank you. I am so humbled, so gracious, and so blessed to have shared life with you [and to still share like with you...just from 7,000 miles away]!
With something like this so close to one's head, theres no excuse for any bad dreams. 

I'm tellin' ya, folks. You can't get something like this at Ikea.

Lauren's World Premire

I have been a college student the past four years. I was that college student who was over committed, ran myself crazy, and loved every minute of it. Within the craziness I was [miraculously] able to find some free time with the people that I love. People are always a priority. So are games of Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, movie nights, and Quelf. You can bet your bippy that there was always a glass of tea in hand, most likely a pan of brownies in the oven, some type of bickering over the table as games were being played, and some mega quality time had on a beaten up yet ultra comfortable couch that most likely had an imprint of my butt from sitting on it for 3 years. The games would lead to jokes, and the jokes would lead to stories [or sometimes youtube videos], and the stories to conversations {and depending on the night the conversations would turn into philosophy & theology}. These were the nights that I deemed "glorious". All of them, every part. Forever and always they'll be "glorious" to me. Thank you for partaking in my trip down memory lane...

Badda BOOM!  

Now we're in China. "Glorious" nights have turned into something a little different. Of course there are similarities: laughter, fellowship, even tea! Goofing off is a definite necessity, as is some form of singing. I thought I would leave you with a little clip of the randomness that happened the other night.

Laughter: check

Fellowship: check

Singing: ....check?

Thank you, Lauren for gracing us with your talents and abilities. We know that you will be successful in every endeavor in life, and we thank you for providing us with...this :)

Cookie Monster

Thank you, America, for celebrating a crazy holiday known as Halloween. Thank you, Laura Baker, for being super gung-ho about the holiday. The result of these two yielded one of our most fun nights in Harbin yet. In preparation for the “big day” Laura and I had spent a fair part of our weekend baking cookies and preparing goodies for our 140 students. Sure…candy would have been the easy way out, but candy is so American. We’re going China style!

For freshman students, it is required of them to sit in the classrooms from 6-8pm every night to study, literally a mandatory study hall. The plan was this: to surprise each classroom by basically just busting in, dressed in costume, and delivering the goodies. Can’t get much better than that.

That plan is exactly what happened. In Laura’s apartment we prepared ourselves. Lauren ‘pulled a Sound of Music’ and created herself a princess costume from one of her curtains. Laura has hair which is a natural costume for her as it can easily be turned into a mane…a roarin’ one at that ;) So then that leaves me…the one who isn’t really too great at costumes. I’m totally game with a piece of paper and a pencil, or paint, or chalk, or a keyboard, but creative clothes? Not my thing.

I did inherit a cape from last years team. I am also now the owner of some pretty ballin’ cookie monster pants. Put ‘em together, we’ll call myself the “cookie monster who gives away cookies”. Sharing is caring.

In every class we entered the results were instantaneous cheers, applause and the busting out of cell phones. Within the span of an hour and a half thousands of pictures were taken. There were oooh’s and ahhhhh’s and smiles and delight.  
Joy radiated from their faces.

Our cheeks were so tired. And we still had three classes to go.

Let me tell you, snickerdoodles are a huge hit with Chinese students.

We had made our way down to classroom 411, the Smart Dolphins. As expected they were completely taken off guard and instantaneously exited. The festivities and photoshoots ensued. I had not realized that the entire class was not present at our ‘grand entrance’. In the middle of photos and such a small posse of 5 students came to the door, puzzled and baffled, one of them being Helen. Some of you have heard about Helen, she is a special student to me. She is also the class monitor of 411. Confused and aghast at the chaos going on in her classroom she was quick to discover that I [and Lauren and Laura] were the culprits of the uproar. Her instantaneous reaction, which I did not expect, was a gallivanting towards me. I thought she was heading for the cookies in my hand. Instead she went straight to my waist, hugging and jumping all the while. “Oh Miss Kayla, I love you, I love you!” Delight, smiles, and joy: something I didn't see coming from this girl.

So, maybe we didn’t experience the typical American Halloween this year, but Halloween’s in China are pretty hard to top. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

Miss Lauren, Miss Laura and I with the Smart Dolphins, Class 411.

A Firework Party

One month ago the three freshman foreign teachers were invited to a party. They arrived to classroom 502 and were greeted with applause and cheers. Their class monitor (‘mother’) Julia was exceedingly delighted to see them. The three foreign teachers were given ‘seats of honor’ as to watch the dozens and dozens of performances put on by their students. This party was to help the class “come together”. They are practically like family, enduring every day of the next 4 years in the same classroom together, eating together, living together. Class 502, known as “The Bright Skies”, wanted to get to know one another.

It wasn’t too long into the singing and laughing and dancing that the foreign teachers were asked to put on a performance. The three women, partially naive to Chinese parties came unprepared with anything perform [by American standards]. They quickly learned that the beautiful thing about Chinese culture is that simply putting your heart into a performance is all that matters.

So with that, I leave you a glimpse of the party and performance…

Please note, the best part of this video is not the foreign teachers, but Julia clapping along in the background (the girl in the yellow sweater), Raul being the DJ, and Evelyn, the videographer laughing along with us.