Here on the Other Side...

Xin Chao!

It has officially been 13 days since I left the USA. My flight from SFO to LAX was so quick I could hardly believe how fast my summer adventure began. In LA I met my teammates for the first time: Christina, Tessa, Britney, and Jenny. We bonded very quickly over the next 14 hour flight- not that we really had a choice :) After a layover in Taipei, we landed in Hong Kong.I left the USA on June 30^th and made it to Hong Kong on July 1^st and faced a full day of training. 

                I think the two words to best describe my first impression of Hong Kong would be : hot and sticky.

After a bus ride we took a ferry to Cheung Chau Island and we met up with out team leader, Alli, and began our hike up a hill to our destination- the Salesian Retreat House. All I can say is that that first day felt like the longest day of my life. We arrived in Hong Kong close to 10 am and moved into our rooms before heading to our first meeting with the rest of the teachers for training.

(view of the beach on our hike up to training)

Thus began my week of training. For the next  7 days we went over our set curriculum and did team building. Then we set off for the airport. After the very slow  ferry ride back to Hong Kong- seriously we watched other ferry boats zoom past us, make it to the pier and then pass us up as it made the trip BACK- we walked with our luggage to take a train to the airport. Apparently you can check your luggage in to your flight at the train station before catching the train to the airport. 

                I’m pretty sure my first week of training was more like a test to see if I was physically fit- our      trek up the hill to our “retreat” house, my daily walk up countless flights of stairs to make it to our room at the top of the hill and retreat center, our walk from the ferry to the airport….I now have thighs of steel.

First impression of Hanoi, Vietnam: hot and not as sticky.

At the airport we were met by Mrs. Ha from our school, Lomonoxop, as well as a group of students who greeted us with big smiles and flowers for Miss Alli.  They were so sweet but I think our jet lag might have frightened them. Our rooms at Lomonoxop are so spacious! Three teammates’ room on the first floor (Jenny, Tessa, and Britney), Christina and I share a room next door to Alli- who has here own room.

               

First impression of Lomonoxop: HUGE and sweet AC!

                I don’t think I have ever truly appreciated AC as much as I have learned to these past 2 weeks. AC is my friend. I love the AC. Also: fans. These are God’s gift to man. Seriously—fans that rotate are the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Sometimes I want to just hug my fan—that is how much I love it.

               

                Today was our 3^rd day of teaching.  The first day of teaching I started off class with 22 students, all in 6^th grade. Then I had 23. By the end of the day I have 25 students. My middle name used to be Elizabeth by the end of the first day it was changed to flexibility.I currently have 23 students alongside 5 students from Jenny's class as she has been sick for the past 2 days and cannot teach. After the first day of teaching Jenny and Christina both had no voices. Jenny has been sick so please lift her up for healing and for our teachers to have strength and energy to teach. 


Here are some of my students!