He is Risen!

This Easter was a fantastic fun-filled, spirit-filled week spent with students and friends! I was able to do a lesson with all of my students about Easter. It included a short youtube video, with Chinese subtitles, about the true story and reason for Easter. Most of my students told me that this was the FIRST time to hear this story!  

One of my classes watching the video! Teenagers are amazing...if you want to get their attention, play a movie! 

We also played an Easter game with some key vocabulary words. These are two of my wonderful students, Leo and KFC holding up the dice from the game! Leo is really sweet and helpful in class. KFC is funny and likes to play jokes on me.

Two more students, Scott and Bruce, who realllly wanted to take a picture on my camera!

The reason I was taking pictures is because this week was also the last time I would teach each of these classes. In March during their first year of high school, all of the students take an exam that will determine what class they will be in for the rest of high school. The classes are ranked highest to lowest, so there is a lot of pressure to do well on the exam. I took pictures of all of my classes. I always took pictures of them seated at their desks. Except for my best class, Class 16. I thought it would be a good idea to take a group photo. 

This was the result....kids were falling over, books were flying, everyone was shouting!

At this point, all I could think was, "What on earth did I do?".

Ahh finally, a successful group photo! I love these kids!

EASTER PARTY!

Camille and I thought it would be fun to host an Easter party at our home on Easter Sunday. We invited  all of our friends as well as some of our colleagues and students. We had about 40 people show up. Lets just say our apartment was a little cramped!

Dawn came over on Saturday to help us prepare and make food. Even with her help, Camille and I spent 12 hours making party food! Making Western food requires a little more effort here than in America!

Oh yeah! Look at all that delicious, homemade party food! 

Easter cupcakes. These were a first for many of our guests. 

Kids Corner. The elementary education major in both of us came out. It was a hit and definitely kept the kids entertained during the party. 

The egg dying station, including step by step directions for how to dye and decorate your Easter egg. Most Chinese people have never done this before, but have heard about it or seen it on TV, so it was really fun to watch everyone get so excited about it. The adults had just as much as the kids! 

Camille and I with a few of the teachers from our school, Betty, Shirley, and Diana. 

One of my students, Catherine. 

Geoffrey and Amanda using chopsticks to enjoy the western food.

Diana and her daughter, Flora. 

Two wonderful students of mine, Catherine and Alice. 

One of our former students, Hatty Lee, made sure to stop by before she had to go back to school. Students in China have school on Sundays. 

A student, Beyond and our friends, Rossin and Mr. Fish. We call him Mr. Fish because his real name is Yu. Yu in Chinese also means fish, therefore his name is Mr. Fish!

Grade 1 English teachers (and their kids) from No. 1 High School. Shelia, Shirley, Diana, me, Ting Ting, Camille, Betty, and Henry.

Flora loved that English Corner. She stayed long after the party was over and colored until she ran out of pages!

Look at this chaos! So many people in such a small space!

Our friends and students at the egg dying table. 

Shirley's son and his friend decorating eggs! Shirley's son is quite the character!

Some of the finished product.

Helen showing Flora and little Mr. Fish how to dye their eggs. Little Mr. Fish is obviously Helen and Mr. Fish's son. 

Time to show off your eggs! Everyone could take their eggs home with them!

Amanda and Hatty Lee. 

Flora!

These are our good friends Wang Hao and Wu Xia...

Wu Xia made this egg for Wang Hao because he was too cool to make one. It said "This is Wang Hao's. Air Jordans, Flight 23." 

If you can't tell, he loves basketball and he really loves sneakers! 

Baby friends! This is our friend, Celia, and her daughter Miao Miao, with baby Leila, Dawn, and Dana. 

How cute! Matching tutu friends! Flora and Leila became instant friends at the party! 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and remembered to rejoice over the good news! He is Risen! Because of His blood, suffering, and sacrifice, we are saved!