Our 1st China Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving week is over for us. It was a little bit stressful this week. Taking on the kindergarten class was a little more than we thought. Since Jami did such a great job the headmaster wanted her to teach more classes in the school. We had agreed that Jami would teach in the morning Tuesday-Friday and that on Tuesday and Friday afternoon the boys and I would go and spend an hour or so of playtime with the kids while their parents picked them up. Jami was getting burnt out so the boys and I let them know that the boys and I would still be coming in the afternoons without Jami. So on Friday we get there and they asked me to go and "teach" a couple of the classes. I agreed and we just sang some songs such as 5 Little Ducks went out to play, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes (they loved that one) and Do As I'm doing (another favorite). The kids were really young, 20 in one class were 2 1/2 years old and then another 6 in another class that were just over 4 years old. The lesson learned....expect the unexpected and really just go with the flow in China.

Such good and cute little kindergarten kids

Juju isn't sure she likes it

Anyway...on to Thanksgiving! As you know China doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving or have a BlackFriday for obvious reasons. No Pilgrims, No Indians, No Thanksgiving Feast and NO American Football! For our classes we introduced and taught them a little about Thanksgiving and some of the traditions. On our Saturday class we made Hand Turkey crafts and then had Apple Crisp. Amazingly about 50% of the kids did not like the Apple Crisp with the apples cooked in sugar and cinnamon and then covered with a brown sugar white sugar mixed with oats and cinnamon. As Jami put it...."How can children who eat red beans AS A DESERT, guts and chicken feet not like apple crisp?" Also, they like Stinky Tofu! In all we had a great time with our classes.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Yum! Yum! Tom, Roy, Angle, Vera and Tina digging in!

For our Thanksgiving Feast we met up with some other fellow American Teachers here in the area and went to a sort of Hot Pot place and had a "Feast" there.

Our food getting ready to be heated up and broth added.

Sean and Julie from Alabama, Julianna from I think Minnesota and us boys around our steaming Thanksgiving feast.

Had to try a bug for Thanksgiving....he's not a fan by the way

A DQ Thanksgiving treat

THEN for dessert we went to DQ, by the time we got there they were closing down so the best we got were just the soft serve cones...it was better than nothing and it did hit the spot! FYI- To the Pearce family, if you're reading this, I was thinking of your Pie night that we missed!

Also, this week we went to our bosses house, Bruce, for dinner and Jami learned to fold/roll dumplings. It will take some practice, but she will get it and I am willing to help her practice!

Jami learning to make dumplings...yum, yum, yum

We went swimming this week with Bruce and his wife at a really nice hotel. It was relaxing and fun and we enjoyed our time with them. We ran into some funny signs and in case you are wondering about the swimming caps we all have.....it's required to be worn so we had to stop and buy one for each of us.

our new swimming apparel

Please Parent? WHAT!? Around water? 

A little out of order but we get the point

Even Jami got a swimming cap!

Oh and last but not least...Jami and I had to get a date in there! And what else do you do when on a tight budget? FOOT MASSAGE!!!!

Thanksgiving is over but everyday we are thankful for the things we have, for the chance we have to be here in China. We are thankful for our families and friends back in the US and all the do for us. We are thankful for technology that keeps us in touch as though we are almost still in the states. Christmas is just around the corner and coming fast! Till next time.....Thanks for reading!