Last Monday was our first true day of class, because although we had taught the Friday prior, all three of the Lions teachers and all of our students were together in one classroom. We certainly had a lot of fun playing our introduction trivia game with the students, but I knew that the coming days would be quite different.

I was nervous, to say the least, to start teaching on my own. But by the end of the next day, my nerves had been calmed considerably after leading a lecture, two precepts, and a few individual sessions. Earlier that day, Sofia had mentioned a comment about how nerves can act in weird ways, sometimes. The time leading up to the event is when they’re feistiest, but in the moment itself they are much quieter. The moment is like the eye of the storm, she said. And she was right. That Tuesday morning when I woke up, sleep deprived and grumpy, I questioned why I had wanted to do this to myself. Why did I think it would be a good idea to ‘challenge’ myself like this? At the time, the ‘challenge’ felt like puffy eyes, a scant breakfast, and utter confusion about what I was supposed to be doing with myself here. But after a day of teaching and getting to know a group of wonderful students, I knew again why I had decided to come to Jishou, and had a much better idea of what I was doing here (even if I’m not yet at expert at doing it).

The days are becoming busier and busier, and I have a pretty strong feeling that the summer might fly by. Will there be enough time? I can already feel myself getting attached to this place. To the place, to the summer, to the people…