Somehow this is our last full weekend in Jishou (we’ll be traveling outside of the city the next two weekends). As such, it was necessary to do some exploring. This morning a few of the other teachers and I began the day at a bakery, where I had an iced cappuccino (!) and a sticky bun that had red beans where there would normally be raisins.

Next we explored a public park, where we watched old men and women dance and play mahjong. In an attempt to fit in more with the locals, I felt compelled to roll up my shirt. Surprising how much that actually cools you off. The highlight of the park for me was renting a pedal-boat. As safe and benign as a pedal-boat may seem, something about doing it here made it feel a bit more like a bold move. As we cast off from the dock, the “marina” owner began motioning to us wildly with her arms. We were headed directly for a dam and a short waterfall. Thanks to the superb navigating skills of Alyssa and Christian, the voyage was successful.

This past week was also really awesome as far as connecting with the students. On Tuesday, five students invited me to play badminton with them after chill club. Quite conveniently badminton is one of the few (if not the only) sports I can play. Though my relationships with the students are all very informal, and we always joke around, the dynamic here felt different. The vibe was less teacher-student and more like a group of friends than I had yet experienced. It was great.

One more thing to mention. Every week Arianna, Nick, and myself (the “dragon” teachers) correspond with our students in journals. I know I speak for the three of us when I say that lately, the content of some of the journals has blown us away. I’m amazed both by what some students are willing to share with us and how expressive they can be with English.

Looking forward to another great two weeks.