Festivals and Animals



Flowers with Grade 1
This blog is probably going to be more pictures than anything else. The last few weeks have been quite hectic as the lead up to Christmas and the English festival continues. Watching Grade 1 rehearse Three Little Pigs was cute at first - now I've seen it 100 times it's magic is wearing off! Although I am impressed at their ability to memorise a play in a language they don't know.
Apparently is means 'long life'

Flower Power
Every year in Xiaolan, they hold a flower festival. It's important to them as their town flower is the Chrysanthemum, but they also loves daisies and sunflowers. It's not very easy to get to or purchase tickets, so Alyson and I tagged along with Grade 1 and 2 one morning. Even though is was cloudy and a little chilly, it was a lovely show.
Myself and Daisy

Panda-monium
Possibly the best trip I've had so far out here - I saw pandas!!!
I love pandas!
Alyson and I found a safari park that was easy to get to (involved trains and subway but we managed). By far the best safari/zoo I have ever been to. The number of animals, the care that they were shown and the ease of getting around was great. We went on two different cable cars and saw the park from above. We also got to walk around and see the animals close up.
The name of this park is Chimelong Safari. It's famous for having panda triplets who celebrated their 3rd birthday this year. They moved about, but the older ones literally just slept. That sounds like my kind of life!

In other news
I have to wait 3 weeks to see Star Wars. I am NOT happy about this.

Koalas are so cute
Wendy has started to get sad that Alyson and I are leaving (Rachel is staying on). Whenever we mention things to do with our Hong Kong trip, she makes a sad face. All the teachers expressed that they wanted us to stay. I'm not allowed to because I cannot get the correct Visa to stay. Which is probably a good thing, because if I could I might be tempted. This job and the children are amazing, but I need some plainer food (😂) and I am of course missing family and friends.

I am a giant next to Wendy!
Rachel, Alyson and I all got joint Teacher of the Month. I'm happy that my teaching is still good (I am getting tired so thought it might have dropped!) and that Rachel has now achieved it as well.

4 weeks left of teaching. 5 weeks until I return home. The last 4 months and gone speed-balling by like a cheetah on rocket skates. So I imagine I'll be freezing my socks off in the UK in no time! But still so much more to do and not so much time to do it.

That's all for now folks. I am now going to wrap myself up because I'm cold. I am well aware I'm missing snow and freezing temperatures back home, but my apartment is designed to be cool in summer and as such I am now quite cold whilst in my room.

Awwww.
H 😛


P.S If anyone spoils Star Wars for me, we shall no longer be friends.

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