Spring!

Save Our Sappy Progress

Last week I reported on a project my friends Tracy and Sarah have started to save a dog from Thailand. I'm thrilled to report that there has already been $900.00 raised! Thank you to everyone who helped in this effort.

Although, the works not done yet! There is still $800.00 that needs to be raised by April 17th (only 22 days!). If you have not heard about Sappy or would like to help, please visit Tracy and Sarah's Save Our Sappy site.

Return of the Flies

A strange thing happened last week, I saw a fly in my bathroom. After that, I began to notice how everything around me was coming to life. I also noticed how a light coat was enough for going outside and how not only was our air conditioner off in our apartment, but our windows were opened!

I know I've said it before, but this time I'm sure- It's officially spring time in Xi'an! I've already gone out on a bike ride and I'm loving the incredible weather of 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit each day. I've heard that spring time in Xi'an will only last a couple weeks. After that, the weather will jump up to an uncomfortable heat. Although its hard for me to imagine "uncomfortable heat" after the long and gray winter, I'm trying to get the most out of this beautiful Spring time weather!

New School

The school I work at has been under a lot of pressure for many years to move. Our current location is in directly in the way of a new road that will be built. Although I've heard of this in the past, the evidence from my window has never been more clear. Our time is running short!


After years of searching (literally), our administration has finally found a new building and last week many of the staff went to see the new site. I was absolutely blown away! Below is a comparison of the improvements at our new school:

CURRENT SCHOOL	NEW SCHOOL
Small, crammed two story building	Huge 3 story building with room to grow
Small 'cozy' classrooms	Very large classrooms able to accommodate large classes
Small sports court and large concrete court shared by Chinese boarding school	Our own field with field turf and a covered sports court area

I have posted some pictures and although they may not look like much to you, for all the teachers here, we are very excited for the potential that this building holds. I'm so glad that the school has found this new location and I can't wait to visit in the coming years to see how the school has grown.

On a related note... if you've ever wanted to teach at a private international school in China, let me know- I could pull some strings for you!

KTV

Finally, after 6 months, I experienced something that I thought would have happened long ago. For those of you who don't know, Karaoke in Asian countries (or 'KTV' as it is called in China) is a little different than in the states. First, instead of visiting the local bar and performing in front of a crowd like in the states, you rent a private room with your friends. These rooms often have very nice furniture and are rather comfortable. Second, the attitude of karaoke is a little different. One of the largest differences of Asian karaoke is that these lounges can sometimes be a place where business people meet after work.


My first time at KTV was a blast! Our private room had a touch screen where you could search through thousands of songs both in English and Chinese. You could pick several songs at a time and it would save the list for you. There was a group of 10 of us and we spent the evening singing and having a great time! I will definitely return to KTV.

My Second Visitor

Its official- as of June 20th, my second visitor will be arriving here in China: Trevor Matthew Arneberg! He will be visiting China for 2 weeks and we plan to visit Beijing, Xi'an and some areas of Southern China (Hong Kong, Shang Hai, etc.). I am super excited! And not far behind Trevor, my parents will be visiting!

The Final Countdown

In thinking about Trevor's visit, my summer is starting to feel very crowed. Here is a countdown to what's ahead!

Last Day of Class: 77 Days
Trevor's Arrival: 85 Days
Parents Arrival: 103 Days
Departure for the United States: 122 Days!?! So soon!

I can't believe this year is already coming to a close!

Thanks for reading!

In case you didn't know, my Chinese Zodiac Animal is the Rat- RATS REPRESENT!