There has been lots of excitement as this last week had less rain and lots of sun. We finally had our sports day, three days of running and track and field excitement. It was indeed a great opportunity to cheer for students and talk to them. I was able to run in the teachers' 8X100 relay. We got second by inches--I tried to run down my volleyball friend Tom, but it ended up he was too far ahead when he received the baton. It was fun to run though!! There are some amazing athletes here. Some of the English department students want to start a running club to increase their skill before next year's event--that would be fun.

This week we had weddings in our oral classes. It was a great joy for the students. We went all out--the students bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents, a flower girl, photographers, a minister, and readers. They made the wedding gown out of Toilet Paper, like at the bridal parties. They made flowers from newspaper. The men wore ties that I brought from home, so they learned how to tie a tie. It was an all-out affair. They really got into it and we printed off scripts to follow along with the wedding. We will have to post some pictures.

During the weekend, we got invited to teach at an English school with some of Patty's students. When we arrived, we found out what we had gotten ourselves into. It was a huge publicity stunt. Sunday was children's day in China, a day to celebrate the children and for them to receive gifts and have fun. They wonder why we do not have children's day in America and we often say because everyday is Children's Day. It is good for some of these children to get a break from the pressures of performing in school and other areas by their parents and to get to play. So when we arrived, we saw that they had made this huge sign welcoming the American teachers (very expensive). They had also invited another teacher who just got back from America (this was a great blessing). She is from Anshun and is attending college in Wisconsin (River Cross). It was great to hear about events from home and that she is family. The school has about 100 primary age children, and most of our time was surrounded by teaching short lessons that they could video tape and going on little tours of the town so that people could see us with the leaders of the school. The leader of the little village even came to thank us for increasing the student's interest in English and to take lots of pictures. It was a big set-up event, but we enjoyed getting a chance to spend some time with the kids. They are quite clever!!

This weekend, we have another official holiday so there is no school on Monday. We are going to Guiyang and possibly Kaili with our teammates. This may be our last get together before some of them leave back to America. We will have a picnic and BBQ on Monday too. That should be really fun, but I guess they are still trying to get the BBQing skills down without some of the equipment we have in America. The sun has been shining all week, so I should be outside. I hope your week is filled with incredible blessings. Now is the time for transplanting the rice to individual fields so many farmers are out plowing with the water buffalo or doing it by hand if they do not own one. The women are out replanting the rice--it is something very interesting to watch.