Life lately has been a lot of the same with teaching and my daily routines here. There is something so lovely about a routine! My semester is wrapping up before Chinese New Year. I will have two intensive sessions in February before the new semester starts in March. I am so proud of all my students and every single one of them has made so much progress in English and coming into their adorable personalities. Last week I was told that I am now a real chinese person because my hair is black. They are the funniest little humans. So here’s to the old, new and exciting plans for the future!

The best part of 2019 has been volunteering with kids who are receiving treatment at the hospital doing tummy time and massage. These kids come from orphanages all over China for medical treatment. There are only two hospitals in China that do this for orphans. It warms my heart that so many kids have already been matched with families and are finishing their often serious medical treatments before their adoption is finalized. There are babies waiting for a liver transplant, amputees, heart surgeries and they all need physical attention and love!

I have been prepping for Chinese New Year which is in February and a national holiday. It is tradition to give red packets that are typically filled with money. Well, I decided to fill mine with gold wrapped chocolate for all my students and coworkers. Bring on the festivities!

China has an obsession with Peppa the Pig. SHE IS EVERYWHERE and on everything. And since it is the year of the pig, it is her year.

I’ve made some truly wonderful friends here in Shanghai! This weekend we celebrated Frans birthday with delicious Italian and so much cake with an excess of candles. I’m so lucky I met these girls!

I have never felt as physically strong as I do now! I love my yoga studio and have been trying new types of yoga such as Ashtanga. I also make sure to do lots of Yin which is deep stretching. One of my favorite classes is yogalates which is a yoga-Pilates fusion and has really made me so strong!

My company had its annual party at a wedding venue and it was just about the most extra event I have been to. Staff were in ball gowns, there were various musical performances and a lottery that went through the night where people (not me) won a new iPhone, MacBook, perfume, skincare and who else knows what. So many videos played and people received awards set to the Olympics theme song. It was SO DRAMATIC! My company is huge and it was fun to see all the different sections come together.!

All the many branches and divisions of the company each recorded a video and it was played for the whole gala on a huge projection set to the most dramatic music.

Sometimes this is my mood too. I love riding the metro and you never know what you’re going to see if you keep your eyes up and not glued to your phone!

One of my favorite students mom asked me to make sure she was sitting up straight, with good posture and wasn’t putting her head so close to her paper when she writes. So I did as she asked. And held her head up. I love this girl. She is one of my best students, incredibly smart and is one of the Shanghai superhuman kids.

Edward (who draws pictures of my being eaten by sharks regularly) chose this book to read. He’s already perfect! I still thought it was hilarious he chose this one.

I am so excited as my mom will be coming at the end of February for lots of adventures and delicious food. Sheryl in Shanghai will surely be the theme of the trip.

And with that I’m off to the next thing!

Kaila