And just like that the school year finished! It doesn’t feel like it in many ways with the changes because of the virus, but it’s over and my little zebras are off to primary school! We have started summer camp right away with a mix of my students and another class and and have finished a week about Albert Einstein and Tu You You. I was so happy when kindergartens in Shanghai were given the clear to open at the start of June. I really had missed my students, a sense of routine, and being in the classroom. We did online classes for two months and I was ready to be done with that! Online teaching is a lot of work also and required a different type of energy and innovation compared to the classroom. I learned a lot from it but was super glad we didn’t have to continue it any longer. I thought I would share memories from graduation night as it was spectacular and what we had practiced for 5 weeks. Nobody does a kindergarten graduation like China!

We had five weeks to prepare for graduation after coming back to school in June. My classes performance song was “We’re All In This Together,” from High School Musical. They sang three Chinese songs and we had a school wide line dance.

Graduation was hosted at a farm in a massive plastic igloo structure. My school frequently hosts events at this farm from Halloween to day field trip outings. It’s a beautiful outdoor place with fresh air, anImals, lots of space, and amazing organic food.

This was by far the most grand and elaborate graduation I’ve ever been to. More than my high school and college graduation celebrations combined! I wanted to share cute picture of the whole event. I was exhausted but had the best time. It was a crazy year to say the least and I’m so glad everyone got to celebrate it.

I am in the last two weeks of summer camp before one week of preparation and jumping straight into the new school year. I’m for sure tired without the usual 1 week break at the end of the year and 1 week break before the new year starts, but more than anything I’m grateful. I am grateful I have a job that I love, feel healthy, and am living in a country that has taken amazing measures to insure safety of everyone living there.

Back to the grind!

-Kaila