CUBA, 5K's, & Meatloaf Burgers...

CUBA (Chinese Universities Basketball Association) Championship Tournament (their version of the Final 4) is finally over. It lasted a week and was held here at SIAS this year. Apparently we did "too well" dancing during the opening ceremony last week, because 2 days before the final game this week they informed us they needed us to dance again during half time for the final game. We had to yet again reschedule our classes because the games are always held during class time. My poor Thursday afternoon students have been bombarded with class rescheduling for 2 weeks in a row now. Thankfully the school gave us a way to make it up to them. They gave us tickets for all of the kids in our afternoon classes so they could go to the game. This was a big deal to them, because students weren't allowed to attend the games.

I beat my "running goal" today 2 days early! I successfully ran 2 miles without stopping. I have decided to run a 5K on April 5th in Zhengzhou. I have never done anything like this before and I am really excited. Proof that you can indeed train yourself to at least like something that you used to hate.

I have been really trying to get to know my students this semester. I've started doing "movie nights" with my kids every weekend. They are so cool. That really is an understatement. I can't describe to you how amazing they are.

Tonight we had a fundraiser for the needy students. They were making "American Hamburgers" at SIAS Cafe. You paid 50 yuan, and half of the proceeds went to the students. They sold about 70 tickets and you could go anytime between 5pm and 9pm tonight to get your hamburger. Tonight a group of 8 of us went together to eat. To our great surprise (not really though because China is always surprising you) the burgers were meatloaf burgers. They had put tomato paste and bread crumbs into the meat. Not exactly "American" but it tasted ok. Apparently they hired a new cook, and he was confused as to what to do. Or at least that's the story we got. Here's to hoping next time they will truly be "American" :)

I have all but signed on the dotted line of a contract. I am coming back to SIAS next year to teach once again. I still feel like I have so much to give here, and I want to maintain the relationships I have built with my students. There are so many opportunities over here to serve. I feel like I can offer all of me, and its appreciated. I am growing so much, and learning to just "be". I am finally stepping into the person that I have always been meant to be. Life is so much better when you stop trying to define yourself, when you realize that it's not about you at all. I know that all I really need is to be loved, and have love, and give love.