Arrival

I am beginning my third week in China and the past two weeks have been a whirlwind. I arrived in China at midnight and was immediately captivated by the beauty of the city, Chongqing. The city  appears to have a big city look but still has the community of a small town. I was taken to my apartment complex which is about 3o minutes from the airport. I couldn't stop staring out my window on the way to my apartment because the whole city was lit up. The excitement was uncontainable for what this city held in store for me. Most of my first week was spent trying to get used to my new school and time difference. 

My school seniors were immediately helpful and were willing to show me the ropes in my school life. Despite a large language barrier, all my co-workers have been nothing but helpful during my learning period in this new enviornment. It has been interesting getting used to different customs and way of life than my own. I easily stick out in a crowd because I do not look like most of the population. This can be an issue with young children when they have not seen different faces in their life yet. Slowly, most of the children have gotten used to my help in the classroom and are willing to work on English with me. I'm reminded everyday why I chose to do this and why it is already impactful to me. During my second week, the youngest boy in my classroom was told to come see me to help get his shoes on. He yelled my name from across the room and came running to give me a hug. My heart was overjoyed for his happiness to spend a moment with me. Moments like these happen everyday and it helps the homesickness that sometimes creeps up. I'm forever grateful for this life changing opporunity.