More from Beijing ...

We've spent the last couple of days working through the curriculum we will be using while in Harbin.  Two young ladies wrote the curriculum for our organization.  We were fortunate to have them with us, explaining it and modeling lessons from it.  They've done a great deal of research and have fine-tuned it for the students we will have in our classes this summer.  They are long days and exhausting, but just what we need.

Yesterday we also had a workshop on China and its culture, trying to prepare us for what we will feel and experience in our time here.  She is a woman who has lived in China (originally from Minnesota) since 1984 so we do trust her experience with Chinese culture.  Even after all that time she says she still gets frustrated and confused by what she experiences on a daily basis.  The key to living in China is to remain flexible and not expect anything to run as you thought it might.  

We've been in communication with the university we taught at in Harbin during the 1989-90 school year.  We seem to have been in China at the right time as they are having a 60 year celebration next weekend of their beginnings.  We've been asked to come to a dinner on July 8 to celebrate with them.  We are so hopeful and excited that we may see some of our former students and/or colleagues.