Merry belated Christmas!
I do hope everyone made out like bandits. :D
I have been BUSY. With a capital B. On Wednesday, I spent the day traveling through Pudong dispensing wisdom and evaluations, and finished up in time to meet Joanna for dinner at Simply Thai in Xintiandi (downtown Shanghai in the French Concession). We did a little shopping and then headed for the theaters - I have finally seen 2012. I shall now blame Joanna for all my nightmares from now until after Christmas 2012. :D
Friday was an easy work day - mostly decorating for my class party on Saturday - but it was LONG, because we had the company xmas party Friday night. It was a fun time despite the appearances and bad attitudes of a few stuckup teachers who hate my guts (I'm so hurt, really I am YOU HAVE NO IDEA) but I have come to one very important conclusion - I like some of the coordinators a lot better when they're drunk. In the case of Jh, it was hilarious - the more hammered he got, the better his English became. I see now I am going to have to ply him with alcohol before I have him give me his reports. :D
As for stuck up witches, whatever. I started a baby pool because H, now on mat leave, is the first pregnant woman we've had in the office, and I figured why the hell not? So we set up a betting pool to pick the date and time of the baby's arrival, 5 yuan to enter. Most people joined in just for the fun of it, but the teachers who resent the fact that I get to tell them what to do, looked at me like I was trying to further 'exploit' them. Oh my. ^__^
Anyway, she's down to under 2 weeks now - and looks ready to pop. :D She stopped by on Christmas day to say hi AND to help me run a meeting with two technicians Je hired to come and take our free forum and revamp it into an official company forum. Three hours of BOREDOM considering the techs didn't speak English and mainly consisted of them surfing the forum under my login and making notes of what it had that we wanted to keep.
And then today was my kids Christmas party! We finished reading the Grinch script, played a game with the Grinch song lyrics, and played a few other games. Then L's daughter arrived with her grandparents and it was time for the hot chocolate and cinnamon toast! After everyone had the chance to make their snack, we put in the 1966 cartoon of the Ginch. Some other teachers wandered in during my class (happens every time I have a party - they're contagious!) and partook of snacks and Grinch-watching. I invited Lor and her kids (the ones I had to watch last week b/c she was sick) to come for the party portion, and they seemed to have a good time.
L's daughter is 3 years old and completely freaking adorable. She wasn't shy at all - she helped make cinnamon toast and carefully carry it to students waiting for their share. She played with Ruthie and tried to speak English whenever we talked to her and her laughter was completely infectious as she watched Max the dog try to pull the Grinch's sleigh. I took pics. I must post them. :D
Happy: "Mandy, she is our classroom Cindy Lou Who!"
M: "Yes, but she's cuter."
Happy: "She's a cute little doll."
Hallen: "But you can't take her home."
Happy: *pouts* "Awww....."
:D
The students really liked the Grinch. I had given them copies of the script and we'd studied it for the last 2 weeks, so they knew what was going on, and all the vocabulary. Then, before they left, they had to retell me the Grinch story in their own words, which is always a hoot as they try to include all the vocab they learned. It was a very good day. :D They got mugs (courtesy of the SCAA) from me, and I got several presents, including Dove chocolates from Happy (a big box), a large calender depicting the conceptual art for all the pavilions currently being built for the World Expo (5 months away!), a very cool rabbit pencil bag, a Chinese paper cutting calendar and a little statue of white dog that look like Ruthie from Betty, and a jewelry box from Beijing from Yolanda. Such sweet kids. :D I also have a gift bag from Em that was hanging on my door when I got home (haven't opened it yet, but I will), and a box of my favorite chocolates from L. :D
My present to L is a chance to go see a musical. She's always wanted to see one, so I bought 2 tickets to see Fame at the theater - she was so excited! :D It's gonna be fun! I bought Em and Ron a good carrier for their new cat - they'll need one, and this one lets him carry it on his back so he can bike to the vet. :D I also bought a few presents for family members that will wait here until Dad comes in March and he can take them back with him.
Anyway, that's my busy life thus far. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! *hugs*
I have been BUSY. With a capital B. On Wednesday, I spent the day traveling through Pudong dispensing wisdom and evaluations, and finished up in time to meet Joanna for dinner at Simply Thai in Xintiandi (downtown Shanghai in the French Concession). We did a little shopping and then headed for the theaters - I have finally seen 2012. I shall now blame Joanna for all my nightmares from now until after Christmas 2012. :D
Friday was an easy work day - mostly decorating for my class party on Saturday - but it was LONG, because we had the company xmas party Friday night. It was a fun time despite the appearances and bad attitudes of a few stuckup teachers who hate my guts (I'm so hurt, really I am YOU HAVE NO IDEA) but I have come to one very important conclusion - I like some of the coordinators a lot better when they're drunk. In the case of Jh, it was hilarious - the more hammered he got, the better his English became. I see now I am going to have to ply him with alcohol before I have him give me his reports. :D
As for stuck up witches, whatever. I started a baby pool because H, now on mat leave, is the first pregnant woman we've had in the office, and I figured why the hell not? So we set up a betting pool to pick the date and time of the baby's arrival, 5 yuan to enter. Most people joined in just for the fun of it, but the teachers who resent the fact that I get to tell them what to do, looked at me like I was trying to further 'exploit' them. Oh my. ^__^
Anyway, she's down to under 2 weeks now - and looks ready to pop. :D She stopped by on Christmas day to say hi AND to help me run a meeting with two technicians Je hired to come and take our free forum and revamp it into an official company forum. Three hours of BOREDOM considering the techs didn't speak English and mainly consisted of them surfing the forum under my login and making notes of what it had that we wanted to keep.
And then today was my kids Christmas party! We finished reading the Grinch script, played a game with the Grinch song lyrics, and played a few other games. Then L's daughter arrived with her grandparents and it was time for the hot chocolate and cinnamon toast! After everyone had the chance to make their snack, we put in the 1966 cartoon of the Ginch. Some other teachers wandered in during my class (happens every time I have a party - they're contagious!) and partook of snacks and Grinch-watching. I invited Lor and her kids (the ones I had to watch last week b/c she was sick) to come for the party portion, and they seemed to have a good time.
L's daughter is 3 years old and completely freaking adorable. She wasn't shy at all - she helped make cinnamon toast and carefully carry it to students waiting for their share. She played with Ruthie and tried to speak English whenever we talked to her and her laughter was completely infectious as she watched Max the dog try to pull the Grinch's sleigh. I took pics. I must post them. :D
Happy: "Mandy, she is our classroom Cindy Lou Who!"
M: "Yes, but she's cuter."
Happy: "She's a cute little doll."
Hallen: "But you can't take her home."
Happy: *pouts* "Awww....."
:D
The students really liked the Grinch. I had given them copies of the script and we'd studied it for the last 2 weeks, so they knew what was going on, and all the vocabulary. Then, before they left, they had to retell me the Grinch story in their own words, which is always a hoot as they try to include all the vocab they learned. It was a very good day. :D They got mugs (courtesy of the SCAA) from me, and I got several presents, including Dove chocolates from Happy (a big box), a large calender depicting the conceptual art for all the pavilions currently being built for the World Expo (5 months away!), a very cool rabbit pencil bag, a Chinese paper cutting calendar and a little statue of white dog that look like Ruthie from Betty, and a jewelry box from Beijing from Yolanda. Such sweet kids. :D I also have a gift bag from Em that was hanging on my door when I got home (haven't opened it yet, but I will), and a box of my favorite chocolates from L. :D
My present to L is a chance to go see a musical. She's always wanted to see one, so I bought 2 tickets to see Fame at the theater - she was so excited! :D It's gonna be fun! I bought Em and Ron a good carrier for their new cat - they'll need one, and this one lets him carry it on his back so he can bike to the vet. :D I also bought a few presents for family members that will wait here until Dad comes in March and he can take them back with him.
Anyway, that's my busy life thus far. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! *hugs*