Holy Smokes! Where did the Year Go?

It's new years eve and we are trekking to Shanghai for the festivities. So where did the year go? It is at this time that we all want to remind ourselves about what our year was like and what we want for the new year. We cringe at the want to forget stuff and laugh at the funny stuff. Hopefully there were more laughs then tears last year. I know the last two months for me have been amazing! I think though, leaving the past in the past is a great way to start the new year. What ever has happened to this point is where I am now so there is no point in dwelling on it. The only thing I can say is that I feel very fortunate to be doing what I am doing. I think I made a good decision coming here. I look back at where I was and I get motion sick.
The holidays for the foreigners are pretty much a done deal at this point. The chinese have celebrated Christmas with us and now are wishing us a Happy New Year. They are happy for us. We are happy for them. We are all happy people together! Having a holiday to celebrate gives everyone a chance to relax. I had a student call me up this morning to inform me that only two people will show up to the afternoon class. It's new years what the heck! She was right. Two people showed up. I sent one home and Lily and I went shopping for some meat and eggs. We held an informal class in the street. As we were walking and talking who should we see but the student who called me this morning. How serendipitous! She told me over the phone this morning she was going to Nanjing to see her brother. Hmmm. It's two and she is still here. I wonder how many other students just skipped. It's a conspiracy!! That happens once in a while. This is a college and these kids can skip if they want. They are young adults and when they decide to skip... they all skip. I love group activities!
In the meantime, Lily and now Emily and I are holding class on our way to the market to buy some meat and eggs.
We are all a little tired from the night before. The foreign language students held a new years party for the foreign teachers last night that was a blast! There was singing, dancing, humor and play acting. The english teachers got up to sing auld angst signe. We were awful. The kids loved it. Then we performed a hip hop line dance from the Hannah Montana movie with several of our classes and we were awful! It was the hoedown, swrodown! Chinese translation. The kids loved it! It was fun for all. One of the really special things about the chinese is that they may not all hang out together or like each other but they will give their undying support to each other when they need to. Some of the acts were good some were not... Who cared. We had fun. So now it is on to Shanghai. Every time I say Shanghai it sounds sooo...exotic. It reminds me where I am. It is totally very cool. So let me be the first to say... xīn nián kuài lè!! Happy 2010...,May we see the end to all wars. May we all be healthy and content. May we love and be loved by all.... See you all on the other side! These images are of the old canal of Wuxi, and a baby from the open market where I but my food. Both are taken with my old Rollei