Dinner and a Meeting

I taught 3 classes today and observed Jenn's class so I'm tired yall! My supervisor told us that the 3 foreign teachers (MaryBeth, Jennifer and I) were invited to go to a meeting at the Education Bureau and dinner at the Yidu Hotel. We know that the dinner is for the Mid Autumn Festival (so I know there will be lots of mooncake) but the reason for the meeting is either unknown or secret, I guess we will see! I know its semi important because I had a class to teach that would end at 4:10 pm and my schedule was switched for me to finish teacing by 3:25pm to be ready to leave by 4pm.... mysterious music please!

The teachers and I leave the house about 3:55pm so we could meet at the gate for 4pm, the education bureau isn't far and we were not sure how we were getting there so Mary brought her bike.

Then of course once a camera is out everyone wants to take a pic, the guy in the pic is one of the the school cooks and the other female is Jenn... The cook is really nice though, whenever we go to eat, he always asks us if the choices are OK and sometimes he makes us a special dish!

Then this is me side saddling which is the way I ride when I am on the back of Mary's motorcycle... a lot of people in Yidu ride like this...

While waiting there was a lady who decided that she had to let me know that I was very tall. I pointed to my 3 inch heels and then said to her in English "yes and you are very short", we both laughed and she continued to talk..I dont know what she said...she didn't know what I said...

At 4pm, the driver pulls up with my supervisor in the car, Mary leaves the bike with security and we all hop in. We proceed to the education bureau which was about a 3 min drive. There we were supposed to meet with the 3 heads of the bureau. My supervisor then explains that we are meeting with the mayor, governmental officials and other people in education because of our contribution to Yidu and the school. After we would go to Yidu Hotel to meet with officials from every industry in China from finance/banking to farmers for the Mid Autumn Day Festival. Man if I knew I would have dressed up but she told me not to change my dress so....

While waiting for the education people, I saw a small chap...

and this is my supervisor...

Jenn and I We get in another car to go to the hotel....this is the hotel lobby

We meet some lady who works in the mayors office...

There was a lot of entertainment

Uhm... Chinese people doing Indian dances, I guess its all Asia huh?









Halloween came a bit early I suppose?


This dance is called the professional matchmaker...

There was about 30 mins where we were just talking and noone approached us, once the food came (and we were hungry and tired) everyone came over to start toasting and wishing us a great festival, that was sweet BUT every time you would pick up your chopstick someone would come over to toast and you would stand, explain why you were drinking kiwi juice instead of the really stink white rum, then toast then sit then do it all over again!

After we ate, some people came over to thank us for leaving and escorted us outside where there was a car waiting for us to take us home...

We went back to the gate, got the motorcycle from security, Jenn went home and took our mooncakes for us...then we headed to Bi ble study....

The man all the way in the back is the pas tor
Mary taught them about the Lor d's Pr ayer
The reason my name is on the board is because I was introduced to the members since it was my first time going. After, we went to the hospital to visit one of the members of the ch urch. Spoke to her for about 20 mins, she is doing pretty well- doctors think its some kind of cancer.

Saddled up on the motorcycle and ended my long night...