Owen came to my apartment for while. It was so nice to see him. It was like seeing family! He said he would have a meeting with the director of the Bd of Ed.--he happens to be Xiao Ting's husband. Owen says Mr. Xie is the director, but he thought it was Xiao Ting who ran everything! Owen told me it was 80% certain that I would be able to stay here in Ningdu. Soon it was time for lunch. At lunch a business meeting was being held between the director and Owen. When the meeting was over,

the car arrived back at school to pick up Marcia, Owen, Xiao Ting and Miss Yang, who would all go to Ganzhou together. Owen told me at this time that it is now 100% certain that I would be able to stay here--in the same apartment. Yippee!!! he said his contract was not with individual school, but with the Department of Education, and they wanted him to send 15 foreign teachers.

They would place foreign teachers in all the schools in Ningdu county. I don't know where I will be teaching next semester--there will not be another teacher training program right now. The Department will tell me which school I will be teaching in. At least I can stay here, and not have to pack and move again!

Meanwhile, Marcia's luggage was being loaded into the car--many students were crowded around to say good-bye--many, many tears. The students have become like our children and just before Marcia got into the car, she gave me a hug, and said for me to look after them for her. So many tears!!

We had classes yesterday afternoon. Ashley wanted to sit in on my classes--I didn't want to follow a lesson plan, because it would mean that one class would be way ahead of the other, so I asked if anyone had any questions about the day's events. Someone said, yes, ask Ashley questions. So she took over the class, then we went to the next class and answered questions there, too. This was good!

The students asked her many, many questions--they welcomed her with open arms as they had Marcia and I many weeks ago. She seems like she will be ok. She smokes, but Marcia and I let her know right away that this was not good. Owen had already told her not

Not too many women in China smoke, yet they want to take on some of the ways of the Western world. A foreign woman smoking would be introducing a thing to China that is not yet very common. She understood, and said she has been trying to cut down anyway. I'll let you know how this unfolds.

That's it for now. I'll be sending more photos in a day or 2. In about 2 more weeks, the photos I send will approximately match the email I send.
Meanwhile, keep the emails coming--keep well, keep happy, and keep smiling!

Love, Mom/Judy

欧文来我的公寓坐了一会儿.见到他真是太好了.就好像见到了家里人!他说他准备和教育局的一个主任开个会----那人正好是小听的老公.欧文说虽然谢先生是主任,但他认为其实是小听一直在运作这个事情!欧文跟我说他有80%的把握,我可以留在宁都.很快就到了吃午饭的时间了.在饭桌上,欧文和那主任进行了一次会谈.当会议结束了之后,我们又开小车回学校去接MARCIA.欧文,小听,杨小姐将要一起去广州.欧文告诉我这次他有100% 的把握把我留在这了----而且我还可以呆在同样的公寓.他说他的合同不是跟学校签的,是跟教育局签的.他们还想要他再派15个外教来.

他们想让宁都所有的学校都有外教.我不知道下期我会在哪教书----教育局将会告诉我我要去的学校.至少我可以呆在这了.不必重新收起行李再度搬走!

MARCIA的行李已被放好在车上了---许多学生都围上来对她说再见-----眼里满是泪水.这些学生就好像是我们的孩子,在MARCIA上车之前,她拥抱了我,对我说以后多替她照顾这些孩子们,眼里也满是泪水.
昨天下午我们有课.ASHLEY想坐在我的班上看我上课----我不想按照原备课来上,因为如果那样的话,就会有一个班走在其它班的前面,所以我就问学生是否有问题要问.有人说有,要问ASHLEY一些问题.因此呢就由她来上了.然后我们又来到下一个班,在那个班上我们也回答了一些问题.这很好!

学生问了她很多很多问题-----他们同样非常热烈地欢迎她,就像许多个星期以前,欢迎我和MARCIA的到来一样.她看起来感觉好像很好.但她抽烟,我和MARCIA对她说这个习惯不好.欧文也跟她说在学生面前不要抽。因为在中国,抽烟的女人不多.但她们却想学西方的某些东西.一个外国女人抽烟有可能会把这种习惯传染给中国的某些人,而这种习惯在中国是不常见的.她明白这个道理,她说她会尽力减少抽烟次数的.我会慢慢告诉你这件事的进展情况的。

今天就说这么多了.一或两天之后我会给你寄更多的照片的.在大约两周后,我要寄的那些照片可能还会跟我的邮件一些发出.与此同时,希望你们一切都好,祝你们幸福,每天都面带微笑!

Love, Mom/Judy