First Week of School

So, this was my official first week of school. Last semester and my previous job, I was just thrown in to the class with students who knew all of the routines and had no issues other than getting used to a new teacher.
Wow--real first days/weeks are tough! My students are GREAT! 2nd grade is going to be a very fun year. Last year's 1st grade teacher did an excellent job with these kids, and they are so eager to learn and have such wonderful personalities! Even better, last year's 2nd grade teacher left me with quite a bit of helpful things, so I am so so grateful for both of them.
My Language Arts kids are all of my 2nd graders but one, who goes up to LA 3. I have 9 3rd graders come to my class and all but 4 of those are brand new to LAS, and even more, brand new to English!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!! So, here I have my 2nd graders, who are almost ready to move up to LA 3, and then I've got 3rd graders who are really at a Kindergarten English level. Can you say modifications? I have 18 LA kids, which, I know to all of my teacher friends state-side, that sounds like a dream, but out here, it's super tough. Although I am currently feeling quite overwhelmed, I feel so lucky to have this experience to add to my resume and still know without a doubt that I was born to teach!!!
On and even better note, we are revamping most of our curriculum and it is so awesome. Our WASC accreditation requested that we have our standards stated more clearly, and also give better examples of how our curriculum meets those standards. We have already met to decide all of our various units for the year, and now we're working on placing those under the correct benchmark category and then creating a really great year-long outline. I have a feeling I will be returning to school soon to get my Master's in Curriculum and Instruction...and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to actually help develop a new curriculum and "get my feet wet" before shoveling out loads of money to figure out that I don't really enjoy it.

On quite a different note...this week in China, not so great. Aside from school excitement and stress, I have had a rough week. Wednesday, I had no money left in my wallet, no money left on my transportation card, and I ended up shorting my taxi driver 11RMB (roughly $2)...I originally thought he was being nice and giving me an 11RMB credit because he got lost on the way to school and stopped the meter early. I exited his taxi saying "sorry, I don't understand you [I really didn't]", and he proceeded to get out of the taxi and come around and yell at me! He followed me into my school grounds, past the guard shed (which the guards did a very pathetic job of 'stopping' him) and then kept following me. *I should mention I was carrying a HUGE IKEA bag full of big pillows for our classroom libraries and my school bag.* HE tried to steal one of my pillows to make up for the 11RMB charge (pillows were actually 29RMB), and then started pushing me away from my school. My not so proactive school guards sort of attempted to get him to leave...I, of course, start crying and then taxi driver says he is going to call the police. I say, fine call them and tell them how you yelled at, tried to steal from and push the foreigner (frowned upon in China), and then see how it goes. The guards finally got him outside and I made it to my principal's office in tears. Awesome.
Turns out, he did call the cops and my amazing boss happened to be in passing when that event happened, so she gave the jerk taxi driver the 11RMB and had a very stern conversation with out guards.
Later that day, I had a Chinese lady practically sit on me on the subway as I tried to sit down. My butt was touching the seat and she still shoved me out of the seat...OH CHINA!
THEN! (yes, there is more to my week!!!)
As I was walking to work yesterday, I got hit by a bike...really hard. Knocked the wind out of me, and literally stopped me in my tracks...now, I should note, I was not crossing at the cross walk (shame, shame). But, this man was supposed to be riding on the sidewalk and he was not. He was also riding down the wrong side of the road. So, yes, of course, I looked both ways...but call me crazy, I did not check my immediate right, because I didn't expect someone to be coming that way. The man did try and yell and swerve to miss me, but he didn't. So...I say we were both at fault, but, of course, as I limped away, I started crying...and not even a minute before it happened, I thought, "today will be better..." HA!
That night, it was pouring down rain, and Tommy and I were leaving a restaurant. We decided to RUN across the street to catch a taxi, and my flip flop got suctioned/stuck to the pavement and I proceeded to eat it. Big time. My pants were soaked knee-down, as was my entire back. I tried to then get up and walk across the street but couldn't get my shoe on right...finally got my shoe on and crossed the street, soaked and pathetic, and yep, you guessed it, I started crying.

But hey! Today, nothing happened bad on my way to or from work...and aside from the whole "no English thing", my day was alright. Now Tommy and I are about to take our friend out for dinner for his birthday/thanks for our wonderful US sized/quality couches...and then out with lots of friends for a much needed fun night.
Hope everyone's first weeks of school, whether as a teacher or student went well!