Closer to the end of the year

Well my school surprised me a little while ago. My contract is to teach through July 10th, but since the olympics are coming and the torch is actually coming to our city and we are so close to Beijing that there's been plenty of rumors going around the schools that they will stopping 2 weeks early so the students are home before the foreigners invade the transportation hubs. Well, thinking I would be done earlier anyway my school tells me when they would like me to be finished with my class. June 6th! So I'll be done a whole month early! So now that I have more time off I'll be traveling a little more, I'm hoping to go to South Korea to see a high school friend who is teaching near Seoul. That will be a major financial investment so we'll see as we get closer to the time. Otherwise I'll have a 2 busy final weeks of class then I have a few more places I'd like to travel before S. Korea and before my mom and sis (Jess) are coming. We'll be going to Beijing, Hohhot, and here to the Shiz.

I wanted to take them south to Chengdu where the pandas are but the earthquake damage is so extensive. Just a few days ago they pulled someone who has been buried for 2 weeks b/c they were in a market that had collapsed. There has been a lot of action by the Chinese people to give money but there is a personal lack of action. I wouldn't consider China an intimate country. I heard they finally dispatched a disaster team but there are still millions homeless and thousands missing. They even have moved the pandas and were missing 3 of them till some American tourists (who I believe were lost) b/c they were also looking for the pandas, they were also running low on food/bamboo and needed a more secure area (but I hear the zoo in Beijing is pitiful) As is every animal shelter I've been to in China, they really aren't animal lovers. But anyway I was fortunate enough to go to a session at my school where most of the students donated money and clothes/blankets and shoes. There are so many families in need of prayer.

I'll be traveling to Qingdao (where the beer is made only it's spelled tsingtao) you might have heard of it. I heard it's a beautiful city and it's by the sea so hopefully I can get some beach time. This weekend I'm going to Chengde, where the other teachers are. I feel some regret that I haven't been to see them yet. But those are my short term plans considering I'll be in China for only 1 more month and some odd days. It went by pretty quick but I'm ready to be able to re-gain some independence and be able to communicate with who ever I want! and read things! and know what I'm ordering! and see more than just Chinese people! :)