The power has gone out this week about 10 times.  Its more than a daily occurence now.  I've heard that it has to do with the low water levels in the winter, but I don't know.  What  I do know is that I haven't been able to cook my breakfast for the past two days, and have had to shower in the dark (which is really scary).

My lesson this week is 'tell a story'.  I talk about the structure of a story, beginning, middle, climax, and end, then tell another story half way through and have  the kids finish it on their own.  They love it!  First off, I really get into telling the story which my gestures.  Its about a girl who wakes up on day in the middle of the forest.  She's scared but thinks she'll be safe once she gets to school. So she runs thought the woods, dodging trees and jumping rivers until she come to the shcool but there is a tiger waiting for her!  Summoning her courage she fights the tiger and runs inside.  Her teacher asks why she is late and she says "No why."  (which means 'no reason'.  It's a very common thing for Chinese students to say whenever I ask them 'why' in English.)  They love the story and crack up at the twist joke ending!  Oh to be funny in another culture.  Anyways, they get to finish another stor! y with picutre and words and it totally works.  All the bad kids who talk and don't speak English well get into the pictures, and then I help them write out what they drew.  One kid, Ben, told a totally blood curdeling story about a spider who kills you and drinks your blood and becomes a man so he can kill again.  It was wonderfully creative (a thing not usually rewarded in the Chinese school system.)

Its December already, which is ridiculous.  It will soon be Christmas, then break, then I'll be half way done.  Things all move to fast, but I guess that means I'm enjoying myself.  So that's good.

I don't know how long "The Polar Express" has been out, but its already on say on the street here.  I'll wait a few weeks for the good copy to come out. 

-The Wandering Norseman-