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Firstly, I apologise in advance for my awful writing. It's been a long week and i'm absolutely pooped!!
Classes are in full swing now with more and more students joining every day. I have about 11 students (12-14 year olds) in my 1st class, and four 9 year olds in my second, but the more we go out exploring the city, the more students we get. We seem to be such a phenomenon its crazy. People have literally never seen a white person in the flesh before. My favourite reaction so far to us has been by a little girl who was sat on a swing. She turned around, saw us and fell off the swing. She then commenced to run around in small circles screaming for about 15 minutes. Very entertaining.
My little children are still acting as sponges and are lapping up every word I say. They seemed to have understood all the complicated grammar, which is fantastic, but sometimes there's something which I just can't explain. Unfortunately for me 'You just can't do that' isn't good enough, so I've spent a long time pouring over grammar books trying to find explanations.
We've had a whole day of very heavy summer rain here, which has been absolutely delicious! I was starting to really miss rain! Unfortunately it's brought all the mozzies out though. Humph. To say I'm lathered up in anti-insect lotion is an absolute understatement!
We had another little excursion today; this time to Du Fu's temple. Apparently he's an ancient poet who chose this monastery in the middle of absolutely nowhere to be a Human sacrifice, but they refused him so he became a poet. Fun times. I didn't find the history very exciting, but the temple itself was absolutely beautiful! There had been a lapse in the rain when we wondered around, but as soon as we finished the heavens opened and it POURED! This gave the monks time to get very excited and usher us into a 'prayer room'. I was quiet surprised to see a massive hole in the roof with a giant pot sat underneath it. But about 20 seconds later, enough rain had amassed on the roof for it to spill through the hole and into the giant pot like a beautiful square waterfall. I stood there for a long time watching it, as it really was incredibly beautiful. But J spoiled my beautiful moment by taking a running jump and leaping into the pot. What a mature Oxford student…. But to say it sent everyone into fits of laughter is such an understatement. After cooling down suitably, he climbed out and was met by a worried Flower. Apparently she thought he would have been freezing. Can she not feel the heat!? I gave him back his clothes, and we started to leave. In the main entrance hall we found another roof hole/waterdall/giant pot. By this time I had remembered I had my camera, so spent a long time taking as many photos as possible. J went for another head dip, which I managed to video, and then we made a not-so graceful exit (I fell over the step. I know, sooth stuff).
I also want to issue an apology to various people; I've tried to send out emails but they keep bouncing back. I don't know whether I have wrong email addresses, or something's going wrong. So sorry Abi, Conor, Aunty J, Stacey, Harry, Grandma and Grandad. If you can email me, I'll be able to email you back.
Finally, I leave you with the news that……..Drumroll……
WE NOW HAVE Wi-Fi!! WHOOOOO!! Meaning that if anyone has skype we can chat whenever I'm online. J
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