So Many Changes.....

The last couple weeks have been stressful to say the least. Though I've enjoyed teaching the last 3 months at my Kindergarden and I absolutely love my kids, I'm tired of the long hours and feel that I work too much. I've been missing out on the Shanghai experience. So when one of our friends offered me a job at his school, I accepted. I'm now working at a place called Kid Castle. This school is much different from the one I've been teaching at. It's strictly an English training center. Kids from around 4 years old through Middle School come here after school and on weekends for English classes. The dedication the Chinese commit to education is strikingly different then what I'm used to in the U.S. I would never have wanted to spend my summer learning another language, much less come after school for additional classes!

Teaching at Kid Castle should be much easier then teaching at the school I have been working at. For one, the kids have books and there's a set curriculum for me to follow. No more just making it up as I go along! Another thing I'm looking forward to is all the people who work there. Unlike in my other school, all the teachers at Kid Castle speak English. Most are only a little older then me. It will be nice having more friends here. I really like everyone who works there.

Of course, my boss at my old job is not pleased that I'm quitting. Though I gave him almost a month's notice, he still is very angry. I'm trying to be understanding, it's difficult for him to find teachers at that school since it's so far in the outskirts of Shanghai, but he has done his best to make this as difficult as possible for me. I've been very angry with the school as I was not even allowed to tell the children that today would be my last day as teacher. The teachers did not want the parents to find out that I was quitting because my boss never got around to finding a replacement. I feel the whole school is run more as a business then as a place that values the education of children. I think it's terrible because I really do adore my students, and it's sad that this is where they go to school.

So I am feeling very uprooted right now. I have a new job to get used to, and Erik and I are still planning on moving to a new apartment next month. But I'm also excited for all these changes and to finally start feeling settled here. Still love being here!