I think it is the fall, but it feels more like Christmas morning.

The leaves swirled around my feet, scratching me out a tune as I walked past the tennis courts and basketball courts on the way to get the bus to the New Campus to teach my class for the day. The sun shone more brightly than I had ever seen it do in China and even the air was perfectly crisp that day. A smile spread across my face as I thought "This is going to be great day." Not only was that day great, but so were the last few days! Probably the biggest highlight of the last few days was going to English Corner at new campus to carve pumpkins "with" the students. English Corner is a club the students have for practicing English. For this special night they had invited me, Tim, Emily, Jon, Ryan, Cameron, and Kim (some of the other teachers here) to come and participate. We decided to go because it was great opportunity to hang out with the students and of course carve a pumpkin!
As we walked up to the room they were holding the pumpkin carving I couldn't help but feel completely overwhelmed at first. Students stood 5 or 6 deep around the outside of the walls leaving a place in the middle of room for a table full of medium sized pumpkins and a place for all the foreign teachers to sit. They clapped for us as we walked to our seats and their hundreds of eyes gleamed at us like marbles. The excitement was as heavy in the air as the heat. For all this anticipation, it is good to know the Chinese students are easily pleased and can enjoy even the simple things. Down the line of the teachers we went introducing ourselves and telling them how happy we were to be there. Afterwords we (and when I say we I mean Emily) explained some history of Halloween.
When it came time to do the actual carving of the pumpkin, we each took one pumpkin and headed into different directions amidst the students. I wanted to make sure some of my students from my class were in my group, so I scooped up my pumpkin along with Jenny and Candy (a boy) to come and be in my group. Along with our pumpkin our only tools to do the carving was what seemed to be a pocket knife, a spoon, and a plastic bag for trash. As one with little pumpkin carving experience and shaky hands I was a little nervous as the student squeezed in on all sides and many hands tried to hold the pumpkin as I cut it to help me. I let the students squeeze in as close as they needed to see, but must say I just had to push their hands away from the pumpkin. I could just hear it now, "Yeah, that foreign teacher cut off a students finger!"
As a group we decided to make a scary pumpkin and after cutting open the top and cutting one eye I turned my pumpkin over to the creative skills of my students. I think the end result was one that was quite scary and the students had a blast. I must say the teachers had a great time too, especially when our night ended in us singing the students "My Heart Will Go On" (they love it).





Below are two videos from the night. I hope you enjoy them!

This is me showing my pumpkin to the students so they will cheer for it to be the best!


This is the team singing a Halloween song Ryan knew from elementary school.


Along with having the opportunity to carve pumpkins with my the students I have felt blessed the past couple of days in so many ways. I can't help but feel that I am continually receiving a huge gift. So much to the point that I woke up the other morning with the same feeling I always have on Christmas morning. A tingle of excitement went circulated throughout my whole body and there was a slight chill in the air making the morning seem fresh and new. I am so glad that His mercies are anew each morning and are being given such a great gift. I just must remember to take hold of it each day.