Not much has been going on as we wrap up training. I think the only reason we have these last two weeks of training after site-visits is for continued language study, which is an important thing, I know. In the afternoons, however, we have trainee-led technical sessions which basically consisst of groups of us researching how to teach specific topics (such as literature, speaking, listening, culture) and then presenting to the others: not the most productive hours we've spent in China.

Our VF's (the china 10's who ran our training as their final service project here) have left us, which was hard!! They were our teachers and good friends -- saying goodbye to them makes the whole two years from now thing seem a lot shorter somehow.

We've also lost one of the trainees at our hubsite, bringing our total to 4 gone out of the China 12's as a whole.

Today I went with the other two people in the advanced Chinese group to a private preschool across the city from us. We taught a class of 4 year olds the Hokey-Pokey and how to give us high-5s... they were adorable. And so bright, storytelling and dancing and singing for us!! They have english class every day, with powerpoints and everthing. They learn lots of vocab, though I have no idea what their comprehension level actually is. A picture will pop up of a warm-up suit and the teacher would call on one of the kids who would stand up and announce "Track!Suit!"

A week from today we'll have a big host-fam appreciation event (we'll have a slideshow and and some performances for them), and then the next week we are all moved into a super-posh hotel for a few days to have a final conference, and be officially sworn-in as peace corps volunteers by the ambassador. On thursday, September 8, I move up to Lanzhou officially, and the next Monday my classes begin.

much love,
Kristen