Wrapping up a productive week in Kunming

Reflection for July 4 in China:  Are we adequately serving as good will ambassadors, or visiting firemen, or a little bit of both? Where do you stand in your cost-benefit study?

Baoli and her "gang of twelve" volunteers settled into their teaching routines at the Kunming Continuing Education Teaching Institute. The veteran teaching teams were busy making new friends and renewing old relationships. The newcomers, like Stella and Lester, were learning the routines and mastering their new tricks. Baoli's skillful assignment of teaching teams utilizing the available, extensive experience by our volunteers are bearing fruits. The Yunnan student teachers are showing their interests by working hard in classes; asking diverse questions to their instructors; actively participating in the songs and dances offered by our volunteers; and sharing, without hesitation, their teaching experience and friendship with their respective instructors.

In the morning, the Leon/Lester team continued to work on the students' prepared biographic summaries and pronunciations. The Nancy/Kitty team and the Esther/Wendy team worked on their respective skits with the students. The Janet/Michael team were immersed in sharing their mastery in various famous Chinese love stories. The Jim/Mary team played American folk song games, while the Dixie/Stella team continued to work with the students on their vocabulary and pronunciation.

In the afternoon, Nancy conducted a lecture on "Pioneers" in her family. Mary also lectured on Native Americans. Wendy lectured on "Pow Wows". The students seemed to enjoy the photos and drawings of miners, cowboys, Native Indian dancers, and drummers.

No job is finished until the paperwork is done. After the school work was over, Baoli asked the whole team to sign the completion certificates for the students.

Entry submitted by: Lester