End of the Year Traditions

Towards the end of the year, there are events that happen with the elementary and secondary schools.  This picture below is Ben and myself at the elementary art gala.  Each elementary student gets to choose one art work to feature at the gallery.  Some of them were very fun (…hilarious) and interesting (…unrecognizable).

The end of the year also holds many traditions for our school.  One of them, is taking the all-school photo.  It’s a bit crazy, as we have over 400 students now and over 200 staff.  You can’t really see anyone in the photo until it’s blown up and on the wall, but so you get the point, here it is. Toward the back, left is a poster that says “TIM.”  Tim is a elementary boy, and staff members’ child who died in an accident last year. 

Can you find me and Ben. Clue: we are on oposite sides of the picture.

Another tradition is reavealing the “House” winner.  We have 4 houses in our school, and the purpose is to separate the students into a house and do competions, games, and crazy spirit days.  Points are awarded for each event (I’m the point keeper, and house event coordinator) and there is a house winner at the end of each year. The houses are named after M’s in China, Taylor, Goforth, Liddell, Morrison.  The winner this year, was Goforth.  You can’t see the picture super well, but here are all of the students in Goforth (with a sign in the back, giving the point value…although you can’t really read it).

Another reoccuring event is the all-staff dinner at Le Meridien (5 star) hotel buffet.  YUM!!   It’s quite the sad event, however, because every staff member leaving gets a chance to say a few words, and one of their friends stands with them to say encouraging words about them.  By the end of the night, tears have come, and memories reminisced.  Here’s  a picture of some of my greatest friends.  Kathryn, on the right bottom corner, is leaving.  It is her first year in Qingdao, but her visa does not allow her to stay.  She will be moving to the Tianjin school, and although we will still see each other, it obviously won’t be the same.  All the other ladies in this photo are staying at our school.  Jen Brown on the far back left is a dear friend, and next to her is Stacey, who I talk about often.  I’m getting to know Sara very well, (middle in the white) and I just adore her kids!

There is also a goodbye dinner for the foreign ladies leaving.  We had dinner at "Canvas," an awesome restaurant that cooks amazing western food!!  Here are most of the foreign women in our company.

Another tradition (on the last day of school, when the kids have left), there is a staff softball game!  The game was filled with excitement, surprising hits from some “older” staff members, some amazing catches from some “unathletic” members, and of course a few injuries.  It was a great 2 hours (and our team won! Not really any thanks to me).

And finally, here is a fun picture of Ben and “the guys” for a paintball adventure for a friend’s birthday.  I definitely was not there, but he had a great time (and received a few wounds).