First Full Week Back at School

So at the end of my first full week back...things certainly feel different. The biggest change is the arrival of a second Foreign English teacher to help lessen my load. Adjusting to having a 19 year old American girl suddenly thrown in the mix...challenging. There are benefits now though, such as my classes are only max of 30 kids per class...AND... I'm teaching all of Junior 1 and half of Junior 2 with no Junior 3 classes. I really enjoy teaching Junior 1 (12 year olds) they are enthusiastic and alot of fun. and Junior 2 (my last years Junior 1's)have only had me as their ESL teacher and we have always got on really well...so for now anyway...I'm finding the kids are really great to teach :-)
My schedule is very different this year. I have two very, very busy days of 6 teaching periods and two days with only two teaching periods and 1 extra day off per week. After the first week...I have to say I prefer it, but I guess a few weeks trial will tell if it will be more or less tiring.
Catching up with all my Chinese English teacher friends is great. The Monday night get together dinner that a group of us have, has been moved to my apartment...Each week a different teacher brings the food and really my apartment is just the place for us to heat it up and sit and eat it.
We had "Teachers Day" on Thursday. I was lucky enough to receive some cards and gifts from some students, many "happy teachers day" greetings all day and then at the school ceremony some flowers and a bonus award for ??? I dunno what???
It's a nice thing to do...fun for me to see...maybe a bit full on for Chinese teachers whose whole day (and many days leading up to it)are spent answering phone and text messages from past students and current students parents wishing them "Happy Teachers Day"
Such a busy week !

These are my teachers day gifts