It came!

Hey guys, I got the birthday card you all sent me yesterday two days ago, and I was very happy and thankful for what you all did.  The card looks beautiful!  Thank you so, so much!

It's good to see all of your smiling faces.  You guys seem to have grown so much just in the short time since I've been away from Taiwan.  The classroom looks completely different too.  Do you like it?  Tr. Michelle said she'll send me pictures of the remodeled school and classrooms soon.

Aden, I like your monster.  His (her?) square face is very interesting.  How does it talk?  How does it eat?  Getting a good grade isn't so important to me when I go to school in July.  The most important thing is what I learn, since I want to be a better teacher.  Also, I'm glad you enjoyed the box of magic cards.  What do you love about them?  Looking at the pictures?  Moving them around?  Using your imagination with them?

Regina, I miss you too, and it's good to hear from you.  I love your decorations on your part of the card, especially the rainbow heart and colorful sparkles.  Is your father coming to Seattle for work?  I hope the weather is good while he's here.  How long is he staying?  If you were coming, I could say, "I see you!  HEY!  I SEE YOU!"  Maybe someday you can come to America, and you can use English to talk to the people you meet!

Edward Z, we already talked about your trip on this blog, but I'm very happy you got to travel outside of Taiwan with your family.  If you go to Japan again, where would you like to go?  What would you like to do?  I'm very happy with my family.  I talk about comics and movies with my brother, I help my mom clean the house, and I go hiking and watch sports games with my dad.  And of course I hug and kiss my cat, Shadow!  Your drawing of Mickey is very skillful.  Even if you hadn't written anything, I would've known who you drew!

Ben, you look like you're thinking very hard in your picture.  It's a good picture of you, I like it.  Thank you for all the glue you drew for me.  As for your question about liking Taiwan or America more...it's hard to say.  Taiwan is where I met all of you guys and Tr. Michelle, and also where I met my girlfriend.  In fact, I met many good friends and students there.  It's a beautiful country, and I hiked all over the place while I was there.  However, America is where my family and old friends live, and Seattle is also a beautiful place.  Right now it's pretty warm outside, but the past month it's been switching from hot to cold almost every day!  I do enjoy living at home, because my mom's garden is beautiful, and I've been able to do a lot of work around the house, which is nice.

Cinthia, you look really happy in your picture!  You must be doing very well!  I'm glad you still have the money I gave you.  Do you collect real coins too?  You can collect them by different years...that's what I do with U.S. coins.  Also, what pictures are you talking about where I look stupid?  The ones on this blog?  Hahaha.  By the way, those pictures you drew of me on the card?  Am I getting stabbed by swords?  What's going on?  -_-

Janice, I'm doing very well over here.  I'm much healthier than I was when you guys last saw me.  I've become a lot fatter, and also put on some more muscle (that means I've become stronger).  It's so good to see your smiling face.  I'm also happy to know you're getting along well in class.  I knew you would!

Coco, I miss you guys as well.  I think about you guys nearly every day.  I will come back to Taiwan, but not until next year.  I still need to decide if I'm going to move back to Taiwan after my year of school, or keep going to school after it's finished.  I already showed my card to my mom, so she saw it!  AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  Thanks for the birthday cake Coco!
(Tr. Stephen wrote it)

Of course I know who you are, Dora!  HAHAHA.  You wrote a lot for your card, I'm impressed.  Now, you wrote a lot about Teacher David, so I want to talk about that.  You said you don't fell like respects you, and it could be true, but you have no way of knowing what someone is thinking in their head.  You should try and think that people around you have the best intentions, otherwise it will be hard to trust people in the future.  He may have places that he needs to work on, but he hasn't been in Taiwan very long.  You may see him just in class, but he might still be getting used to life outside of class too.  Now, it sounds like he's messing up a lot in class, but I want to point out that you notice when he messes up.  That means your learning is important enough to you that you want it to be the best it can be.  And when it isn't that makes you unhappy.  Well, the best students look for challenges in other places when they can't always get them in the classroom.  You can try that out.  And also, about the smoking...as you get older, you'll find people that smoke.  You can try and avoid them, and you can try and change them, but when you can't do those things, then you just have to accept them.  You may not like it, but he's not going to change anytime soon, and he's not going anywhere either.  Now, I wrote a lot about that, but I want to write about happier things.  Are you going anywhere for the summer?  How's your family?  I hope you're doing well...and don't worry, we'll keep in touch.

Hi Edward W., I'm doing great.  You look happy in your picture, but remember to look at the camera so people can see your eyes!  Hahaha.  Do you still collect magic cards?  What are you up to these days?  How's your sister Bella?  Do you still enjoy learning English?  Let me know, kiddo!

Do you guys ever talk to Aliya in Anchin class?  I wonder how she's doing.  I hope she's doing well.  Can you guys let me know?

Thank you all again for your birthday wishes.  This may sound weird, but if you can, I'd like you to thank Tr. Michelle for me, for putting this all together.  Without her, I wouldn't have gotten this card.  And also, don't forget that Tr. Michelle's birthday is coming up (this month).  Don't forget to wish her a happy birthday as well.  I'm not around to do something special for her with you guys, but that doesn't mean you can't do something special for her by yourself.

Thanks again, guys.  I miss you.

Tr. Stephen

edit:  Tr. Michelle texted me today and told me I forgot about you Kenny.  I'm so sorry!  I don't know what happened.  Thanks for the robot drawing Kenny.  I see you still like being a zombie as much as you did when I was teaching.  Kenny, I will come to Taiwan, but not until next year.  You look very happy in your picture, so I know you're doing alright.  I miss you lots too.