Finals are over.  Yahoo!!!  The students endured this test of will and ability to survive on little sleep and lots of coffee, and all prevailed.  So the next logical step is a celebration, and celebrate we did.  The first part of our celebration was a picture in front of the Jia with the entire group.  This picture will live on through history as a record of all who shared in this wonderful experience overseas.  Then we had a celebration meeting to congratulate the students and thank the staff/faculty with speeches, games, gifts, and some killer "slam poetry" (provided by The Erbes).  Finally, it was off to the Shangri-La Hotel for a fabulous buffet dinner.  It was a great completion to a great semester.    

Only two more days of finals and the students are stressed!  To lift their spirits we hosted a dessert night.  On the menu:  banana bread, mango sticky rice, cold oats topped with apple, cookies, and a crepe bar with all sorts of sweet toppings and fillings.  The students ate almost all of it!  Please pray for our students as they make this final push to the end of their semester.  

Temperatures here in Shanghai have been consistently in the 50's and 60's over the last month.  But this week it has gotten colder and colder.  It is Saturday and most of the students are studying hard for their final exams, but the snow falling outside was too much to keep them inside.  Perfect time for a study break!

Every ​Tuesday night after our group dinner, nine of our very dedicated students travel to the Body & Soul Yoga gym (over a mile from the Jia) to learn the art of Kung Fu.  Bodies were stretched into less than comfortable positions.  Muscles were strained from balancing while holding unnatural stances.  Front kicks, side kicks and spinning jump kicks were performed until what seemed impossible became possible.  We are so proud of these students and their physical accomplishments in this class.  And thanks to a great Kung Fu master 屠建峰 for teaching us with patience and understanding.  What a great way to engage in a new culture.  

No travel abroad program can be complete without a pajama party.  Since Christmas is right around the corner it seemed an appropriate time to combine pa"jia"mas and Christmas in one ultimate party.  The night started with decorating sugar cookies and concluded with a White Elephant gift exchange.  These are the pictures I could get my hands on. 

So the girls of the Jia had their brunch last week.  This weekend it was all about the boys.  Did they go for pretty coffee drinks, delicate flowers, ornate napkins, and an elegant food selection?  No way.  Dudes do dude stuff, so off to Cages.  This place offered big screen TVs (showing the Big 10 conference football championship), basketball games, batting cages, pool, Foosball, pinball machines, and even a dodge ball court!  Add burgers & fries, and the atmosphere was just right for dude bonding.  Thanks to all the Bros that attended this more than epic event.   #brosrulegirlsdrool