I spent the week teaching my classes about Easter. As with Christmas, very little of the religious significance of the festival has made it across; indeed only a few were even aware that it was a ‘thing’ involving a rabbit and some eggs once I’d managed to convince them that it was not a comparative form of ‘East’ (Easter; more East). I decided to approach the idea from the ‘Spring/new life’ and ‘happiness’ angle instead, as it led onto a nice activity about happiness. This particular topic is very popular with Project Trust volunteers at the moment, as it was International Day of Happiness on March 20th (same day as International Francophonie Day). Though slightly late, getting the class to make spider diagrams with the prompt What Makes You Happy? set the lessons off to a very positive start. As well as answers that almost every group gave (‘eating’, ‘sleep’, ‘no homework’), there were some more unique responses like, ‘my family making me laugh,’ or, ‘taking time to play my guitar’. At the end I got each group to come up and write as much as they could on the blackboards.

For the remainder of the lessons I got them to decorate their own Easter Eggs. I get the impression that Art classes are usually directed (that is to say, you draw exactly what the teacher tells you, or what’s in front of you), so again it was nice to give them free reign. I had eggs with their favourite Anime characters, radioactive grenade eggs, future husband eggs… The list goes on (but no two were even nearly identical across the entire year group). At the end I gave them the option of either keeping or handing in their eggs. So many of them undervalue their artistic ability! ‘Teacher, it is very bad,’ laughing at their own work. I think they’re brilliant, so I made sure to tell them that.

On Friday night (more accurately Saturday morning) I finally made it back to Fuhai. The train, though on time (2.30am) was a dismal affair of people sleeping across all seats (having been there since eight o’clock the previous evening) and everyone staring at the grumpy, sleep-deprived foreigner. I felt bad waking the lady who was sprawled across my seat, but I paid for it and decided that being on a stuffy, cramped train for five hours was bad enough without standing for the duration. No thanks, I’m good. I must’ve got to Kieran’s at around half seven in the morning, shortly before practically passing out on his sofa.

With what remained of the day, we went for dinner at a banquet place with our friend and his cousin then watched The Conjuring followed by Hairspray into the early hours. Easter Sunday itself was remarkably chocolate-free (assuming you don’t count the Metro bar I bought from the shop; a bit like a Mars bar only cheaper and not as good), but I’m assured there’s an egg waiting for me back in England from the Grandparents (thank you in advance). The rest of the day was spent relaxing in Kieran’s living room before I got a taxi back to the station. The return leg was infinitely better, not least because I was well-enough slept come Monday morning, since I arrived home at 1am, which is not especially late (for me).

—TJC

Featured image: One of my class’ Happy board, for Easter.