branhow.com

I wrote this a few weeks ago but because some students didn’t want to have their pictures posted (which is totally understandable), I procrastinated with editing the photos! Haha

Yesterday was the official last day of school and my last day as a teacher at Maple Leaf Dalian Girls Campus. It’s hard to imagine two years ago we moved here to the northeastern part of China and now this season has come to an end. Despite the challenges of living in Dalian and teaching at Maple Leaf, there are quite a number of friends we’ve made along the way that I will sincerely miss. Two years ago, I know this is where God had called us to come. These last few weeks have been a reminder of the impact that each and every one of us can have on our surroundings; this is often something I forget, especially when life gets so busy as a teacher. The fast pace and in particular here at Maple Leaf often causes us to forget the most important aspects of education (establishing friendships, inspiring others, being a role model, invoking contemplation, self-reflection, and paying it forward) and more specifically why I became a teacher. One of my favorite authors once said,

“People forget their faces when they are busy”

-Natsumi Soseki; And Then.

My faith in God, my family and my students this year in particular have encouraged me to remember my real purpose in life as a Believer, a husband, a father and a teacher. Our season in Dalian has brought us a lot of life experiences and meaningful friendships. Here are just a handful of these memories I’d like to share especially from my time at Maple Leaf. May God bless you all in your endeavors and I hope to stay in touch!

~ by branhow on July 3, 2021.

Posted in Archived, Education, Personal
Tags: China, Chinese students, education in china, international schools, life as a teacher, maple leaf