Dragon Boat Festival

My former student, Donna and Maggie, my English Department colleague from Tongcheng in China write to wish a happy festival. Donna shares an image of a Dragon Boat with rowers busily hastening their voyage. Maggie calls while she teaches her lesson to classroom of twenty students who look like they’re high school age or sophomores. Maggie has called me for help this week with one college student attempting to prepare for her upcoming English language competition.

In the late afternoon find Maggie’s text and meet Cindy, who shares her video from her dormitory room. Her two minutes of presentation sounds prepared and rehearsed. I chat with Cindy with a few comments and suggestions. Cindy sends me her text of her English speech for her English language competition. I print off the two pages and start my video after editing the text. Cindy is grateful.

Maggie texts her thank you and after working with Cindy into the late evening close our conversation.

Tonight Maggie floats her paper Dragon Boat across our screen. She mentions her class made cartoons for Dragon Noat Festival. Maggie really likes the new subtitle I was able to add to my daily journal of our two years together in Tongcheng. She asks the young man to come and say his own hello in our screen in front of his class. All the students have their heads bowed in their work at their desks. The young man thinks I am very pretty. I share my thank you. We chat a few words. He says his couple words and returns to his seat.

Maggie mentions students become very nervous when speaking English. I mention this was true of Cindy and what we worked on in our couple hour session. Maggie wishes our future plan tutoring sessions of one hour. I mention this too long and ten to fifteen minutes agreeable.

Maggie looks healthy with clear facial skin, and ask her how she’s doing. She’s fine, doing well.

As I roll my ball of yarn for next crocheting project show Maggie my activity. Who are you making this item for? Maybe gift or myself I mention.

Happy Dragon Boat Festival

June 2026