Vivi, Janya, Lydia, and Hattie...a reunion with 2011 students

Vivi, Janya, Lydia, and Hattie... a reunion with 2011 students

Of all the wonderful surprises in China, having Vivi surprise me on the streets of Qing Zhen was the most memorable.  I first met Vivi in JinYan in 2011.  She was the most animated, alive, energetic, enthusiastic student I have ever known.  She is a special education teacher, working with deaf and blind students every day.  Her work is a labor of love and compassion.  And she is bold, daring, and has an absolutely contagious sense of humor.

Vivi ran up to me on the street, in enormous sunglasses, and gave me a huge hug.  I saw through her surprise disguise very quickly, and then we walked to a nearby restaurant to meet Janya and Lydia there, too.  A week later, we traveled to Guiyang to spend the day with Vivi, her husband, her mother, and also Hattie.  A couple weeks later, we met again and spent the day together at Wetland Park.

I have learned that there is no truth to goodbye.  How good it is to be reunited with beloved friends...

Vivi and her mother... her mother and I are age mates.  Vivi has adopted me as her second mom.

At the Su Wa Wa restaurant in Guiyang...

 Hattie, Lydia, and Vivi's sweet mama...

 Hattie, Lydia, Vivi, Marianne, and Grace...

 A  beautiful gift from Vivi... specially made to celebrate the 60 year anniversary of her school.