posted by Donald on 06/11/09

Yesterday about a third of the young men and women, the 9th-grade students, of Nan Jung Junior High School all concluded their time here and commenced a new chapter of life. It was graduation day. Our time as teachers is also drawing short but without quite the same level of significance. As we drove to school this morning, Austin and I realized what it must be like for them–to wake up and have no need to catch the 6:52 train to school–for practically the first time in three years! It was an interesting thought. To share a little of what their relationships have meant here are some pictures of ‘A Student’s Morning’, part II of the story of our Junior High School.

In Chaojhou the sun rises at its appointed time, in June as early as 5:09 ... And the train comes at 6:52 The first leg of the journey is often by bike. To find your way to the train station just follow the blue, green and yellow uniforms.

This picture was taken from the freeway but it suggests pretty well what the scenery looks like from the train. Taking the train once a week or so helped me better understand what a student's morning was like. After a six-minute ride, knifing through rice paddies and betelnut palms, we pull into Kanding.

Filing off the train station platform for the short \"march\" remaining to the school gate They join the locals who walk or bike from town ... ... and those dropped off by their parents on scooters.

Others arrive by car. Elba, the school guard, assisting at the last crossing. Destination almost reached: Nan Jung [Southern Glory] Junior High School, Kanding Township, Ping-tung, Taiwan

8:00 Monday morning: Flag-raising and awards ceremony. A reverent way to start the week.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 11th, 2009 at 2:38 am and is filed under Family News, The Bright Side. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.