Classroom disruption!

His departure last semester was abrupt, unexpected.

"Our monitor, you know? Talent? He has stopped school to get a job," several of my students mentioned to me over dinner one night. And that was about the extent of their commentary, even though it's a pretty shocking thing in China and threw the entire class into some confusion.

So this semester there is a blank line in my roster.

And the monitor of the class is another student named Sky, one of my loudest students, although his English is no better than Talent's was.

And the class has gone on, pretty much as normal. They're the marketing class; my loudest, craziest, most energetic class. I love them. Each week they seem a little bit crazier than they were the previous week, and yesterday was no exception.

They were all extremely worked up because of the Eighth Annual International Culture and Arts Festival (how's that for a mouthful?) that was happening in the afternoon. All class long, the door been opening and closing with students going in and out – some had to leave early to prepare their things for the festival, one got sent home because he was sick. We were about ten or fifteen minutes from the end of a rather intense lesson about values, and the door opened to let another student in. I really didn't think anything of it.

Until the clapping began.

Until the loud talking turned into excited screaming.

And there was Talent... walking in as if he was still in the class and had just stepped out for a minute.

Had he told me that he was coming? No.

Had he told any of his classmates that he was coming? No.

Was it more disruptive to class than Gang Woo kicking Ansel was last semester? Probably yes.

Did I nearly cry? Yes.

Was it one of my favorite things that has happened this week?

You bet.

I love my students and am so blessed and so HAPPY to have such crazy classes!