Kunshan Liren Foreign Language School is where I taught for six years from 2014 to 2020. I was going home. The driver was the same gentleman who collected me and my husband from Pudong airport nearly nine years ago in August of 2014. It was a surreal but comfortingly familiar feeling.

Driving into Kunshan just felt normal, like I had never left. The next day I walked to the school, through the gate after saying hi to the guards who recognised me from my time teaching at the school, and up to the American (GIA) Program. I was nervous with anticipation. I greeted my dear friends, Ms. Hope Wang and Mr. Paul Gil, the leaders of the American Program and then saw some of my old students. They were grades 10, 11 and 12 now and so grown up. Some students in grade 12 had been in my grade 4 class when I taught in the Bilingual program on arriving to China for the first year!

I spent most of the first day observing lessons and saw the quality of teaching and learning that continues to make the American Program stand out. Teachers endeavour to involve all students in interesting and diverse lessons. Being observed by an outsider can be stressful but the teachers in the American Program just got on with the job.

I spent time with students, teachers and Principal Lisa Kan during my time at the school discussing the many strengths of the program: student leadership opportunities, clubs, relationships with teachers, flexibility in courses, and space for all to offer suggestions and feedback.

I was also able to attend Run4Hope too, which is the program's charity fun run. An event I used to support students with to organize. It was always an intense time ensuring everything was ready but this time the pressure was off and I could enjoy the morning as a participant.

My time at the school was short but I felt so welcomed by my old students and by new students too. They are such a great group that I know they'll do well in the future.

Next stop, Hefei...