It's inevitable. After a holiday, everyone talks about it. The holiday!
I had already heard a lot of holiday stories from my Grade 1 students, so when Grade 4 came, I didn't want them to tell me all about their holiday as well. Instead, I asked them to write  about it. I was expecting a bunch of stories starting with, or ending in, "I had an amazing/great/fantastic/ awesome vacation.", and then a bunch of details, maybe some dialogue, some "show, not tell"... Travels, shopping, restaurants. Beaches. Maybe some feelings.
Instead, I got this. 
From a girl who is just learning English. 

​​And it went straight to my heart!

Holiday
I had the worst holiday that I never, ever had.

Monday,
I was seating on my chair, reading a book,
my body almost iron.

Tuesday,
I was looking at my brother playing a game.
The name of the game - 'Rainbow Six Maruchiplay Kajuaru",
my body almost a mummy.

Wednesday,
I ate many fruits.
Their names were apple and orange,
my body almost fruit juice.

Thursday,
I made many, many cakes.
Cheese cake, chocolate cake, strawberry cake, orange cake, and blueberry cake,
my body almost cake.

Friday,
I sent the cakes to my Japanese friends.
They said their "Thank you!"s every time.
When I wanted to say "You're welcome!",
the words that I said were "Thank you!" too,
my brain almost nothing but "Thank you!"

Saturday,
I went to ballet.
It's sometimes like gymnastics.
After gymnastics, we danced our dance for the May show.
My body was so hard!
My feet reached up to my head.

Sunday,
We went to my mom's friend's house.
He owns a jewellery shop.
He had many, many stones and many, many pearls. 
He showed us the blood stone.
The most expensive one.

I like to read a book, but I don't like to read all day.
I don't like to watch someone play games. I like to play them.
I like fruit, but not when it's too much.
I don't want to make cakes anymore.
Why does everyone just say "Thank you!", "Thank you!"?
I don't like stones and I don't want to see the blood stone.

This week was so long.
It's the worst holiday that I never, ever had. 

...Because I get to meet countless inspiring people. Authors, writers, chefs. Ying Chang Compestine is all in one, and more. 
The most important lessons I learned from her today:
1. If you want to be a writer, read. Read like a writer.
2. Your words are diamonds. Think about how you can best say something while saving as many diamonds as you can. 

Another way of saying "Less is always more."

...Because I get to meet awesome people. Writers are my favourites. Today it was Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore. The 2 Steves. 

The most important thing I learned from them? - "The strongest part of any sentence is the last word." :)

http://the2steves.net

Because I get to work with writers in the making, who change a good old fairy tale in an adventure, although they are only 7 years old.

When your most challenging student chooses to do THIS in his free time, and gives it to you with a big smile and with eyes full of hope... You don't even care that he can't spell your name!