Last night I meet with a student from old campus. We went out to dinner and I'll be helping her study the word on Monday nights. Her English level is quite low, but she is eager to study the word. Perhaps you can lift her up?
This morning we were picked up and driven to the new campus for the closing ceremony of the sports meet. Thousands upon thousands of students and school officials had gathered in the stadium by 8 a.m., when we arrived. Instead of leading us in the back way, we had to walk half way around the track to get to the other side. It was the closest thing I felt to being a celebrity ever. I felt like I had either just been elected president or that I was a four star general about to review my army.
All eyes were on us as we made our way around the field to very dramatic martial music. The stands and the field were packed with students. In one corner stood a million of my students, and they were dressed in silky gold outfits, with red fans in their hands. They screamed as we walked by them, and I waved furiously. I'm pretty sure all 200 of my students were clustered there. It was the best thing ever.
When we got to the other side, nobody knew what to do with us. We stood below the stands attracting more attention than ever, just because we were foreigners. Then finally we were ushered below the stands to wait. We were going to be in the closing ceremony. We stood behind the English department flag, and dozens of students dressed in white stood behind us. Several of them thrust a couple of Chinese flags into each of our hands.
After waiting for about 45 minutes, the music swelled again and we began the procession around the track, just like the Olympics. The kid carrying the English Department flag hoisted it up proudly and we walked onto the track waving Chinese flags. We slowly walked around the track, with hundreds of students falling into orderly step behind us. Students were screaming their heads off as we made our way around. I'm not sure if it's because we were a small bunch of glamorous foreigners, or because we were waving Chinese flags, or maybe both. Jodi was walking next to us as we were waving and smiling with the enthusiastic crowds. She asked me, "What are we celebrating exactly? Sports? China?" I told her I wasn't sure.
We got in front of the big review area, where the university president and other officials sat high above the field. A couple dozen people in sharp-looking olive military uniforms stood at attention with the Chinese flag. Hundreds, if not thousands, of students stood in close lines in the middle of the track. Then a couple dozen men with cameras ran alongside us and in front of us snapping pictures of us walking and waving the flags. I'm serious. And it was the craziest thing ever. We were celebrities and we had done nothing except teach at their school and look non-Chinese.
We were going to keep walking, but then a man waved us to the stairs of the stands where the school officials sat. We were very confused, and the crowds were murmuring and chuckling. Is it possible that they murmured and chuckled as a whole? Well, they did. Then we made our way up the stairs, where they directed us to two long, red tables up above the stadium. The president and important-looking people sat there dressed in suits. We were dressed in jeans and t-shirts and fleece sweaters.
They sat us at those tables. It was a very high honor and the Chinese are always finding ways to put us in positions of honor when we've done absolutely nothing to deserve it. Then the national anthem played and we all stood. Official after official made speeches to the waiting crowds. The sun was getting quite hot. It dragged on, but the students who had been standing there since 6 a.m. masked their restlessness. After the rousing rendition of the school song, additional middle-aged men made speeches, shouting into the microphone stand with great gusto.
Out of nowhere, really pretty Chinese girls in traditional Chinese dresses paraded onto the stage carrying plaques, and handed them to the table right in front of us, where the president and vice-president sat. As soon as the officials had been handed the plaques, they ceremoniously handed them to a few select students who also paraded on to the stage. They must have been awards. This whole process continued a few times. People in doctor's uniforms, police uniforms, and regular clothes received the plaques. They were the most model Chinese people I've ever seen. They looked like they popped right off of a propaganda poster.
Finally the students performed for the closing ceremony. I can't really describe it, so I'll just have to post some pictures soon. A million of them did taiji and gymnastics, etc. Then at the end, a huge, organized crowd of students sang "Beijing welcomes you." (This song is very famous in China because of the Olympics). After that was over, the students all sang at once and countless people ran frantically around the track and field with banners and flags.
I'm exhausted explaining it, and you're probably exhausted just reading this; I even left some details out... I think the pictures will do a better job at explaining everything. Anyway, I don't think I can ever return to America, because the excitement in China has ruined any desires to live a quiet life in the U.S.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Sports meet!
Today was a great day and it's only lunch time! At 8 a.m. I had to teach one make-up class again at the new campus. My students in that class then had to go back to the sports meet competition at the stadium. I asked if I could go with them, and they literally screamed, "YES!!" So I went.
It's a very nice fall day as we leisurely headed for the stadium. I could hear the music being played before I even saw the stadium. Several of my girl students escorted me to the seating. They were just like big concrete bleachers overlooking a big track and field area. The whole place was enveloped in colorful flags, floating red lanterns, and red banners with white characters entreating the athletes to do their best.
We had to climb the stairs and walk in front of mobs of Chinese students watching the meet. I cringed, because I knew that I would attract a lot of attention. And that I did. For a moment the students all forgot about the race happening below. The main attraction became the foreigner. Some other students from my classes spotted me and started yelling, "Hello, teacher!" Then everyone else sitting there started yelling, "Hello!" also. I hope you can picture this. It was really a strange feeling.
We made our way to the English department flag where nearly all of my students sat, looking very dejected. They brightened up for a minute when they saw me. I think they were really surprised, but glad to see me. They've had to sit there for three full days straight by now.
I went to sit down, and students offered me paper and books to sit on. A lot of my students explained everything going on to me. They were also curious to know if "sports meets were like this in America." Um, no.
I looked around at everything, just trying to absorb it. The stands were filled with thousands of students who were required to attend. I saw some girls try to leave the meet, and some men in business suits refused to let them leave. There was the same sort of marching/anthem/swelling music playing over the stadium the whole time. For some reason the races, which were really quite slow, seemed much more exciting and patriotic with the music.
The "athletes" were conscripted into the races, more or less. There were some students who sort of knew how to run, but most of them didn't. A lot of girls wore crazy track suits or jeans and thick sweaters. They all looked tired. Then toward the end of each race, the runners up front would surge to the finish line and they would dramatically collapse into people's arms! The winner would happily be carried across the field, looking victorious and like they had just returned from a war.
We watched the long races. One of my students placed 1st and the English department students went wild! The "electricity" department students sitting nearby didn't look pleased. Apparently the winner gets money or a new pair of shoes as a prize.
After I was there a few minutes, I noticed the students in the stands furiously scribbling out little notes onto countless pieces of paper. I asked my student, Wendy, what was happening. She said they all must write "articles" to encourage the athletes. Each student must write hundreds. Wendy said she stayed up until midnight writing hers.
The English department has the other university departments beat so far. They've written 40,000 articles to "encourage the athletes!" I was amazed as I watched some of the student monitors from my classes dash about the stands, collecting arm fulls of these articles, trying to fulfill some quota. I don't know if I've ever seen anything so pointless and tedious, but I certainly kept my mouth shut. I just tried to watch the races, while listening to the loudspeakers blare with that martial music, and announcers cheering on the contestants. A part of me wanted to rush onto the track and join the races.
At one point, one of my students, Smile, walked up and sat down in front of me. She was carrying a notebook in front of her face and I could glimpse blood on it. I asked her what on earth had happened. It looked like she had been in a car accident. But, no. The poor girl had been racing a couple of days ago and fell. Her face had been totally scraped along the ground. It was awful, because her normally "smiley" face was bleeding and shredded. This sports meet is intense.
Anyways, it was all a sight to behold. I'll try posting some pictures sometime soon. I took some videos also. Tomorrow morning I might return to watch my students in the "closing ceremonies."
It's a very nice fall day as we leisurely headed for the stadium. I could hear the music being played before I even saw the stadium. Several of my girl students escorted me to the seating. They were just like big concrete bleachers overlooking a big track and field area. The whole place was enveloped in colorful flags, floating red lanterns, and red banners with white characters entreating the athletes to do their best.
We had to climb the stairs and walk in front of mobs of Chinese students watching the meet. I cringed, because I knew that I would attract a lot of attention. And that I did. For a moment the students all forgot about the race happening below. The main attraction became the foreigner. Some other students from my classes spotted me and started yelling, "Hello, teacher!" Then everyone else sitting there started yelling, "Hello!" also. I hope you can picture this. It was really a strange feeling.
We made our way to the English department flag where nearly all of my students sat, looking very dejected. They brightened up for a minute when they saw me. I think they were really surprised, but glad to see me. They've had to sit there for three full days straight by now.
I went to sit down, and students offered me paper and books to sit on. A lot of my students explained everything going on to me. They were also curious to know if "sports meets were like this in America." Um, no.
I looked around at everything, just trying to absorb it. The stands were filled with thousands of students who were required to attend. I saw some girls try to leave the meet, and some men in business suits refused to let them leave. There was the same sort of marching/anthem/swelling music playing over the stadium the whole time. For some reason the races, which were really quite slow, seemed much more exciting and patriotic with the music.
The "athletes" were conscripted into the races, more or less. There were some students who sort of knew how to run, but most of them didn't. A lot of girls wore crazy track suits or jeans and thick sweaters. They all looked tired. Then toward the end of each race, the runners up front would surge to the finish line and they would dramatically collapse into people's arms! The winner would happily be carried across the field, looking victorious and like they had just returned from a war.
We watched the long races. One of my students placed 1st and the English department students went wild! The "electricity" department students sitting nearby didn't look pleased. Apparently the winner gets money or a new pair of shoes as a prize.
After I was there a few minutes, I noticed the students in the stands furiously scribbling out little notes onto countless pieces of paper. I asked my student, Wendy, what was happening. She said they all must write "articles" to encourage the athletes. Each student must write hundreds. Wendy said she stayed up until midnight writing hers.
The English department has the other university departments beat so far. They've written 40,000 articles to "encourage the athletes!" I was amazed as I watched some of the student monitors from my classes dash about the stands, collecting arm fulls of these articles, trying to fulfill some quota. I don't know if I've ever seen anything so pointless and tedious, but I certainly kept my mouth shut. I just tried to watch the races, while listening to the loudspeakers blare with that martial music, and announcers cheering on the contestants. A part of me wanted to rush onto the track and join the races.
At one point, one of my students, Smile, walked up and sat down in front of me. She was carrying a notebook in front of her face and I could glimpse blood on it. I asked her what on earth had happened. It looked like she had been in a car accident. But, no. The poor girl had been racing a couple of days ago and fell. Her face had been totally scraped along the ground. It was awful, because her normally "smiley" face was bleeding and shredded. This sports meet is intense.
Anyways, it was all a sight to behold. I'll try posting some pictures sometime soon. I took some videos also. Tomorrow morning I might return to watch my students in the "closing ceremonies."
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Never a dull moment
I sat down about an hour ago to start this blog, but then the power went out and I had to wait. The power was also out last night. It's one of those things that I took for granted in America. Sometimes there's just not enough electricity to go around here.
Well, I taught two classes this morning and they were pretty enjoyable. The whole campus was attending sports meet, while our team was teaching. We had to make up for the classes we missed while we were in Zhengzhou, so they decided we need to do that today and tomorrow. Today they put us all on the same floor, so I got to visit my teammates before class and during break. A few of them visited my classes at various times and it was priceless watching and hearing my students react. They've probably never seen so many foreigners, and each one was more exotic than the last one. It was a lot of fun.
My classes were noticeably smaller today. My students had cute polyester track suits the school gave them for the occasion of sports meet. The girls had white ones and the boys had black ones. The students who were missing from my classes were competing in events at that time. I asked my students if they were sad they had to come to class, but they insisted they were glad they were in class. I guess the students who don't compete must sit and watch the competitions all day long for four days. So apparently sitting in Miss Laura's class was slightly more interesting.
Four of the people on my team have had bats in their classrooms while they've been teaching. I figure it's only a matter of time before a bat attacks me during class. I'm waiting...
After my last class today I was erasing the chalkboard and I saw one of the boy students sitting by himself. He seemed to be hanging around, but I didn't want to know why, because he seems to have a crush on me. Everytime he walks in class he smiles the biggest, goofiest smile to me. He's a very good student, too, but I try not to give him too much attention. Anyways, I could see that he was waiting around for me, so I sort of threw down the eraser and dashed out of the room. I strolled down the hallway with a couple girl students. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the kid hurrying down the hall towards us. He squeezed along the wall to walk next to me, where there was obviously no room for him to walk. He is normally very shy, so I was kind of freaked out by his boldness and wasn't sure what he'd do or say next. He interrupted the other girls and asked me, "Miss Laura! Will you attend the sports meet?" I was like, "that's why you're acting all strange, just so you can ask me if I'll be at the sports meet?" But I didn't actually say it.
I am planning on watching some of the sports meet either tomorrow or Friday morning. I'm hoping to watch my students compete or watch them march and dance. I doubt I'll be able to spot many of them in a crowd of thousands. I bet they'll spot me though...
And now for one last story... The elderly "watermelon lady" I usually buy watermelon from nearly every day is no longer selling watermelons. I guess that season is officially over. Now she has transitioned to selling apples, Asian pears, and tangerines from a cart. I bought two tangerines from her last night, knowing she would give me a fair deal. I mostly just wanted to continue buying stuff from her. Sometimes I'm worried she would be out sleeping on the street if I didn't support her. She brightens my day. But what do I call her now? She was the "watermelon lady." Is she now just the "fruit lady?" We also have names for other vendors: "Sweet potato lady," "bread lady," "noodle boy," etc. Sometimes our creativity astonishes me.
Have a great, blessed day!
Well, I taught two classes this morning and they were pretty enjoyable. The whole campus was attending sports meet, while our team was teaching. We had to make up for the classes we missed while we were in Zhengzhou, so they decided we need to do that today and tomorrow. Today they put us all on the same floor, so I got to visit my teammates before class and during break. A few of them visited my classes at various times and it was priceless watching and hearing my students react. They've probably never seen so many foreigners, and each one was more exotic than the last one. It was a lot of fun.
My classes were noticeably smaller today. My students had cute polyester track suits the school gave them for the occasion of sports meet. The girls had white ones and the boys had black ones. The students who were missing from my classes were competing in events at that time. I asked my students if they were sad they had to come to class, but they insisted they were glad they were in class. I guess the students who don't compete must sit and watch the competitions all day long for four days. So apparently sitting in Miss Laura's class was slightly more interesting.
Four of the people on my team have had bats in their classrooms while they've been teaching. I figure it's only a matter of time before a bat attacks me during class. I'm waiting...
After my last class today I was erasing the chalkboard and I saw one of the boy students sitting by himself. He seemed to be hanging around, but I didn't want to know why, because he seems to have a crush on me. Everytime he walks in class he smiles the biggest, goofiest smile to me. He's a very good student, too, but I try not to give him too much attention. Anyways, I could see that he was waiting around for me, so I sort of threw down the eraser and dashed out of the room. I strolled down the hallway with a couple girl students. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the kid hurrying down the hall towards us. He squeezed along the wall to walk next to me, where there was obviously no room for him to walk. He is normally very shy, so I was kind of freaked out by his boldness and wasn't sure what he'd do or say next. He interrupted the other girls and asked me, "Miss Laura! Will you attend the sports meet?" I was like, "that's why you're acting all strange, just so you can ask me if I'll be at the sports meet?" But I didn't actually say it.
I am planning on watching some of the sports meet either tomorrow or Friday morning. I'm hoping to watch my students compete or watch them march and dance. I doubt I'll be able to spot many of them in a crowd of thousands. I bet they'll spot me though...
And now for one last story... The elderly "watermelon lady" I usually buy watermelon from nearly every day is no longer selling watermelons. I guess that season is officially over. Now she has transitioned to selling apples, Asian pears, and tangerines from a cart. I bought two tangerines from her last night, knowing she would give me a fair deal. I mostly just wanted to continue buying stuff from her. Sometimes I'm worried she would be out sleeping on the street if I didn't support her. She brightens my day. But what do I call her now? She was the "watermelon lady." Is she now just the "fruit lady?" We also have names for other vendors: "Sweet potato lady," "bread lady," "noodle boy," etc. Sometimes our creativity astonishes me.
Have a great, blessed day!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Happy Veterans Day and Single's Day!
Ni hao, my people! Today has been a gorgeous fall day. I taught two classes in a row this morning, which is what happens usually on Tuesdays. It's difficult for me to teach the same exact lesson for four hours straight, though. Today at lunch time I got to go back to old campus. I've rearranged my office hours so I can come home on Tuesday afternoons. I had a few hours beyond the required amount, so I reoranized my schedule. That way I'm not sitting in the office by myself for 5 hours on Tuesdays. It wasn't very productive.
Shannon and I both rode the bus back at noon. Then we ate a good lunch at our favorite restaurant by the back gate. It was enjoyable and then I hopped on the bus by the front gate for the 20 minute ride to Walmart. I won't be doing that every Tuesday, but I've needed some things you can really only find at Walmart (like lotion and peanut butter)!
The bus wasn't very crowded so I could sit quietly by myself and gaze out the window at early afternoon traffic and a million different activities going on. I felt quite content to think about things and watch everything. These are some sights I saw: little babies being pushed in strollers constructed out of a chair and some wheels and wood; groups of men huddled in circles playing chess along the street; elderly men hoeing makeshift vegetable gardens in the midst of falling apart buildings; young women scrubbing pots and pans in the filthy water that had collected in the grassy areas from the recent rains; little children peddling their tiny bicycles from school with red handkerchiefs tied around their necks that were flapping in the wind; men on the sidewalks welding metals with only some newspaper protecting their faces...
And one thing I noticed was that nearly everybody had a smile on their face. And then I wonder, are they really as happy as they seem? Do they know that they're really poor? Sometimes these scenes have become so familiar, that I don't notice this isn't the place I've always lived. Everyone seems to have so little, but they seem so content, at least on the outside. Then I think back to living in the U.S., where babies have fancy cloth and plastic strollers, where people stick their dishes in a dishwasher, and where children don't risk death on the chaotic streets just to get to school. Then I wonder, do they know how blessed they are?
For some reason this ride there and back made me a little meloncholy, but I'm not sure for what. I love living here, especially with the people and the simplicity. I don't really want to return to America right now, but maybe I wish that my family and friends could be here in China with me to share in the adventure. I get to share things with my team, but it's hard to put words to all that is happening here for people at home. I just want to say that I'm very thankful you've helped me get here. (And you can visit anytime!) I hope you know how amazing this place is and how much the Father loves these people.
Right now I'm sitting in my apartment, with music from outside pulsating through my head. Like usual, hundreds of students are practicing for "sports meet" under my window. About every other minute I'm getting up from the computer to watch what's happening. There are formations of students dancing and marching around to a mix of communist and techno music. Now there is a man shouting instructions through the loudspeaker. Oh, here come the flags and marching students. They are goosestepping (I don't know if there's a different word to describe that). The crowds today seem more electric, like there is a lot of anticipation in the air. Some students have unfurled huge banners with Chinese characters on them, and they stretch all around the perimeter of the campus. Maybe the old campus sports meet will be tomorrow, but of course no one really knows.
Supposedly the new campus sports meet is tomorrow through Friday. Classes are all cancelled, but our team still has to teach because of the classes we missed to go to Zhengzhou. That will fun. I bet my students won't be paying any attention. They are supposed to compete and dance and stuff all day and then run back and forth to class. Hopefully I can get to the sports meet to take some pictures. I don't know if I'll be able to find any of my students, since there are supposed to be at least 25,000 students there.
Okay, I think I've rambled on long enough for today! Thanks for your reading patience. Today is "Single's Day" in China. So merry single's day to all you singles! And happy veterans day to all the veterans reading this in America. (That's you, Grandpa!! I love you!)
Shannon and I both rode the bus back at noon. Then we ate a good lunch at our favorite restaurant by the back gate. It was enjoyable and then I hopped on the bus by the front gate for the 20 minute ride to Walmart. I won't be doing that every Tuesday, but I've needed some things you can really only find at Walmart (like lotion and peanut butter)!
The bus wasn't very crowded so I could sit quietly by myself and gaze out the window at early afternoon traffic and a million different activities going on. I felt quite content to think about things and watch everything. These are some sights I saw: little babies being pushed in strollers constructed out of a chair and some wheels and wood; groups of men huddled in circles playing chess along the street; elderly men hoeing makeshift vegetable gardens in the midst of falling apart buildings; young women scrubbing pots and pans in the filthy water that had collected in the grassy areas from the recent rains; little children peddling their tiny bicycles from school with red handkerchiefs tied around their necks that were flapping in the wind; men on the sidewalks welding metals with only some newspaper protecting their faces...
And one thing I noticed was that nearly everybody had a smile on their face. And then I wonder, are they really as happy as they seem? Do they know that they're really poor? Sometimes these scenes have become so familiar, that I don't notice this isn't the place I've always lived. Everyone seems to have so little, but they seem so content, at least on the outside. Then I think back to living in the U.S., where babies have fancy cloth and plastic strollers, where people stick their dishes in a dishwasher, and where children don't risk death on the chaotic streets just to get to school. Then I wonder, do they know how blessed they are?
For some reason this ride there and back made me a little meloncholy, but I'm not sure for what. I love living here, especially with the people and the simplicity. I don't really want to return to America right now, but maybe I wish that my family and friends could be here in China with me to share in the adventure. I get to share things with my team, but it's hard to put words to all that is happening here for people at home. I just want to say that I'm very thankful you've helped me get here. (And you can visit anytime!) I hope you know how amazing this place is and how much the Father loves these people.
Right now I'm sitting in my apartment, with music from outside pulsating through my head. Like usual, hundreds of students are practicing for "sports meet" under my window. About every other minute I'm getting up from the computer to watch what's happening. There are formations of students dancing and marching around to a mix of communist and techno music. Now there is a man shouting instructions through the loudspeaker. Oh, here come the flags and marching students. They are goosestepping (I don't know if there's a different word to describe that). The crowds today seem more electric, like there is a lot of anticipation in the air. Some students have unfurled huge banners with Chinese characters on them, and they stretch all around the perimeter of the campus. Maybe the old campus sports meet will be tomorrow, but of course no one really knows.
Supposedly the new campus sports meet is tomorrow through Friday. Classes are all cancelled, but our team still has to teach because of the classes we missed to go to Zhengzhou. That will fun. I bet my students won't be paying any attention. They are supposed to compete and dance and stuff all day and then run back and forth to class. Hopefully I can get to the sports meet to take some pictures. I don't know if I'll be able to find any of my students, since there are supposed to be at least 25,000 students there.
Okay, I think I've rambled on long enough for today! Thanks for your reading patience. Today is "Single's Day" in China. So merry single's day to all you singles! And happy veterans day to all the veterans reading this in America. (That's you, Grandpa!! I love you!)
Monday, November 10, 2008
Life's humming along
Today has been a pleasant day. This morning I woke up early, not knowing if I'd have to teach. It was another beautiful day, with wonderful sunshine. We thought that maybe they'd hold the sports meet today, because the weather was so nice. But, alas, that did not happen. We went to school.
I had office hours and then I taught one class. I have some of the most amazing students and I love them more every day. They are so sweet and eager, even when I'm not feeling well or enthusiastic.
At lunch time I came home and rested for about an hour. At 2 p.m. I headed over to the dance studio to warm up and practice my dance I'm choreographing. I arrived at the door and knew it was too easy and simple just to be able to walk in and begin dancing. I peered in through the locked doors and saw that there were desks and stools taking up half of the room. I sighed as I thought that this one dance studio in all of Nanchang had been converted into a classroom.
I found Rachael and her student, Vivian, and mentioned how I couldn't get in. Vivian went way out of her way to get some keys for the room. The keys didn't work, of course, so the English department dean and another lady got involved. They told me to "wait" and wandered off. I figured that meant it was hopeless so I hung out in Rachael's office. Then, unexpectedly, the dean came to say that the room was open and I could use it. So for the next hour and a half I danced in the little dirty studio as happy as can be.
Nearly every Chinese person who speaks English wants to chat with me about Obama. Yesterday, at the DVD shop, for example, a young man wanted to talk all about the election. He asked how happy I was about Obama getting elected. I said that I didn't vote because I was in China, but I probably would have voted for McCain. Then I added that I didn't really like either of them. He looked at me blankly. Then I said, "Oh, but Obama might be a change for the country." The guy shook his head enthusiastically and talked about Obama's inspiring personality.
That's what I've noticed about how the Chinese seem to view the election. They do not realize that both of the men stood for different values and viewpoints. All the Chinese can see are their personalities, like it is a popularity contest. It was a contest between an old white, boring man and a young black, charismatic man. So obviously I should have voted for Obama. Oh, it's so interesting.
Today in one of my classes we were talking about exercise and the benefits of exercise. The students offered obvious reasons, like staying fit, losing weight, etc. Then one girl said, "to grow taller." I asked her, "so you think you will grow taller when you exercise every morning?" She shook her head in agreement. I looked at the class and asked, "so you also think that you will grow taller by exercising?" They all said "yes!" in unison and looked at me like I was strange for asking such a question...
I'm so excited about some interactions with a few students lately. On Thursday, I'm going to hang out with a girl who is going to be the first person in my study of the Word. Then for Saturday, I invited another student, the homesick girl, to come to my apartment to watch a movie. Her reaction was priceless and made my heart swell. She thought it was the most wonderful thing on earth that I had invited her to hang out with her. Can you please be thinking of her? Of all the students, she is the one who is truly on my heart the most.
I had office hours and then I taught one class. I have some of the most amazing students and I love them more every day. They are so sweet and eager, even when I'm not feeling well or enthusiastic.
At lunch time I came home and rested for about an hour. At 2 p.m. I headed over to the dance studio to warm up and practice my dance I'm choreographing. I arrived at the door and knew it was too easy and simple just to be able to walk in and begin dancing. I peered in through the locked doors and saw that there were desks and stools taking up half of the room. I sighed as I thought that this one dance studio in all of Nanchang had been converted into a classroom.
I found Rachael and her student, Vivian, and mentioned how I couldn't get in. Vivian went way out of her way to get some keys for the room. The keys didn't work, of course, so the English department dean and another lady got involved. They told me to "wait" and wandered off. I figured that meant it was hopeless so I hung out in Rachael's office. Then, unexpectedly, the dean came to say that the room was open and I could use it. So for the next hour and a half I danced in the little dirty studio as happy as can be.
Nearly every Chinese person who speaks English wants to chat with me about Obama. Yesterday, at the DVD shop, for example, a young man wanted to talk all about the election. He asked how happy I was about Obama getting elected. I said that I didn't vote because I was in China, but I probably would have voted for McCain. Then I added that I didn't really like either of them. He looked at me blankly. Then I said, "Oh, but Obama might be a change for the country." The guy shook his head enthusiastically and talked about Obama's inspiring personality.
That's what I've noticed about how the Chinese seem to view the election. They do not realize that both of the men stood for different values and viewpoints. All the Chinese can see are their personalities, like it is a popularity contest. It was a contest between an old white, boring man and a young black, charismatic man. So obviously I should have voted for Obama. Oh, it's so interesting.
Today in one of my classes we were talking about exercise and the benefits of exercise. The students offered obvious reasons, like staying fit, losing weight, etc. Then one girl said, "to grow taller." I asked her, "so you think you will grow taller when you exercise every morning?" She shook her head in agreement. I looked at the class and asked, "so you also think that you will grow taller by exercising?" They all said "yes!" in unison and looked at me like I was strange for asking such a question...
I'm so excited about some interactions with a few students lately. On Thursday, I'm going to hang out with a girl who is going to be the first person in my study of the Word. Then for Saturday, I invited another student, the homesick girl, to come to my apartment to watch a movie. Her reaction was priceless and made my heart swell. She thought it was the most wonderful thing on earth that I had invited her to hang out with her. Can you please be thinking of her? Of all the students, she is the one who is truly on my heart the most.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood
After a million days of clouds and drizzle, the sun is shining! The whole world seems to be painted in amazing colors and everybody seems so happy to be outside. The basketball courts are humming with activity and the streets are bustling. There is a rainbow of clothing and blankets hanging out to dry out of windows and on bushes and over bridges.
Yesterday I had tutoring and we had HOPE (half day of pr--yer and evaluation). It was like a mini retreat, when we got to spend a long time alone with the Father. It was very helpful and refreshing.
This morning we went downtown for fellowship and then Shannon and I wandered around downtown. It was a great day. We went to the post office to mail letters, which is also a long, but fun outing. We also stopped at a little store and looked at DVDs. Shannon got about 5 DVDs and I got 3. I bought Roman Holiday, Gone with the Wind, and It's a Wonderful Life!!! I'm the most excited about It's a Wonderful Life, since we can watch it around Christmas time. It was just a total of 37 kuai, which is about 5 dollars.
We also walked around Ba Yi square, which was full of people. Little kids were flying kites and families were just hanging out. There were also huge letter blocks in a million different colors celebrating the World Expo, which will be held in Shanghai in 2010.
I don't know what else to say, except that it is nice to be back in Nanchang after spending last weekend in Zhengzhou. I sort of feel like I've come home!
(The pictures are Jodi's. She took them of us in the rain all last week. Everyone used pastel umbrellas, even guys).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)