Tofu skin

(These are my rambunctious Business English kiddos--all 50 of them!)


Happy Thursday, faithful blog readers!

There hasn't been too much happening lately. We are just teaching, loving, eating, and sometimes sleeping. The weather has been pretty warm--about 80 or 85--but I'm not complaining, because at least my toes and hands aren't frozen anymore.

My students have been presenting about Chinese culture this whole week. It's been a good project for them, I think. They get to work with a partner and practice speaking English in front of the class, while trying to be creative. All of these aspects are challenging for them.

There have been some great topics--the Great Wall, Beijing Olympics, ancient writing, traditional paper-cutting, etc. Several of my students also sang songs. Even a really painfully shy boy in one of my classes sang a high-pitched rendition of "One night in Beijing." It seems like that is a mandatory song for every Chinese person to know. Toward the end of his singing, the whole class joined in.

My favorite presentation was probably about tofu, though. This group brought several soggy samples of tofu that were dripping all over my papers on the podium. They also brought "stinky tofu," which indeed smells awful, and all the students wanted to eat it.

However, the crowning moment came at the end of their presentation. They posed a peculiar question to the class: "Can you guess who has skin like tofu, tender and white? Miss Laura, of course."

Wow, I didn't see that coming--just like most things in China. Tender tofu skin? Words can't even explain... :)

In other news, yesterday Jonathan and I went to the new campus back gate to eat lunch with my student, John. He is fascinated with the Son and wants to read the word. So he will be studying the word with Jonathan! Please keep that in your thoughts!

Well, this is my last blog for a few days probably. My team and I are taking the slow train north to a city in Anhui Province, Wuhu. (Pronounced "Woo-hoo"). We will be there from Friday to Monday.

Thanks as always for your thoughts and love and encouragement. Have a great weekend!

Live from Blue Sky

Today was another beautiful day. It actually didn't rain, and the humidity was quite bearable. I taught a couple classes, and then came home at lunch-time, like every Tuesday.

I decided to take bus 231 and ride to Wal-mart, which is always a mini-adventure. When I got off the bus, there was a China Post, which is my bank here. It's actually difficult to find a China Post that will give you your money from your account, but this one did, so I took the chance.

It wasn't crowded at all. The lady withdrew money from my account and held onto it while I signed the receipt. I always just sign my English name, but this woman wasn't satisfied. In Chinese, she insisted that I sign my Chinese name in Chinese. I told her I didn't have a Chinese name. She insisted I did, and pointed to two characters on the printed receipt, which roughly sounds like, "Lao La."

The woman was slightly exasperated and wasn't going to give me my money. She called the bank guard over, who explained the same thing to me in Chinese. So, squinting at the incredibly tiny and smudged print, I tried my best to imitate the characters of my newly discovered Chinese name. I also tried my best to write the character strokes in the proper order. If they wanted me to write in Chinese, I wanted it to be quality. The guard was satisfied and assured me, "good, good." I, Lao La, was finally permitted to carry my kuai out of China Post. I had passed the test.

Then at Wal-mart I stopped to examine the unique specials on display. My favorite was a special on mosquito netting for your bed. It's that time of year again, folks! Are you tired of your old mosquito netting? Now for a limited time only, you can buy a beautiful set designed to look like hand-made lace! And it comes in a variety of colors--bright yellow, purple, and red, of course, to match any decor!

After examining the high-quality mosquito netting, I found a little piece of frozen chicken. I put it in a bag, and took it to the three ladies manning the scale. (Every job has about three people). I glanced at the scale to see how much it cost, and was slightly surprised because it was more expensive than usual. Another lady said to the other lady, "Oh, the foreigner doesn't understand." Then she looked at me and said, "Do you understand what we're saying?" I don't think she expected an answer. But I replied in my best Chinese, "Yes, I understand what you're saying." They all looked surprised, but I didn't wait around for them to ask me any other questions. I wanted to leave them under the illusion that I had amazing Chinese and was entirely fluent. :)

Anyway, I am indeed understanding more Chinese these days, and can communicate slightly better. I've been studying and practicing a lot more, which helps, of course!

In other news, a girl at the Blue Sky radio station has been asking my teammates and me to be on the Blue Sky radio station, which is blasted across the campus on loudspeakers to the 40,000 students. Jonathan took one for the team, and agreed to be on the station. Unfortunately I wasn't there to hear it, but I heard it was amazing and watched a video Jodi filmed. We listened to the part where students can call in and ask him questions. Only one student called, and it was one of his students "Jessica." Here is the conversation broadcast over the campus:

"Hello, Mr. Jonathan! This is your student, Jessica. Do you remember me?"

"Yes, Jessica. Hello."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jonathan, but I did not go to your class today. I'm very sorry."

"That's okay, Jessica, no big deal."

"I wish you happy everyday!"

"Thank you."

"I'll miss you!"

"I'll miss you, too."

The End.

And now I leave you with a little video Jodi took on the city bus. These are the roads at their emptiest and calmest. Enjoy the ride and the sights.

Summertime

(With my Class 2. I particularly like the poster on the back wall with the communist party flag and rainbow. The two boys in front despise school, but now they sit very attentively in the front row of my class everyday!)
(Crazy picture, I suppose).


Well, summer's here, folks! We have been told that Nanchang has only two seasons: summer and winter. Winter has suddenly turned into summer overnight, it seems. It has been raining a lot, so now it is just hot and muggy. Everything is damp and smells like a shower. Even my watch has water under the glass.

I took a shower this morning, and I left for school with my hair nice and dry and puffy. Ten hours later, it is a limp little sponge. Oh, Nanchang!

This weekend was very blessed, since it was my first Easter in China. On Sunday we went to fellowship, and then ate lunch at a "fancy" Chinese restaurant all together. It ended up being 24 kuai per person, which is twice as much as most restaurants. It cost a whole $3.50.

Today was a good day. My students are giving presentations on Chinese culture. Many of the topics include Chinese clothes, traditional music, national dances, etc. One group did a Chinese version of "Oprah," which was clever. Another group sang Peking Opera at the top of their lungs. It was really intense. Another group discussed dumplings, or "jiaozi." Here is their recipe to make dumplings:

1.) Mix the flour and the water.
2.) Make into some round and thin shapes.
3.) Prepare some meat and make into mince.
4.) Put the meat in the middle of the shapes.
5.) Put the dumplings into the boiling water.
6.) Just wait, you'll eat the delicious food.

Doesn't that make your mouth water, dear readers?

Anyway, I also went to lunch at one of the cafeterias with two of my students I spend a lot of time with. We ate rice in little bamboo logs and greasy carrots and potatoes, which I managed to dump on my shirt. We also had good conversations. For example, they were very concerned about my "love life," which doesn't exist. Why, they inquired, do I not have a boyfriend? I am already 22 and don't have a guy. They are worried about this, and want to try to find me a suitable Chinese boyfriend. They think he must be "traditional," "wealthy," and at least "1.9 meters tall." I have no clue how tall 1.9 meters is, but it must be tall, because they suggested I should look in northern China for such a guy.

So I tried explaining that I'm not really very old, I can't date anybody right now, I probably couldn't marry a Chinese guy for millions of reasons, and I like to be independent. They were even more confused about this, and continue to insist that they will find me somebody.

Then one of the girls asked me to go with her to her hometown for May holiday soon. I said "yes" before I found out she has a brother my age, and that her parents own a restaurant specializing in German Shepherd meat. That will be an adventure!

Now I just got back from outside. I played catch with a football with some of my teammates and random Chinese people. Then I ran a mile. Now I'm coated in sweat. Time to take a shower, write some lessons, and forage for food. Have a great Monday!