Outsider Looking In (6)

It is a drizzly late Friday afternoon. I just returned from working all day and was going to go to the gym, but instead I decided to work on my Public Finance and Budgeting assignment. We are calculating lots of various figures from the federal government's annual budgets. Then we have to analyze it. Did you know that NASA always gets the short end of the stick? Every year, their budget gets less and less and less... Poor astronauts.

I have no idea where my whole week went. I have barely been in my apartment except for sleeping. There's just so many things to do! Most of them are fun, but a lot of them aren't. Such as my budgeting homework. But at least it's somewhat interesting, and I'm feeling a bit smarter. :)

Yesterday was a particularly awesome day. I worked, went to classes, worked on a small group project with an Indian and South Korean, encouraged a fellow classmate who is a Kenyan believer, talked with a Chinese classmate who is interested in studying the Word, had a great conversation on the bus with my Thai neighbor, and went to a Bible study with grad students and professors. I was gone from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Whew! But the Father's presence was noticeable, and I was thankful for all the opportunities to talk about Him and love others.

So quite a bit of time is spent in class, although I'm in class a lot less than when I was teaching in the classroom at Blue Sky. That brings me to the uniqueness of the American classroom.

6.) American classes

I'm almost as perplexed at classes in America as many of my fellow international classmates (who happen to be extremely intelligent, and were often sent from the top departments of their respective governments).

First of all, the rooms are quite different from those in China. There are a lot fewer students crammed into each room in America, and the rooms themselves tend to be a lot nicer than in China. No dead rats or whitewashed concrete walls here. And the professors here use PowerPoint projectors and fancy equipment. You can't smell the bathroom in the class, and you can't hear people chanting from other classes.

The class atmosphere and interaction are probably more noticeable here, though. Students in America are expected to participate, question, and share opinions--all rather vigorously and energetically. My Asian classmates were really taken aback by the very informal and casual atmosphere.

Overall, I'm just amazed at how many opinions students have, and how much they like to share them. Americans are confident to the nth degree. Yes, dear fellow classmates, I realize you worked at the White House and had a GRE score of eight million, but sometimes I think you could pipe down a bit... :)

Another strange things is the limitless opportunities to join organizations and interact with people outside the classroom. Most of my students in China would just hang out in their dorms after class or pay badminton. There weren't many chances to be active, because there weren't any organizations. But here, there's a club for every interest. It's a little overwhelming, because I want to do everything! And I also have to study... a lot.

Have a wonderfully blessed weekend!

Outsider Looking In (5)

It is mid-Tuesday morning, the one day where I get a period of longer than 2 hours to be free from classes or work. Yesterday I had the opportunity to labor on Labor Day. All of the students at IU had to go to classes, but all of the university offices were closed. It was strange.

But I didn't mind going to class; I actually look forward to it--even at 8 a.m. and on national holidays. I'm not taking being a student for granted. I just want to learn, learn, and learn! And I'm paying big bucks to be here...

One thing about living in a tiny town with a huge university, is that the traffic and crowds can be almost as crazy as China--not quite, but close. So although I'm living in America, I've still had the chance to stand in many lines, which brings me to my blog topic for today. :)

5.) Lines and Rules

America seems to love rules and order. The swimming pool at our apartment complex has something like 28 rules. The computer labs have about 15 rules. Everything and every place has a rule. And there are countless rules not even written down.

For example, even when there is no traffic, people do not cross the street until that "Walk" sign is illuminated. Yesterday I was walking with a herd of people and friends to class. I looked both ways before I crossed the street at a crosswalk, and made it to the other side. Then I realized I was alone. I looked back across the street, where everyone was still standing, dutifully waiting for that "Walk" sign to light up.

I don't understand all these rules. I also don't understand how lines are very necessary, especially when waiting for the bus. Lately I've been passed up by several too-crowded buses. I want to shove my way on to the bus, Chinese-style, but can't, because everyone is standing in an orderly line. Somehow the Chinese students always manage to get on the bus, but I don't. People think, "they're Chinese," and give them some grace. I look like an white American who ought to know the "rules," so I get no slack. When I try to inch my way up there, I get glares. They don't know that I'm really half-Chinese. :)

Another rule is that you don't invade an American's personal space, which is usually a bubble of about 25 square feet. If you happen to make it on to one of those crowded buses heading to campus, people will freak out if you accidentally bump their arm or hit their huge backpack sticking 8 feet from their back. I like to freak people out.

I'm quite comfortable now with sitting close to people. However, I have to remember that most Americans are not. A couple of times I sat right next to a stranger in a couple of different churches I visited. They automatically shift another seat away from me, while looking nervously at me. Oh, no!! I'm sitting by you! I might even talk to you, heaven forbid!

Hope you had a line-less Labor Day weekend!