Thursday's thoughts

Oh, what a day! I'm bursting with things to say. Last night I did end up running again. It was pitch black outside when I started running around the track. There were other people walking or talking in the dark, too, and nobody noticed me. It was great. Then about 5 minutes later, one by one, huge floodlights came on from the buildings, exposing all the people on the track and field. It reminded me of prison guard lights flicking on in old World War 2 movies. All of a sudden couples got up from the bushes where they were doing who knows what. All of a sudden you could see that there were dozens of people on the track. All of a sudden everyone could see me. I just continued running in the now blinding light. When I run here, I have to look down at the ground or over people's heads. Otherwise, I get too self-conscious. There is nothing more interesting it seems than seeing a foreigner running...

Too bad I won't be around for sports weekend in a couple of weeks! I'm pretty sure they would enter me in the races. That would actually be fun, I think. I guess usually the universities enter foreigners into really random things that they have no experience in, like shotput. Maybe I'll be around for it next year.

This morning was a good morning. It was rather uneventful, but I had my best class. They are wonderful kids. Plus their English is pretty decent. I got some quizzes copied at the school. Each quiz was front and back. So the copy shop put them on gigantic pieces of paper, so both sides were actually on the front. My quizzes look like big maps on grey paper.

At around 10:30 a.m. I was in the office with Jodi and a Japanese teacher. A man came in with a ladder, plaster, and some tools. I guess somebody decided that the huge cracks in our office walls should be repaired. So the guy started hacking away at the cracks, sending chunks of plaster onto Jodi and her desk. Then he got on his wooden ladder, which already had some rungs broken off. He stood at the top of the ladder and stuck his legs around both sides of the ladder. (See picture!) It was like he had ladder stilts for legs. Then he hopped back and forth on the floor this way. It was amazing and Jodi managed to get a video of it. There's never a dull moment!

For lunch Jodi and I went to the always busy and exciting teacher's cafeteria. I had some rice and little potato slices. Then we saw the FAO assistant and she told me to come to the FAO office because she had a bunch of fairly recent China Daily newspapers for me to read. (See picture) I was so excited to read a newspaper in English, because I have missed that from America. I asked her how she knew I loved newspapers. She just answered, "because I know everything about you." Somehow I think that's probably true.

The early afternoon passed by slowly. It was also very hot again and there was no air circulation, so I felt so tired. My afternoon class students were very lethargic.

At 4:30 we went to English corner on new campus, like every Thursday. The crowd I was with this time was a little more interesting than in the last couple of weeks. We moved beyond the "How do you like China?" and "What is your favorite food?" questions. They asked tough questions. The best one went like this:

"After the Sichuan earthquakes, they found a pig who had survived without food for 36 days. Everyone thought this was so amazing. He also represented the national spirit. They sent the pig as a present to a museum. Now the pig receives a lavish lifestyle and a very comfortable living. What do you think about this? Do you think the money should be spent on the people who were affected by the earthquake instead?"

Hmmmm.... I tried to skirt around the question. Even this pig issue could be murky territory. I said that I also thought it was amazing that the pig lived for so long without food. What a brave pig! Then I said, well, yes, perhaps money should also be spent on those people affected by the earthquake. They need help, I'm sure.

Everyone seemed to think this was a fine answer, and I was glad. I didn't offend or upset anybody.

Next we talked about modern Chinese history. The conversation came to two very famous Chinese leaders, whom I won't name. They asked me point-blank which one I thought was the better leader. I knew that both of those leaders were very respected and revered, so I said I really couldn't be the judge of that. I said that they weren't my leaders, so I probably couldn't answer.

Then we were whisked away to old campus. All the military students were training once again. They are dedicated-- especially the kid in a neck brace I saw marching around the field in his uniform.

Okay, folks, I'll end here. That's plenty for now. I hope you made it to the end of this entry. Thanks again for your thoughts!! I'd be nowhere without your thoughts and His help.