Presently pondering

(With my students today. One picture of many of my students)

(Recognize him? If you don't know him, he's Mao. He looks down at us during every class).

Since I haven't written for a few days, some events have piled up on me. But I'll try to be brief and as to-the-point with these musings as possible, although it's never very possible.

On Saturday we had another gathering time with fellow Chinese sisters. There were about 24 of us, which was really encouraging and amazing! We sipped tea, shared stories, and lifted up thoughts for each other. We also sang songs to him in both English and Chinese. About 10 of the Chinese girls at one point clustered around to sing a song to him. One girl pulled out a very thin and well-worn piece of paper, which had the words lovingly scribbled on it. They all sang from that solitary piece of paper.

Saturday night we also went to a gigantic dance party at another university for two people in our fellowship who are getting married. It looked like a 1980s high school prom. We danced with hundreds of Chinese students for about 3 hours straight. It was so crazy, and such great exercise.

In other news, school has quickly and suddenly come to a close. I have been giving final exams this week, and I really only have to go to school for one more day. I'm not sure what I'll do with myself for another month. I guess I'll just hang out with friends and students who are still around.

For the final I asked them interesting questions, such as "what was the scariest experience of your life?" I heard numerous stories of parents dying, siblings dying, having no food to eat, floods washing away their villages, witnessing people get decapitated in traffic accidents, getting bitten by snakes while working in the rice paddies, and even getting kidnapped! What crazy, sometimes very tragic lives these dear students have had!

Then after giving them their finals, I asked my students to ponder these two questions: "What is the most important thing you have learned in this class?" and "How have you changed as a person this year?" Here is an excerpt of their sentimental, wonderful answers that made me laugh and almost cry. It is satisfying to know, that despite many struggles, I can look back on everything and know that it was "job well done."

"I had become more ripe. Last year when I come home they say 'You just like a real man now.'" (From the shyest boy in all my classes. When he took a picture with me, I was surprised to know that he's taller than I am! He was always so hunched over, that I thought he was only about five feet tall).

"Sometimes I was shy and nervous when I answered your questions, but I looked you directly in you eyes. Suddenly I become brave. Thank you for doing your best to teach us."
"In other classes, I dare not speak loudly because I'm afraid of losing face and being blamed by teachers for my poor pronunciation. However, in this class I can speak as much as I like, nobody laugh at me, including the teacher. What's more, Miss Laura often encourage us to speak. So I think this class is very good."

"The most important thing that I learned is we should share our views, respect each other if a people express his own opinions, and keep quiet to listen."

"...Miss Laura is very beautiful and friendly. She regard us as her friends."
"May I'm not stand out in the class, but I like your class and respect you so much. So I'll say 'thank you!' to you!"

"...Sometime I wish everyday can listen Miss Laura's lessons. I already like Oral English very much."

"Each class Miss Laura taught us do exercise. I very liked because in my life no teacher had taught us do exercise in their class. So I am very thankful Laura teacher." (I'm not exactly sure what she's talking about, but I think the "exercise" is when I made the students stand up and stretch every class after the ten minute break, because they all looked extremely tired.)

"I think I become more confident and braver. Once I was a shy boy and daren't speak in public. Now, I found I can speak in the front of small group of people. Although my face will turn read, but I believe I'll become more and more confident."

"In the class, I am relaxed. I can speak out my opinion. Everybody can do it. The most important is, you never said what we said was right or wrong, but just encourage us to show our opinions."

"Before I went to here, I felt very sad, I stayed at home all day long, I dare not went out because 3 of my friends can learning in famous university but I can't. When I went here I felt very happy. I have learned my America English teacher. She is very good."

Well, my dear baby students, you made this year the most interesting and rewarding of my short life thus far.