Major - blog - catch- up

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Withdrawl!!!
Current mood: awake
Category: currently caffinating... Fashion, Style, Shopping
I MISS RESALE SHOPS/THRIFT STORES!!!!
Last night my mom called me from downstate Michigan where she's been staying with my stepdad in the hospital for over two weeks. My stepdad, Mike, needed some extra clothes for his physical therapy (other than the hospital stuff and the stuff he came down in), so my mom had to go out and buy him some... and the best place? Of course the resale shop...Salvation Army, baby, all the way. So she told me how she was looking forward to going because she'd been getting kind of stir crazy being cooped up in the hospital this whole time and all. And she said she also hadn't been resale shopping in a long time (my mom used to be--and still is when she gets the chance--the Queen of resale shopping, yard sales, etc.--but has declined in recent years because of being busy and not having us kids around, and also trying to kick the "clutter" habit). Anyway... she thinks SHE misses resale shops??!?!?! I'm here in China, and there simply aren't any! For those of you who don't know, when it comes to shopping, there isn't anything I enjoy more than going to Salvation Army or any variety of resale shop to find pimp "new" clothes (new for me... too old or lost their charm for somebody else)... In Monterey, I'd found this kind of up-scale (of course a little higher priced, but it's Monterey folks...) resale shop...they had funky stuff, vintage, all sorts of cool shoes... and I would always go there (not to mention any temptation of the mall was out of the queston because it was way the heck across town and I didn't have a car, or extra time to be hoofin' it or busin' it around to buy stuff I didn't really need in the first place...haha). Anyway, but my guilty pleasure would be to go to that resale shop and the other "normally priced" one (where I found the pimpest black pants, stretch dress khakis, and jeans..oh yeah) that was just a little hike up the road... Fun times, let me tell you... for me there's nothing better than rummage bins, sale racks, and stuff that's already broken in for ya....So... yeah, China needs to explore the idea of resale shops... they're not half bad ya'll.
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Losing a Friend...
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Friends
You were someone who I once thought of as "one of the best people I'd met in my life." I had the utmost respect for you, looked up to you, valued our shared smiles, laughs, our rambling talks. But without seeming reason or purpose, you've ripped your friendship away. Gone are our shared smiles, laughs, and jokes, our casual conversation over the phone sometimes lasting an hour, despite our proximity. They are replaced by icy silent voids upon our meeting, forced smiles, awkward conversation. New too is my sense that you've somehow lost respect for me, look down upon me, and don't take me seriously--that you are far my superior. And am I wrong? Do I sense contempt? And why? What did I do to invoke this change? I am sorry for us both. You were a friend I had hoped to treasure for so long. Now I am filled with sadness, yes, but also an emotion that is rare for me....residual anger and resentment. What did I do to deserve your punishment. If you can tell me, then I'll be fine.
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Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Picture Me Rollin'
Current mood: amused
Category: vinegar is tasty Life
Or perhaps more accurate, picture me fallin'. Yes, picture this scenario. It is five minutes to eight o'clock. My morning's been swell: went for a hardcore 1 hour run on the highway (didn't fall in any man holes), showered (without dropping my soap in the toilet--something possible in a Chinese bathroom), and made tea (and managed to pour the boiling water in the thermos without scalding myself). Okay... good start to the morning, right? Yes, but wait.
Okay, step two: Go down the stairs (5 flights) and out the door and across campus past the little shops under the boys' dormitories--all without a hitch. Stop to buy a bottled water, take a sip--without encountering the "hole in the lip" syndrome or the "down the wrong pipe syndrome." (You're starting to see the variety of small disasters that can occur within only the first hours of my day).
Okay, step 3: Walk across a sketchy section of the side walk (a loose section of cement with iron bars underneath--a section that has always looked sketch but has proved fully stable, not even wobbly, for more than a year). And............wait for it...........totally fall through as the cement section gives way and tips forward, catapulting me forward onto my knees, jettisoning the newly purchased water onto the sidewalk ahead of me, my laptop bag heaves to my side and my little black backpack bonks me on the head. Now my day had gotten off to a proper start.
Despite my total shock and surprise (and also relief that I hadn't fallen 100 feet into an underground Chinese sewer instead of just scraping up my knees and slightly marring my jeans), I returned myself upright within seconds, aided by a very nice (and surprisingly handsome) Chinese guy who I think was just as shocked and surprised by my plummet to the ground as I was. I thanked him and walked onto the bakery to by my favorite little Chinese egg sandwich like nothing had happened.
Who's a playa.
I found two four-leaf clovers on my way back from class just now... classic.... I'm lovin' it.
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Tuesday, September 05, 2006

The Wall Came Down
Current mood: bouncy
If you haven't been to China, then you have no concept of how quickly an entire dormitory-encircling 7-foot brick wall can be built. It takes about 15 minutes. Okay, not really, but in full seriousness, it takes about a day. (Not to mention how quickly an entire seven-story dormitory building can be built. Time needed: two months from start to finish).
Anyway, since the last week of the end of last term, there has been this brick wall dividing the one side of the boys dormitory and the little shops underneath and the new dormitory under construction. I walk by it every day. And I liked the wall. It was nice. I like brick. I enjoy brick.
Yesterday one of my students told me that they were going to take down the wall. I was surprised and told the student that I liked the wall. To draw on a quote from the musical The Fantastics:
Actor 1: "Maybe we should take down the wall?"
Actor 2: "No, you must leave the wall; you must always leave the wall."
Well, the CDU campus didn't head this advice.
Today when I walked to classes at 7:55 a.m., the first thing I noticed (before buying my bottled water and before falling into the cement abyss) was that the wall was completely down. And the construction workers were diligently chipping the dried cement off the bricks. I simply failed to write my first blog today about it because I was so overwhelmed by my near absorbtion into the sewer-underworld of China. But now, I take due not of it here.
And just now I walked back from the Best Mart (I went and bought more dried lemons for my tea and hot water and also vegetables... because I like vegetables, and my friend Matt's discussion of his plans to cook a tasty veggie-rice dinner--with the possible addition of chicken (which I'm not sure at this point was added or not added)--got me stuck on the idea of veggies, so I just had to go get some. And I did. And I just had two sweet red peppers for dinner... great, fabulous. Anyway, on my way back, I noticed that, of course, by this time in the day, the wall deconstruction was complete, and the bricks all had their cement neatly chipped off...looking almost brand new (just a little dusty, but no worse for the wear)...and were being loaded into big dump trucks...
Soon the building debris will be cleared and more cement will probably be laid down to bridge the gap between the two dormitories...perhaps this will be done by tomorrow afternoon.
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Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Other things I'm thankful for
Current mood: optimistic
Category: thankful Life
My beloved family is all safe
Wonderful, loving, and supportive friends (you know who you are )
Having access to food, water, shelter, and the internet
The amazing opportunity to be in China--to be meeting and getting to know the culture and my wonderful students....
Great books & great music
Being alive and able to love life every day
And, of course, all the other little things that make life what is is, both the sour and the sweet........................
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Thankful for the xiao dongxi
Current mood: thankful
Category: contemplative, too. Life
Sometimes it's good to take a moment out of your day to be thankful for the little things (xiao dongxi in Chinese) we take for granted that are really big things. I'm prompted to write this blog because my step dad Mike went down to a hospital in downstate Michigan three weeks ago to have an operation done on an inflamed blood vessel that had wrapped itself around his spinal cord and was causing tingling and slight numbness in his legs. This, the result of he and my mom getting rear-ended in their van this past winter. However, now, after the operation (due to suspected malpractice), my stepdad is now fully paralyzed in his legs. He is confined to a wheel chair and can only roll himself from side to side in his bed with his arms. My mom said he is keeping his spirits high and remaining positive, but he must be devastated.
For me, since I am a runner and like to be active, I cannot imagine if all of a sudden my mobility and means to pursue my passions and to maintain a normal life was whisked away from me one day. It's amazing how much we take our health for granted--I know I sound cheesy, but seriously, tonight I just went running, and I realized how lucky I am to have that gift of health when someone I love has just had it taken away.
I think that I, specifically, have extra to be thankful for. If you don't know, I'm a prize klutz and have had any number of falls or other encounters with injury (i.e. getting thrown off a horse and breaking my tail bone and pelvis in two places, falling through cement sidewalks, falling off the tops of slides, having jagged tree branches go almost through my lower leg, breaking my nose twice, rolling my Jeep Cherokee at 80 miles an hour, flipping a Ford F-150, falling down a flight of icy stairs in Albion, almost drowning at Summer Island, almost killing myself in my China apartment while en-route to answer the phone running from the shower and totally kissing floor--a very bad idea--the list goes on). In any one of these situations I could have easily compromised my mobility seriously, yet I have been fortunate enough to have emerged unscathed. (I knock on wood as I sit here at my desk as I type this, by the way, and I do collect four-leaf clovers, but all superstition aside, I have been lucky).
My point, then, is just that I want to take a moment to not take for granted the things I usually do. I want to say--thank you--for my health and mobility, for having all of my faculties (or at least most of them) functioning. And I send all my best wishes to my step dad that maybe some miraculous recovery will occur. All my love.
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Wednesday, September 13, 2006

PURPLENESS
Current mood: blank
Category: my apt. is dirty...GRR Romance and Relationships
This is a survey my friend Regina sent me........ your relationship attitude determines what color you are...not necessarily vice versa....hehe.....apparently I'm purple...........what color are you?

R E D
Confused

B L U E
taken

L I M E G R E E N
taken and love the person to death
P U R P L E
Single and Loving it

Y E L L O W
Single, not hating it, NOT loving it, if someone comes along we'll see what happens, until then its whatever...

G O L D
You like more than one person

M A G E N T A
Heartbroken

G R E Y
like someone who hates you.

P I N K
robbed a jewlery store told em make me a grill

T U R Q U O I S E
Like someone who is taken

O R A N G E
Like someone but dont know if they like you

S I L V E R
You're thinkin about just giving up..........

B A B Y B L U E
You are still thinking if you like that someone and aren't sure yet
T E A L
You like someone who likes you back but you aren't going out.

B L A C K
You're a secret ninja who plans to take over the world

C L E A R
You're a homo and you don't wanna admit
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Friday, September 22, 2006

On crack ma?
Current mood: busy
I'm so busy recently, that I feel that I'm on crack. Maybe I am. Maybe that's why my student told me that the powder they use to make the zhen zhu nai cha (bubble tea) I love to drink so much is bad for my health. Or perhaps I'm having a reaction to the pounds of little black tapioca balls I must have ingested by now due to my new and growing obsession with that zhen zhu zai cha.

Who knows. In any case, my Mad Hatter semester will give birth, I'm sure, to any variety of cracked-out, spontaneous, and random blogs…this is probably such an example.

So, yeah. I'm super-pumped because one of the may glorious moments in my days last fall and throughout the winter was eating "goo cups." I still have not verified the Chinese name for this snack or the exact ingredients. But I'll describe the process to procuring this "chi dongxi" (literally in Chinese: eat thing) as follows:
Step 1: walk up to the guy or gal on the street with the goo cup cart. Tell them (for me) that I want all the fixins' except crushed peanuts (I like peanut butter but recently not peanuts…I know, I think it's the crack). So then the guy will put some sugar, some dried fruit, some little black tapioca balls (zhen zhu), and the power flavoring you desire (my current favorite is chocolate, a new flavor not available last year!). Then he puts in a white liquid (what I guess to be cornstarch and water).
Step 2: he then takes the plastic cup and lowers it under the mouth of a huge dragon caldron of steaming water and shoots the water into the cup. The goo then is born, frothing up all milky white before he takes a spoon to stir it into appropriate consistency. Then the all mighty goo cup is ready….and it's my favorite thing in the world. I think if Goo Cups were available all around the world, then maybe we could all be celibate—it's a working hypothesis.

Okay, another thing: I now have no trouble whipping out a song when prompted. I've sang "Take Me to Your Heart" now on two occasion at English Corner. (A song I only learned here in China although they all seem to expect it to be popular in the US, too…. SO not the case! Hehe). But it's fun stuff. It was different groups of students at the two English Corners (last night was the one for all the new freshmen), so all listeners were impressed. However, I do have to come up with a new song for next time… I'm thinking Mariah's "Hero," but that may be a bit of a lofty goal. We'll see… I just don't have that many songs memorized—I guess that's a side effect of too much rap listening.

Okay…another thing: I do aerobics every night (well, not every night…yoga two nights a week), but the thing that is disturbing is just how un-coordinated I am. It's really quite disturbing. I mean I have a blast and it's a great workout…but damnation, what happened to this girl who used to be the swan of her ballet class?!?! Talk about degeneration. Shiiiit!

Okay, what else? It's my sister's birthday on October 10th! HAPPY BIRTHDAY very soon to my Little Roo—not only my sister but my little best friend for life J

Hmmmm… what else… student loan deferment forms SUCK balls. Although I think I finally have them finished (the forms that is).

Yeah, and it's getting cold here. Had to order some boots online and have them shipped home and then have the fam' send them here cause I can't buy boots my size in China (if you're a size 9 you're a giant…and I'm so a 9.5 or 10, definitely 10 in boots). Also, today wore my coat to the office, and wearing it now too.

Oh, I also have a husky puppy fetish… recently developed I have to say, but still persistent. And my mom sent me THE cutest Gund husky puppy in the mail… It's SOOO cute. And today on the way back from the gym my counterpart teacher and I saw a whole box of puppies for sale on the street…quite cute, but all destined to become little rat-dogs I think… although like many things, I'm getting accustomed to the little rat-dogs too…. They still deserved to be loved, right? But maybe not German Sheppards…..maybe they just have the shaft in life.

Hmmmm… crack crack crack…. This weekend on Saturday night I'll go have street BBQ (xao kao) with one of my good student friends, Adam… should be fun. Haven't had xao kao for a while…. I love the little mushroom ones… (it's like kebab by the way).

What else? I have my friend back J I'm much happier now…. I had an empty place before.

Just got back from meeting with students at the Photobar and drinking...guess what? Yep, with extra crack this time. Fun discussion....one of my guy students is SO desparate to find a girlfriend. He really cracks me up (no pun intended). He was on total girl patrol through the whole conversation--it was GrEaT.

Okay, that's it for now… do you feel a little A.D.D now that you've finished reading this? Hope so….haha ~~~~~ lalallalalalaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa



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Saturday, September 23, 2006

It's raining, it's pouring
Current mood: calm
Okay, it's not pouring, but it is raining! It's kind of one of those delightfully bad weather days. I went out to get some nourishment this morning and it was lightly misting but had broken into a sprinkle by the time I reached the boys' dormitories. I just "put my hood up" as Lil' John and the Eastside Boyz suggest and kept the sprinkles from my face (not entirely effective). By the time I got to the office to get my papers (needed to pick up a mega-load of papers to bring back and grade) it was kinda actually raining. So I stayed in the office to avoid the rain and my tendency to nap around the lunch hours. I was quite productive. It was a bit chilly and wet, so I turned on the heater (1st heater use of the semester...more to come...just wait, numb feet and hands season is approaching rapidly!). And I listened to the rain and the mummur of voices in the halls from various class meetings going on. It was delightfuly. However by 2 p.m.-ish, my stomach was telling me that a goo cup was in order, so I had to head back out into the steady stream of sprinkles. But hey... I think the rain is great. Especially on the weekend. I think it leads to productivity. What is more enjoyable than grading and lesson planning (and being dsitracted by MySpace) inside your cozy apartment with the rain trickling down outside on a Saturday afternoon?! So.... on that note, I'm back to it.
Oh. P.S. Another thing I love about China: the way guys use umbrellas. Any color is acceptable, and I saw several groups of 3-4 guys trying to all fit under an umbrella while giggling and working their way up the awkard and slippery steps on the bridge that goes over the poo-river to the classroom buildings. It made me smile. If only American guys could use pink and pastel teal umbrellas....
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Thursday, October 05, 2006

Also: Long Underwear
Current mood: sleepy
Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping
Just an announcement:
Today goes down as the first day in 2006 that I've worn my long underwear. Today I wore the grey men's long underwear--the first pair I bought in China. I think that a goal for this fall is to buy women's long underwear. The "pouch" in the front of the men's long John's did little to nothing for me last winter, and I don't think it's grown on me much over the interim. Anyway... today even with the long underwear, there was still a slight chill in my bones. Perhaps I'll work my way up to two pairs of long John's under my jeans... I'll keep you posted. My winter boots are on the way from Meiguo to complete the ensemble.
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Things I love about the PRC
Current mood: optimistic
Category: looking forward Life
These things are things I love about China... They aren't necessarily in any particular order.... the order would probably change from day to day anyway
My students
Fruit and food vendors on the street
Smiles and hellos from strangers, even stares that I can try to turn into smiles by offering mine
Wet Chengdu mornings, days, evenings....my balance improves when I have to add an umbrella to the mix. No really... I love the rain. Even though it can be a bit inconvenient... it makes for great working weather--cozied up in my apartment or in the office sidled up next to the space heater.
My site mate, Paul. He's the best friend a person could ask for. Aside from that he's one of the most inspired, passionate, and intelligent people I've ever met. He's not Chinese, of course, but he's in China, and therefore part of the experience I charish.
Goo cups. Enough said. (Note to Thalia~~~Chinese translation of 'goo cup' will come soon; I promise)
Zhen zhu nai cha (with either addition of actual zhen zhu or another condiments: the rectangular flavor squares or the pudding (chocolate, custard, and 'other' flavors))
Having casual and spontaneous conversation with local people--like the absolutely marvelous conversation I had on the train ride on the way back from Beihai with a family who was apparently sitting with us to avoid the hard seats until their arrival at midnight. I learned a bunch of new words and amazed the folks with my ability to describe complex thoughts using the words "piao" and "dongxi" as many times as possible ("piao" is reciept and "dongxi" is thing). But I think my instincts are good because I learned in a conversation only hours later (also trying to use piao to explain stocks and bonds that stocks is "gu piao"....ha! fancy that!). Anyway, it's really cool when you feel the communication actually happening. And "wa wa" is apparently Guangxihua for geek or nerd.
Learning to become comfortable singing and peforming impromptu for random groups of students (i.e. English corner, class, etc.). Take Me to Your Heart is a guaranteed hit.
Huo Guo (Hot Pot)... more "la jiao" please
Moon cakes... especially the bean paste ones with the egg yolk inside
Learning to let go of my obsession with time and schedules... at least as much as I can... tolerance of ambiguity or the improvement of said tolerance is a beautiful thing
Not minding being "a little bit fat"
Having sleeping and eating being viable hobbies
QQ
Learning to work with my counterpart teachers and department and learning from them--some of the new teachers in my department are so creative, hardworking, and enthusiastic.
Buses... always an adventure--and I usually know if they're 1 or 2 kuai before the Chinese passangers! Imagine that--and I can't even read Hanzi!
Carrefoure... It's like the Meijers (or Denny's) of China (except not open 24-hours...maybe they could work on that). But sometimes you just feel the urge to go and wander--Carrefoure run!
Learning about the implications and effects of 5,000 years of history--it makes quite an impact, and it's almost impossible to remember the history that gets explained to me! Although I'm starting to remember some stories and events.
Learning Sichuanhua (and seeing the joy on students' faces when I say the words correctly).
Notes, gifts, and care from students.
The gym--the basic equipment you need...and the most memorable WCs in all of China. And, of course, aerobics classes that make me feel like the clumsiest girl in Asia.
Internet access almost everywhere--and not dial-up.
KTV--I never thought I'd say it...but every time I've gone I've had an unforgetable time. Nothing like singing badly with friends. And I've got My Heart Will Go On down pat.
I can use chopsticks.... and I can use them well.
The humor of sometimes not being able to get taxi drivers to understand the words "Chengdu Daxue".........but the level of improvement has increased drastically from last year (I now also reference the general area--Shiling town and outside the 3rd Ring Road--if necessary).
Everything is tiled.....I could slide to class if I wanted ...although my shoes actually seem to be pretty well traction-equipped. It's the darn hidden airpockets and collapsing sidewalks that seem to trip me up.
There don't seem to really be any insects other than mosquitoes, fruit flies, and moths... or any vermon or other bothersome creatures to speak of (although also not really many birds).
If I really had to pick my nose in public, it would be okay.
I have so many crazy and wonderful fashions to choose from....and I can always go to the Metersbonwe (and I can say that store name correctly with tones and all, btw).
Just hearing Chinese around me and often understanding it.
Waking up and knowing I'm in another country--living and learning and becoming a better person.
Observing and learning patience
Realizing more and more the importance of family love and support and how doesn't matter how far away you are--because we are together in our hearts.
Learning Chinese songs... (and my students gave me a Chinese tongue twister last night about grapes and spitting out grape peels which I'm going to work on learning, too).
Traveling by train--something I don't get to do in the States... and I get to see so much scenery, and also sleep a lot (which I'm great at!)
Fireworks anywhere, anytime
Learning to appreciate truly heated apartments and buildings
Sharing food dishes
All the memories that are already so precious to me that will be even more precious when I have to leave
Every day that goes by... I only have less than one year left... the days will pass so quickly!
And all the little things that I take for granted and/or can't think of now that I'll miss when I'm gone.



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Friday, October 06, 2006

Pot-Bellied Pig Sighting
Current mood: moody
Category: Automotive
I just went into Shiling town to get some stuff. And I was walking past the "main drag" past the jiaozi shop, the "fly restaurant" and all the numerous hair salons. And I saw a black and white pot-bellied pig running around on the sidewalk. It apparently belongs to one of the hair salon guys because he was chasing after it with a belt. My mom briefly owned a pot-bellied pig when I was in high school that lived first indoors and then out in the back yard and then with someone else because it was given away due to too high a level of testosterone. This Chinese pot-bellied pig is the first one I've seen since the gregarious little fellow in my back yard in East Jordan. This one was smaller though, and black and white...and possibly female.
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Hey Diddle Diddle, the Cat and the Fiddle........
Current mood: contemplative
Category: full moon Dreams and the Supernatural
I think it actually has to do with the full moon.
Last night was the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Fest here in China. And of course the full moon isn't only in China~ But last night it was cloudy, so my crazy-cool Chinese girl penyou-s and I couldn't see the moon (although we saw and devoured a good number of mooncakes!).
But tonight, I took a walk. I journeyed into the Carrefoure earlier in the day to try to get money from the ATM, but "mei you chien". So I came back 2 RMB shorter (due to the bus fair). So, tonight, I was wanting my nightly goo cup and thought I might was well stroll to the Bank of China. It's a nice loop, about 30 minutes round trip. So I got my goo cup and then did the loop through town. It was about 10:30 p.m., so all the street vendors were on their way to closing up, shopkeepers and restaurant owners were doing the same thing. One shopkeeper of a clothing store had pushed all his racks to the back of the stall and had then driven his little QQ car into his store and was getting ready to pull down the grate--now there's a good solution to a lack of a garage.
But I'm digressing from my point. Back to the cat and the fiddle. And the moon festival. Tonight there is a big, beautiful, full moon...with beautiful gray hazy clouds floating over it and mixing into the dark night sky. I was just talk in on the phone to my dad earlier this evening, and we were both remarking on the effects of the full moon. Last night (on opposite sides of the world, but affected by the same moon), my dad and I both had trouble sleeping. Is it the moon or just coincidence? Well, I can tell you this. Not often in Shiling Town do I see a large number of cats. And, not often, when I do see cats are they looking plump or having nice coats of fluffy fur. Well, tonight I think I saw no less than 12 cats--all of more than adequate girth and looking comparatively sleek of coat to the usually mangy cats that are sometimes tied to restaurant tables. I think it has to be the moon.
Walking back tonight I felt so free and happy--just walking by myself down the streets of Shiling, past the emptied garbage, odd shops open later into the night than the ones with their grates already shut down, seeing people playing games of majian, dou di zhu, washing down their scooters/motorcycles. The moon was so beautiful. Last night when I hung out with my friends eating mooncakes, we talked about the differences in the interpretation of the full moon in China versus the US. In China, the roundness of the moon symbolizes the unity of the family, the family reuniting and being one, the roundness and wholeness of everything. But in the US the full moon is an omen of bad things, of evil, and of strange occurances, werewolves and the like. I think I like the Chinese philosophy about the moon better. Tonight, walking back, it was nice to know that I was looking up at the same round full moon that my dad had just described hours earlier to me on the phone. Whether we see the face of the "man in the moon" or the shadows of Cheng Er and her lover I like the idea of the moon as a symbol of family unity and love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
yue liang - moon
yue bing - mooncake
yue guang - moonlight
zhong qiu jie - Mid-Autumn Festival
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Friday, October 13, 2006

I'm not cool but....
Current mood: impressed
I now know what I'd need to learn to be cool:
~~ break dancing ~~
If I could do what I saw some of the bad brothas of Chengdu Univeristy do last night at the freshman welcome party, well.... then maybe hell would freeze over, too... but hey, a girl's allowed to have dreams, right?
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Friday, October 13, 2006

Cider Pressing
Current mood: relieved
This blog entry is more for some of my students than folks back at home who probably know a little more about this.

All throughout my childhood, my dad and mom would hold 'Cider Press Fests' in late September. My family owned a cider press machine, just like the one in the picture above (my dad still has it today). We would invite all of our friends to come over and to bring bushels of apples (also just like the bushel basket of apples above). People would bring all sorts of apples: tart apples, sweet apples, deer apples (cheap apples used for feeding deer during hunting season), wild apples, etc. Then we would mix the apples and then pour them into the trough on top and then start turning the lever on the side. Turning the lever turns the blade inside and the apples get chopped into little pieces and fall into the collecting cylinder below. After we got two full cylinders of apple pieces, we'd put a round circular wooden press inside the first cylinder and then move it under the pole that you see up top. Then we'd start turning the pole and pressing the apple pieces, and then the delicious golden cider would start to flow and get caught in the bucket below! We had a little tin cup that we would hold under the flow to get a sample of the brand-new cider. So delicious! After pressing cider for hours we'd go inside and enjoy lots of delicious foods (pies, cakes, casserols, stuffing, anything that everyone brought) and enjoy it, of course, with a nice glass of cider (or two!).
Well, this past week it was my little sister Chicory's 23rd birthday. For her birthday she wanted to press cider, just as we had when we were younger. The cider press wasn't at my dad's house anymore. He'd moved it to my grandmother's house when he sold our old house and bought a new one. But that didn't matter. My sister and her boyfriend Nick drove up from their city to my dad's house and then they all went to my grandmother's house with lots of apples. Then they all spent the afternoon pressing cider and celebrating my sister's birthday. I've put a picture of my sister pressing cider under my 'profile pictures'...so you can check it out!!!.
Do people ever make homemade cider in China? If so, do they have a cider press kind of like ours?
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Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Interview With a Vampire
Current mood: amused
Category: News and Politics
Yes, it's true. This week in my oral English class we did have interviews with vampires as part of Unit 3 "Interests and Boredom." After going over the basic speech act and looking at some alternate phrase examples (ones that are more informal, some slang, and less "lame" than the book) we started the "Talk Show Activity." For the talk show activity, I made about 35 different lamanated cards with pictures of different celebrities or characters on them. These ranged from Paris Hilton to Dracula. (Also included: God, Superman--in his red underwear, old school style, Catwoman, a mummy, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Celion Dion, etc.). Also included in the mix are talk show hosts like Rosie O'Donnell, Jerry Springer, etc. Then the students had to make up talk shows with the goal of using the new phrases for talking about interest and boredom. I of course went over the importance of saying "I am intersted" or "I am bored" as opposed to the more common "I am boring" or "I am interesting" that I usually hear students say.
So, so far in the week I've done three out of four oral English classes and I've had two crazy-cool memorable awesome fabulous talk shows. The first one was in Class 5-3. The talk show was led by my cool student Drizzt. He led a wity interview session with Dracula, Superman, the Devil, and God. One question posited by Drizzt to his show guests were about love interests. God denied having a lover, but the Devil followed-up God's answer with a prior run-in with God earlier that week in the park when the Devil caught God kissing a woman who he then said was "his wife." God relented and admitted he had a lover. The Devil said he didn't have a wife, and Superman also said he wasn't intersted, although he got taunted a lot for wearing his underwear on the outside. The Devil suggested that Dracula should get a wife and then they could just suck each other's blood. Dracula said he preferred just to be he way he was. It was great. And Drizzt's questioning was SO quick-witted and spontaneous--these guys (Vincent--as Dracula, Webber--as Superman, Stars--as God, Tan--as the Devil) are great.
The second presentation was today in Class 5-2. The talk show host was my very fluent student Loren (also speaks French!). His guests were God, the Devil, Superman, and President George W. Bush. Of course, God was asked about his hobbies/interests. God said, really, he was a bit of a playboy and liked to play with beauties. He said that his angels were really beautiful and he liked to have fun with him. God (played by my cool Monitor, Joyce) corrected the talk show audience saying, "I've heard a lot of people recently listening to that new song 'God is a Girl,'. Well, I'm here to tell you that God good looking and he is a guy." After the interview with the Devil (played by Jane) it turns out that the Devil was just one of God's playboy exploits, banished after God was through with her. Asked why she was so dark and ugly, the Devil replied that living down in the pit of hell she didn't get much sun and that after losing the love from God she didn't care for beauty anymore and made herself ugly. Loren questioned Superman about whether he got speeding tickets. Superman (played by Linda)brushed off any fear of cops, saying he could easily fly away. When asked again as in the last show about his red tight underwear he said that his mother had made them for him and said he thought they were fashionable. As George W. Bush (played by Jenny) took the stage he met open mocking and thinly vailed hostility from the talkshow host, with a welcome of: "So, here comes the President George W. Bush, the man who is starting many wars around the world--the president of the United States who wants to be the president of the world." And questions like: "So, you want to rule the world, is this true?" The president was also asked about his style as a family man and about his goals for working with other countries. The talk show ended with the host's promise for more exciting "secret" guests next time. He was met with exuberant applause.
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Friday, October 20, 2006

Strange Culinary Delight
Current mood: chipper
Category: Food and Restaurants
Yes. I cooked today and yesterday. Tired of the routine lineup of oranges and oranges and oranges, and in one of my odd moods where eating a raw apple sounds "strange," I decided to cut one into eighths and fry it. Yes, fried, or more aptly, singed (as I artfully leave the burner on high and grill the living daylights out of all sides of the slices). I think my smoke alarm is on the fritz because it doesn't go off during these cooking flourishes despite the fact that my apartment fills with smoke. It only takes about 3 minutes total preparation time, and then you can dab the grease off the apple with a tissue, and it tastes like.... um... burned apple...(it's good I promise! maybe could be improved with honey and milk? Sounds like something Pooh Bear might indulge in, right?) but it's currently doing something for me. And it counts as cooking, right?
My goo cup man has moved location and I haven't yet relocated him. It's okay though because my zhen zhu nai cha and goo cup fetish is waning as of late. Maybe there really can be too much of a good thing.

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Monday, November 06, 2006

Musings of a headless chicken
Current mood: thankful
Category: Parties and Nightlife
So, recently, as most people know, MySpace use in the China has been sharply curtailed ~~~ so sad! However, blogging is still available and it is still possible to recieve and respond to messages.
Anyway, so, recently, I have been super-cala-fragalistic-BUSY But this is far from a bad thing. It just means that I'm a bit similar to a chicken running around with its head cut off. But wherever that head is, it is smiling...hehe. This is just a random blog entry to let anyone who happens to read it know that I am still alive...hehe.
My past couple weeks have been full of wondeful events, outings, and the like, including two trips to a nearby park with two different groups of students, two fun and successful Halloween speech presentations, and a cheeseburger cook-off this weekend that went totally fab (of course I cooked but did not indulge in the burgers, just cooked them for others!... hehe).
However, I've had a dip in my near-perfect health so far this year, having acquired a sore throat ~ a gift from my nightly running partners, all of whom have a cold that's being passed around the dorm. But, as I mentioned to my site mate today, I am thankful for just a sore throat, not a cough, flu, leaking nose, or some other ailment....! A little pain lets you know you're alive, right?
So, what else? Tonight the moon was full and absolutely beautiful--yellow. I went to dinner after classes with three of my fellow teachers. There were some coldsores owners in the group so our pre-planned hotpot dinner was put off and we had traditional dishes, but still very tasty. We had lots of good conversation! On the way back we talked about so many different things and also commented on the moon--how it looked like a big egg yolk "dan huang".
Then I came back to my apartment and did some much overdue grading on some totally FABULOUS posters that my students turned in last week. I gave them an assignment to make and advertisement for a product of their choice for the "insisting and urging" unit in the book. Some of the posters were totally pimp! So, this weekend I didn't get time to correct them and write comments, but I got one batch done tonight and hope to get one more batch done before bed.
Then at 9:40 p.m. tonight I went on a run that totally kicked my ass! It was SO hardcore and I felt like puking after. That's how you know you ran hard, right? Anyway, it was a nice night, and it warmed me up a bit, cause it's starting to get just a tad cold. But I haven't turned on my heat yet and am persisting in keeping my windows open. I do think there is some truth to the idea that the fresh cold air keeps one chipper. And I think that going back and forth between the cold crisp humid air outside and stiffled AC heated air inside can be a bit much for the system. So, we'll see how long I can keep the AC at bay. I figure though that my students don't have heat, so I should be able to go for some time without it, right?
Anyway, what else? This weekend Saturday is 11-11-2006, which is "Single Day" in China. So, I'm going on a fun little single party trip to Xing Hua Park this weekend with a group of students--and oral English single person delight trip...haha. Should be fun. It will include a performance of "Snow White" by myself, two of the French students, and some other students...should be fun. I am, of course, Snow White...hahah.
Anyway, what else? The past two days I was kind of inexplicably down, but I think I'm feeling fine now. Sometimes you just dip into the "bad place," you know? But my students always bring me out of it... a little sunshine always brings a smile Anyway, really, even when I'm feeling down, I really know there is SO much to be thankful for in every moment I encounter around me. And every day I know that there is so much I should be doing that I don't even get done. I think every day is another opportunity to fulfill a dream.
Tonight I send out special wishes for:
*my dear student and friend whose mother is sick (please also send your prayers and wishes for her and her family)
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A Open Letter of Thankfulness

I want to write this letter to celebrate the coming of Thanksgiving Day, which gives us a chance to reflect on all the things we are grateful for. But truly, this letter and Thanksgiving Day itself is a chance for me to take a few moments out to reflect on the things that minute by minute, moment by moment that I am thankful for each day.
I remember the other night I called my Dad on the phone. And I relayed to him one exhilarating day that I had had. My day was a Saturday. I’d gotten up early with my new puppy and taken her for a walk, then did some lesson planning on the computer, then went to the Carrefour, then came back and had lunch and taken my noon-time nap, then gotten up and done grading solid until the evening time. Then I went on a 10 p.m. run with one of my sophomore oral English students, Stanley (Gan Fei). This semester I’ve been running nightly with my student Drizzt (Zhu Si Da, who is the one who looks and acts just like Noah). But unfortunately on Saturday afternoon, Drizzt injured his ankle playing basketball, so I went running with Stanley. We usually saw Stanley running when we went running, but he does super-fast laps while Drizzt and I just kept a steady-fast pace. Well, Saturday night I ran full-speed with Stanley. It was all I could do to breath and when I finished my chest was burning and I felt on top of the world (with shaking legs). I came back to my apartment and then took the puppy on a short jaunt. Then coming back to the apartment in the dark, the puppy and I just walked slowly across the grass in front of the apartment buildings. Many couples were nuzzling in the shadows between trees and bushes. So I decided to just laid down in the grass field and embrace the night and my happiness. I just looked up into the starless Chengdu night, enjoyed the warmth and alert and watchful body of the puppy next to me, and thought about what a full day I’d had—all the little things that I am thankful for. Just felt my chest moving up and down with breath and life, and just felt happy and content. I have so many days like this where I just feel jubilant to be alive—so excited just to be a part of this life and being able to enjoy the little opportunities that every moment offers. Of course I have down days, days where I tangibly feel the lonely, stressed, or depressed—but even on these days I know that I am innately happy, lucky, and blessed to be alive and loved by the family and people who love me.
On this Thanksgiving, I know that it is a Thanksgiving even more different than the last couple Thanksgivings when I was not at home (first my Thanksgiving in California in Monterey when I couldn’t get away to come home and then last Thanksgiving, my first in China). But we’ve always experienced Thanksgivings a little different since the reality of divorce—doing separate but equally meaningful celebrations. Now, this year, we are even more scattered with Noah in prison, Chicory worried about Nick, Mom dealing with Mike’s new situation, and Dad dealing with the stresses of finishing a house that seems happy to keep offering up endless challenges and little tasks, and of course me, still here in China. But I think, as we of course know our happiness and love for family, and all the things we truly have to be happy for are not material things that we need to touch or feel to celebrate our gratefulness for life, love, and each other. We can celebrate these same feelings of thanks and joy in our hearts and feel the warmth in our souls, connecting us to each other no matter how far away we are or in what situation we’re in.

I want to just name a few of the things that I am thankful for:
Childhood Memories—the things that made me who I am:
All of my memories of a childhood that as I am growing older and learning more about other people’s childhoods (both Americans and Chinese), that I am realizing just how special our children’s childhood—in the way we raised by Dad and Mom, by the things we did, in the environment we grew up in, in the values that were instilled in us. A couple days ago I was thinking back to memories I had of the house in Eastport—I was thinking of swinging in the swing bundled up, Mom singing “Sleepy in the Swing,” remembering the apple tree that was near the back of the yard, remembering that old green station wagon, the yard fire we had once, Ginger bringing home little baby rabbits in her mouth and us trying to keep them alive, playing in the sprinkler in the yard, swimming in the mud puddles in front of the road, yard sales, Dad’s workshop in the first level of the Eastport house…the way that our kitchen was, the log bed in my bedroom, the lower-level living room, breaking Mom’s favorite glass dish that had the little bird nest in it, sorting through rice to pull out the weevils, the goats in the back yard and our chickens, Christmas caroling with the Eastport people, all these little things. Memories of Toad Lake—of playing mermaids in Toad Lake with seaweed draped around our heads calling it “zandie-fo-fo,” of the countless hours spent in the woods making forts, laying stone paths, being little animals doing the harvest (of me being the “Auntie Shrew,” and Noah being some woodland animal that he insisted had the name “Blade of Grass,”), of playing “Little Best Friends” with Chicory, of playing orphans with Noah and Chicory (“What is this place? A kitchen? A kitchen? How in the world? Why?”…. the most famous lines we said in our game of orphans). Of the long trek down the creek with Noah and Chicory and me that ended up with us swimming across the mill pond with Noah all blue having an asthma attack, of making the bike trails in the forest with Noah, making jumps and raking the leaves. Of catching snakes, and catfish tadpoles, of making art projects, baking cookies, pies, gingerbread houses, of getting our own Christmas trees every Christmas, of sorting nuts and bolts in the cold, going on long hikes, on long ski treks, on feeding our horses, sheep, rabbits, what have you. All of this is what makes us the family we are—the foundation we have hold us together, that makes us who we are and who we will be. These are just a few of the little things I’m thankful for when I think of my childhood.

A Safe Family
I think that it is important to be thankful that our family is all relatively healthy and safe. So many families across the world are torn apart by the tragedies of war, disease, famine, and poverty. Our family—in the past and today and I’m sure in the future—will continue to face numerous challenges and disappointments. But for me every day I wake up and give thanks that everyone in my family is alive and healthy, that I am able to tell them “I love you.” This is something we’re so lucky for.

A Supportive Family of Unconditional Love
Simply said, I don’t think a family like ours exists where there is so much support for each other, no matter the person’s failings, troubles, mistakes, or situation. I am constantly so proud and warmed by the unconditional love, friendship, and loyalty that our family has for each other. This is really something special and unique in US families today. For me—you all—my family, are the most important thing in my life, the people I love the most and will always love the most, and my best friends.

A Bright Future
I think we all have the opportunity to look forward to good things in our lives. Although Noah is in a holding period, he has the chance to turn his life around. I am always thankful to be able to dream about the possibilities for the future—especially living in China, I know how many opportunities we have all been afforded just by being born in the United States. My opportunity to come and serve as a volunteer in China is something that no Chinese students even have the opportunity to do. Dad and Chicory’s travel to China this summer was an opportunity that few Chinese have (to travel outside their country). I think we all should be thankful for the potential we possess and the power and opportunity we each have to make the most that we will of this potential.

Learning, Loving, Living
Onward, Ongoing, Open-hearted
Vigorously, Virtuously,
Empathetically, Enthusiastically, Enlightened


Friday, November 24, 2006

Traffic, Stairs, Knives & Blood, Fires & Food, and Speeches = A Great Thanksgiving
Current mood: tired
Category: but HAPPY Life

So, yesterday was Thanksgiving ~ and what a wonderful, full, and amazing day it was. Between the hours of 6:40 a.m. and 11 p.m. so much happened that it was truly an amazing day, one to be thankful for and about for many reasons. I'll try to capture the spirit of the day below.
Okay, so Wednesday (day before Thanksgiving) was a busy day--classes in the morning, then working on my Thanksgiving Speech Power Point Presentation in the afternoon, and then meetings in the evening (a new English association club called "Big Apple" at 7:30 p.m. and the regular English corner at 8:30 p.m.). I took the puppy to the English corner and she had a wonderful time. She got SO much attention from so many people. And she actually got tired and was like a little baby as I held her in my arms, resting her head on my shoulder and closing her lovely little black eyes. The English corner was a long one--prepared by sophomore class 4 with performances lasting one full hour. Then talking ensued after 9:30. So by 10:30 it was time to finally call it a night. Plus, puppy-puppy had moved from being sleepy and docile to antsy and playful and bitey-bitey, so she was all excited and ready to run all the way home. So, with a few good byes I set back off for my apartment with puppy-puppy and Drizzt (he lives in the dormitory closest to my apartment, so we usually walk back together from English corner). However, felt SO bad walking back with Drizzt. He most recently injured his ankle playing basketball and its huge and swollen...he limped all the way back. I felt like I should be carrying him. HAHA. Anyway, we had a good talk and then said goodnight. On the way back we also saw some of my culture students (the ones I went to Tazishan Park with) having a birthday party out in front of one of the stores, the were just sitting and having a good time. Anyway, then I went home and did a few things on the computer and then it was bedtime--a big day ahead: Thanksgiving!
So, Thursday starts at 6:40 a.m. I wake up and take the puppy-puppy for her morning walk. Usually we set out at 5:55 or 6:00 a.m., but Thursday is my no-class day, so I sleep in a little bit sometimes...haha... what does it say if sleeping in is 6:40, right?!?! Anyway, it was doing a misting rain in the morning (as it has been the last 3 days or so). We did our normal long loop around the campus (takes about half an hour), and then came back. And then it was time to REALLY start the day. At 12, several of my students, L.G., Linda, White, and Future, from sophomore class 4 were coming to cook me Thanksgiving lunch--SO sweet of them. I told them I would also try to cook them my favorite Thanksgiving dish: candied sweet potatoes. But before 12 noon, I had to go to the Carrefour to get many things, because this Saturday I will be having a HUGE Thanksgiving feast with my sophomore class 3 (the class with Drizzt and some of my other students that I'm really close with like Rainy, etc.). SO, I had to start getting some of the food and cooking materials because it will take several trips. So, I worked on finishing my Power Point Presentation for the Thanksgiving Speech (to be held at 7 p.m.) from directly after the walk (no time for a shower!) until 8:30. Then I left for the Carrefour because it opens at 9 a.m.
So... no drama yet... but just wait. Okay, so like the past days it had been raining, so as I was getting ready to cross the street to the Carrefour, it is rainy on the road. I waited with the other people at the cross walk until the little man on the sign turned green and the traffic assistant waved us on. Then the whole group of us started crossing the street (about 60-70 people). Then all of a sudden, a little mini-van (mian bao che) comes racing toward the intersection (how he thought he could get through the crowd of people I'm not sure). But as he plowed into the midst of the people he realized he needed to stop to avoid killing folks and slammed on the breaks. It was then that his van slid totally around sideways, making people jump away to avoid being hit by the sliding vehicle. I was one of those people, being missed by the van by only several feet. I hadn't been paying too much attention as I crossed the street and this van careening toward me totally scared the crap out of me. As I made it safely to the other side of the street, I thanked my lucky stars for coming out of that near accident totally unscathed.
Then I went into the Carrefour and loaded up two baskets with all the things I needed for this day and some of the things for the upcoming Saturday gig: potatoes, sweet potatoes, paper plates, chopsticks, salt, MSG, bread for stuffing, celery, 4 small Cornish hens (2 for the lunch with the girls at 12 and 2 for the full Thanksgiving dinners I was preparing for prizes for the raffle drawing at my speech). and MANY other things... Anyway, I finished up the shopping and had 4 heaving bags of groceries. They were so heavy my arms were shaking under the weight, so I went down the first escalator but didn't want to wait as the next one treaded slowly along, so I took the stairs. But this was also a risk. Because of the rain the stairs were slippery from many wet feet going up and down. Then, being my normal self, I tripped a little, and almost careened head down the stairs. LUCKILY, I was wearing my Nike Shocks running shoes which have super-awesome traction. So I caught myself and saved myself (and my groceries) from tumbling down a huge flight of stairs and probably breaking many bones (including many in my face!). Haha. So, that was near brush with injury/death #2.
Then, I made it home safely on the bus--took a little "fire 3-wheel" cart from the bus stop to my apartment because my arms could make the 1/4 mile walk with those groceries back to the apartment, and the cart ride costs just a few RMB. Then up to my apartment. Then I had to run to the local supermarket to buy a few more things: brown sugar, milk, and some onions (things I couldn't fit into my basket load at the Carrefour). So it was 11 a.m. and I went and got these things quickly. Then came back to the apartment, 11:30, and jumped into the shower... I HAD to take a shower before the girls arrived. So, super quick shower and then to start preparing some food. They had given me a big bag of vegetables they had bought and told me to boil the broccoli before they came. So I set to doing that. Then I wanted to start preparing the sweet potatoes since they had to boil first. So, I started peeling those (with a new peeler I'd bought at Carrefour this day). Then after they were peeled I needed to cut out some of the bad spots. For this I was using a small knife, but I had been cutting the potatoes into section with a new cleaver I'd just bought at Carrefour this morning (a couple weeks ago when Drizzt and some other guys came to my apartment for dinner and helped me cook, one guy Stanley had informed me that my knives were all SO dull and therefore dangerous!, so at Carrefour I had bought a new sharp knife to aid in quick and safe food preparation for the upcoming big Saturday bash). Okay, so I cut a potato in half and then found a bad spot and since I was in a hurry I just tried to use the cleaver to wedge out the bad spot instead of just switching knives again. Well... guess what... a very BAD idea. The cleaver slipped and being SUPER sharp plowed right into the side of my hand between my index finger and my thumb: DEEP. Blood squirted out, and I was overcome by severe nausea and dizziness. I stumbled to the bed gripping my hand as blood poured out all over (blood on my jeans and bed!). I quickly put a small band aid on it and it was soon soaked with blood. So I grabbed a wad of tissue and pressed them on and then wrapped it tightly with packing tape. This all happened just 5 minutes before the girls arrived. Lying on my bed thinking "how serious is this?" as blood soaked the tissue, my doorbell ran. I stumbled over and clicked the bottom door open and then fell back onto my bed. As the girls walked in I called to them from the bed and explained to them the very recent disaster. The were concerned, but I told them I was sure I'd be fine, to start cooking. So they did. A couple times I tried to come into the kitchen and be humorous about the whole situation, but I'd soon be overcome by the nausea and not be able to stand up from the dizziness. So I had to go back to the bed. L.G. became quite concerned and suggested I go to the hospital. But of course I didn't want to go. But at the same time I was also a bit worried, the nausea and dizziness were SO bad. So the girls cooked the potato dish during this time and L.G. helped me call Paul, who called the Wai Ban and the PC doctor. We decided I needed to go to get it checked out. In the interim between calls, there was an oil fire in the kitchen. But White is a good and experienced cook and handled the fire with ease. But it was funny when I was laying in the bed and heard gasps and saw a big shot of light of out the kitchen. So, about a half hour later, the Wai Ban had arranged for a car to drive me into the PC office. Dr. Gao was off for the day because the office was closed for Thanksgiving, but she was going to meet me there. So the driver rang the doorbell and I went down to meet him. I told the girls to stay and finish making their lunch, apologizing profusely for being so silly as to cut myself and ruining our whole Thanksgivng lunch. They were understanding and said goodbye and then kept up the cooking. I later found there was yet another oil flare-up while I was gone. So once in the car (a very posh black car, smelling of leather...reminded me of Grandpa Carl's past cars), I collapsed onto the seat and waited for arrival at the PC office. Once we got there the driver said he would wait for me (a very nice man who compliment my Chinese skills, although I'm sure in my state my Chinese wasn't to stellar). Anyway, I waited just a short time for Dr. Gao who arrived on her bike with her raincoat on (still misting heavily). She checked everything out and put iodine on it and bandaged it up. She also gave me throat drops and cough medicine (Chinese remedy style) for the cold that I've had for 3 weeks now that is just sticking around like a loyal friend! Then the driver drove me back. Still nauseous and shaky, I collapsed again on the seat. When I got back, it was about 3:30 p.m. I tried to lay on the bed but was accosted by an enthusiastic and confused puppy-puppy. She could tell I was in pain and something was wrong, but she didn't know what to do. Meanwhile, I knew how much I still had to prepare for the Thanksgiving speech only hours away. I knew that I had to get to the speech room by 6 p.m. to start setting up and all, so I had just almost 2 hours. And I still had to cook the mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green bean casserole and stuff the pre-cooked Cornish hens I'd bought for the full-Thanksgiving dinner raffle prizes. Ah! And all with one hand! So I started. The nausea and dizziness waned as I worked, and everything came together really well. I ended up making 2 full dinner plates that I loaded onto silver Xiao kayo trays and then wrapped up in saran wrap. Then I loaded 5 Tupperware containers with layers of mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green bean casserole. These were the prizes for the 5 winners of the "Pin the Tail-Feather on the Turkey" game that I would have volunteers play at the speech. So, all got done and I made a last check of the Power Point Presentation and loaded it onto my MP3 player and I was ready to go. I put the first dinner and several of the little food containers in a big box and tied it. Then I put the other dinner on top of the box for easy carrying. The remaining dinner containers went in a bag with some colored leaves garlands I was bringing for decoration. Then I put on makeup and a scarf and headed out for the speech room!
So, when I got there I was so surprised to see many of my students already there decorating. They were using glow-sticks and special paint to paint the classroom walls with a huge "Thanksgiving" sign and were using tinsel garlands to decorate. They had also used chalk to make a huge welcome Thanksgiving sign on the chalk board. So, I started helping with the decorating, drawing a Turkey on the chalkboard for the Pin the Tail-Feathers game and putting up my leaves garland. Then I ran to the office to get markers and paper to make the "tail-feathers" for the game. Then as people filed in, I handed out playing cards. The first 54 arrivals got playing cards which served as the raffle tickets. Then at the end of the speech I shuffled and drew two cards randomly from another deck--the people who had the same two cards were the winners of the FULL thanksgiving dinners. The speech was very fun. I started out with the PPT giving history of Thanksgiving and traditions in the US today, and lots of pictures of food, and about food preparation, etc. Then, just like in the Halloween speech, the projector light overheated. So we took a break and played the tail-feather game. The students wore a blindfold... I had 10 volunteers play and the 5 closest to the target got the small dinner containers. Then the projector settled down and we resumed the speech...and then the raffle drawing. The winners of the dinners were SO excited. Then the speech was done and I shared a few things I was thankful for...and then time to go! We took down the decorations and took some pictures and then set off for home (still misting rain). L.G. walked home with me and we talked about what an adventure the day was. We plan to try to cook again together with her, Linda, White and Future without any incidents with knives. Next week we're going to make jiaozi. So, she and I said goodbye at the door and then I was back... such a long day. I took the puppy-puppy out for a walk--she had been SO good, so patient all day and hadn't gone out for her walk, but she hadn't gone to the bathroom in the house... so we went for our walk and then came back and checked the email, sent a few Thanksgiving e-cards, did Thanksgiving calls home, and then collapsed into bed....what a wonderful crazy Thanksgivng!
Today was a super-early walk with the puppy (I promised her I'd take her on a nice long morning walk to make up for her having such a boring day the day before...). So we were out the door at 5:55 and took a full long jaunt around the campus (we saw one of my students on the way to the library at 6 a.m. getting ready to study for the CET6 exam). Then we came back and played and wrestled on the bed...then I took a one-handed shower...quite difficult! And then got ready for class. My classes went well, and then I went to lunch with two of my students from class 3 (Rainy and Zhou Na). We had my current favorite soup (suan cai fen si tang) and pea-leaves and a meat dish from which I just ate the veggies)... Very tasty. Then we walked back and I took the puppy for a nice long walk (the same loop as well as a loop running around the running track) and then it was time for some MAJOR recovery napping. Tomorrow will be Thanksgiving Round #2. So I got back from the puppy walk at 2 p.m. and slept until 4:30... now just got up and drank some coffee and writing this blog. Now... I have to go because there is a "Big Apple" English association party that I have to be at at 7 p.m. So I MUST go... I'll write more lata.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Taking puppy to the vet....
Current mood: cheerful
Category: HAPPY Pets and Animals
Today is Thursday. Thursday means no "real" classes (just my evening oral English class for non-English department teachers at 7 p.m.). It means the possibility of sleeping in if I want to, it means taking a long afternoon nap, and leisurely walks with the puppy. And today, it meant taking Puppy-Puppy to the vet's office with my two best buds, Prince and Drizzt. I had been wanting to take PP to the vet sooner, but things just kept cropping up--one busy Thursday, then the next Thursday was Thanksgiving, etc. But I knew I needed to "just do it". So, Prince said he would go with me and had done some footwork calling a vet's office that I'd found in the Chengdu city guide. Unlike US vet's offices, you don't have to make an appointment--you just show up. So, of course my Chinese is not in the least stellar enough to go to the vet alone, because I wanted to make sure that I have the vaccines and worm medicine so that PP can come back to the US with me.
Anyway, so Prince and I had planned to go on Thursday because I have no class...we planned for afternoon. And Drizzt said he wanted to come. So we just had to wait for his class to have its break and then he said he'd "escape" and come along. So we met at the little Shiling town gate at 3 p.m. and went in search of an "illegal taxi". But their prices were too high and Prince didn't want to give in to them. So we headed back toward the main gate to look for a legitimate taxi. However that's not so easy since Chengdu Daxue is out past the third-ring-road which means too far out for taxis. So we had to hike about a little more than a mile to the next big intersection where we could find a taxi. The adventure had begun. Drizzt kept making so many funny comments about all the trouble we were going through for this little dog. He always says, "lucky dog!" We at first thought maybe we could catch a "fire-three-wheel" cart to take us to the intersection, but the side road was unusually devoid of the little carts. So we just hoofed it. Then Prince's shoe lace broke and we went through a ridiculous charade of trying to coax his shoe lace back through the hole. First we tried burning it with my lighter, then realized I had scissors in my purse too and tried to use those, but all to no avail. All through this Drizzt was laughing his ass off because of all the adventure we were going through even before we'd gotten a taxi. It really was quite funny. So, Prince gave up and just tied the shoe "ghetto-style" and we trekked on. Finally we reached the Shiling intersection, but the taxis kept passing us by...Grrrr! So we decided to take the No. 8 bus that picks up people anywhere and also allows dogs so we could get to a more taxi prevalent area. After deboarding the No. 8 a taxi n one finally picked us up. It turned out the driver was a dog lover, had like six dogs at home, and ended up giving us lots of tips about raising healthy dogs. Prince said that the advice from the taxi driver was well worth the 10 RMB fare.
Then we arrived at the vet. Upon crossing the street we saw a little black Chihuahua only using three legs, the other all shriveled up and misshapen...it was hopping back and forth in the road, but didn't seem in danger of the traffic (like most all Chinese dogs, traffic is not a problem). Prince got such a kick out of this because when we told his friend Reborn that we were going the vet, Reborn said that when he'd gone he'd seen a dog with three legs running around out front... this must have been the same dog!
Anyway, the vet's office had the plastic flap doors so you could just walk through in the front. And unlike US vet's office, no appointment was necessary and they "processed" us immediately, putting her up on a table, taking her temperature (she didn't like that much because it goes in the bum), then giving the shot for rabies and then giving me a pill to give her for worms. Took about 7 minutes total and then we were done. While this was going on we observed another 3-legged dog hopping about with another leg in a cast--she or he went out through the flap doors and waddled around outside, carefree as ever. Another vet's assistant held a tabby cat. Other than that it looked like a normal vet's office. They had Purina puppy chow for sale, etc., etc. Then I paid (only 60 RMB), and then we hopped in another cab and headed back to school. Round trip, including the long hike and ride on the little No. 8 bus: 1 1/2 hours. Amazing. Efficiency! Anyway, then took puppy home and she was ready for a nap. I'm not sure if she's ridden in a car or buses before, but she was amazingly behaved through the whole trip. I love my Puppy Puppy! More soon (right now my fingers are a bit numb now and it's hard to type--it's winter in China now...but I love it...!)
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Saturday, December 02, 2006

Tofu--permanently off the menu
Current mood: sick
Category: bad dofu! Food and Restaurants
Ah yes, tofu, or "dofu" in Chinese--my arch-enemy. Early last fall in the beginning of my fall semester, I experienced unbelievable painful and persistent food poisoning after eating "chou dofu" or "smell dofu". Chou dofu is moldy dofu that is then kabobbed and deep fried. It smells foul. Last fall I determined that something so foul-smelling must be tried, especially since it's a common treat for the Chinese. Well, the bacteria that this moldy concoction is lush with are not friendly to "lao wei" (foreign) stomachs. The result: I was sick in bed with a painful sensation I've dubbed "stomach swords" for over 5 days. I was literally in the fetal position, overcome with insatiable nausea and headache pain (in addition to the stabbing pains in my stomach for that full week. To my own amusement now, I actually would moan out calling for my mom. Anyway, this was last year.
Now, since then I haven't revisited the "delicacy" of chou dofu. However, I've eaten something called "do hua" before. This is dofu that is boiled in water, and you can pick pieces out with your chopsticks and dip it in spiced oil. Yesterday I went with two of my student friends from sophomore class 4 for lunch (L.G and Marie). We went to have do hua hot pot. But it's not hot pot in the sense of having oil--just in the sense that there is a big metal bowl of boiling liquid centered in the middle of a table under which there is a gas heater. The liquid in this case was just water, and in addition to the do hua there were many vegetables. The waitress brought us the metal bowl of do hua and vegetables and turned on the heater. We sipped warm "do jiang" (soy milk) from metal cups as we waited for the water to boil. We also got a big bowl of rice. After everything came to a rolling boil we started in eating. In addition to the do hua were: tomatoes, sliced lotus root, mushrooms, kelp, a sour vegetable (I don't know the name, but I like it), and some other things. I think there was also blood curd, which I of course left for Marie and L.G. We feasted on the tasty do hua hotpot for a long time, mixing eating with chatting and laughing. Finally, we couldn't eat more and it was also time to go.
It was almost 2 p.m., so L.G. and Marie needed to go back to class. Being a Friday, I was finished with classes for the day and just had my evening 8 p.m. English walking club to look forward to. So the next task on hand was to take Puppy-Puppy on her walk. I also wanted to walk a bit since I felt I'd eaten too much and was already feeling a bit "off" in the stomach. So, I scurried home and got PP ready to go. We went on a long rambling walk, pausing to sit in the grass and let PP scamper around and toss about a little rabbit skull she'd discovered in the grass. She would run headlong full speed and then dash back toward me and ferociously attack my hand, doing serious bite-playing (which can easily move from just slightly hard biting to too-hard biting...then she has to be curbed a bit). After a suitible amount of running around and playing with the rabbit skull, we got up and moved on along our route. On our walks we do a big loop around campus going down to the far basketball courts which are next to the ping-pong tables and then walking past the far canteen and then along the river and back toward the No.9 dormitory. For all of this, PP tags along without her leash (she chews them to shreds anyway!), drifting away from me and then barreling toward me when I give out a shrill call of "Puppy-Puppy come-on come-on!"
By the time we got back, I was feeling worse and decided to lie down. After two hours of fitful napping, I woke up and realized that the do hua was not digesting in a passive manner--it had chosen to put up a fight. I went to the bathroom and vomited, bringing up a surprising amount of the lunch, undigested. I only slightly better but comforted myself in figuring that I had nipped the dofu problem in the bud. Still not feeling totally well, I reasoned the best solution was rest and laid down again until about 4:45 p.m. By this time, PP was in rare form and jumping on my chest, then licking my face, then nipping at my ears, and then pulling the covers back with her teeth: this means it's time for a walk. So, I got up and we went out for our walk. Having emptied my stomach of most of the trouble-causing dofu, I felt a little hungry. I decided to amble through Shiling town and find something that seemed appropriate for a fragile stomach. I also thought I could walk a fair bit down the main street to a shop that I know has puppy harnesses and leashes--I needed a new one because PP is constantly chewing through her leashes (first the string one I made, then the more expensive and high-tech extendable and retractable leash I bought just this week at the Carrefour--naughty puppy). So, I bought a cornbread-ish type muffin and a little box of milk at the bakery and ate that as we walked. Then we finally arrived at the shop with "everything" and I picked out a cute pink leash and harness for PP. We walked back from the shop with the harness on her and it was working wonderfully--and she looked so cute in the pink. On our way back toward the small school gate I snagged an orange flavored "goo cup" to top off my muffin and milk. Then PP and I resumed our full walk around campus and by that time it was 6:30. It seemed silly at this point to go back to the apartment only to re-emerge to go to the walking club at 8 p.m. So instead PP and I went to my office and I read "Wild Swans" while puppy chased her tail, chewed on walnuts, and, I was later to discover, chewed her harness in half. At about 7:50 we left the office (with a jerry-rigged harness and leash), and went to the walking club. On Fridays, the members of the new "Big Apple" English association come to the walking club, so there was a nice crowd. They all like PP and took turns walking her as we did another big hour-long loop around campus. However, by the tail-end of the walk, my stomach was putting up complaints. There were rumbles from below and food would bubble up threatening to spew out. I knew I was on the verge of throwing up again. So the crew walked me most of the way back to my apartment and then we said our goodbyes and I hurried home.
At home, I thought I should just try going to bed and feeling better in the morning. But this didn't work. In bed I had pain all over my body, a crushing headache, and the food wouldn't stop coming up to my throat. After about 20 minutes, I went to the bathroom and vomited again. Again, the dofu reappeared. Foul food material! I growl at thee! After that, I still felt ill, but was able to lay down without the food rushing up my throat. The headache and body ache still persisted, but there was nothing I could do. I cuddled up under the covers and hoped for a miracle by morning.
Unfortunately, today is Saturday, and I've spent all but a few hours in bed. I've eaten probably the equivalent of 3 or 4 pieces of bread (eating the leftover frozen bread cubes from Thanksgiving from the freezer...haha) and some raspberry tea sent from the US by my mom. I took puppy out quickly at about 10:30 a.m. and just laid in the grass while she did her business. Then by a about 4:50 p.m. she couldn't contain her energy any longer and took all my covers away and started on the bitey bitey. So I determined to take her on a real walk. We did our campus loop, but I walked slowly and sat down many times, overcome by weakness and the headache. PP had a good time though and has settled down just slightly since. After coming back I rested a bit more and read my "Wild Swans." However, now... it is about 8:30 p.m., and despite my current state, the reality of all the work I had wanted to get done on my totally free Saturday which as of yet sits untouched is starting to knaw at me. I need to write my form A and B culture tests for my junior culture classes this weekend so there is time to print them. I need to lesson plan for my oral English class, and I need to prepare a lesson for a CET-4 workshop I'm supposed to go and do tomorrow at 3:30 for one of my good students Li Zhen for some computer science majors (my job being to increase their enthusiasm in English by leading some kind of game/activity). And other things! So.... now I am bundled up in coat, hat, scarf, etc. and drinking tea and trying to muster up some strength to write multiple-choice questions about American culture.
However, at the back of my mind is the nagging thought: "Autumn! Eating dofu again!? How foolish... you could save yourself this trouble by just eliminating this obviously pesky food from your diet completely!" Well, hindsight is always 20-20, right? Anyway, I had thought I only need avoid "chou dofu" but obviously all dofu is a potential risk... So hopefully tomorrow will be a more fruitful day.
Beware the dofu!
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Saturday, December 09, 2006

It's the little things ~
Current mood: happy
Category: cold fingers! Life
It's a beautiful crisp (okay....cold!), dark, quiet Saturday morning here in China. I've just come back from a early morning run with two students (members of the "Big Apple English Association") who come to my walking club on Friday nights. And now I'm sitting drinking a cup of coffee and trying to encourage my fingers to thaw themselves a bit. At this point I was able to change out of my running clothes but can't fasten my jeans because me fingers are so numb. I also can't open the top of my vitamins bottle ~ it's quite hilarious.
But despite the numb fingers, I wanted to take a little time to just record a few of the little things that have lit up my past couple days. My past week has been a trying one. For no tangible reason I felt quite out of sorts this week, feeling down, a bit irritable, and a little overwhelmed. I kept waiting for the feeling to just go away! It's frustrating to be in a bad place in your mind when you can clearly see how wonderful the world is...just waiting for you! So I kept telling myself to just calm down. But I think that sometimes moods just have to run their course (it also could have been that special time of the month effect). In anycase, yesterday the morning started off not as planned, waking up quite late and rushing off to class. Arriving in class (with puffy and un-mascara-ed eyes) one of my front-row girl students said, "What is wrong with your eyes?" Without my morning cup of coffee, this remark was a bit strong. My other student said, "You look like you didn't sleep well or maybe have gotten a cold?" I said, "Yes, perhaps I didn't sleep well." However, by the time of this second exchange, just seconds later, it was fine, all a laughing matter, and I quickly joked about how "not good" I must look all without makeup. That class went well ~ showing true the simple remedy of students being able to bring sunshine so easily into my day. Then after oral class I had my review session for one of my culture classes for the exam. That's always humorous because suddenly there are all these people who come to review for the test who have never come to the class. I always make light of this and the students always also get a good laugh.
After my class I had to rush off to the Photobar to retrieve my purse that I foolishly left there the night before. I seem to always be leaving things places ~ silly girl! Anyway, thank heavens, it was still there, 100 RMB and MP3 player still in place (see it's the little things!). Then I had my favorite huasheng zhen zhu nai cha (peanut flavor milk tea with black tapioca balls) and then a little bean paste treat from the bakery and then back to my apartment. Still feeling a bit down (and with a strangely strong and persistant headache, which I attribute to a goo-cup overdose the day before) I decided that a nap was really the best solution. I just needed to get my thoughts together and completely relax. So I took Puppy-Puppy for a nice lunchtime walk (to make up for her meager 5 minute WC break before I rushed to class) and then came back and dove into bed for a while. The rest must have been well needed because when I woke up I felt refreshed and motivated to get some things done. I went to the supermarket and bought tissue (I'd forgotten to do this like the last 6 times I went and as a result have been using the little travel tissue packs everywhere). I was going to buy some vegetables and rice and make a soup at home but I decided that that might be overdoing it, so I just got some peanut brittle and some other unknown Chinese sweet and had that and coffee for dinner (maybe I wasn't in a bad mood, just low on sugar and caffiene...haha!). Anyway, then I set to work entering my culture class grades and attendence records in Microsoft Excel ~ fabulous times when paired with some good Jay Chou on my excellent speakers--really! (you get into a rhythm...hehe). Then by 7:40 p.m. it was time to leave for Walking Club.
This is when my night really became so nice. So many of the students from the "Big Apple" were there and they all greeted Puppy Puppy (PP) so warmly and we waited for everyone to arrive and then set off. We had lots of good conversation and then stopped about 3/4 of the way in our campus-loop to learn "The 12 Days of Christmas." Last week I told them I would bring a Christmas song for them to learn. So I handed out the lyrics and we sang it ~ they were great. Then we also did "Jingle Bells," although the intro bit was difficult for them without a lyrics sheet so I'm going to bring the lyrics for that and some other one next Friday. We agreed that we will make picture posters for the 12 days of Christmas characters and perform it at the Christmas Eve party I'm planning... it should be fun! They're an enthusiastic bunch. Then we finished the walk back singing other songs (Take Me to Your Heart, My Heart Will Go On, I Love You More Than I Can Say, some Beijing opera from one of the guys--Chen Qing, and some other English songs I hadn't heard before coming to China...hehe).
Then we made the last corner and returned to the front of the library. We had some final chatting and Chen Qing asked me about my plans for running; he was very eager to go running with me. So we made plans to go this morning at 6:30 a.m. and some other girls said they would join us. So last night I stayed up late doing work and chatting on QQ and set my alarm for 6:15. So at the buzz of the alarm, PP and I got out of bed and headed to the running track. Chen Qing and one other girl came and we did about 6 or 7 laps around the track and then walked and chatted. PP stayed right with us scampering at our side. It was wonderful ~ a perfect way to start the day. Here in China it just becomes light now at about 7:54 as I'm typing, so running at 6:30 is completely in the dark, and it's so silent ~ China asleep. We talked as we jogged about so many things ~ they asked about my plans for returning to school, about how I'll feel when I land in the US next August, about travel plans during my remaining time in China, about family and food. Neither of the students are from the English department but both of their English is quite good. The girl's English is excellent with excellent pronunciation, and all the boy has a strong accent to his speech, his communication ability is still stellar.
So now I'm back at my apartment and getting ready to launch the day. I'm so happy for the little things that are around us every moment of every day just waiting to lift us up and help us appreciate life.
~~~ A few quotes to start the day ~~~

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

Happiness depends upon ourselves.
Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC)

All I can say about life is, Oh God, enjoy it!
Bob Newhart (1929 - )
Saturday, December 09, 2006

Pour out my mind ~ * ~ moments in a day
Current mood: melancholy
Category: tears & smiles Life
Today was a day filled with so many different things ~ different emotions, sensations, daydreams, hopes, laughter, discussion. Sometimes my mind is just flooding with how much I want to appropriately express the exact feelings I have about an event, or fleeting thought, but when the time comes to come back to my apartment to write things down I'm usually exhausted, or feeling pressure to start on some other task or just a bit lazy, or maybe struggling with numb fingers. But now, tonight, after just coming back from a three-hour tutoring session with one of my best students (helping him with translating, interpreting, and some proof-reading), I feel that I can spend a few minutes relaxing and recounting some of the simple pleasures of my day. I realize more and more tangibly each day how quickly my last days in China are slipping past, and I want so much to hold on to them more and more dearly. I hope that by recording some of my feelings more vividly I will be able to look back on this time with more familiarity in later years. Anyway, that's aside from the point. I just want to expound on some of the pieces of my day. I had been asked by one of my wonderful student friends L.G. from class 4 to go today to "European Street," which is in the south of Chengdu and has a lot of restaurants and shops that cater to foreigners in addition to having a traditional cobblestone road. However, in my last blog I mentioned my kind of sour mood this last week--feeling generally overwhelmed, stressed, and out-of-sorts. In this state, I just didn't feel like I could muster up what it took to go on this outing. Additionally, the previously planned tutoring session that I just got finished with was originally planned for Sunday but then the student needed to switch the time to Saturday evening, so with this change, the trip to "European Street" was not an option because their plan was to leave in the afternoon and then have dinner (huo guo-hot pot) and so on. So it was an inevitable conflict. In any case, at the day's end, I do feel sorry for having declined the trip, just because it was with my dear friend L.G. But she is understanding and graciously accepted my backing out of the outing.
However, outings crop up easily and I actually found myself going on a morning outing instead of an evening outing. Last night I called Drizzt just to say "hi," to see how his basketball game went and to tell him that yes, indeed, my mom, too, can see the resemblance between he and my little brother and can see why I call him my "Chinese little brother." During our conversation on my increasingly fuzzy phone line, I lamented the fact that my phone was so hard to hear on and said that I needed to get a new phone (meaning a replacement for the land line in my apartment). But Drizzt took this to mean I wanted to get a cell phone and therefore invited me to come along with him and Stanley on their shopping expedition today (Stanley needed to get some sneakers). I said I'd like to go, just because I knew it would be an active way to start my day and I also needed to get some basic things (puppy chow for the ever hungry Puppy Puppy and also some batteries, for my equally power-hungry Canon digital camera). So, the plan was on. He would call me in the morning to go for the shopping trip. The early morning hours I relayed in my last blog (jogging, etc.). Then I came home and called my mom, dad, and sister and then did some lesson planning. By about 10 a.m. Drizzt called, saying he'd just woke up and we could leave at 10:30. So we went first to the shopping mall near the Carrefour (I'd never been inside before, but the clothes are actually great and very cheap... I'll go back sometime). But we didn't find shoes there for Stanley (goal for shoes: low price, quality brand).
We then went to the Carrefour (first stopping at the ATM so I could withdraw money--my card actually worked this time...yay!). We went to the Carrefour and I bought a big bag of puppy chow (38 RMB--how dear!) and batteries, and then we also picked out bread pudding (presented in loaves and we asked for 4 large slices), and then the boys got some noodles and some other item and I got some apples. In the checkout we observed an elderly woman yelling savagely at a young man who had correctly pointed out to her that she had far too many items to be standing in the "5 items or less" lane. She was about to hit him it seemed. All the people standing around, including Drizzt, were blushing a bit at her total lack of self-respect for the way she was acting--it was a total loss of face for her, and I think just for the people around her having to witness it. I think for some people some things just make them so easily upset. Just as her dispute diffused a bit, a man in a different aisle tossed some items over me onto the checkout table and then jumped over the rail to get in front of me in the lane. He looked back at me, obviously waiting for me to challenge him, but I really didn't mind. He just had a couple items, and what is the difference really--a few minutes difference in the checkout time. Instead I gave him a smile of acknowledgement and set my things behind his. This way we both go on with our day peacefully, with smiles, not anger. I think it is best.
Then after the checkout, we went down the escalators to find a seat to eat our newly bought lunch. We found some seats and set to eating our bread pudding. Well, sorry to say, bread pudding, a European favorite and long time Dodge-family treat was not a hit with the two young Chinese men I was with today. They mumbled "bu hao chi" (bad food) back and forth to each other in Chinese and laughing Drizzt exclaimed in English how bad it tasted and how it was so strange he couldn't even describe the taste. I suggested, "like a shoe?" and he said "maybe, yes." Stanley managed to finish his thick wedge but Drizzt returned his to a leftover plastic bag and said it could be for Puppy Puppy. I devoured my slice happily, enjoying the nostalgia of homemade bread pudding and enjoying the heaviness and moistness of my slice. Yum! Well, that meant the extra slice was all mine...ha-ha! Anyway, after that we left the Carrefour and debated what to do. After some discussing (Drizzt saying that I must be bored since I wasn't shopping for a cell phone after all and was just looking, but me insisting that it was fine because I had wanted to come knowing that I wasn't shopping for a cell phone at all, just for the trip and good company and to get out of the apartment and take a bit of time away from CDU). So Drizzt suggested we go to the main shopping road, Chun Xi Lu. I hadn't been there since this summer when I took Chicory there to have a look at a major Chinese shopping Mecca. So we went, taking a much shorter bus route than I have before--much more efficient!
At Chun Xi Lu we went to several Nike and Addidas shops as well as malls with booths for other popular brands including several top Chinese brands. Stanley found a couple things he liked but they were either not the right size or he didn't feel they would be warm enough in the winter weather of his more northern province (near Beijing). We had a fun time looking around (for me it is just fun to look at the new fashions and shoes, and it reminded me of shopping with my little brother Noah for shoes!). Finally, after circling round a couple times, we decided to come back again, and left empty handed (except for dog food, discarded bread pudding and some apples and batteries) but happy and boarded the 58 bus toward CDU. On the way back we chatted about various things and Stanley nodded off to sleep. We were all pretty tired at this point.
I was anxiously waiting to get back to take the good little Puppy Puppy out. She was in the apartment from 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., so I knew she would want to go out so badly. But when I got back she wasn't frantic at all and had had no accidents nor tore anything apart. I took her for a long walk around the campus and noticed the continued dredging of the campus lakes and the many men in long jump suits digging through the newly uncovered mud and sludge for lotus roots, which they were pulling up from the black goo and cleaning off and putting into big piles. How I wished I had my camera. So puppy and I just came back to the apartment and I felt a little exhausted and thought it was time for a nap. But instead I wanted to do things. I got online and answered some emails and then QQ-ed Paul to see if he wanted to go for a walk and take pictures of the lotus root collection and lake dredging in general (quite a scene). He readily agreed so we set off with cameras and puppy in tow. I brought my other things because I figured I would go straight to my meeting with my student for tutoring at 7 p.m. So we went and got some great pictures of the root collection, and also we caught some great shots of some women siphoning fish (covered in black ooze) that had been suctioned up from the lake and were being transported who-knows-where in a huge rubber bucket. We joked that these were going to be the fish served in the campus canteen the next day--how awful. Really I felt bad for the fish, covered in so much slime. The lime reminded me of the evil ooze from the movie "Fern Gully"...ha-ha. Anyway, after our walk we stopped and chatted and had drinks at the Photobar (I got my usual huasheng zhen zhu nai cha) and talked until I had to go meet my student in the office. Then I set off with puppy to the office.
At the office I worked with my student on short recitations of passages. I would read a passage and then he would try his best to recite it or retell it. After a couple tries, I suggested that he read one to me and I have a try so I could experience the challenge and be able to offer my real-experience suggestions. It is amazing how challenging it is to retell the details of a passage! Amazing really. Anyway, we did this back and forth and had some hilarious exchanges. One in particular was the last one I chose for him. He asked for a fairly simple one, so I chose one about a dog that on first glance looked pretty simple. However, on starting to read it I soon saw that the description of the events was quite complex (and overly so). It involved a dog named Rex who liked to sit in front of his master's garden gate. But then he would bark to be let in. And this greatly annoyed the neighbors. So the dog's master taught him how to open the gate with his paw on the lever. But then these caused more problems because the dog would open the gate with his paw on the lever and then go into the garden but then get shut in and want to come out. So then he would bark to be let out. Again this was a bad habit that the owner wanted to solve. So the owner decided to remove the gate altogether. But this annoyed the dog so much that he hasn't been seen since. This was the basic passage, although if you can imagine the writer of the passage managed to add about 70 or so more words in the explaining of the dog getting in and out of the gates and over, in, out, etc., etc.,...it was quite pedantic. And as my student attempted to recite/retell it accurately with all the unnecessary "in and out and over" details, we both just burst into laughter. Him being the diligent student that he is re-composed himself and tried to go on. But I couldn't contain myself, and found it hard to keep from laughing. I tried taking deep breaths but it was truly uncontrollable and it just flowed. We both broke into laughter and found the whole thing so hilarious. It was a truly unforgettable moment. I think that there are some times when laughter is just so pure and especially when it is shared with someone that is truly heart warming, just makes you feel perfect. This was like that. And I find that although I'm happy all of the time and often have a short laugh, I haven't had one of these uncontrollable laughs that just comes from the inside of my soul and heart for so long, that my body just ate it up, craving the happiness that a good laugh sends through your body and just made it continue. I think laughter really is the best medicine... really!
Anyway, we finished up with some translation exercises and some proof-reading and then walked the long way back to the dorms through campus just talking about his future plans, English learning, and whatnot. Partway we were joined by another one of my sophomore students from class 3 and we continued our talk. My student that I tutored had been talking about some things he had learned from observing how I always write things down (I do it just because I'm such a crack head that otherwise I'll forget something!), so I expressed the little things that I just learn through the days teaching. I offered the idea that I'm finding more and more that teaching English is a special thing, because unlike just teaching math or science, I think that when teaching a foreign language you have to really also be in touch with people, with their feelings, emotions and psychology. I explained it this way to them. I said, when I came to China, I didn't know any Chinese. Starting to speak Chinese was a scary thing for me--when you speak and learn a new language you have to take on a somewhat different identity. In Chinese I am Du Qiulan, not Autumn, and when I speak Chinese it feels different, it takes a different kind of confidence, thinking in a different way. And starting to learn and speaking in a new language can take the most astute and well spoken person and reduce them to a childlike state. Working through this, developing your new language identity, gaining confidence, and growing in your new language--this is a process that involves emotions, psychology, even the physical. It is not just like understanding long division or mitosis. It is personal in every way. My student related it back to the event he shared with me at the beginning of our tutor session (he had told me about the results of his 6-hour multi-intelligence quotient test that he'd taken for a company and had talked about his different scores on the IQ, EQ, AQ, and FQ). He said that my comments about the importance of being in touch with the emotional and psychological part of the student showed the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in our daily lives and our careers. He had previously noted how the company manager had praised his nearly perfect EQ score because of how important it is in the workplace. My point is, that more and more, I'm finding that one of the things that I love most about teaching English is the personal connection you can make with the students as you bridge cultures and make connections as you work through language differences and help them achieve their goals. Me being also a learner of Chinese, I can share their experience, their sometime lack of confidence in speaking, etc. I think that one of the most important thing in life we can do is connect with other human beings, to reach understandings, and make meaning...and by teaching English with an emotional awareness and sensitivity I think I can help accomplish these life goals as well as improve my teaching.
Anyway, these are the little things I saw, felt, and did today… other things passing through me: seeing adorable children bundled to the hilt against the bitter Chengdu cold, rosy-cheeked and daydreaming about soon wanting my own baby, too. I hope to have one (or maybe adopt one) when I come back to China to teach (the emotions related to being so excited to start a family but also the little pangs of loneliness at planning to do it alone, but at my heart knowing it's okay, good, what I want—I can find my love in the people and world around me, not in a man). Emotions: the simple pleasure of shopping for nothing in particular with good friends, a twinge of sadness as I realize that I will soon be leaving two of the truest friends I've ever had (Prince and Drizzt)…I got a lump in my throat walking across one of the streets to one of our buses today. Being in admiration of my tutor student's dedication to his studies and his love of learning. My love for puppy and how she loves me unconditionally. Twinges of sadness about my unconfidences about myself….excitement for the upcoming Christmas season—it's time to make some Christmas cards and some presents and planning the English Department Christmas party I'm hosting. Enjoying as always my discussions with my site mate who despite how totally opposite we are in so many ways I find that we're also very the same. A wonderful guy, really. Thinking of my little brother—I love you Noah. I wish I could give you a hug or talk to you in person. Imagining my sister actually getting married ~ amazing. Thinking about growing old. Enjoying the cold—really, the numbness in my fingers part of being alive. And right now having the biggest lump in my throat, about to cry as I'm sitting her writing this, listening to my Jay Chou, and feeling so happy and lucky in life ~ free, alive and able to sit here recount my joys, dreams, hopes……… life is a gift we all share… LOVE with all your heart.
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December 16, 2006
This is a response that I wrote to a blog posted by Sue, a student of Scott and Emily Milliman in Wanzhou, Chongqing. She read my blogs and invited me to subscribe to her blogs. One of her blogs was about going running for the first time one morning with Emily. This was my response:
Hi Sue ~ I think it is SO great that you go running with Emily. I also run with many of my students. It is a wonderful feeling of companionship and shared motivation! I am a long-time runner and for me running helps me in the same ways that you've expressed in your blog: it releases my tension (suddenly all my thoughts just swim freely through my mind), and it allows my mind to solve problems (I think the subconscious goes to work when we relax). For studying, I think running is great. I often go running in the evening time about 9:30 p.m. and then come back to my apartment ready and invigorated to do more work late into the night. But truly, I think that nothing can compare to morning runs. This summer, to escape the intense Chengdu heat, I abandoned my traditional evening runs, and started getting up at 5:30 to go on long 1 hour runs. I loved the peaceful quiet, the solitude, the feeling that I was experiencing something special while other people were still in bed. I think that running in the morning is like conquering a small battle before you even start your day. Even more special are the fleeting moments you share when you come across other kindred spirits who've also woken at the break of dawn to capture the morning glory. This summer I ran every morning along the stretch of highway outside my school gates toward Luodai. Every morning on my way back I would pass by an elderly man who was just starting his invigorating morning run. After a couple weeks of passing each other in the early morning hours, we started to give each other a friendly nod of recognition as we passed each other--a silent affirmation of our mutual love for the fresh morning air, exercise, and solitude. Similarly, this semester I just adopted a stray puppy. On most mornings I wake up early to take her for a morning jog. On these occasions I often pass by an old gentleman who wears a distinguishing cap. He must be a dog lover, because whenever he sees me and my puppy he breaks into a smile and watches us with admiration. It is these little moments that are special. And running is part of what makes them possible. I think that running can also be a connection between people. I have students who aren't in my department who I meet at my evening English Walking Club who find out that I'm a runner. Last week one of the boys asked if we could run on Saturday morning. Another girl said she'd like to come a long. So the next morning we all met at the deserted playground (just like you do) and ran many laps together, my little puppy running along at our side. I think it is a wonderful thing to share. I wish you all the best in persevering in running. I think some days it is hard to keep it up--maybe you're tired or it's cold outside. But I think running is something that will never let you down. Run with the wind and open your wings and soar

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Update: Excerpts of an update letter to my brother
Current mood: cheerful
Category: NEW YEAR!!! Life
Due to the recent earthquake in Taiwan, I've had no access to internet other than random incoming gmail messages and QQ. However, recently I've been spontaneously allowed access to some sites. This is the first occassion on which I've been able to log-in to MySpace. Therefore my blog entries are sorely lagging. I've just finished writing a 9 page letter to my little brother (which I'll have to send through snail mail) that details all the recent updates, so I'm just going to put that here as my "update blog" with a few things edited out for privacy's sake
Excerpts from letter follow:

I guess the first thing in order is to say HAPPY 2007! Can you believe it?! A new year! ...........I hadn't written in the days preceding and following Christmas because I was busier than I ever have been in my life. But then after Christmas when I would have sent out letters, an earthquake struck in Taiwan, damaging the internet cable that transmits emails between China and the US, making it impossible for me to send emails (and therefore letters to you) home! Grrr! Anyway, I'm going to write this letter and then send it snail mail… because the Taiwan internet pipeline may not be fixed for at least 3 weeks, so my letter will get to you even by snail mail way before then. So I'm writing it now. And a lot has happened since the last time I wrote you, so I'll fill you in.
Peace Corps Manager Visit and Awards Banquet:
The last thing I remember most clearly that I hadn't told you about was the 21st of December. That was a Thursday and two major things were going to happen. The first was my Peace Corps program manager coming to meet me for an interview at 1 p.m. Prior to the appointment with me she was to have meetings with the school Wai Ban and also the English department Dean and other officials. In the morning I went to the Carrefour to do a little pre-Christmas shopping, returning a little before 1 p.m. Then she arrived and we had a productive discussion. We talked about the changes in my teaching and me through the past year and a half as well as my goals for the last semester that I'm here. Some of my goals are the following: 1) primarily to continue to reflect upon and improve my teaching; 2) to collaborate with my counterpart and other teachers in the department in both teaching and classroom observations; 3) to create a portfolio of lesson plans and other materials to leave as a sustainable resource for both the Chinese English teachers and future Peace Corps Volunteers; 4) to continue my current extracurricular activities/clubs and start new ones (such as a movie night and follow-up discussion period); and 5) to continue to improve my Chinese.
Then at 3:20 that same afternoon after the meeting with the Program Manager I had to go meet the director of the Wai Ban and another Wai Ban official to go to the Excellent Teachers of Sichuan Province Ceremony that I'd mentioned to you before. I was nominated for an award so this was the event. So I was driven downtown to the extravaganza (a ceremony and then fancy buffet dinner). It was really great—met some other teachers from across Sichuan. There were mostly non-Peace Corps teachers but also about 4 other Peace Corps teachers besides me, which was cool. There were a lot of speeches from the Sichuan Education Bureau and then some "interesting" performances, and then we got to access the buffet and have conversation. I got a dandy award certificate and got my picture taken with some of the officials.
Prep for Xmas Eve Party (hospital visit included) & Xmas Eve Party:
Then the next day was Friday: classes and then time for some shopping in preparation for the upcoming Christmas holiday, and also preparation for the Sunday night English Department Christmas Eve party that I was hosting—there was SO much to be done and SO little time! Anyway, Saturday turned out to be the major shopping day, going to the Carrefour and Chun Xi Lu. At the Carrefour, however, I got sick, and by the time I got home I knew I was in rough shape. However, I still had to find people for the Christmas play for the party ("The Grinch", a version written by myself…hehe) and then rehearse it. So, of course Drizzt agreed to be the Grinch and his then almost-girlfriend (now official girlfriend) was the Who-Ville dad and then I found two other students to be the little Who-Ville girl and Who-Ville mother. I was the narrator. We agreed to meet in front of the library to rehearse it for the first time on Saturday night at 8:30. We went through it one time, and then I was overcome by headache and nausea and almost passed out on the library lawn. We had to call it quits for the night and decided to meet the next day for lunch. We met for lunch but I was still sick in a really bad way. I had gone to buy snacks for the party that morning and almost not been able to walk to the market and back. So after the lunch, Drizzt took a look at me and said in his very frank way, "You look really bad. We should take you to the hospital." I protested a lot, but eventually, he and the other girls hauled me and puppy off to the Shiling town hospital.
A local Chinese hospital is like nothing you've ever seen before. Everything is open to the air like the other buildings and I was able to take puppy in to the doctor's room. They just sat me down and asked a few questions and then prescribed a bunch of Chinese medicine. We went to the medicine checkout desk (also outside), and the pharmacist wrote up the prescriptions, then we went to the checkout (also outside) and paid and then went back to get the medicine (like 6 different ones). Then the students took me back to the apartment and divided up the medicines and the doses for me. There were so many different pills, brown ones that looked herbal, yellow ones that looked like M&Ms, two kinds of normal looking white pills, and then an herbal smelling and tasting liquid one. I had to take 6 of the yellow M&M pills 3 times a day, 3 of the brown ones 3 times a day and then the white ones 1 a day 2 times a day and the liquid the same. It was quite a routine, but kind of fun, and most importantly… I was miraculously cured so quickly. I was still quite out of it for the Xmas eve party, but much better than I was in the afternoon.
For the party I had two students who had done so much to help arrange things (Betty and Michael). We had arranged for performances by many of the freshman students and also some games. So the party included an introduction by me, then the Grinch play, and then a series of performances, then a limbo game, and then more performances and then we wrapped it up. It was going to include more things but there was an outside film showing simultaneously (showing a new-release popular Chinese film) that was attracting students to leave, so we didn't want to create competition. Many students stayed after to help clean up. Perhaps the highlight of the evening for me was when one of my best student friends Prince sang a very romantic Chinese-English Xmas song. It was amazing because I didn't even know he could sing (he's always goofing off and when he does sing he sings badly on purpose), but he was amazing, and took on a totally different character during his song. Throughout the rest of the party, he had been doing this great silent comedian type thing where he would go onstage between the performances with a white facial protection mask over his face and sweeping the stage and then exiting (he did all this so seriously). And then when it was time for his performance he came out with the normal sweeping routine and then cast the broom and mask aside and sang. It was great. I almost cried. My student Michael also sang several Jay Chou (my favorite Chinese singer) songs and was GREAT! It was wonderful. And many of my Chinese teacher counterparts also came to the party to support me. After the party I went and had a late dinner with Drizzt, the almost-girlfriend (Yo Yo), Prince, Betty, and several others, and Puppy (who had also come to the party… she had gotten quite scared near the end because of all the noise, and especially the glow-sticks people had). We had a nice dinner and then I had to head back (still so sick and lots to do in preparation for Christmas, the next day).
Christmas Day Arrives!
After arriving home from the Xmas Eve party, I worked briefly on some Xmas cards for my students, but then realized that I needed to head to bed to salvage any health I still had at the moment. So, Xmas day arrived early because I had SO much to do to prepare for my classes (I was preparing individual Xmas cards for all of my sophomore oral English students, 140 in all, so for Monday I needed 70 done). So I got up at 5:30 a.m., took puppy for her run, and then got to work. I also had to pack all the presents for students I had presents for as well as presents and cards for the department. I ended up with a huge rice bag full of presents (rice bags are huge)…I walked to the department office truly feeling like Santa, lugging this HUGE bag. I was mostly looking forward to the last class period of the day when I have my lovely Class 3 (Drizzt's class). For this class I had had mom send me a whole bunch of Jelly Belly Jelly Beans because I'd had them try some of the licorice that mom had sent me from the Busy Bridge but it was in the Jelly Belly bags. Overall, the class didn't much like the licorice, but they were highly interested in the Jelly Bellies and the combination of flavors suggested on the bags. So I brought the special assortment box that mom sent as well as several extra bags to their class in addition to the Xmas cards. They LOVED it. We all stood around combining flavors and having a great time. I also gave Drizzt, Webber, Stanley, Rainy, and a couple other students their special presents. The most special one, of course, was for Drizzt. I had ordered him the Ice Wind Dale trilogy book from Amazon.com and had also gotten him a special NBA t-shirt that he had totally loved when we went shopping at Chun Xi Lu but hadn't bought because it was winter. He loved it. Class 3 had given me their class gift on Christmas Eve: a CELL PHONE!!! Can you believe it? A Motorola! I will buy the card for it tomorrow and start using it. Drizzt bought me a beautiful ETAM sweater… so beautiful and wrote me a beautiful letter (saved it) that he signed "your Chinese brother." I really hope you can meet him someday.
</SPAN>THEN at in w:st="on"Chengdusnack called "san da pao" which is glutinous ricein a brown sugar sauce… heavenly! Then after the dinner we went for a walkaround the campus with puppy, and then I went back to my apartment and then Paulcame over and we exchanged our Xmas gifts and talked. And then it was late andtime to go to bed and get ready for my Tuesday class (and get up early and dotheir cards!).
Continuing the Week:
The week kind of felt like extended Xmas, because I got to give my Xmas cards and gifts to students in every class until Friday. Then it was weekend time! And New Years! New Year's Eve isn't a big thing here. Paul and I went to Pete's Tex-Mex Restaurant for New Year's Eve Day to do work (Paul wanted to get out of his dark apartment—he has a burnt out light bulb but hasn't changed it, therefore darkness). I wrote my formal exam for my other culture class, and we talked a lot, too. Then we came back and dropped off our laptops in our apartments, picked up the puppy, and then went and had drinks (him beer and me milk tea) at the Photobar and then the Waiting Bar, talking and playing with puppy. It was a fun New Year's Eve.
New Year's Day:
So, my New Year's Day got a lazy start. I slept in way late, but then got up and was productive, cleaning up the apartment (cleaning up the two decks of chewed up cards that puppy had created while I was downtown all day the day before…but although she chews things, she NEVER goes to the bathroom inside no matter how long she's cooped up). Then I did some grading work and organizing of student files (still LOTS more of that to do though), I took puppy for several walks/jogs in the rainy drizzle, and then in the evening, Drizzt called and said he and Yo Yo were stopping by to visit. So they came by and we watched "Love Actually"… a wonderful movie about love and Christmas… very good, has Hugh Grant and some other great people that are in romantic comedies of this kind. It was wonderful. We laughed so hard, and it was perfect to watch close to Xmas and New Years and for the new lovers. Puppy also joined us up on the couch. Then I've just been writing this letter and took a bath (in the kitchen heating water and pouring it in a basin because my bathroom shower water is freezing!). Some chat with Paul on QQ but he seems to be in a VERY pissy mood, so not too much productive chat. I think I may have to go get him some sunflowers from the flower shop tomorrow and a Snickers bar to try to cheer him up…but it'll only work if he will answer his door…haha. So we'll see how that goes. So, that is all the logistical updates….There are lots of other little emotional/philosophical/bla bla bla things I could add to the letter. We'll see if I have time to add them in the morning, but I hope to send this out ASAP so that you can actually get it. So, right now it's 1:31 a.m., and I need to get in bed if I'm going to start on one of my New Year's resolutions, one of which is to continue getting up routinely to take puppy on morning runs. So… I'll add a few more things onto the letter in the morning. So long for the moment!
Morning Additions:
1. Food poisoning: I forgot to mention that on Friday the 29th I got food poisoning from some ghetto kabob hot pot. I went with the five girls of dormitory 8, room 409 (same ones I had moon festival last year with), and the shoddy food gestated from 12:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. and then I ran to the bathroom and vomited it ALL up… I didn't even turn on the light; I didn't want to see it or prolong the agony. The next day was a day of eating ALL rice and drinking only green tea. The following day (New Year's Eve Day) I still only ate rice at Pete's (ordered the Oriental Vegetable Fried Rice for lunch and then for "dinner" ordered a side of Spanish Rice)…and then later that evening for New Year's Eve I ordered out at the Photobar to get rice and some dong gua (winter melon). It was a rice kind of day ~ taking it easy on the stomach.
2. Embracing the cold: As you might remember me telling you last year during the winter, it gets very cold here—just above freezing, like 34-38 degrees—but there's no heating and it's always damp. So last winter I was utterly miserable, freezing ALL the time, numb appendages, and even burned myself with my hot water bottle and had to go to the hospital (I would just sit with it on my lap as I type at the computer, relishing how hot it felt on my lap…it felt that way because it was also burning me). Anyway, many Chinese people live without any heat at all during the winter; many keep windows open for fresh air. This includes our students in their dormitories who have no heat or hot water and come to class with swollen fingers, frostbite, etc. So, this winter I decided to "embrace the cold." I haven't turned my heat on at all and will persevere in continuing to do so. I have found that although I too have developed swollen fingers and a little frostbite on both of my index fingers, I really don't feel the cold the way I did last year at all and feel so healthy too. I leave all my windows open, even my bedroom window, and sleep snuggly and warmly under the blankets that last year seemed like next to nothing. It really is amazing. I think it helps to just adjust to the temperature and have it constant all the time. Also, in an extra twist, my hot water kind of disappeared in the bathroom, leaving only luke-warm water coming out of the tap and showerhead that by the time it hits my head or body feels absolutely cold. So, to wash my hair I brave this cold water, washing my hair with the shower snake in the sink. But for showers—or now more like sponge baths or small tub baths are more like it—I boil water in the kitchen and pour it into a large washing basin and use a towel to have a bath there. I also have learned to wash my hair and take showers less frequently, keeping me both warmer and conserving energy and water. I decided to do this "embrace the cold" thing because I wanted to be in connection to how the students are living, but also because I figured it would also just be a better way to adapt to the winter and the lifestyle that most Chinese in Shiling town are living in. It suits me well. I now LOVE the cold.
3. To stay or not to stay, that is the question: This morning (it's 5:41 a.m. now as I continue in my typing), I woke up after a restless night of fitful sleeping mixed with deep thought, thinking again of extending my Peace Corps service for a year. About a month ago I told dad about the fact that I had been mulling over the idea of extending, but we talked about it and reasoned that it was best for me to return to finish my MA in Monterey. However, this morning I woke up seriously thinking again about extending. I will hash over the argument with you here. I very much would like you to chip in your thoughtful opinion on this matter when you get a chance to write back. Okay, firstly I will map out the reasons that I want to stay. Then I will list the advantages and disadvantages. Then I will re-assess, and then move on to other topics. Okay, so my reasons for wanting to stay… I have never felt so passionately about something I've been involved in. Nor have I felt like I had the connection to the people or the ability to make the difference as I do here. Next, I have built meaningful relationships with students that I would like to see on through another year, being able to teach them for one more year before going home. Additionally, if I stayed another year I would request to teach some different classes such as writing and perhaps newspaper reading that I think could enhance my experience as well as enrich those of the students. Also, I think that I could continue meaningful exchange with my counterpart teachers and perhaps help to design a new curriculum for the English department or even contribute to the writing of textbooks. Mostly, I feel that you can never return to the exact place you're in. No matter if I went back to Monterey and finished my MA and then returned here to teach, I wouldn't be in the same context, the relationships with the students would be different, I would be different, and I wouldn't be a volunteer. So, I think you get the general idea of the reasons making me want to extend. So, now to be logical and systematic, I will list the advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages:
i. Possibility to maintain/sustain, and nurture current relationships with students:
1. MOST IMPORTANTLY: get to teach and be with my sophomore students who I will have now taught for 2 years;
2. get to teach the freshman students that I have made connections to through extracurricular activities/clubs but who I have not taught
3. able to help current junior students who would be seniors next year in writing theses;
ii. Possibility to improve my teaching experience by teaching different courses
iii. Possibility to improve and expand the exchange and collaboration with Chinese counterpart teachers
iv. Possibility to continue (more vigorously and intensely) my Chinese language study, taking courses at the university and diligently maintaining a language tutor.
v. Possibility to more actively volunteer in the surrounding community to influence younger students (primary and middle school students) and other community members
vi. Possibility to work with Peace Corps Office to create some sustainable programs for volunteer transition (there are currently no procedures or seminars for teaching volunteers or their universities on how to best prepare students, staff, and community for welcoming and hosting a new volunteer).
1. Current problems with transition include: students and university staff comparing new volunteers to old volunteers, talking about the old volunteers in front of the new volunteers, having pre-conceived expectations, carrying over generalizations about Americans based on prior volunteers characteristics, attitude, personality, interests, etc., and no sustainable transfer of materials or teaching experience between the leaving volunteer and the volunteer entering the university.
b. Disadvantages:
i. Inability to go back to Monterey to finish MA in a timely
ii. Manner
iii. More time away from my studies
iv. More time away from family
v. Adding at least two more years (one in China and one in Monterey upon later
return) before I can start thinking about starting a family
vi. Getting older (as in reason above, I would be graduating from Monterey at almost 28 instead of almost 27 as I would if I returned this summer)
vii. More isolation with the probability of not having a site mate
viii. Possibility of not making wanted progress, feeling stagnated, or frustrated
Okay, so there you have it… let me know what you think J because your opinion is meaningful and important to me.
4. .............
5. Finally, my New Year's Resolutions:
a. To be more patient, giving, and open to learning and loving
b. To work diligently toward my immediate and future goals
c. To maintain a healthy diet, especially eating more vegetables and fruits and less sugar and plain starchy foods; try to do no raw sugars
d. To exercise daily with Puppy and work toward my fitness and weigh maintenance goals in a healthy way
e. To continue to develop myself emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually
f. To write daily, at least something, about my day, my life, my feelings


So... if you read all of this you're an amazing blog-reading person! Congratulations... hehe

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