Advertisement
Published: June 29th 2013
Look what my student drew
It looks just like the photo!And here it is, my final China blog entry. I thought it would be most fitting for it to be the final China edition of "It's the Little Things that Make Me Smile." I initially started this series as a way to share cute little stories that were too short to warrant their own, full entries. Over the past five years, though, it's become a favorite to write and compile. Everyday, people do sweet little things for us that are often overlooked or quickly forgotten. Writing this has allowed me to take time and smell the roses, shall we say, of my day to day experiences. And writing them down means I won't soon forget them or the kindness of the people or the joy they brought into my life.
Here it is, the final smiles from China: I mentioned to one of the speech team captains that I wanted to finish on time on Tues (unusual for us) because I have a cold. He immediately told me to call him if I need any help and he'll go buy me some medicine.
Me to speech team captain: Why didn't you answer my call?
From the text book
My students are supposed to talk about what they see in the photo. Without fail, someone always says this man has an octopus on his head. Class is starting in 2 minutes. Where are we meeting tonight?Student: Sorry about that. I was on my bike. I went to buy you herbal medicine tea for your cold.Me: Oh. Student: Be careful, it's still hot.Me: Thank you. How much do I owe you?<br style="color: font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size:
The process
They're building additional bleachers for the upcoming anniversary celebration.
But.... 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" />Student: Don't worry about it. It's my pleasure.
I have the best students.
I was at the market picking out dragon eye fruit. Each one is small, a bit smaller than a cherry. Since payment is calculated by weight, I was picking them off of the twigs they were attached to. A store cleaner came over to me, put down his broom, and started to help me dig through the huge pile. He quickly found some really good pieces and put them in my bag. We chatted a bit, though I had difficulty understanding his dialect and accent. When my bag was heavy, I thanked him, and he went back to sweeping.
In class this week we're talking about what ideas artifacts communicate.Me: What do her flip flops tell you? What do you think when you see them?Student: She's lazy.Me: Okay, what do my [slightly beat
When finished?
Who are those people on the track? No one here looks like that. up] shoes tell you?Students: You're poor.
Part of the lesson on artifacts includes telling your partner about something you're currently wearing. Why did you choose it, what does it say about you, etc.Me: So, Tom, what did you tell your partner about?Tom: Uhhh, my underwear.Me: Okaaaay. What did you tell him? Leo: He likes Superman.
This afternoon, three boys came in 20 min late. When I asked where they'd been, they replied, "It's Gao's birthday!" Gao grinned and waved.As I
Mangoes for sale!
Gives a new meaning to street-side vendor. walked by, I commented, "Yes, you smell like birthday, too." The girls next to them moved their desks away because I guess they didn't like the smell of whiskey.
It's been raining all day but had finally stopped. I was walking home with a student after speech team and some rain blew off of the trees."Oh my goodness!" he exclaimed, popping open his umbrella. He then put it over my head, not his.
My students are writing plays. Each group writes a play for a different group to act out. I went around to monitor and ask questions.Me: Hey guys, use their names. Don't call them 'A, B, C, and D'Student, grinning: 'E, F, G'?
Tonight the speech team gave presentations with visual aids and pretend statistics. One pair decided to
talk about computer use by age. The 45-60 year olds only made up 5% of total users because, "They are too old to understand how to use the computer. It is difficult for them. But a few, very fashionable people can use one."I noted that there was no category for people over 60. "My father is 67. Where is he on this chart? Are all ppl over 60 dead?""No, no, no, but people over 60 can't use a computer.""Actually he uses a computer as much as I do.""Haha, then he is very fashionable."
Today my students had to write love stories about their best friends. One girl wrote about how her friend met a boy at a
Usually the busiest pedestrian mall
This is usually wall-to-wall people. Strange to see it like this. party and by the end of the night he was, "slobbering all over her."Not quite what she meant--since she wanted to explain he was professing his love--but I give her bonus points for the uncommon phrase use.
My students had to tell stories about their best friend falling in love. One student's best friend was named Dinosaur. And Dinosaur fell in love with a girl who is, "just like you, Kris."
Culturally, it seems that showing up at the last possible moment (or late) is a Chinese characteristic. Tonight, I discovered an exception to the rule:A free showing by a British theater company of Taming of the Shrew. The auditorium was packed 30 minutes prior to the start of the show.<br style="color: font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"
/>And you've never heard an audience get SO excited about two people giving each other a little smooch. Goodness.
My students are talking about love and marriage this week. I asked them to think of a married couple and talk with their friend about how the people in the couple have similar and different characteristics and personalities.
Me: Max, how are the people similar?
Max: uhhhh...
Me: Max?
Max: They both like TV.
My students were required to write a personal story using past tense. Here are some favorites:
My student decided to write a story about the first time he heard an English song that wasn't Xmas music. Apparently the only song he knew until then was "Jingle Bells," which he hates. (That's another good story.) Sufficed to say, I've been singing "Jingle Bells" ever since.
A student took basketball for her PE class, but she's afraid of the ball. For her exam, she closed her eyes, threw the ball, and ran
Going down another floor
Underground malls in China are endless. away shrieking.
A student had a math exam but also had a stomachache. He put his hand on his stomach, but the teacher thought it looked like cheating and didn't believe the student when he explained. Then the student vomited all over and the teacher believed him. The moral of the story: Never do confusing hand gestures during an exam.
This morning my student told a story about her pet Toto. Toto didn't like the pool. Toto left. Toto went back to nature. All I could think was "Kansas?" I was quite confused. Why would a dog leave?Turns out she was talking about a turtle.Ahhh, those pesky final consonants.
A student told a story about him and his friends when they were 10. Then went out to play. It was a sunny day and they kept wandering and having fun. After 5 hours, it was dark and they were lost. One started to cry. Finally, they found a police station and the police were kind enough to give them a ride home.The moral of the story is you can stay out late and get lost and ask the police to bring you home.
My student told us a story about going to the movies with his friend, Fat Boy. First they tried to get discounts because of their age, but being born in 1990 meant Fat Boy was too old. My student was also hungry, but the theater didn't allow outside food. Like many places, this doesn't stop people in China. He went out and bought a breaded pork chop and had Fat Boy smuggle it in under his clothes. Then he ate it and
they all enjoyed Iron Man 3.
While I'm sure it was really a steamed roll with pork inside of it (a traditional Chinese food), the mental image of a greasy pork chop under the t-shirt of a guy named Fat Boy makes me laugh even harder.
First, I saw a cobra. Some workers had captured it and put it in a water jug. (Whew!) And then they thought it would be fun to tap on the jug and watch the cobra get angry expand its hood. Good job, guys.
One afternoon, my friend and I took a walk around campus. Close to our apartments, some students were flying kites, obviously for the first time. One of them ran right past me and the fishing line string wrapped itself around me. This was just after my friend joked we might get decapitated.
I have been fortunate enough to develop friendships with some of my students, especially those on the speech team. One of my favorite students had to quit the team due to scheduling conflicts but we've kept in touch. When I told the team captains of my plans to leave,
his roommate and I agreed I should tell this student face-to-face since he's quite sensitive. I worried about telling him, not sure how he would take the news.
A few weeks later, the sensitive boy, his roommate (the captain), and I went out for dinner. (The captain was invited along by the sensitive boy because he feels more comfortable when there's a few more people.) As we were eating, he asked me if I had any new, big life plans. I panicked and looked at the captain who gave me a look indicating he was as surprised as I was, and no, he hadn't told him. The conversation continued through dinner. I kept looking for a way to tell him. Finally, I asked if he had any summer plans. "Two months off is such a long time!" he said. I agreed, but told him he was lucky because I wouldn't be getting any time off. "I'm moving at the end of June. I'm going to Bangkok, Thailand."
He was quiet. He looked at me. Slowly, he looked at his roommate. Then again, he slowly looked at me. Then he turned to his roommate again and whispered in Cantonese,
"Is she serious?"
After a quick translation we all laughed really hard.
"Don't ask me! Ask her!" the captain said.
"Oh, yeah. Right," he replied and turned to me. "Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Are you excited about it?"
"Yes, I really am."
"Well, then I'm happy for you... When I visit, can I stay with you?"
That went well, I think.
This week, we're talking about friendship. One of the questions in the book centered around the idea that when western men spend time together, they often do something (sports, auto repair, KTV, etc), rather than simply talk. I asked my students if Chinese men also do this, and if so, what do they do. They worked in groups to answer the question.One sweet girl from the group of the smartest women in the class answered:The watch AV.
(AV= adult videos)
We were talking about our close friends in
Totoros!
Underground mall class. Questions included how long we've known them, how we met, why they're special, etc. One top student (who is a favorite of mine) asked if I would share, too. I said sure. This is what happened.
Me: My friend's name is Minerva.
Allen: Minerva.
Me: I met her when we were ten years old. We played violin in the orchestra.
Allen: Ooh. What is Minerva's job?
Me: She's an acoustical engineer.
Allen: An engineer? Wow! She's so smart!
Me: Yes. I have smart friends.
Allen: I like Minerva.
Me: Yeah, me too.
I think he would have kept asking me questions about my best friend if I had let him, but we were short on time. He even took notes!
For the last speech class, I asked the students to give persuasion speeches. One of the speech team girls decided to give a speech on the importance of DINKs (double income, no kids).
But she didn't quite stress the N enough... <br style="color: font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size:
You tell me what I'm supposed to do.
I hope the Chinese instructions are better. 13px; line-height: 17px;" />You should have seen my face. And the faces of many of the students.
It is always important to listen to the question before you answer.
Me: Wendy, do you think a girl's relationship with her mother affects her friendships?
Wendy: Yes.
Me: Why?
Wendy: I go with my mother to the WC.
I still have no idea what she really meant.
I've found cherry tomatoes here to be cheaper and more delicious than regular tomatoes. Many fruit stands carry more than one variety and I'm partial one one. As I was digging though them in a well-shaded room, I was having difficulty finding the ones I wanted; usually they're in separate bins. The woman who runs the shop suddenly said something and next thing I knew there was another huge, unopened box next to my arm. She helped me open it and inside were hundreds of the kind of tomato I liked. I filled my basket, already imagining the taste exploding on my tongue.
I went to pick up some bananas, too, but her husband said, "No, these. Fresher," and handed me a different
The Last Photo of Me in China
Dinner before the trip to the airport!
再见！ bunch.
It's nice to feel cared about while you pick out your fruit.
When debating whether university students should date (vs just studying), one student offered this opinion:
Love should be a compulsory course.
Today I had two students (in two different classes) teach me how to make zongzi. Both of them tried to tell me to take two sheets of bamboo, hold the sheets, cut the sheets, etc.But they both mis-pronounced "sheet".
My final exams always bring about interesting topics.
The most interesting topics of the day:
1. How to read the stock market charts
2. How to make a fruit salad (it was delicious!)
3. How to plant flowers -- including potting soil, flower pots, watering techniques, and other tips to help them grow.
4. How to play guitar. She concluded with demo-ing "Nothing Else Matters" and "Let it Be" and was impressed I knew both of them. I could say the same to her!
5. How to make "young pigeon soup," including how to buy the newborn pigeons, how to clean them, and how wine is the best way to get all the blood off of them.
I went out to dinner with two of my students tonight. I was wearing a pink skirt they hadn't seen before and they commented on how they liked it:
It's a nice skirt. It really catches the eyeballs.
Weekly, my friend and I go out for dinner to a little food stall that makes dumplings, amongst other things. We initially asked if they had vegetarian ones, and they said no, but that if we asked ahead of time they'd make them for us. So for a few weeks, my friend would stop there the night before and request them on my behalf. Then they got smart and gave my friend their mobile phone number so we could just text or call them.
I went out for dumplings again tonight and they were taking longer than usual. When they arrived at the table, the cook told my friend (in Cantonese) that they had just made the vegetarian filling for me fresh upon my arrival.
If I'm lucky, I'll have people as kind and humorous as this with me no matter where I go and what I do. Thanks to all the Chinese people for making my five years as wonderful as they were.
谢谢，你们。我想你们。再见！
Advertisement
Tot: 0.091s; Tpl: 0.019s; cc: 9; qc: 23; dbt: 0.0381s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Dancing Dave
David Hooper
XIE XIE
Five years in the Middle Kingdom...now the Kingdom of Thailand...should be quite a change...enjoy the ride