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Published: December 31st 2006
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Pussy Willows as a Christmas gift
One of the students gave me this vase and these beautiful, red pussy willows as a Christmas gift. I love them. SO FAR AWAY Oh, I feel so far away from all the people I love. Christmas brings all those memories and emotions. Many people have asked me if I’m going home for Christmas. I wonder if I should have planned to go home. But I’m here for only one school year.
But you, dear family and friends, are ]bso far away.
Since I’m missing my family, international visitors in the U.S. are probably just as lonely. If you know any international visitors staying near you, please reach out to them. They are probably feeling very lonely. Consider inviting someone to dinner, if not at your house, at a restaurant. Take them to church with you; to the movies; to a museum or cultural event. I’ve made resolutions to work with more international visitors when I get back home.
So, how did I celebrate Christmas? Our department at the university had a dinner for all the foreign teachers (Japanese, Korean, American, Russian) and the Chinese teachers who teach foreign languages (add French). There were two banquet tables at the hotel on campus. We were given a wall hanging about the Olympics. I like it. And our host
Department banquet
The Foeign Languages Dept. had a Christmas dinner for the foreign teachers. We are Russian, Japanese, French, and English. We had a very good time. This is the vice chair of the dept. He is a wonderful man. went around individually making us feel welcome and also thanking us for our work. I felt very good.
Then on Dec. 23rd, the province (Jiansu) had a big dinner for all the foreign teachers in the province. There were a lot of amateur performances with it. It was fun and silly. Even a thin, gray haired man, with an obviously fake beard, dressed as Santa Claus throwing out candy. The Chinese dancers were very beautiful and graceful. Reminded me of my goddaughter’s dance program. (Shucks, I’m going to miss that, this year, too.)
On Christmas Eve, Linell had a dinner for seven of us. Everyone else was Chinese. Except for Zhu-Zhu and me everyone was an academic intellectual, and I pretend to be. I loved the conversations, even Zhu-Zhu (“Ju-Ju”), who is only in elementary school. He gave Wu a present for Wu to give to his grandson, who is 16. It was a McDonald’s box that was unwrapped, opened, unwrapped some more and inside was a big bug like a roach. When they showed it to Linell, she yelled, thinking it was real. We all laughed a lot.
For my friends who have followed China for
Students and Susie
We all went to church together on Dec. 24. Ten students and I went to church together on Christmas eve. I appreciated their attendance. years, this group would refer to the Cultural Revolution every now and then, but never with fondness. We in America never realized how bad it was. I don’t like going into Chinese politics on this blog so that’s that.
This place is full of contradictions. Last night I was downtown and it could have been any major city in the world at New Years. Big lights, big displays, big department stores, lots of ads, lots of good looking cars and people. The new Chinese middle class. Few street vendors, or rural sights. My neighborhood is a mix of academic and service, western and Chinese, rural and urban. New buildings are going up on the major corners, so the rural influence is waning. Too bad. But I love the cosmopolitan life.
When you’re feeling down, follow the old adage and do something for someone else. OK, so I printed copies of the snapshots I took of people in the neighborhood. I’ve been passing them out to people as I see them. The guards in the lobby; the boy helping at the fruit stand; the popcorn man; the woman at the convenience store; the guard at the gate. I did
Candy seller in Christmas gear
Christmas is everywhere. Here is a candy and nut seller in her Christmas hat. feel better.
Of course, the next remedy is to get my hair done and go shopping. I did both with a fellow teacher. I now have blonde highlights and some new warm, fleece lounging clothes. I feel self-righteous buying fleece because it’s made from old plastic Coke bottles—probably Pepsi, too.
We are going to the symphony for New Year’s Eve.
Happy New Year!
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Mariana
non-member comment
Happy New Year, and much love, Mariana