Chinese Surprise

One of the unique things about Chinese culture is the sense of surprise. You enter a square door cut in a round hall in a gray wall - and there is a lovley garden. You see a plain dumpling and it is filled with delicious...stuff.

Anyway we toured a replica of a working kiln this morning that traced china making from the clay in the mountain to the gift shop. At each stage we had demonstrations - Naper Settlement for Ceramics. But the way it was laid out we were always going around a corner through a narrow door and there would be a woman painting equisite designs on vases free hand. There was an original garden from the Ming dynesty with a pavilion where they played music on all ceramic instruments. One surprise after another.

Then we were off to a middle school where our team leader was to give a short speech and we were to have a panel on whatever the students wanted to ask. No stress - it's Saturday. We blithly wandered in, but Cadi and I were stopped at the door and directed to the other group of 75 students to give our 60 minute presentation. I asked for a bathroom break to gather my thoughts since I had no clue this was coming. I can wing a 2 minute prayer but...

Chinese restrooms are all squat variety, no paper, low walls and very often 1/2 or no door. So it is not the Western Pondering Environment one would think. Never the less I asembled enough non-Biblical material about Chicago and speaking to foreigners and knowing what your T-shirt in English says to make 55 minutes worth plus questions and, of course, Scarboro Faire. In the name of avoiding an international incident with the Olympics so close, I decided against any cow jokes...