In class at last

Today was a self introduction. I had large pictures of all the important things in my life and first of course was Bob. So that was their first English word - Bob. AN dthey all thought he was veyr handsome. They were impressed I had 4 children - the sept family concept seemed like it should wait. But they were more astonished the Bob's daughter Jenny had 3 children - she is in their generation and the children were born after the Chinese 1 child only rule. They thought David was very cool until I pointed out his wife Karen. Many of them have chosen the English name Lily so they loved seeing Bethany's daughter Lily Beth. And the picture of Brian's dog Munster brought down the house. It was a little like having the family with me. (I have no clue what I just hit to switch to italics since my screen is all Chinese.) Which is good because it is lonely. The clothes are so western but we are the only Americans in 1.4M. I do miss being at home.

The adventure of new food today included a reptile based dish that had a head still floating in the sauce. We get a green vegetable every day - it is the stems and vines of pumpkins or squash. Chickens are laid out and slided vertically and then horizontally so the bone could be neck or back or foot. But yesterday there were fried onion rings! Every meal is an adventure but I never go away hungry - despite using nothing but chop sticks.

Reflection - the mission

Most of our lives are like the laundry hamper - as soon as you get one load done and put away, you lift the lid and there is more. Certainly in the church, the culmination of one sermon and service was immediately followed by preparatoin for the next one. Even our mission trip to Costa Rica was a small piece - like 6 layers of cement blocks - of a project that continued after we left and we never saw finished. So any project that has closure is most welcome.

In this case 60 teachers took time out of their summer vacation from teaching JH and SH school to improved their spoken English. Virtually none of them had heard English from a native speaker, although the Chinese begin teaching written English in 3rd grade. We were the only Westeners in Jingdezhen the 3 weeks we were there and, from the way we were greeted as a novelty, I think longer than that.

We had to sum up what we thought we gave to the teachers and we chose: Encouragement. Never having heard English, there is great reluctance to try to speak it, especially with a Westerner. At the initial interviews, many could hardly answer "What is your English name?" and "How long have you been teaching?" By the Closing Ceremonies they were putting on skits and singing as well as talking to one another in English. Their confidence that they could communicate in the Foreign Language grew for every one of them. For the JH/SH students we saw, it was a rare chance for them to hear native English and also learn about our culture from real Americans, not the movies or news. For the hotel wait staff...well, they learned "clean glass" which I really think will be helpful some time.

Then we had to choose a word for what we recieved from the experinece: Fulfillment. Not achievenment or accomplishment, because all we really did was talk and listen. There was some rudimentaly subject matter - I taught history and geography as well as dating, relationships and daily schedules. Each time I told them what the US was like, they had to discuss and tell me in English what the Chinese equivalent was. Wow - I learned a lot! The novels I had read about China over the years were correct - or not. But this was real.

And my personal Last Word: Gratitude. For Western Toilets and clean drinking water and free expression and opportunity for self betterment. And to Grace Lutheran for the financial and prayerful support for the trip. And to my family for the constant communication that linked me to home. And - always - to Bob for recognizing and loving the call to make a small difference in the world that extends for me beyond the pulpit.

Robin
August 7, 2008

Reflections - China

To sum up China in a word or two: juxtaposition. Co-existent contrasts.

The brand new and shiny resides next to the old and dirty and worn out with no apologies or attempts to eradicate what might not be pleasing to the Western eye. Sometimes there is a covering over. The concept of “tear down and build new” only occurs when the State determines a change is needed – usually for a big event of some kind. Then the front layer of decay is removed and the street side becomes upscale shops with neon. Directly behind – sometimes attached to - are the original tiny shops and dwellings. I am not sure the Chinese see the disparity or think anything about it. People live there and somehow survive. I saw very few individual homes. Virtually every family lives in an apartment.

The contrast of old and new is most apparent on the street. In any one block we saw vans and buses, tiny taxis and cars, bicycles powered by foot and small engine, scooters and motor cycles, a person pulling a 2-wheeled wooden cart to collect garbage, others pulling heavy loads of furniture, mounts of matting, or stacks of large porcelain vases on two or four wheels by hand or bicycle. When the street gets crowded (or at random) bikes and motor scooters just take over the sidewalk. Flower delivery is motor scooter with the vases or plants held by the person riding in back.

Contrast in family life as well. Each family is allowed only one child. The teachers in the class said in a happy they had a daughter but very proudly they had a son. There are no seatbelts or car seats. All ages ride in the open on the bumper or handlebars of bicycles. Babies are simply carried by the rider; older children stand in front of the driver. Preschoolers wear helmets and pads only for in line skating. Most families include the grandparents who do the cooking and child care why both parents work, but the issue of elder care is being discussed by social groups.

The people, however, are uniformly agreed publically on the policies and directives of the government. The only criticism I heard was of the Cultural Revolution and re-education. They speak factually about ancient events and traditions of the elders while showing no desire to reclaim them. They are hopeful about the future, both with the economic opening of trade and the 2008 Olympics.

I saw no tourists’ sights, had no bus rides or guides, did not get to the Great Wall or Beijing. What I had was enough time in one place to get to know China as it exists and Chinese as they really live.

Shanghai

The smog was dense in Shaghai. Our little town of Jingdezhen (1.4M) did not have much to speak of, but now I see why Beijing is so busy cleaning up for the Olympics. The heat and smog make the air dense. We were there for 2 nights, debriefing. Which did not, by the way, include adjusting to using forks again.

Sunday morning was a trip to a local church. There are no denominations in China except "christian" and "Catholic" so we were pretty sure of 45 minutes of singing, 30 minutes of Bible reading and 40 minutes of sermon all in Chinese. I decided I would take the morning for a walk in the park and poking around Shanghai before it got unbearably hot. When I went down for breakfast, the only ones who did not go to church were all the other liturgal worshippers: the Church of England crowd from the UK and Canada. So we all said, "The Lord be with you!" And everyone knew the right answer!

Observed today:

A woman with a sewing machine, fan and sofa in the front yard. Apparently Adjustments while You Wait in comfort.

A woman driving a motor scooter with a lawn chair tied on the back bumper where a man sat reading the newspaper.

A huge produce and meat market where you could get your dinner still swimming. Or Clucking. Or Quacking.

A group of senior citizens ballroom dancing to a CD player in the park at 9am.

We did travel to the Bunn area of Shanghai where all the former embassies are still standing, now transformed with neon into shops, hotels and, of course, a KFC on every block.

Homeward Bound

Home again - and recreating the events of the last leg of the journey after being off line. And after having had my first coffee in 30 days...

We had to catch the 8am train from Nanchung for Shanghai so the van arrived at 4am. This is the 9 passener van we had used all week but now it was not only 4 of us but about 200 pounds of various porcelain products. So we packed carefully and believed we would fit. When the van arrived, it turned out it was an oppotrtunity to take the whole van family on a day trip to Nanchung with the Education Bureau's gas so the driver brought his daughter and a cousin, another school official, his wife and her 83-year old mother, plus 2 strangers who slipped him some Mao's at the end of the ride. 3 hours careening down the 2 land roads, out of the mountains and past rice fields with water buffalo, produce carts pulled by bicycle or humans, trucks, vans, cars, motor scooters and pedestrians. Driver creedo: Honk first, steer second, brake only if absolutely necessary.

We observed the development (or remains) of a project China instituted to build apartment complexes in the countryside. The buildings - many, many of them - stood about 1/2 completed, walls up but no windows. Some were being lived in, evidenced by laundry hanging out, but it was questionable whether that was legitimate residency since there did not yet appear to be electricity. I don't know if they were in the process of building or stopped for the time being. It was a long way from any town where residents could get employment and way too many apartments to be sustained by the roadside produce stands or local fields.

The train to Shanghai was new and speedy. Westerners are still a novelty - we are constantly stared at obliquely by the grown ups and frankly by the children. In Shanghai we will not be quite so foreign.

Last days in Jingdezhen

Home in Glen Ellyn with English headings on the computer once more after a blackout of a few days with no internet access in Shanghai. We sneaked in to OHare safely just ahead of the storms.

The last days in Jingdezhen were busy and rewarding. There was a closing ceremony that was not just a bunch of Key Education People seech-ifying, but the students presenting songs and stories in English which made us very proud. Their confidence in speaking improved so much! They sang farewell type songs they could find in Karaoke including "I'm a Big Big Girl," a love song from the Titanic, and a never to be forgotten rendition of Auld Lang Syne. And one last reminder of what it is all about: the Hicky Pukey!

Parting gifts are important to the Chinese as is toasting with Chinese wine which just let me say is not Chablis! Moonshine comes to mind. The "drain the glass" cry is "goomba!" Gifts usually reflect the city speciality so are often silk scarves, jade neaklaces, etc. Remember Jingdezhen is the porcelain catial of China - in fact the term "china" we use for all sorts of pottery things here is actually an English misinterpretation of the original name of this city. But porcelain does not often come in a size Small - our gifts included coffee sets, bowls, large vases and - for me - a 25lb Laughing Buddha. Interesting packing challenges!

Many pictures and tears and a sense of having made a difference for 60 teachers that will spread far wider when their school resumes in the fall.

Endings and Celebrations

We finished teaching today - the mix of happy to complete what we started and sad to leave such wonderful students.

In another attempt at a Deep Culture experience, we staged a mock western wedding - meaning American, not with a cowperson theme. A little short on men, we had a groom - who actually wore a suit - a best man who brought the lighter for the unity candle - and a father of the bride who insisted on have a question asked to which he could answer "her mother and I do." Seems he saw Father of the Bride...The other groomspersons were female as were the 4 clergy, 8 bridesmaids, mothers and sound technician. And the bride - who skipped class to get her hair cut and wore the perverbial sparkley 3 inch heels. Just like for baseball.

Everyone arrived early and we started on time. Fortunately I had 2 cans of Coke for lunch so we had enough pop tops for a double ring ceremony. The vows were every bit as lovely as any other wedding, the best man lit the wrong candles only once, the sound system got a glitch and played I'm a Big Big Girl in a Big Big World as the bride started in, but it was replaced by Pachelbel quickly. Of course there was a wedding cake with caucasian bride and groom on top, punch, cookies and the Hicky Pukey. A international event to rival the Olympics.

Then one of the classes invited us to dinner. We had a warm up hour of the two most popular activities: Majong and Kari-ok-ee. Then a variety of unknown dishes from an unseen kitchen. They were very gracious - lots of toasting and laughter and everyone tried to speak English.

We may lose the computer tomorrow, and we leave here on Saturday for Shanghai where I will seek out a business center or internet cafe.

worth the whole trip...

...and learning chop sticks and the heat and long teaching days for the moment a student asked me today if I could teach him the "Hicky Pucky." That's what it is all about!

World shrinking observations

T-shirts with English on them here say incomprehensible things. Today two girls had on "Fashion Yashion" shirts. Many have random words like "garden, evening, moon" in what might have been a sentence but lost something. The best one lately was "Brimming Hum." A large city in AL? Spilling over with song? No one has a clue what their shirts say and even if they can read the words they do not know the meaning. Just the shapes look nice. Makes me wonder what we are advertising in the US when we wear shirts with unknown Chinese characters...local Shanghai used car dealerships?

Today I compared experiences on the topic of dating. The law in China forbids any male under 22 and any female under 20 from marrying. The class is all professionals who thought dating should start after college and marriage at 25 is fine. One child by age 30 and that phase is over. About 1/2 the married class members still live with the husband's family so grandma does all the cooking and cleaning and child care while both partners work. The few college students and HS graduates in the class think the dating age should be younger - 17 or 18 with marriage at 25. Times are changing as the world shrinks.

Catching up

The Share the Computer Plan means I missed a day - but not an adventure!

Crossing streets in China - I have finally figured out that none of the cars, buses, pull carts, motobikes, or bicycles really WANT to run over pedesterians. I actually have seen no accidents of any kind and the cars are not dented. However, they only want to miss you by the closest possible margin. And "close" for them is way inside the personal space I normally reserve for Bob. I find a pack of Chinese at a crossing - preferably with a male baby or a large load of soft materials - and shadow them.

Language - I conducted 8 transactions today with no Chinese/English problem. Universal language: money. All retailers - and I was in stores made out of storage units, tables set up in alleys and then upper scale malls - have pocket calculators and are happy to show you the price in the kind of money I have in my pocket. I bet this is how Bill Gates deals with them, too, but with bigger calculators.

Today the teaching topic was literature. They were each to tell me a Chinese children's story in English. Some were almost familiar: Little Red Cap, Snow White and the 7 Pygmies. Some I attributed to others: Dog and Reflection, Fox and Crow, Crow and Jar of Water. (Did Aesop get them from China or visa versa?) Some were new:

1 - A rat and her baby were out one night when suddenly a cat appeared in the distance. The rat mama knew she could not out run the cat so she began to growl and bark like a dog. The cat ran away. "See," said the mama rat to the baby rat, "That is why you should always learn a foreign language."

2 - A man brags to his friend that he has the smartest dog in the world. When he gives the dog, money, the dog goes to the store and brings home the newspaper. The friend wants to try so he give the dog money. Hours later there is no dog and no money. When he asks what went wrong the man asks, "How much did you give him?" The friend answers, "$5." That's the problem, " says the man. "If you give him that much the dog will go to the movies."

3 - Up on the mountain there was a temple and in the temple lived an old monk and a young monk. One day the old monk told a story: Up on the mountain there was a temple and in the temple lived and old monk and a young monk. One day the old monk told a story: Up on the mountain there was a temple and in the temple... (continue until the baby is so bored it falls asleep).

One busy Saturday

We climbed into the van today and I was thrilled to hear on the radio traditional Chinese music on authentic instruments. Then I recognized the tune: Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head...

First stop was a "pottery bar" - no alcohol or legal briefs but potters wheels and a chance to get messy. My "creation" was mercifully recycled.

Then the "just a few words" at the local junior high - number 13. (Here the number 4 means death but 13 is OK.) The power point slide overhead: Warm Welcoming to Foreign Teachers for English Lecture-Giving. The title was longer than the speech. Then 45 minutes outside (the AC was not working so in theory it would be cooler in the 102 degrees outdoors) with the kids. Today they all had pens and paper and wanted autographs. Watch for them to be sold on e-bay next week.

Best question: When do children in America learn to speak English?

A 28 dish lunch with 6 different kinds of noodles.

After an evening trip to Walmart and KFC we end our last Saturday in Jingdezhan - next week at this time we will be in Shanghai and heded home.

histories

My topics this week were geography and history. We talked about the US first and then they taught me about China - in English to improve their skills.

It is a little like listening to the British version of the American Revolution to be in on their discussion of the Opium Wars and the building of the American transcontential railroad using Chinese slave labor. But it is part of history on both sides. Their kingdoms and dynasties rise and fall with the triumph of the 2nd son over the elder who is due to inherit. Very much like Esau and Jacob. Only in all cases in China the older son has to die - sometime the father and the younger sons too to be on the safe side. The idea that Jacob could come back to the land and be forgiven by Esau was completely startling to them. It made me grateful to be part of a legacy of forgiving. That is as close to the Bible as we can get is references to stories. Then if someone asks...

Hot time on the Old Baseball Field

http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/CHXX0457_f.html

Hot there? Check out the heat index! So of course it was the day for our Championship Baseball game. Today we actually inforced rules so we needed a umpire and since I have no other athletic skills and an honest face, I claimed that coveted position. It was even too hot to wear a hat but I needed heat protection. Might be a first for the Umpire to Carry a Parasol...another Baseball Fashion Breakthrough.

Game highlight was a runner headed for 2nd and being chased by some kind of fielder with the ball. To get back to first without being tagged she raced into the "stands" around the pitcher and zigzagged the infield with the ball carrier in hot pursuit. (Both, of course, in high heels.) I called it Safe at First just for ingenuity!

Coorelation?

Ah-ha! Tonight we had a banquet before our "very informal English Corner." There were 24 dishes on the table for us to share - several area speciaites. Usually at big dinners we only get 18 or so.

We arrived at No 2 school (there are 30 in town - we have been to #1, #5 and Saturday is #16) and found a formal lecture set up. Not even a surprise anymore. After 45 minutes they ended that and we figured we got of easy. No - we were led in total darkness to a large square lit only by the lights playing on fountains for 45 more minutes of Close Up English questioning by 200 SH students. I now know the answer to the "favorite animal" question is "panda," but I was stumped by "Which Back Street Boy is your favorite?" No one asked about Luther or Bach at all!

What does this mean?

Deep Culture

Take me out to the ball game! We are teaching baseball to our classes this week. Monday was rained out so yesterday we took the field. Chinese teachers - in fact women in general - always wear 1.5-2.5 in heels on their shoes. Very cute. That is the professional look. They wear them with dresses, pants, shorts, short shorts. The shoes are the same. So when we started to pay ball yesterday I suggested to them they run barefoot. They were scandalized. Take off their shoes in public? Never. So our running and stealing bases was called on account of fashion and my team lost.

In the hotel now is a contest for JH students who play musical instruments, sing or play piano. The place is filled with music - and very enthusiastic parents making sure they are getting their money's worth for the lessons.

The hotel staff worked on "clean glass" and "dirty glass" last night which I hope improves our dining experience greatly.

Recycling - we mean it!

Because recycled materials are worth money here, the market for empty water bottles is high. One of our group had a woman follow her for 2 blocks yesterday and finally tap her on the shoulder and give the universal "finish drinking" signal, then sntach the empty bottle from her hand. Gotta admire her commitment to the Green Team!

Usher duties

We were at the same church this morning and the street is still under constructin so we had to walk a ways and were late. It was worth it to observe Chinese Usher Duties. They wear a red arm band with words realting to the authority and seniority vested in them. All were elderly but formitable ladies.

We tried to sneak in and 3 out of the 4 of us had actually made it to various seats, but then we were spotted. The Head Usher poked each of us and would not take no for an answer to being relocated in the front row of the back section under a fan. However there were already people sitting there - 5 even older ladies, 2 with canes. Usher team members grabbed their arms and moved them out so we could have the honored seats. We finally got settled to their satisfaction - the original 4 on a bench did not work since she determined we were too close and would get too hot so she cleared the elderly off the next bench and spread us out. Then she graciously brought us each a bottle of water.

Keep in mind what looked like the sermon was going on the whole time. Having gotten the visitors organized teh Ushers returned to the task at hand. Every 5 minutes they patroled the aisles to wake up anyone who is sleeping. Even if people are just resting, they make them sit up straight to listen. No one argues with the Red Band Band.

But they met their match a few minutes later. July 20 is one of the Auspicious Dates for new beginnings - according to the local Bride's Magazines - and the Cell Phone store across the street celebrated its grand opening with a firecraker blast that went on for a good 5 minutes in various bursts - none of them could be preached through with the windows open. Not to say the preacher did not try! But she finally gave up and smiled. Usher Team was beside themselves figuring out what the noise was and how to get it to stop but it did cut out the sleeping problem.

However I think nothing says Grand Opeing of the New Entrance like fireworks! Somebody write that down.

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...

Dinner in the country

http://www.chinaclayart.com/Sanbao%20Institute%20webpage/2000Page_Organization.htm

This link will take you to an artist colony in the country, at the foot of the mountains that surround Jingdezhan. By the pond pictured we drank tea after dinner. It was hard to believe we were 10 miles from the city. The Millennium Wall was all constructed of shards and pieces of ceramic. Amazing. Our dinner companions were 2 adults and 5 children who far outshown our chopstick skills! One girl sang and lovely Chinese song for us and we repayed with Scarboro Fair - the only thing I could think of not in the Lutheran hymnal. I have to get out more.

We walked around town today when only the Americans and chickens ventured forth. 12-2pm is nap time in China! In fact 3 or 4pm is about reopening time and they are still going strong at 10. In this heat, clothing and baby washing are done on the sidewalk outside the shops. Men carry buckets on shoulder poles next to motor scooters so quiet you do not hear then until they honk. There is a dumpling place on the next street that is so popular people pull up in cars, shout out the orders and have it brought out. I saw 2 cars and a scooter waiting. Early McDumpling.

Friday as the end of a work week is something I have not experienced for years. I may go back to work just to get the Friday Feeling every week! Of course we give a lecture to middle school sutdents tomorrow - 45-60 minuts on "phrases we use everyday in America" - any suggestions?

Chinese paparazzi

I suppose Jingdezhan in July is like Chicago after the Cubs are out of the running and small news gets big attention. The Big News yesterday was the Foreign Teachers were coming to the town square at 7:30 for an English Corner. So we envisioned some folding chairs, 20 or so folks gathered in a semicircle asking polite questions and maybe knocking off early for ice cream for lack of interest.

The squre is about 3 city blocks square, has a huge ceramic dragon on one side, a large area for skatboarding and in line skating, another area for line dancing and exercise, still plenty of space to mill around. I would estimate on this random Wednesday night about 2000 folks were hanging out there. Babies to seniors. It was not necessarily cooler temperature wise but at least it was friendly. As soon as we stepped off the bus we were literally mobbed. It took 20 minutes to get to the English Corner - the huge banner must have said that. After that there were never less than 30 people of all ages pressing in and around me, some wanting ot talk and others to listen. I finally backed up to a garbage can to get some fresh air behind me. Some had babies and childrne who just wanted them to see the Westerner. School kids start English in 3rd grade so by JH they are pretty good. Parents were pushing them towards us to "talk English to the American" - read "Prove this education you are getting is worth it." Some stood up to the challenge and asked question. Some freaked and ran away only to be dragged back for another try. The fact that it was still 95 and the Chinese are not as sensitive about personal space as we are, made it very chummy indeed. When it was time to go they literally followed us to the bus and were waving and calling after we left.

The most asked questions were Did I like China? and Did I know the 2008 Olympics were going to be in Beijing? and about some NBA player for the Houston Rockets?? Some of the funnier ones were: I understand "hot" means "sexy" in America. So how can I tell people how I feel in this weather without saying I am sexy? and I am not very tall yet. Do you think I will get taller? and What is your favorite animal? (The correct answer IS Panda.)

We crawled back on the bus and slithered into bed!