So What You're Saying is...

I'm very fortunate that there's an amazing tea stand directly across from the front gate of our school.  Needless to say, I frequent it often.  Last night, a friend and I were picking up drinks when one of my students showed up.  We chatted for a few minutes until he was ready to leave.

Student: Hao. Wo xian zou le. (translated - Ok, I'm going now.)
Me: Ok.
Student: Wo xian zou le.
Me: Ok.
Student: (a little more emphatically) Wo xian zou le.
Me: Uh...ok then.
Student: (slightly perplexed) Do you know what I am saying?
Me: Yes - ni xian zou le. (You're going now.) But I don't know why you're still here.
Student: Wo xian zou...(finally realizing I had indeed understood his Chinese)...ohhh, bye!

He skipped class yesterday.  Otherwise, he might not have been so quick to assume my inability to communicate.  In class yesterday I mentioned how most people in the US expect everyone (foreigners included) to be able to communicate in English, whereas most Chinese (at least in our area) assume foreigners are unable to communicate in Mandarin.  I mentioned how sometimes I can't help myself when I overhear people talking about me with "Lao wai...ta ting bu dong." ("Ah, a foreigner...she can't understand what she hears.")  Sometimes before I even realize it I've responded with "Ting de dong." ("I do understand.")  At times, that has led to a fun conversation, but I'm pretty sure my student's bashful reaction of running off has been my favorite so far.

Gladiator, CQ Style

Ancient Rome has provided quite a bit of modern western culture's foundation.  Considering the sole topic of one of my classes is western culture, what better way to learn about Ancient Rome than by watching Russell Crowe in action, right?  After spending a few weeks in lecture/discussion, I decided to assign the movie Gladiator and a few discussion questions.  Here are some of the responses:

The corresponding question, "What, if anything, did you find difficult to understand?"

I don't think he was especially concerned with any rules.

The question here was "How did you feel about the ending, and why?"

Own thoughts, indeed.

Ah, yes. Losing one's lover is, of course, a tragedy tantamount with death.

Narcissus, eh?

Sometimes it really is best to talk to the big, scary teacher to find out what you missed.

Perhaps from the student who advised another "It's not important.  Forget it."

Gossip Girl...Gladiator...same same, no?

Identity and Such

In my western culture class this week, our topic has been "Ethnic and National Identity."  Naturally, to introduce the idea of identity, I took a few moments at the beginning of class to talk about standard forms of identity, using my own Texas driver's license and US passport in comparison to the students' government-issued ID cards.  The conversation went a little something like this:

Me:  Ok, so what kind of information is typically listed on an ID card?
Student(s):  Name! ID #!
Me:  Right, ok, what else?
S: Address...
Me:  Yep.  Let's see, and here's "height."
S:  Birthday!
Me: Good, good.  Hair color...eye color...
S:  (blank stares)
Me:  Uhh...hair color and eye color...right?
S:  (blank stares)
Me: (just nearly on the verge of a realization) Um, ok.  Quick question...do your ID cards have your hair or eye color?
S:  (confused looks, shaking heads)...no....
Me: Ah.  Ok. (seeing an unexpected opportunity for further learning) Let's work this out.  What is the natural hair color of nearly every Chinese person?
S: Black!
Me:  And what is the natural eye color of nearly every Chinese person?
S:  Brown!
Me: Ok, what is the natural hair color of nearly every American person?
S:  Yellow! (seeing my reaction) Uh, bu* bu bu bu, uhhh blonde! (looking at my hair color) Bubububu...brown!
Me:  Hmm.  Well, what is the natural eye color for nearly every American person?
S:  Blue!
Me:  (walking to the front row of students, pulling off my glasses) What color are my eyes?
S:  Brown?
Me: Close - they're actually hazel.  Sometimes brown, sometimes green, sometimes both.
S: Wha-???  You can change your eyes?!
Me: No, it's not really like I can - I mean, it's not a superpower or anything. (closing my eyes and pretending to concentrate) "Green, green, GREEN!"
S:  (still somewhat perplexed)
Me: Ok, let's see.  What color is Ms. Patty's hair...you'd better not say yellow!
S: Uhh, blonde.
Me: Yes, and her eyes?
S: Blue.

I went through the same questions about a few of the other American teachers here, showcasing how we each have different hair/eye color combinations and perhaps that's why our IDs request such seemingly superfluous information.  I just love it when their minds casually creak open just a bit more, just enough to allow old stereotypes to shut down while new ideas form!


*Mandarin for "no"

The Little Things

This week was a bit of a marathon week for me.  Last Thursday I had my first weekly lunchtime class added to my schedule, followed soon after by hosting the massive Welcoming Ceremony.  The weekend was filled by spending time beyond what was expected in the city nearby, meetings, and then by reworking some lesson plans and preparing for my lecture to the Foreign Language Department on the American Revolution.

One of the other foreign teachers quipped that the day of my additional classes and special lecture that I would not have time to even use the restroom.  I retorted that since I wouldn't have time to eat or drink anything, I shouldn't need to!  That day was rife with issues - namely, the background of my PowerPoint presentation not being compatible with the school's computers.  Given the busy schedule of the day, I didn't have much time to try and sort it out.  I was extremely stressed and felt utterly unprepared.  I had also been told to "dress up and put on make-up" as they would be filming the lecture...with plans to post it online.  Goody.

Thankfully, my wonderful roommate foresaw the stress of the day and made extra coffee yesterday morning.  Judy, our dean's wonderful assistant and one of the Chinese English teachers, worked tirelessly between her classes to try and get the IT personnel to sort it out for me.  Arianne and David (another one of the foreign teachers) knew I wouldn't have time to grab lunch.  So, they were sure to pick up some tasty noodles, a tea egg (my favorite!), and a cafe nai cha (coffee milk tea - just the amount of caffeine I needed!).  Bob (yet another foreign teacher) had made PB&J sandwiches for himself and his wife, and came to my classroom to inform me that he also had one for me.  I nearly teared up at the gesture, not quite having the heart to tell him it would put me into an anaphylactic coma (which, frankly, might have actually been welcome at that point!).

Later that afternoon, as I went to give my presentation, the audience also included every foreign teacher that did not have class, and encouragement was quick to come from their lips.  I am truly blessed to have a team of people around me who give up their hard-earned, class-free hours just to support me!  We headed to Chinese class after wrapping up the lecture, and then I headed home so my feet could finally break free from their elevated prison.  I grabbed a quick dinner and watched a Glee episode before heading out (in flip flops, natch) to the next 2 hours of English Corner.  We've started a tradition of a post English Corner tea stand detox, and it certainly hit the spot last night.

I had asked for special strength to deal with the difficulties of the week, and He certainly provided in the form of noodles, a sense of calm, caffeine, and of course the amazing relationships that are being carefully cultivated.  All of them are things that are easily taken for granted as "the little things," but really, the ones that matter most.

First Class(es)

Last week was the official start date of classes for the university.  However, I didn't have my first class until yesterday.  For the foreign teachers, many of the days last week were spent in the main city nearby, working out various paperwork issues, making sure that we are all foreign experts who qualify to be legal residents, and are thereby legally able to teach.  Also, the freshmen students begin their classes two weeks later than the rest of the school in order to fulfill their military training duty.  I'll refrain from going into detail about how intimidating it can be to see waves upon waves of camo marching toward you (as they yell in a foreign language, in unison) when you just want to quietly sneak out the side gate and grab a mango milk tea.

So, yesterday I had my first two sophomore classes.  The classes themselves were fairly uneventful.  The students here, overall, are so respectful and polite that the greatest challenge (at least thus far) seems to be pulling them out of their shell enough that they're willing to speak English.  You know, for their Spoken English class.

Getting to class, on the other hand, has proven to be a bit more of a challenge.  At least in comparison to my alma mater of good ol' WT.  The classrooms are kept fully closed and locked when not in use.  The keys are kept in building 7 and it is each individual teacher's responsibility to sign out their key in advance of class and return it promptly as soon as class is dismissed (in case there is another teacher in that room for the next class period).  Sounds simple enough, right?  Well, my morning session went fairly easily.  I went to the key room in building 7, told the key lady the room number in building 8 that I needed - she seemed quite surprised that I could ask for it in Chinese because she had just been muttering about "those foreigners" and, presumably, their non-Chinese-speaking ways.  I understood her frustration - some of them have been here a whole two weeks and still aren't fluent - tsk, tsk.  I thanked her and went on my way.  I hiked up to my classroom on the 4th floor, unlocked the doors, switched on the breakers, opened the windows, started the fans (only the 5th floor has AC), booted up the computer, and greeted my students as they arrived.  Once class was over, I did everything in reverse including the return of the keys.

When I arrived to pick up the keys for my afternoon class (5th floor! AC! Woohoo!), the key lady went into a bit of a tizzy at the room number.  Quite the discussion ensued.  Apparently the computers in the room were broken and she wanted me to use another, nearby classroom.  She then appointed a room on the 3rd floor for me (ok, so not exactly nearby).  At that point, an individual walked in and they had a discussion which she ended by asking him if he speaks English.  He responded with an affirming "Uh...maybe?"  Seeing a window of opportunity, she seized it and asked him to both explain to me everything the two of us had just discussed in English and to confirm my response.  Unsure of his English, once he realized I could speak/understand a little Chinese, most of his conversation was also in Chinese.  The result was the same, though the key lady appeared to feel much more satisfied.  Signing off, I scurried away to prepare for my class in the new room.  Thankfully, after setting up, I found a student to corner and ask if she was in my class.  She recognized me as her teacher (perhaps from one of the handy fliers circulating campus, like the one pictured below) and agreed to let her classmates know about the room change.