I have been keeping my nose to the grindstone, my shoulder to the wheel, and my pen to the paper for the last few days in order to get caught up on my correcting before I start finals Monday. I have come up for air before I tackle the next pile so I thought I would make a few lists about China and my experiences here. My students have been writing reflective essays this week, so reflecting back on things is on my mind, I guess.
Reasons for coming to China
1.To broaden my world – I had no concept of what 1.3 billion people is until I came to China. There are so many people everywhere all the time.
2.To feel the power of religion in China – I am sure you are surprised at this one. I am too. Every time I hear a student talk about God or mention Him in his or her writing, I am amazed. I also have students quoting from the Bible occasionally. I don’t talk about it, but my students do. Therefore, I listen carefully for clues.
3.To understand how generous the people here in China are – being generous is part of the Chinese culture. They will share with a stranger not only their coat but their cloak also. I am always humbled when one of my students buys me something or brings me a treat. I know that they are living on a strict budget of their parents’ money. I do not refuse, however, for that would be rude. Saving face is very important to them.
4. To learn that there is more than one country on the earth – I think that as Americans we have the idea that we are superior to everyone else. That is not the case. We have more similarities with the Chinese than differences. They value the family—maybe even more than we do. They want to have a happy life, to have a satisfying career, and to earn enough money to be able to afford a few luxuries along the way. Sound familiar?
5. To learn about the 5,000 years of history of China – the Chinese seem to have a saying for everything. No matter what we are talking about, my students will quote a Chinese proverb. This week we were talking about love, so the quote was: Marriage is the tomb for love. That doesn’t say much about their positive view of marriage, does it? Also, we can’t teach American students 400 years of history, how do they manage to teach 5,000 years of history with all 13 dynasties in the correct order and without getting the dates mixed up? Maybe there is lesson for us here.
6. To taste authentic Chinese cuisine – I have enjoyed eating Chinese food--mostly. I have not eaten it as much lately as when I first arrived. My students always ask me. “Do you like Chinese food?” Of course, I say yes. The problem is that there are so many kinds of Chinese food I would have to live here for at least 50 years to try it all. Every province has its own delicacies. Xi’an is spicy!
7. To ride a bus in a city the size of New York City with no traffic rules – what could be more adventurous than that? At least when you are in a bus, you are one of the biggest vehicles on the road and other cars will let you through--most of the time. Also, we have met so many kind people who give up their seats for us. So sweet!
8.To teach such humble and intelligent students – where else could I get a lesson in the succession of the top two positions in the Communist party on Thursday and a persuasive message about freedom of speech on Friday. Quite a contrast!
9. To celebrate twice as many holidays as western countries. Not only do the Chinese have their own holidays, but they also celebrate ours—Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc. I think we should incorporate more holidays into our year. For instance, May 20th is tell someone you love them day because the date May 20th in Chinese sounds like I love you in Chinese. Do we need days that remind us to tell someone that we love them? Possibly. Also June 1st is Children’s Day. We don’t have that in the United States, do we?
Reasons for not staying in China
1. Fear of getting hit by a car while I am walking on the sidewalk – there is a shortage of parking garages so people park their cars on crowded sidewalks. Then it gets really interesting when they drive off the sidewalk onto the street. Dodge or be killed! It is crazy!
2. Seeing too many babies with split pants – how do they stay warm in the winter with their little bums hanging out in the cold? How do their parents know when they have to go to the bathroom?
3. Not being able to share the Gospel even when people ask me point blank what I believe in – this has been so frustrating for me. In my opinion, many of the Chinese people are searching for something in their lives — yes religion!
4. Tired of listening and reading anti-American propaganda – there is always an undercurrent of contention against America in the newspaper, although they report on the NBA finals, print articles about famous people, and have Snoopy cartoons in the paper.
5. Fear of getting lung cancer from second-hand smoke – I did not realize how smoke-free Utah was until I came here.
6. Chinese cuisine – When it is good, it is really good, when it is bad, no thank you!
7. Difference in moral values – cheating, lying and plagiarism are rampant here. They have been raised to believe that these things are morally correct. I recognize that America has its share of corruption but I think their society is built on shaky ground in this respect.
8. Clean clothes – my clothes are worn out, stained, or too baggy. I can’t believe I go out in public dressed in such rags. I will not be bringing them home; that’s for sure!
Things I am looking forward to in America
Milk from a cow
Sweet desserts—cakes, cookies, brownies, ice cream, popcorn, etc.
· Clean air and blue sky
· Driving my own car -- not on the sidewalk and having other drivers drive on the correct side of the road
· Drinking clean water out of the tap and bathing in clean water
· Having a washer that fills itself with water, rinses the clothes, and spins them dry without my help
· Having a dryer
· Buying groceries with labels I can read and buying food that I recognize—meat, vegetables, and shampoo, particularly.
Not to worry! Things are going well in China. I am still a dedicated teacher having fun teaching my students. They are starting to tell me that they will miss me. I know that I will miss them so much! I had to idea how difficult leaving China would be. I will shed some tears and leave part of my heart here.
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