Sitting on my fifth floor balcony at Binzhou University I counted
the other students. On their balconies they were washing clothes,
eating noodles, talking with friends, studying and listening to
music. In China you can see other’s lives. You can step back and see
that it’s bigger than you. The world is bigger than you.
I first came to China in May, and at first my relationship with
China was not love at first sight. Upon arrival I felt passion,
curiosity, frustration, and interest, but not love. Love developed
with a train ride.? 24 hours from Guangzhou to Jinan. Three to a
bunk, I was traveling with a Chinese family. The cute chubby baby
was eating sticky rice and her mother offered me some. The
grandfather sat cross legged on the bottom bunk reading the
newspaper, and later invited me to play cards with him and the
baby’s father. I wanted to practice Chinese, but I was scared, so I
stayed relatively silent. But this family welcomed me with their
kindness, and I became comfortable. They were patient with me and I
felt encouraged to open up and use my Chinese.? This day opened my
eyes to China. I met the most wonderful people and was able to view
life and beauty in those I met as well as the countryside rolling
past us.
Everywhere I went in China these past three months I felt welcomed
wholeheartedly. When I think of my experience in China, my first
thoughts are not of the Great Wall, Forbidden City, or other
extraordinary sights. I think of the people. I think of my friend
from the university who brought me dumplings back from the Dragon
festival, after only knowing me for one day. I remember buying fresh
peaches from the woman on the corner who always smiled at me.? I am
grateful to the women at the Red Flag Hotel who took such good care
of me, who after cleaning my room would sit with me and show me
pictures of their daughters and sons.? I laugh, picturing nights
spent at barbeques with my gege and jiejie, who took me into their
family. And mostly I think of my students.
I began teaching English in June. I had never taught before, and I
was scared. But all of my anxiety left me when I walked into Huamei
Academy and was surrounded by the most adorable, smartest kids in
the world. And they loved me. I was their “Feng Kuang Laoshi,” Crazy
teacher! They loved high fives, candy, and my watermelon ball. I
remember how they laughed at my awful Chinese pronunciation, and
that we would dance and act silly together. I gave English names to
all my students. One class was full of my whole family and friends:
Mary, Dennis, Emma, Becky, Sally, Alan, Amanda…? . My students liked
to talk about America, the Americans they were most interested in,
Obama and Kobe Bryant.? Every day I was reminded of the power of
language exchange. At school and on the street, I’ve never felt so
happy as I do when I am able to communicate a thought of a feeling
in Chinese, a language I never thought I could learn. I hope my
students experience this too.
I left China two days ago. It was like a parade. From the Red Flag
Hotel to the Binzhou City Center I walked with my friends and
Chinese family who all came to see me off. We passed the beautiful
young woman selling baozi. She nodded and waved goodbye. The street
was lined with older men with tanned skin and black rimmed glasses
playing card games and drinking tea. Later that night I knew the
same street would be crowded with many people enjoying barbeque and
Tsingtao beer. If I wasn’t leaving, I am sure I would have joined
them.
I came to China hoping that I would leave with a grand life plan.
You know, that I would have found my “calling”,? and would have the
next twenty years mapped out. But what China taught me is that the
best life plan is to be happy every day. I could see the importance
of this in everyone that I met. I learned so much about China and
myself in the past three months. One of my students gave me a note
on the day I left Huamei Academy. It read, “I wish my Crazy teacher
to be happy everyday!” This is what I want. |
