I ran a marathon in China!... ok mini marathon...ok, a 5K

This past weekend was the annual Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Marathon (for real runners), but they had a "mini-marathon" for common folk like me!  It was just a 5K.  I have to admit, though, I’ll never do this again in China. 

My total time was 28:10, which really upset me until I measured the distance online and discovered it was actually 6.5 Km.  That’s not even close to a 5k.  I was really confused because Saturday I ran exactly 5 km at 24’, so how could one day later be 4 minutes slower?  In effect, my time was 21:39, which I’m very happy with (7 min miles and 8.5 mph).  

However, the race itself was stunk; there were 20,000 people so it was crowded with everyone staring and photographing “the foreigner”.  We lined up at 9 and waited an hour in a crowded block long line up for the start, dozens of people cut across as we looped back so they could cheat and the finish line was super crowded.  Imagine running a fast pace, sprinting to the finish and then there is a crowd of spectators wanting to see their one finisher while many more people pour in from behind.  You feel like crap and are then thrown in the middle of a crowd.  Well, on the upside, I got a cool t-shirt!

The Entire Number 47 Middle School running participants (spot the two foreigners in the upper right!)

Jason, a friend at the school, invited me to run with him.  If not for him, I wouldn't have known about it.

Before the race at 9:00 a.m.  By now I'm still happy and ready to run.

The block long line-up of 20,000 "runners".  There were so many that as I was looping back and finishing, there were still people starting.

After the race.  Yes, this is the terrible grin common in most my pictures; but here it's deserved.  I thought it had gone really poorly, but I'm glad it's finished.

All in all, I'm thankful that I ran and did some exercise, but I'll know next year to simply be a supportive spectator.

Later Days,
Rick

God and Demon fighting in Class

In Chinese culture, names have direct meaning.  For example,  one student's name is "A Jade in the Rough" (璞玉) or "Great Sea".  Parents select these names for the character their want their children to have.  Also, some consult Feng Shui experts to help pick the luckiest names; one student has changed his name 4 times in his 18 year life because his parents said this name is better than the last one.  Imagine that; imagine your classmate is John, but returns the next year as Robert.  Two years later he becomes Patrick, etc. 

Well, the students are used to this "a name needs a meaning" culture, and they adopt it in their English names.  While culture is great, it presents some really interesting situations in a classroom.  My 10^th graders have pretty normal names, because I gave them a sheet with 200 recommendations (the most common 200 in the US), so most stuck to the sensible names. 

But my 11^th and 12^th graders totally have some weird names.  Some 11^th graders are called Candy, Black, Beryl, Fish, Haseck, Jet, Only, Pansy, Violent, Toy, Cat, Doomsday, Swave (not Suave, nope), Sky, Sunday, Icy, and Monkey.  The seniors are just as bad.  There's Dily, Bright, Sagittarius, Soldier, Demon, Turkey, Cloud, Lucky, Orange, Swallow, Shine, Buick, Matter, Shady, Windy, Captain, Rainbow, Sky, and God.  I'm not even kidding.  I'm reading this directly from the attendance chart!  Some of the names one could get by with without there being a connotation, but, really, Pansy, Demon, God, Buick?

What are you supposed to do if "god" is misbehaving?  Can you call him out saying "God, sit down." "No, God, you're wrong."  Plus, how does one avoid discussing religion when they pick names like that or God and Demon are at each other's throats?  (Hypothetical, fortunately; never happened to me)

Plus, those who have more normal English names regularly ask, "What does my name mean?"  How can I tell them, we don't really pick names based on meaning in English.  One really smart girl keeps asking and her name is Sherry.  I don't want her to actually know what Sherry is.  Being as superstitious as most Chinese are, I fear if I tell her that her name is a type of alcohol, she'll call the Feng Shui doc and return next year instead as "Mother Theresa."

Later Days,
Rick

From Spreadsheets to Lesson Plans

Ooh how things change.

 

From my work as an analyst before, I used to have nightmares about spreadsheets. I’d have a restless night as I struggle with too many cells, too many sheets, too many numbers that just aren’t coming together like I need them too.  Yes, I understand I am possibly the odd one for having nightmares about excel.  (Pause for ridiculing laughter.) 

 

Now, my nightmares have changed.  It’s no longer about data crunching, monsters, or endangerment, but for the first time the horror was showing up in casual clothes to teach finance without a lesson plan.  It wasn’t being naked in front of the class or making a bad investment that might lose millions of dollars. No one was chasing me with a machete.  Instead, I was standing in the school’s reception office wearing my golden Gopher t-shirt and blue jeans. Terrifying!  Yet, somehow I don’t think I can use this story next Halloween around a campfire.

 

Later Days,
Rick