Forecast: Smoke

Ever unpredictable, I check the weather to find I should expect smoke. No explanation why. Yet, much like a forecast this spring for "sand," it came true. Somehow, here, from my classroom, I couldn't see past 100 feet and my clothes smelled like I came from a bonfire. There was no special holiday, and no one offered an explanation. That's China.

Later days,
Rick

Ever Unpredictable China...stay flexible, Rick, stay flexible!

I sit in XinXiang, a city 45 miles from home in Zhengzhou, and watch as Dominick, a student I tutor, calls a fellow speech competitor to find out how the morning competiton went and what to expect for his afternoon competition. As always in China, you'll never know what to expect. We learn her speech was longer than the published info says. There are also questions from the judges--unexpected. Plus, the topics are single words (gentleman, hero, humor, etc.), not questions like we practiced.

Fast forward to the competition. The speech is once again a different length and the judges do ask questions. Dominick rocked his, "What kind of music do you listen to and why?" There, however, was no control around the questions. One poor girl was actually asked "Please comment on American congressmen's complaints that US jobs are lost due to China's fixed exchange rate."

Oh, poor girl.

Photo 2: Most often when such a smoke cloud rises from the ground, it's surrounded by protesters and mob squads with rubber bullets. However, in China this is a sign of celebration having just lit a long string of firecrackers (a sound that also imitates a riot area.)

Finish the day with some classic street food. Here, a thin layer of dough is spread on a hot circular stone and is then topped with egg, vegetables, spice, and breakfast crisps. Total cost: $0.48. Oh, China :-)

Later Days,
Rick

A bit a Chinese Gatsby

From my recollection of The Great Gatsby, our central character struggled to belong among the elite wealthy class having acquired his money in his lifetime. Thus my (flimsy) metaphor for Kellen and my most recent acquaintance.

We were walking to the store Friday and a woman pulls up in a black Porsche Cayenne looking for a teacher from last year. We inform her he's in Australia and after talking she offers to drive us to the store and ultimately the train station (we were about to depart for the boat cruise.) We're already pressed for time and it's a porsche, so we hop in and zip to the station with the sun roof down and dance tunes blaring.

It was exciting to be driven to the train station in a Porsche. We expected it'd end there. However, upon our return she called wanting to just chat. She zipped over to talk face-to-face with us and was inviting us to different dinners, clubs, etc. Kelle offered to work on her English, but we are puzzled with how to act. We both come from middle-income backgounds and don't know what to do around rich people. She makes enough for a porsche and a posh lifestyle. What could she want with two foreigners? I understand foreigners are still revered in modern China, but with her wealth she could easily afford the high-priced ones. Either way, it goes down for now as a continued adventure!

Later days,
Rick

2 out if the 3 Gorges

We're on day 5 of the 3 Gorges tour and about to see the final gorge and the 3 Gorges dam. While there is, admittedly, a fair dispute about visiting the area, the scenes are impressive. Yesterday was an all-gorge day (too much boat sitting, but "gorge"-ous). We started with the first and highest gorge, then came the 3 small gorges, then the mini gorges. Unfortunately, the pictures just all start to look like the same rock.
Finally, after tonight's 10 hour train journey, we'll arrive home in Zhengzhou! Happy national holiday!

Classroom Progress?

As a teacher, I always hope my students will actively pay attention and participate. Yes, a lofty goal for students who are in class for 11 hours each day. When something like this first doodle appears in a student's notebook, I can't help but succumb to allow her momentary distraction. I like it. She even got me with my pant cuffs rolled up like a cyclist. Classic.

The next photo is my home at night. This is the CBD's performing arts center fully illuminated. Now you see why I like the area and returned!

My 12th grade students are always difficult ones for whom to plan lessons. I try to teach a mix of problem solving, creativity, and hardcore English practice. Here is the loudest activity in their history--student bargaining. As storeowners, sudents balanced finding an appropriately low price while still earning profit. I wanted to see how they work with mixed objectives.

Similar to me wearing ledehosen to teach German, I vowed to liven up the story of the Franklin Expedition by having the students reenact the expedition, complete with pirate costumes and props. Fortunately, Chinese schools aren't worried about weapon-related paraphanelia (help me to spell), so all the less-interested students were active (making bloody cardboard knives, of course.)

Yet, the process of finishing costumes led to complete classroom chaos.

Last, but not least, our once-a-closet classroom may finally get a smartboard! Always staying optimistic.

And on that note, I start my 9 day holiday! I and another teacher are off to the 3 Gorges dam on the Yangtze river.

Later days,
Rick

Mooncakes abound!

It's shaped like the moon and it's to be eaten while admiring the moonlight. It is the Chinese moon cake. Mid-Autumn Festival arrived on Monday providing a pleasant day off.

On this full moon, tradition calls for going outside to enjoy moonlight. Apparently if you stick chopsticks in a mooncake and hold it to the moon you'll see a girl, a tree, and a rabbit...? A colleague explained all this in Chinese, so it's quite likely I missed a step.
Yet, the mooncakes are a wonderful present and always flattering to receive. I got 8 from a tutored student, 2 from a 12th grade student, 2 from another colleague, and 10 from the school. A bit too much to manage all by myself, but a wonderful sentiment nonetheless.

Teachers Rejoice, it's your day.

The most famous of Chinese teachers, Confucius, passed away on September 10th (so I read) and in his honor China celebrates Teachers Day. At Zhengzhou number 47 high school (where I work) all the teachers this year were brought to a restaurant and gardens near the Yellow River. We arrived with a few hours to tour the space, walking through the gardens and traversing the rope courses suspended over a lake. Some women dared the wobbly bridges, but most the courses were littered with the male teachers as they (and I) embraced our childish nature. We foreigners took the chance to rent a 4-person bike and skirt around the grounds. Wait, I overused the plural. I tugged us around the gardens. Often solo pedaling at the beginning and then physically pushing the bike on the return. No worries though, it was good exercise.

The fountain pictured here is filled once again to house the live fish with which each teacher is rewarded. The teachers received a clothing steamer, some dishes, the live fish, moon cakes (I'll explain that later when I get to Mid-Autumn Festival), and a monetary bonus. Unfortunately, we foreigners are employed through an intermediary and do not receive any school gifts.

Before the lunch, the school held an awards ceremony. While proud of my colleagues for their recognition, it is a fair chance to reflect that there cannot be a future for me here. Yes, we foreigners do not have to attend school meetings or proctor tests, but it is disheartening to know that we aren't even in the running. Regardless how diligent, innovative, dedicated, or self-sacrificing we may be, our peers won't officially recognize it.

On the positive side, the students show their satisfaction (or lack thereof) daily. My 12th graders presented me with a scroll of Confucian teachings as a Teacher's day present. That is a great reward!

Later Days,
Rick

A much-welcome Swede in China

Every apartment has small kinks--something bothersome you, the resident, hope to fix with a well-placed picture or lamp. My bother was of perpetual darkness, since my bedroom ceiling light is as effective as a cell phone's beam. Yet, in search of simple lighting, everything exceeded 300-500¥. Then comes the Swede pictured here.

In ever-growing desperation to save my eyesight, I find the Swede's website. Bad news: no store in my city, Zhengzhou, and no shipping in China. But alas, China's upredictability cannot be underestimated. While all signs point to no lamp for Li (me), what should I see when walking the streets of Zhengzhou? A saving grace.

It's not the spacious show- and storage house like usual, rather the entirety of a large store crammed and stacked into 1000 sq. feet. It's the result of a man and a big truck. He drives to Nanjing, buys up the lot and trucks it back to Zhengzhou. Somehow he even found the sign. This is one time where I roll my eyes at the incredulity, but am actually quite thankful I can now read in my bedroom.

Still China less the Classroom

I've been through it before. All the unpredictability should be minimal since I've been through it before, right? Well, it's still China. As the picture shows, this is our classroom on the Friday before our first class Monday. The school's freshman enrollment continued to grow so they took over our former classrooms and we now have this abandoned room on the opposite corner of campus.

All the luxuries of the smartboard have been stripped away. Right now we're thankful some desks are in the room. Will there be a blackboard by the first class? Uncertain.
Will anything be clean by the first class? Uncertain. Will there ever be technology in the room? Uncertain. If nothing else, they always keep us on our toes!

Not Ready to give up Training Wheels

Yep, I'm back in China for year 2. I likely should lead with a lengthy story of the exploits to this point, such as the seminar in Beijing, seeing friends from the company, and finally being back in Zhengzhou. However, I'll delay the obligatory and continue with the normalcy.

This summer I successfully passed the HSK (Chinese proficiency test) level 4 and can recognize 1,200 characters. This means I can communicate almost fluently with the Chinese. Despite the certificate proving it, I'm still not ready to give up my crutch--English in the form of Chinese English teachers.

On a positive spin, tonight I was able to go out with 3 other Chinese teachers (2 English and one chemistry). Most was in Chinese with only tidbits of English for aid in understanding. It was really nice to spend time with them (as seen in the photo) at a great tepanaki restaurant. And someday it'll be pure Chinese. Just keep working at it...I might even make it a competition with my students since we both need about 4,000 words.