Prepare that Repertoire

 

A nearby mall that boasts the only ice skating rink in the whole province apparently offers more than I knew.  Recently my coworker showed me a full movie theatre and arcade inside (including bumper cars!) When I finally paid more attention to the advertisements everywhere, I realized there is also a piano center! It’s been a goal for the past few years to resume lessons in an effort to broaden my repertoire.  I scheduled a time to meet a teacher—one who at least has her masters in piano performance—and met with her today.  She’s friendly and experienced; she’s been solely focused on piano since the age of 12.  Today, I signed up, planning six months of lessons.

 

More importantly, this teacher—Ms. Li—did her entire undergrad and masters in Austria.  That means I can use both German and Chinese to communicate with her!  If there’s a problem with someone’s understanding or a word flows more smoothly in one language, we just switch.  Similarly, with European training, she is unlike most Chinese teachers.  She doesn’t overemphasize technique, rather preferring musicality.  Plus, she uses the 5-lined staff instead of solfege (seriously, some Chinese teachers will refer to notes in their relative solfege position, such as “fa”, or “la”, instead of “F” or “A”, for example.)

 

Without wasting time pondering the decision, I’m planned for 6 months of lessons.  I’m going back to the piano and that fact couldn’t make me happier. 

(P.S. Don’t remind me of how hard it is to practice 2 hours every day, for now I’ll focus on the fun part.)

 

Later Days,
Rick

The Metropolis is for Me

Spring festival holiday has arrived for me, meaning 36 days of holiday. 5 have already passed and I enjoyably spent them in Shanghai--the commercial capital of China. It's a metropolis on par with New York and Frankfurt (in my opinion.) Every moment in one of those cities and I'm ever more in awe, ever more desiring to simply never leave. (You can likely imagine how I reacted when I saw Deutsche Bank's headquarters in Shanghai. If only.)

The original idea to come to Shanghai was to see a UofM friend, Sijie. She's on her senior year winter break and, like me, flying back today the 12th. Playing on her idea, I stretched the visit to a 3 day trip--a relaxing end to a stressful semester and a pleasant start to a month holiday filled solely with study.

What a city. I don't need to see tourist sights, instead I dine. These past days were Mexican, Irish, Italian, German. While inflated in price, I think of it as what I would have spent on admission tickets. Better yet, each one is in an ever-more interesting place like the French Concession, XinTian Di, the Bund, or PuDong.
Now to make it even better, as I fly home to Zhengzhou, I somehow managed to get a first class ticket. Like I said, I love this city.

Later days,
Rick

Happy New Year! Boom!

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you celebrated with a bang. Here in China, my friends and I certainly did. The day started with students' classroom parties. I attended last year and know that it's quite unlike my idea of party and more of a informal, last-minute concert where all guests must sing solos. I decided to skip that, wisely. Then the school held a big concert for all the teachers, featuring performing teachers that can actually sing. Here our school leaders sing lead vocals to the closing number. 2 hours, no intermission, no English, little understanding. It slowly lost its enjoyability.

However, my own plans with friends made the night. One friend enjoys the flavor of beer, but has only drank Chinese beers. Another few friends had never had a cocktail before, being these were foreign to China until recently. Therefore, we held an international beer and cocktail tasting night. I introduced the flights of beers, describing each and explaining for what to look. Then I taught about mixing cocktails, covering techniques and guidelines. It was great fun to have the chance to introduce friends to something completely new.

The most fun, however, was when the new year arrived and we went out to set off firecrackers. I especially enjoyed it having never set off firecrackers in China before. Firecrackers are such a key part of Chinese celebrations. Birthdays, holidays, weddings, and more are all times that the Chinese will set off fireworks. Having lived here already 1 1/2 years and experiencing many times where I think the city is being bombed because of fireworks rumbling in the distance, I was thrilled that I could take part. Happy new year! Boom.

Later days,
Rick

Life in the Fog

This is to counter Bridget's complaint (at findingmykd.blogspot.com) This photo is normal life here. However, I hope you feel better soon! And Happy New Year!

A Merry Christmas and Reason to Live Abroad

I do love Christmas traditions and certainly miss celebrating them with family. Yet celebrating holidays abroad often makes for an unforgettable experience and contributes to the benefits of living in another country.

Tonight I had the opportunity to teach our school's and our provinces best students. They are recruited from impoverished families from around the whole province. The government then sponsors these students to go to the capital city to be taught by the best teachers and work among the best students. I taught them about the holiday season and when I arrived I was showered with presents--poems, fruits, notes, decorations, and even a little tree. Then we had a wonderful class where they read, listened, and spoke (writing exercise as homework--write a letter to Santa), completing what would usually take my normal students three classes to finish.

After a stressful and unsuccessful Christmas concert last night, these students' hard work and presents made me feel so grateful. It's certainly unlike any Christmas before and, thus, such a wonderful experience while living abroad.

Merry Christmas!
Rick

It's finally over--The Christmas Concert that may make one hate Christmas

We prapared for the last few weeks solid. We all tried to teach our students a Christmas number. We made props--or in my case a Wheel of Fortune that took 20 hours and broke right before going on stage--and set up music. Then last night it all came together--more like collided--in a 3 hour Christmas concert with no intermission. There were Christmas songs, plays, dances and more. Don't forget there was also Lady Gaga, the Jabbawokies dance group, and a foreign teacher that had her daughters dance while all the Chinese students simply stood in the background holding candles. While both of my classes' performances this year could be declared "below expectations," I can rejoice that it's over.

Off to Singapore he goes

In 36 hours Dominick (郭维), an exceptional student I had the privilege to tutor for the last 10 months, will board the plane for Singapore. He'll begin a planned 11 years in Singapore, in which time he'll complete a bridging course, a degree at a world-leading university, and six years of work. Today he and I had our final session together, and I said farewell.

Working with Dominick has been incredible. He works unbelievably hard. In our time working together he won 1st prize in a Zhengzhou speaking competition, earned a full ride to the University of Singapore, and won #1 in all of Henan for an English competition. Well done, Dominick.

It's strange to be in this position--I'm watching him leave. Usually it's the other way around. Either way, I'm thrilled for him as he experiences many many firsts--first time flying, first time leaving the country, first time in Singapore, etc. Ironically, do you know what he's most worried about? He's most worried about how the food on the plane will taste.
Today I wished him well and am silenced in contemplation as I watch a significant part of my Chinese experience come to an end. Fortunately, I get to hear about everything in 6 months when he briefly returns to China--just in time to see me off.

Later Days,
Rick

Amazing Experiences in 45 seconds. Go!

I realize I have failed to communicate with the outside world for nearly a month now. Unfortunately, I only have 45 seconds to realize and rectify this. Let's go:

1) Breakthrough! Whitney, a teacher at our school, invited me over to her home to play piano with her son! What great acceptance!

2) Autumn's here. Temps dropped to fall tems overnight, but being in a very green area, I get to enjoy the scenery change.

3) Starbuck's finally arrived in Zhengzhou! Yes, it might be nothing too special, but it's one thing a person periodically yearns for when deprived of it. Sadly, now that ZZ has one...I'm over it.

4) "Adapt to the market," thought Lays Chinese executives. Thus they introduced Cheese lobster flavored chips. That fishy aftertaste is one not to forget.

5) This is where I spent all of November when not in a classroom. It's the reason for only 45 seconds. (I'll cover it in my conclusion)

6) Happy Thanksgiving! Once again I opted for a KFC bucket, because I could pre-order it to arrive punctually when I finished class...at 9:30. I devoured "Thanksgiving dinner" in 20 minutes, convincing myself I was enjoying the holiday celebration. Then 5 min later, I was already asleep. What a joyous holiday.

7) Christmas is here! And Easter? Chinese purchasing behaviors amuse me when small kinks such as this appear before (the likely undiscerning) customer.

8) After a year of searching and studying Chinese, my ability was finally good enough to locate the only Papa Johns in town. Let me tell you, so good.

That's the monthly news from Lake Wobehad in a blip, brought to you in our regular Sunday morning coffee sip break.
Somehow I've done it again and taken on more than I may wish, in that I had enough to do that this week alone I clocked 84 hours. A large part was due to a last minute tutoring request/demand. My Chinese boss calls me Monday night at 8 pm to introduce me to her friend. This friend said, "My son will take an English test in 10 days. He needs to make significant progress. Amy recommended you, so I would like you to spend 2 hours every night from 7:30-9:30 for the next 10 days tutoring my son, starting tomorrow. Do you currently have night classes?"
"No," I reply, "I prepare for the next days class."
"Great, so you're free at that time! I'll call my son now so you can meet him," he concludes as he presses 'call' on his phone.
His son is certainly a nice kid, but I am really looking forward to having my evenings back. This is another crazy week, but next week both Dominick and this last-minute student, Julian, will finish. Dominick leaves for Singapore next Monday and Julian tests on Saturday. One day at a time. Wth that I say:

Later Days,

Rick

A Halloween Spectacular Weekend

Halloween arrived at Number 47 Middle school this past week.  We, the FEC foreign teachers, spent the week planning and preparing for the events on Friday and Monday (yet to come).  We decorated both classrooms (picture 1).  Classroom one had pumpkin carving all day while classroom two had Halloween activities, like apple bobbing (picture 2), creepy body parts (picture 4; eg. brains are noodles, blood is ketchup, but the heart was a real pig's heart!), mummy races (picture 5), and face painting.  We had costumes as well; Kellen is the skeleton pictured (picture 3) and I'm the "masquerade murderer". 

 

After the Halloween chaos subsided, we spent a fun Friday night at dinner and discovering a great new restaurant.  Saturday followed with a relaxing day―due in part to the absence of electricity in the entire school for 24 hours.  We moseyed around the city, enjoying cappuccinos, hair cuts, movie releases (Green Lantern & Rise of the Planet of the Apes), and a fantastic hotpot 海底捞―a student from last year's favorite (picture 6.) 

Finally, Sunday was filled with an early morning trip to the nearby city of Kaifeng, home to the chrysanthemum festival in a former emperor's palace.  A Chinese teacher from my school―Maggie (王燕)―invited me to join her, her mother, her daughter, and two students to go to Kaifeng.  The next picture is of Maggie and me in front of the mums on display (picture 7). She is incredibly nice, insisting that I come and visit when I have free time so I can practice my Chinese.  Because of this, we spent the entire day speaking Chinese!

 

Sitting here Sunday night, it was a busy and exhausting weekend, yet one completely worth it.

 

Later Days,

Rick

 

He did it. Henan High Schools' Best English Speaker

Yesterday, Dominick （郭维）competed in the provincial English competition, including a listening, reading, and writing test as well as an extemporaneous speech.  The results are in, and he is #1.  He did it! Below is the report his Chinese English teacher wrote to announce his success to the school. (I'm even mentioned!  Woohoo!)

(roughly) Translated English:

 

Guo Wei (Dominick) tops the fifth provincial "English Language Weekly's English Cup" to evaluate high school students' comprehensive English skills

In the recently-concluded Henan Province "English Language Weekly's English Cup" which assesses English students' comprehensive skills, Zhengzhou Number 47 High School's senior 3 student, Guo Wei (Dominick) stood out, winning first prize in Henan Province. His English teacher Zhang Hong (Whitney) also received first prize for excellent tutelage.

The event is organized by Henan Province's Department of Education and co-sponsored by the English language weekly newspaper.  Every two years it takes place in Henan Province to promote basic education in English, curriculum reform, and overall development of students; it strives to stimulate students' interest in learning English, create a good English-learning atmosphere, and demonstrate students' abilities. The tournament, held in Xinxiang City at Henan Normal University's High School, had more than 500 high school student participants from cities across the province.  The two-day competition included a written test and an extemporaneous speech.  The two results added to the overall score for each participant. Guo Wei's (Dominick's) outstanding performance and excellent results brings a great honor to both Zhengzhou City and Number 47 High School.

Zhengzhou Number 47 High School is the first municipal "Characteristics of International Education" school.  It has attached great importance to the teaching and learning of English. In addition to sending students to England and the United states for exchange programs, the school also organizes rich and varied extra-curricular activities, such as the "English Corner", the Christmas party, and an English speech contest all designed to improve students' English language and literacy.  Additionally, foreign teacher, Rick, also carefully worked with Guo Wei (Dominick) in preparation of the competition.  Further benefiting Number 47 High School's strong English-learning atmosphere and international perspective, Guo Wei (Dominick) has already earned a "Singapore Corporate Scholarship", a full-scholarship to the National University of Singapore or Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, which he attend in the second half of this year to begin his undergraduate studies.

 

 

Original Chinese:

郭维同学在省第五届"英语周报杯"中学生英语综合技能展评中折桂

在刚刚结束的河南省第五届"英语周报杯"中学生英语综合技能展评活动中，郑州四十七中高三学生郭维脱颖而出, 荣获河南省一等奖第一名。英语组张宏老师获得优秀辅导教师一等奖。

此项活动由河南省教育厅与英语周报社联合主办，两年一届，旨在推进河南省基础教育阶段英语学科的课程改革、促进学生全面发展、激发学生学习英语的兴趣、给学生创造一个良好的英语学习气氛和充分展示自我的舞台。本届比赛在新乡市河师大附中举行，共有来自全省各辖市及扩权县的500多名初、高中的学生经过市级展评进入省级决赛。大赛为期两天，先后进行笔试和即兴演讲两轮展评，两轮成绩相加为每位选手的综合成绩。郭维同学代表郑州市参加比赛，他以出色的表现、优异的成绩和全面的综合素质赢得了评委的高度称赞，为四十七中和郑州市赢得了极大的荣誉。

郑州四十七中是第一所市属"国际教育特色"学校，一直以来高度重视英语的教与学。学校除每年派出师生到英美国家进行交流和学习外，还组织了丰富多采的课外活动，如"英语角"、圣诞晚会、英语演讲比赛等，旨在提高学生的英语语言和文化素养。就连这次比赛，外教Rick也一同随行, 对郭维同学进行了精心的赛前辅导。

受益于四十七中浓厚的英语学习氛围和开放的国际视野，郭维同学已获得全额"新加坡企业奖学金"，并于下半年赴新加坡国立大学、新加坡南洋理工大学深造