Zhao Qing

Yesterday, Brandon and I went to Zhao Qing in the afternoon to meet Mark and get some packages from him. It was pretty uneventful except for one story I must share.
Brandon, I, and Mark's friend Julie were standing in a parking lot waiting as Mark got on his bus to go back to Hong Kong. There was a lady with a tin cup trying to get money from us since we were the only white people there which means we must have money. Brandon kept telling her that she could give him money! Then she left us alone, but she sent her little boy over with the cup. He must have been around 6 years old. He just stood next to Brandon and held the cup up as high as he could reach (about mid chest) and just waited. We all just tried to ignore him and kept talking. Then Brandon started absently playing with the boys hair like he was a dog! It was so hilarious! Finally he couldn't stand looking at the boys face because his nose was running and his face was quite dirty. So he asked me for the tissues I had just gotten at the restaurant. I gave them to him, and he wiped the boys face! I couldn't stop laughing! Then he put the rest of the tissues into the boys cup and the boy walked away! He didn't even seem to care that Julie was giving him a dollar!

Puppies and Chickens

After we made jiaozi, we went out for the afternoon with Mark and his good friend Mr. Chen. Mr. Chen wanted to give us a tour of his home and business. First, we stopped at a school next to his home which he gives money to. The school was quite small, but nice. While we were there, a funeral procession went by. It was very interesting to see what they do in the villages for a funeral. They set off firecrackers every 30 feet or so, and also had a couple of instruments playing. The women all carried white fans which they held in front of their faces.
Then we walked across the street to Mr. Chen's home. He has a very large home. Especially by Chinese standards. I think the house had 7 bedrooms and close to that many bathrooms. He also had 3 big dogs that we played with for a little while. We see many dogs, but don't dare touch them for fear of diseases, but we knew these dogs were well cared for. You can see pictures of some of the house on snapfish.
After touring the house, we thought we were going to Mr. Chen's chicken farm. We'd been looking forward to it all day. Well, we didn't. We stopped to see a reservoir which wasn't all that exciting when you were expecting to see chickens.
Finally, we went to see the chicken farm!!! We drove into the parking area and there we saw a bunch of puppies!!! They were adorable and only a couple weeks old. There were 8 puppies in all, and we couldn't put them down. Suddenly we didn't care about chickens. When they finally wrestled the puppies away from us, we went into the incubation building. Mr. Chen's chicken farm is the 2nd largest in XinXing. He sells 30,000 chickens a day which means he has to hatch at least that many! We saw rooms filled with eggs and some with newly hatched eggs and baby chicks. This was almost as exciting as the puppies! :) Then we came to a place with a bunch of eggs sitting out. They were bigger, oblong eggs, which means they are twins! They discard these eggs because there either they will be smaller, or they will not survive. We wanted to go see the chickens, but we were not allowed to get too close because they did not want to contaminate the rooms.... hmmm... I won't say it.
Then we went back to play with the puppies for a little while and then it was finally time for dinner. Yes, we had chicken! :) We also had some of the eggs with two yokes. Have you ever eaten a fried egg with two yokes? I have! We had dinner at a restaurant where the room we ate in turned into a KTV room. They expected us to sing after that! Well, I was feeling exhausted and very dirty by that time, so I was not in the mood to sing any songs. Thankfully they didn't make us stay very long.

Jiaozi and Friends

Yesterday was another wonderful day in XinXing. It began with a trip to the market with Sally and Belinder to pick up supplies for making jiaozi (dumplings filled with pork, ham, carrot, and mushrooms). They used our kitchen to chop everything into tiny bits and mixed it all together. Then we set to the task of stuffing many many dumplings. It took a long time, but it was so much fun! We talked about lots of different things along with learning some Chinese words such as "kuai luo" which means "chopstick fell"! We said this every time a chopstick fell on the floor! It was confusing at first because it sounds like "kuai le" which means "happy". I wondered why Ale was happy that Sara's chopstick fell on the floor... Anyway, when the dumplings were filled, we cooked them and had lunch. It was delicious! If only I had the motivation to do that much work for one meal more... :) There are many more pictures on Snapfish too.

Turkey Lesson

During the two weeks before Thanksgiving, I taught my students the true meaning of the holiday. I taught them about pilgrims and why they went to America, and I taught them about the indians who helped them. I also told them about the food we eat and they were fascinated. “How do you make that? I'm sooo hungry!” Then I got to the fun part! I had this written on a slide for them to read: Imagine you are a turkey and Thanksgiving is coming soon. You really don't want to be chosen for the dinner table. Write a speech explaining why your partner is a better choice for Thanksgiving dinner. After the outbursts of “What?! I'm a turkey?!” wore off, they settled down to write their arguments. Many of them were the same, but I got some really funny ones too. I edited some of them so that they make sense. I'm sorry there are so many, but I couldn't narrow it down any more. Enjoy!

1. DK: I think Jack is the best one to choose. Please look at him. He is enormous with much muscle. Mmmm... He smells very delicious. Unluckily, I'd like to be chosen, but I am not stronger than he. What a pity. Now I'm telling you a secret. I have been infected with the flu called H5N1 (bird flu), so I can't be eaten. But he hasn't been infected so he is the best one to choose.
2. Jack: I think my partner, DK is the better choice for the dinner table because I have cancer. If you want to have cancer, eat me; and if you don't, eat him. My partner is also stronger and bigger than me. The important thing is he is healthy, so I am sure his meat is delicious. So it is better to choose him.
3. Nash: My beautiful owner, don't chose me. I am too fat to eat and I will taste very terrible. My partner is a better choice because his meat tastes more delicious. Also, he often makes much noise. You should choose him and stop him making noise.
4. Prince: Don't choose me. I'm too small and Dark is bigger than me. Also, he is very healthy because he often does exercise and I'm too lazy to move my body. So he is strong and his meat is delicious. My body is mostly bone and my muscles are too little. H5N1 is my best friend. If you don't want to be friends with this disease, please choose him, my partner, Dark.
5. Sunny: I want to tell you how much I miss you, my dear owner. It was so cold these days that I caught a bad cough unluckily! I became thinner and weaker. Sorry to tell you that I can't contribute myself to you. Swish is so healthy that you can choose her. Look! Her nice and big legs, her pretty neck and her smelly body. Do you want to have a taste? I'm too old, she is younger. I'm afraid I will die before you kill me! So leave me! Allow me to live until I go to see the God!
6. Lily: I have many advantages, like I can sing and dance. I will make the people feel very happy. I can help the farmer to catch the insects and make the plants grow strong. I can bear eggs and let the people earn a lot of money.
7. Jane: I am very happy to be chosen, but I think you are better than me.
Wing: No. No. I think you are healthier than me.
Jane: No. In fact, I have a bad cold. If I am chosen for the dinner table it will not be good for the guests.
Wing: It's not necessary, there is much time. You can go to the doctor before Thanksgiving Day.
Jane: Ok. I am willing to be chosen for the dining table.
8. Cherry: Oh! My delicious turkey! I'm coming!
Grace: Oh, no! Please! Don't choose me!
Cherry: Why? You look so tasty! You will give us an unforgettable dinner!
Grace: I'm too thin. I think you should choose a fatter one. Yeah! I will get fatter and more delicious next year.
Cherry: But now I think no one is better than you! And it's your honor to be the delicious food for people.
Grace: Oh! If you have made up your mind, I have nothing to say!
9. Lisa: Oh my dear friend! Do you know you are perfect? You are thinner than me so your meat will be more delicious.
Windy: No. My meat is hard to eat. If people eat me they will have a toothache. You are so kind, you must not want me to be killed by people.
Lisa: No, you are not only nice, but also very smart. If you were chosen for the dinner table, the people will be smart too!
Windy: I'm not smart. I am always losing my way. You are smart. You can guide all the turkeys to play.
Lisa: You are not confident. You know you are the best choice my friend!

And my two favorites:
2. King: I'm a little, little, ugly thing. My face is ugly, my claws are ugly as well as my wings. But my favorite friend Jan is very handsome and perfect and attractive. I'm so weak and I've just caught a big flu, I may infect and weaken anyone who approaches me. But my friend Jan is pretty strong and never gets ill. I have a bad smell but Jan always smells delicious!
1. Yaya: My partner's name is Suveny. The young girl is so delicious. Why? Because some days when I pass her, I always can smell a nice and sweet scent from her hair. And the important point is that she's taller than me – the pathetic, short, thin chicken (turkey). How would you refuse a long, big chicken (turkey) leg in front of your mouth? If you eat me, you'll swallow the bone – you have to! Also, it is said that her ancestors all were selected for KFC. If you're wise, you'll choose her.

Kung Fu Fighting

At the end of October, I started learning a branch of kung fu called “wushu”. It is a performance with a “cudgel” or long pole. I am told that it is something students must learn in order to get into a kung fu fighting course. I have had five classes now and I really enjoy it! I am getting a workout and it brings me back to my days as a dancer learning a performance. My teacher is another English teacher named Stephen, and he practices his English while I practice wushu! Below is an article I found on a website explaining a little more of it's history.

What is Wushu?
provided by Raffi Kamalian
Among China's well kept secrets, one caught the imagination of Americans - Chinese wushu. Wushu is an important component of the cultural heritage of China, with a rich content that has remained untarnished over the centuries. Literally translated, "wu" is military, "shu" is art. Wushu therefore means the art of fighting, or martial arts.
Previously, wushu figured significantly in the simple matter of survival through China's many wars and political upheaval. Today, wushu has been organized and systematized into a formal branch of study in the performance arts by the Chinese. It reigns as the most popular national sport in the country of 1.1 billion people, practiced by the young and old alike. Its emphasis has shifted from combat to performance, and it is practiced for its method of achieving heath, self-defense skills, mental discipline, recreational pursuit and competition.
To describe wushu, it is best to understand the philosophy of its teaching. Every movement must exhibit sensible combat application and aestheticism. The wealth of wushu's content, the beauty of wushu movements, the difficulty factor, and the scientific training methods are the song of the elements that set wushu apart from martial arts. Routines are performed solo, paired or in groups, either barehanded or armed with traditional Chinese weaponry. In short, wushu is the most exciting martial art to be seen, felt, and ultimately practiced.
How is wushu related to kung fu and taijiquan? "Wushu" is the correct term for all Chinese martial arts therefore kung fu and wushu were originally the same. During the last thirty years, wushu in Mainland China was modernized so that there could be a universal standard for training and competing. In essence, much emphasis has been placed on speed, difficulty, and presentation. Consequently, wushu has become an athletic and aesthetic performance and competitive sport, while "kung fu" or traditional wushu remains the traditional fighting practice. Taijiquan is a major division of wushu, utilizing the body's internal energy or "chi" and following the simple principle of "subduing the vigorous by the soft."
Although still in budding stages in many countries, wushu is an established international sport. In 1990, wushu was inducted as an official medal event in the Asian Games. Since then World Championships have taken place with 56 nations participating. Wushu is also vying for the Olympic games in the 21st century.
Taken from http://www.stanford.edu/group/wushu/whatis.html

Reflections After Three Months

I thought I would share one of my emails that I feel tells a lot about how I'm feeling lately:
"Honestly, I don't want to go home yet. I really like it here and even though I have things I wish were different or better, nothing is unbearable. I am finally getting to know many of my students' names and I'm getting better and better at understanding Chinese. I'm just getting settled in now. I'm also starting to get nervous about going home. I know it will be a HUGE difference to go home. I WILL miss it here. It's impossible to live somewhere and not find a way to make it home or get attached to the people you meet. In Madison, I met many people and made it my home, but there I only knew maybe 200 people. Here I have met thousands in only 3 months. They all care about me and are eager to be my friend. How can I leave here and NOT miss them? So now I am feeling torn between my homes. I can't imagine what it will be like to not see Sally almost every day, or be greeted by my students, or see the smiles of the little children and their grandparents. Even the lunch ladies are special!"
So, after three months, I have made China my home and it makes me sad to think that after less than one year I will return to America and I may never see these amazingly special people again. I hope I am able to show them how much I care about them and tell them who will always love them no matter where they are.

Mountain Climbing

Today we went to climb a mountain with our principal, his son Jimmy, Cathy, and some other people I don't know. We drove quite a ways up the mountain to a little building with a restaurant. Several tables were set up outside, some had a covering above them. There were chickens and dogs running everywhere - what a sight! They ran around your feet while you ate trying to find any scraps to eat. There were also large tubs that the owners would dump leftovers into for them to eat. If the chickens didn't get there first, they had to wait until the dogs had enough!
Then we began to climb. We were given hats and umbrellas to protect from the hot sun. The air was cool though, so we were still wearing long sleeves. It was really beautiful there! We found a couple trees with pretty fall colors, but mostly still green! We also walked past many tea trees and I learned which part of the leaf is best for making tea. Turns out a tree has to be 80 years old before it gives good tea. Wow! As we got closer to the top, it got much steeper and we finally came up to the top. WOW!!! What a view! We had a good time taking pictures and relaxing for a while before heading back down.
When we got back to the restaurant area, we found a giant pile of hay to play in and take pictures. Jimmy and Brandon chased and caught the chickens, and we sat around picking stickers off our pants and shoes. It was one of my favorite days so far. We got some fantastic pictures and had a wonderful time! In December or January the trees there will be in bloom so I hope we are able to go back and see them.

The Big Wedding

Today we were invited to the Experimental School for a big wedding. Seven couples got married! I believe all 14 of them are teachers, but I don't know for sure. It is not common for Chinese people to marry in groups, but it does happen. They also have two types of weddings. One is traditional which is much more elaborate and brides wear a read dress. The other is western which is more like the American style wedding.
The wedding we went to was western. The brides wore white dresses, the couples marched down an aisle and all stood together in front of the banquet room. Then they did several things. First, each person said something about their bride or groom. Then the school presented them with a gift. They all exchanged rings, then kissed for 10 seconds (and everyone counted!). A toast was made, they threw the bouquets, and cut the cake.
Then the couples left the room and the food was served with a flourish. The food was delicious and after a long time, the couples finally returned. They brides had changed into red dresses - some were traditional and some were not. They walked around the room doing toasts at each table before sitting down to eat. Soon after, the guests began to leave and we were left sitting there. It was a very special evening. One I am so happy to have been a part of!

Thanksgiving in China

Since Sara's Mom was here for Thanksgiving we had a somewhat traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Brandon and Caroline came over and we all helped cook something. There was chicken with celery and carrots cooked in the rice cooker, Stove Top stuffing, cranberries from a can, cranberry Jello, rolls from the shop downstairs, green beans and corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, and pumpkin pie (with no crust) and apple crisp for dessert. Afterward we watched 'Casino Royale' and cleaned up.
It was quite a unique Thanksgiving. I was also able to talk to my family after their Thanksgiving dinner, so that was really special.

Some things I'm thankful for:
1. God and all He does for me every day
2. The support of my family and friends
3. The experiences I've had and will have this year in China
4. The blessings I've received in my lifetime. I have so much more than many of the people I meet here. It is really amazing to learn what they live without because they don't know any different.
5. People who know Mandarin and English! Without them I would be having a much harder time here!

Zhao Qing

Sara's Mom came to visit us November 18-25 so we wanted to take her somewhere besides just XinXing. We got our Wednesday Oral English class moved to Saturday morning so we would have the whole day free to go to Zhao Qing. This is the city we went to for Mid Autumn Day in September. I was successful in purchasing the bus tickets to Zhao Qing and Sara bought the ones to return home!
When we were there we spent a lot of time stopping in shops that caught our interest. Finally we got to the big mall and had lunch at Pizza Hut. It was the first time we've had PH since we came to China. It tastes the same, but they put some different toppings on them. They have several seafood pizzas, some with octopus and shrimp... but we didn't get those...
Then we went into the mall to do some shopping. Everything was more expensive than we were expecting so we went to a different one. We hadn't gotten too far into that one when Sara noticed her camera was gone. She hadn't taken a single picture that day, so we know that someone stole it. Thankfully we have all of her pictures on her and my computers, so none of them were lost. But it put quite a damper on the day. We weren't in the mood to do any more shopping, so we went over to the lake and took some pictures for a while.
At 5 we were going to head back to the bus station when we noticed a market area. We spent an hour there looking at everything and talking with the people as much as we could with our limited Chinese. One of the men was teaching me a bunch of words, and one of the ladies kept saying "Hey! Hello!" to get our attention. It was so funny! Well, then we stopped at McD's to eat and headed back to the bus station. It was a really nice day. I wish we had more time to go there to explore more of the city. Brandon and Caroline want to go there for Christmas, so maybe we'll tag along.