No Good Thing Will He Withhold...

Even unexpected lavish bouquets of flowers.

Love Comes Softly

Today is Sunday, but it's also Tuesday. You see, this week our university is going to be off for the National Day Holiday. For some reason, though, we can't have the whole week off, only three school days (Wed.-Fri.). So we are switching Monday and Tuesdays classes to the Saturday and Sunday before in order to have our week off. Sound confusing? It is. Confusing and busy.

I was faced with the problem of teaching two video English classes today that will be off schedule with the rest of my freshmen classes. So, I thankfully accepted the advice of veteran teachers and showed an English film. "Love Comes Softly", specifically.

Perhaps you never really enjoy a kid's movie until you watch it with enthusiastic kids. Perhaps you never really enjoy any movie until you watch it with Chinese students. They get more "into" movies than anyone I've seen. This morning, my students giggled at the romantic parts, they gasped aloud at the suspenseful parts, and many of them were wiping away tears at the sad parts. As I watched them experiencing the film, I was drawn into the emotion of the story myself. One character, in particular, displays a calm, confident faith. To many of them, his words and actions were totally different than what they have ever seen. I noticed several of them watching me closely when he shared his beliefs.

And I was so humbled. What do they see when they watch me? They watch me every class just as closely as they were watching that film. Do they see faith, love, and calm confidence? Do they see hypocrisy? Do they see the One that I want them to see or do they only see me?

School must have started...

I know this for many reasons. Obviously, one is that I get up and go to class or my office every day. Also, I spend much time working on lesson prep. It's also hard to ignore the thousands of students wandering or jogging or marching around our campus. But if I ignore the obvious facts, feelings alone would convince me that school has started, and I'm actually a teacher again.

I'm sitting on my (totally brand new, cool, and slightly funky smelling) couch. I haven't changed from my work clothes because I'm too tired to move. The kitchen is filthy, the bathroom is scary, and I'm surrounded by student papers, empty glasses, and a box of partially eaten Oreo O cereal. I've got enough energy to move my fingers to type, but not enough to take off my shoes. I know I really should clean or do schoolwork, but I just want to sit here and stare at the wall. Wow! It's that wonderful, familiar exhaustion that I remember from my first stint as a teacher.

There are many differences between my teaching experience years ago and what is happening now. So many changes in the situation, in the location, and even in me. Some noticeable good differences: 1)I've got a seemingly infinitely expanding supply of mooncakes to tide me over should I ever begin to starve 2)The apartment is smaller so there is less to clean should I attempt to clean it 3)I really only prep for two lessons a week. I just teach them over and over. 4)Did I mention the brand new, cool, only slightly smelly couch? 5) I think I'm a better teacher now. PTL!

It was a long day, but it was crowned with a relational breakthrough! Two of my freshmen students (most of whom are still quite nervous to talk to me) came and talked to me for an hour during my office time. We talked about important issues to them: learning English better, life in America, why don't Americans have to learn Chinese in school like they learn English (such a good point), and also how many definitions there might be for the word asset. Then they asked if I would eat dinner with them in the dining hall. Hurrah! Even though, I had to practically jump up and down to keep class 3 awake today, class 2 is eager to eat dinner with me! It is a good start to me having relationships with my students. Another plus of eating with freshmen is that their English does have limits so I learn lots of Chinese words.

So now. Now, I'm going to spend some time cleaning my kitchen and bathroom, watch the first episode of NCIS with Kelly (she's never seen the show!), and then work on the sophomore writing lesson for tomorrow. Also listen to joyful music or a MS podcast. Also avoid talking on skype to Ryan my new (not a stalker, Justin) online friend.

Thanks, Joy.

Touching music and production aside, these are cold, hard, provable facts.

First Weeks of School

Joy is right again. I haven't been updating this blog enough. However, I've been quite busy adjusting to my new life here. I'll try to be more faithful with this.

I'm finishing the second week of school here in China. The first week, I only taught two sophomore writing classes. This second week, I've added my six freshmen video classes. Video English uses video clips with the teaching to practice all the language skills together: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. I think I'll really like all of my classes. Most of the freshmen are shy and eager. Many of them have never had a foreign teacher or perhaps even met a foreigner.

I've also begun my own Chinese lessons. Our university has a major for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. The upperclassmen from this major are teaching the foreign teachers Chinese. It helps us because they are well-trained and wanting to practice their skills. It helps them as well. My teacher is a smart and dedicated young lady, and we are both very serious that I will learn as much Chinese as I can. My students also love for me to practice my new words on them. They seem to appreciate that I am trying to learn their language.

The weather here has turned so beautiful. According to local people, this is the best season of the year here. The sky is blue and sunny, but there is a slight coolness in the air. In the next few days, we will be celebrating the Mid-Autumn festival. It has something to do with harvest and full moon. People celebrate by being together with family and by giving moon cakes as gifts. Moon cakes have an interesting design and a sweet filling. So far, I have had the egg filling (ok) and the fruit filling (actually very good), but there are many different kinds of filling. I've been invited to attend a Mid-Autumn party, so I'm looking forward to that.

The other American teachers here have been such an encouragement to me! They've helped me to know where to go and what to do. We spend time together on Sundays and other nights of the week. On Labor Day, we even had a cook-out outside of our building. Several Chinese men stopped by to watch the grilling and give advice to the guy who was cooking hamburgers. It was a classic picnic, ending with S'mores. We had a great time together!

My students and other Chinese friends are also so helpful. Last night, one of the sophomores took another foreign teacher and I with her out to dinner. She showed us a newly opened food court place in our college neighborhood where the students eat. They had all kinds of delicious Chinese foods. She helped us try several things and learn the names so that we can return to eat there on our own. Here in the northeast, people seem to like their foods salty and a little bit spicy. I really enjoy almost all of the food that I've had here.

Well, that's a little bit of an update. I'll try to keep this blog more current. I know that so many of you are thinking of me and supporting me. Your love is so precious to me, and I want to keep you informed of what is happening to me here.

Starting the School Year With a Bang