A Letter to My Teacher

Dear Dr. _________,

I'm wondering if you remember the conversation we had earlier this
year when I visited Northland. I told you that I often use things
about culture that I learned in your World Geography class in my job
in long term care. I was there at Northland to meet with someone
about teaching in China. The years I spent working in long term care
were part of my preparation, I think. I've been here in China for
three months now. It's overwhelming to me how each little step on the
long road from Northland to here, even the steps that I believed were
detours, was necessary and important.

I was reminded of you this afternoon. I was invited to be part of an
extra-curricular English language club on the campus of a university
nearby the one where I teach. Today was the first meeting, and the
organizers and myself were all surprised that several young men from
Xinjiang province joined us. They are Chinese by nationality, but not
by race or custom. They're from the Uygher minority and are Muslim.
These guys today have only been learning English for one year but had
better oral English than most of my students who have been studying
for many years. After the meeting, one of the young men was talking
with me and some other Chinese students. The Chinese students were
discussing how Chinese people choose their names for meaning while
Americans do not.

"Most Americans choose a name based on how it sounds, and if they like
it," I said.

"We are like that, too, where I am from," the young man from Xinjiang
said. "We choose our names from a book." He looked at me. "It's an
important book." I don't think he knew the name in English. "Do you
know this book?" he asked me.

I took a guess. "The Koran?" I said.

"Yes! That is the book. Do you know it?"

Right then I just wanted to jump up and down and say thank you for
Middle Eastern History class, but I stayed cool.

"Yes, I've read it."

This was so shocking to him, but he was really excited. I left out
the part where I was forced to read it for a class and just felt so
thankful for providence.

"You have a book, too," he said.

"Yes, the B-----. Many of the people mentioned in the Koran are
talked about in it."

We talked for a few minutes about different stories that are mentioned
in both books.

"I have always wanted to read the B," he said, "to find out what
things are same."

Our conversation continued. The young man and his friends exchanged
contact info with me and with the other American guy teacher who was
there. He invited me to eat with them at a Xinjiang restaurant and
talk more. Perhaps in the future this young man will read the similar
Book. Perhaps a door has been opened.

I wanted to write you to say thank you for the time you invested in my
life. Thanks for the work that went into each class, especially
Middle Eastern History. I hope that the lessons I learned so long ago
will continue to become more and more relevant in my life.

Sincerely,
Karyn