Sept 21, 2007

Hi everyone!

How is life in the United States these days? Brad and I are doing well. I just talked to Mom and Dad this morning, so I enjoyed hearing about life at home! I hope you are all looking for the beauty of each day and learning to appreciate the privileges of living in our home country.

This week has been a week of observations. There is so much to take in here! First, I was able to make it to the grocery store and back alone! It is only a short walk, but in the past we have always shopped in large groups. Brad was tired due to his first full week of commuting and teaching, so I tried it alone. I was very excited to find familiar products like Oreos, Ritz crackers, Chips-Ahoy, brown sugar, fruit cocktail, and a wide variety of ice creams! I also located eggs, but was surprised to find that they do not box their eggs by the dozen, but dump all of them into a large crate, which you must sort through to find the ones that you like.

The stores here usually have similar clothes to what we have at home, but the quality is usually a little lower and they are cheaper. In other words, it appears that all of China shops at our equivalent of Kmart, or the local Rite Aid, for what they need. There are some nicer products in the malls, Walmart, and downtown shops, but the prices are similar to those in the U.S., which is very expensive to the locals. As far as style goes, the girls are much more modest here. I have seen no one dressed immodestly...no short skirts, no low-cut shirts, and not a single tank-top. (Maybe they don't wear tank-tops since they do not shave their armpits). The girls dress up more, often wearing dresses, skirts, and heels. Light skin is preferred to dark skin, so they envy us Americans. The girls usually carry beautiful lacy parasols on sunny days, and brightly colored umbrellas on rainy days.

Family life is beautiful in China. Everywhere you turn, people have their children with them. Children generally ride on the backs of their parents’ bikes, in a stroller, or walk alongside. Mothers, fathers, and grandparents care for the children, and often groups with children will gather in common areas for the children to play and socialize. I have not seen a single baby wearing a diaper, but I have seen many baby butts! There is usually a slit in the rear of a baby's garment, allowing for parents to steer the child to a nearby bush or bit of dirt when it has the need. In the mornings, children ride on a bus or on the back of a parent's bike to school, wearing their colorful backpacks. They return again in the afternoons, much like in the U.S. One main difference that we have learned is that the "rod" has not been spared in China, and children are rarely disrespectful to their teachers, lest they incur the subsequent discipline.

Our students are so different from American students. They are NEVER disrespectful. They are quick to apologize for any mistake, quick to offer assistance, and very eager to learn. They smile throughout class, treat one another kindly, and eagerly participate in most exercises. They are a teacher’s dream. At 7am it is not unusual to see students reading books all over campus. Most of my students are 5-10 minutes early for classes, so it is very noticeable if I come in at the last minute! Many will also hang around after class to ask questions. There is no homophobia in China...in fact, there are few admitted homosexuals at all. Girls especially hold hands everywhere they go, and they will often take my hand as we walk together. Even boys will occasionally hold hands. The students impulsively compliment, "Teacher, You're beautiful!" One student last week asked if my hair was naturally curly. I told her it was, and she asked if she could touch it? After touching it, she said "Oooohhh...” There is a childlike innocence in the college students here, that is absent in the Western world.

Brad began 8 of his 9 classes this week. The first two weeks of the freshmen year are spent in military training. As I run in the mornings, I can hear the gunshots as they practice, or watch them move around the fields in perfect formation. Brad takes a campus bus 30 minutes to the Western campus, which adds a good hour to his day each way as he goes to and from classes. (10 minutes to the bus, 10 minutes early for his bus, 30 minute ride, arrive 10 minutes before class.) He finds the trip tiring and nerve-racking because the buses do not have shocks, and the drivers go very fast for such large awkward vehicles. He spends the time listening to his Ipod or reading a book. So you can be thinking of him as he commutes each day.

We have many exciting things coming up soon!

First, tonight (September 21) all four of us are attending V.A.N. English Club for biology majors. We have been asked to lead music, games, speaking, and questioning about English.

Second, September 25 is Mid-Autumn day in China. It is similar to our Thanksgiving. Families come together to celebrate by eating “moon cakes” at midnight. Shannon says that our students may bring moon-cakes to us in class.

Third, October 1-7 is National holiday. It is called a “golden” travel holiday in China. We will be leaving on that Saturday for Qingwandao (sp?) which is a popular seaside vacation area. We are going there to visit the other five people on our ELT Edge team. On Tuesday we will leave them, and then go to Beijing for a few days to see the sights.

Fourth, Peter is running the Beijing Marathon on October 21, and is currently working on getting Brad registered. If that goes through, both Brad and Peter will be running in this huge marathon that attracts thousands of locals and foreigners each year.

Again, thank you for keeping us in your thoughts. We miss you!

Love,
Jessie and Brad