Langfang, China is full of the holiday spirit as we prepare to celebrate a Christmas to remember! The main highlight of this week for me has been the baking. On Saturday, Marian and Flora helped me to bake Oatmeal Raisin Cookies in our little kitchen. This first adventure was a great success, so on Sunday, Zeny and Skye helped me to bake Chocolate Chip Cookies. Yesterday, Cassie and Melinda joined me for a third attempt, this time with Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies.
All of the girls had a great time running up and down the stairs delivering hot cookies to Newt, Shannon, and Peter. They explained that they had never baked cookies before, and certainly not American cookies. They were quite mystified by the entire process, including the measuring of ingredients, translating the English directions, eating cookie batter, and using the oven. Their looks of wonder and delight in these discoveries were priceless. They loved eating the warm cookies fresh from the oven, and I sent each pair home with two dozen cookies, and later heard many thanks from grateful roommates! It was a learning experience for me too, as I learned to share kitchen responsibilities, to offer them HOT water (the Chinese preference) to drink instead of cold water, and to answer many questions about books, movies, photographs, kitchen tools, mistletoe, Christmas trees, and more!
Aside from baking, Brad invited Joseph over to talk movies, and found greater access to recent American movies through this new friend. Joseph is a student who lives next door to Shannon, and he does a great job of taking care of his American teacher friends. I also invited Vivian to go shopping with me, and we managed to purchase a Christmas tree, tinsel, and a few ornaments at Walmart. She even brought along her camera to snap photos of our Christmas adventure! Then on Saturday, I had a great time knitting with Maria and Wendy. I’m afraid that I found that I am not very talented at this particular form of knitting, as I had to begin again at least 10 times! I dropped a stitch (or more) on almost every line. Brad was quick to remind me that my success (or lack of) in knitting was not the goal of my time, but spending time with the girls was my goal. He also told me that my continuing frustrations were grounds for spending more time with them! I’m glad I have Brad to keep me looking at the glass as half full. ;)
Friday night was a new adventure for all of us, as Brad organized our first-ever American Dancing Night on the Western Campus. It was so much fun! We taught over 300 shy freshmen to dance the Hokey Pokey, Chicken Dance, Virginia Reel, Electric Slide, and Shout! Then we taught them to sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and “Silent Night.” Wayne (Dean of the English Department) came along for the 30-minute van ride and prepared the sound system for us. He said that such dancing was very rare on this isolated campus, and even more rare in their rigorous high schools. We definitely felt like movie stars as student after student clamored for a photograph with us, and a few words of thanks. They obviously had a wonderful evening learning the American dances and spending time with the foreign teachers. Brad has done a great job of initiating evening events for this special campus, and hopes to continue them next semester as he and Peter will be doing most of their teaching there.
As this week marks the end of many classes, and finals continue for the next few weeks, we continue to covet your thoughts. You can be thinking of our times with students, that they will rich times, full of great discussions. You can hope that our creativity with students will be endless as we discover more ways to enjoy their company and companionship. Please think of our many conversations, both now and in the near future. Please be thinking of the team times—that they will be rich in love and encouragement. Thank you for supporting us, in all your hopes and thoughts.
Love always,
Jess (and Brad)
