Last night a few of my former students came over and we had a little sleepover. They really liked the eggplant curry i'd made a couple days before (they had the left overs), so i made it again last night and they made some sweet papaya soup (it was good) and we just talked. One of the "girls" brought over her son...he was cute...but quite a handful as well.
I had a little left of my Mary Kay "Satin Hands" set, so we did that...once they got over having to put goo on their hands, they realized that it really did make their hands smooth. Then we painted nails while watching the end of "Back to the Future III" (which S. was really into), and got into the 5 hour version of Pride and Prejudice. We made "bets" on who would konk out first...only one girl made it through the entire movie...which ended at about 4 a.m. this morning. I was in and out, and finally snuck into bed very tired.
This morning I woke up (S. was still sleeping) and made some oatmeal for the girls. We spent some time teasing one of the girls about a boy and just talked. It was really fun...but once they left, i konked out from sheer exhaustion... I had a horrible headache that still hasn't completely quit...
S. was lovely in putting up with all that estrogen around.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Friday, June 24, 2005
visit to a mosque
While L. was at her last two classes, I decided to check out a mosque I'd seen earlier. It's called the Huaisheng Mosque, reported to be one of the oldest in China. I asked to visit the mosque around 10:30 am, but I was not allowed. After walking around and getting a plate of noodles, I found the mosque open for Friday prayers. The mosque greeter allowed me to go through. In Muslim tradition, I took off my shoes and sat on a matted area off to the side near a wall. Men were streaming in throughout the service. A few women walked by, most in scarves, but some were not. Only one was in an abaya. The women would disappear into a W.C. (written in Chinese and Arabic) where they would wash up before going into a separate room behind the men to pray and listen to the service. Most of the worshippers were Chinese, but quite a number were of other ethnicities (Middle East, Africa, etc.). Many men wore white robes (mainly the non-Chinese) and white caps, but many also looked just like the average Chinese student or businessman on the street, dressed in slacks, polo shirts, jeans, t-shirts. The muezzin gave the call to prayer through a microphone and speaker. I couldn't see where the muezzin was, but it didn't appear to be coming from the minaret itself. At times during the call the muezzin would break up in tears. After that, an imam gave the sermon in mandarin Chinese, which some Arabic phrases sprinkled through. It lasted about 10-15 minutes. In my section of the compound, many were talking and even chatting on a cellphone, not paying much attention to the sermon. Given a significant portion present probably didn't understand Chinese well, that was understandable. I only understood parts that talked of Muslims being brothers and neighbors to one another. Then came another talk in Arabic. It sounded like a different person. People seemed more quiet and attentive during this time, although I'd moved to another part of the compound. I noticed one building, the largest one on the compound and presumably the mosque itself (it had a Chinese-temple design) filled with more worshippers than any other part. Signs by its door read, "Admission for Muslims Only". After the Arabic talk, the prayer was conducted. It went much like the ones in Seattle, except here they face west during prayer (they face north in Seattle). After the prayer, the congregants dismissed. I took a few pictures and walked outside.
Outside, many beggars gathered around the mosque entrance. They walked through the crowds of Muslims asking for money. These beggars were quite grossly deformed. I saw a few folks give, but most were ignored. One Muslim was handing out rather large bills...before he knew it, he was completely swarmed and had to make a dash for it, tossing the bills over his shoulder as he ran. I gave to a few. The beggars in this area are quite aggressive. It's interesting that they know to hang out by churches and mosques to get what little they need.
I was able to come back home for a couple hours before we headed out to a final international teacher dinner, hosted by the university. (L. was given a university umbrella as a farewell gift). We sat with two families - the C's, who are also a part of JHF and the G's - a family from Spain. L. and Mr. G. got into a spirited discussion about the merits of bull-fighting (something that Mr. G is very passionate about), adoption (Mr. G. believes one should have one's own children), and giving birth to boys over girls (which Mr. G. thinks is better). I think what shocked L. and I more than anything was our assumption that being from Spain and thereby Europe, Mr. G. would be more liberal in his opinions. We found quite the opposite. L. felt Mr. G. might do quite well in India.
Outside, many beggars gathered around the mosque entrance. They walked through the crowds of Muslims asking for money. These beggars were quite grossly deformed. I saw a few folks give, but most were ignored. One Muslim was handing out rather large bills...before he knew it, he was completely swarmed and had to make a dash for it, tossing the bills over his shoulder as he ran. I gave to a few. The beggars in this area are quite aggressive. It's interesting that they know to hang out by churches and mosques to get what little they need.
I was able to come back home for a couple hours before we headed out to a final international teacher dinner, hosted by the university. (L. was given a university umbrella as a farewell gift). We sat with two families - the C's, who are also a part of JHF and the G's - a family from Spain. L. and Mr. G. got into a spirited discussion about the merits of bull-fighting (something that Mr. G is very passionate about), adoption (Mr. G. believes one should have one's own children), and giving birth to boys over girls (which Mr. G. thinks is better). I think what shocked L. and I more than anything was our assumption that being from Spain and thereby Europe, Mr. G. would be more liberal in his opinions. We found quite the opposite. L. felt Mr. G. might do quite well in India.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
best dishwasher yet
L. and I spent most of the afternoon preparing dinner. The C's came after a while, and we enjoyed an Indian dinner masterfully cooked by L. After they left around 10 pm, I took all the dishes (a lot of them) into the bathroom to wash them there. It's not as bad as it might sound, because we'd been dishwashing all along in a tiny sink tucked awkwardly in a moldy corner of our kitchen with nothing but cold water trickling out of a small faucet. It was hard on our backs, and the dishes were not being properly sanitized with only trickling cold water. But in our bathroom, with the movable sprayer, gas-heated hot water with temperatures we could control, and the ability to wash standing, sitting, or kneeling, dishwashing large loads became a LOT more comfortable, faster, and cleaner. A great idea which I wish I'd thought of earlier.
BTW, most bathrooms here aren't like in the U.S., where the bathtub/shower is separated from the rest of the bathroom and you don't dare get water outside or you ruin the linoleum. No, in our bathroom, the whole room is the shower. You can spray over the toilet, sink, etc. and the water just goes down a drain in the middle of the tile floor. The bathrooms in India are similar. Personally, I like that....very efficient. I wish I could remake our bathrooms back in the U.S. like the ones here in Asia.
BTW, most bathrooms here aren't like in the U.S., where the bathtub/shower is separated from the rest of the bathroom and you don't dare get water outside or you ruin the linoleum. No, in our bathroom, the whole room is the shower. You can spray over the toilet, sink, etc. and the water just goes down a drain in the middle of the tile floor. The bathrooms in India are similar. Personally, I like that....very efficient. I wish I could remake our bathrooms back in the U.S. like the ones here in Asia.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
adjusting grades
L. is on her last week of class. She struggled again with discomfort last night and actually threw up a bit. It didn't take the discomfort away completely, although we did learn that toast with a little butter is something she feels ok eating. I made some spaghetti, which she managed to hang on to.
One of L's former students (K) with a current student (G), visited us to talk about G's grades. She failed because she never attended class. She produced two letters written by her and signed by school administrators essentially exempting her from attending class, which she thought woudl convince L. to give her a passing grade. L. didn't budge. She and I talked later about making sense of an educational system that bases passing on standardized tests independent of what teachers give, yet is unsure of whether teacher's grades on students is required until near the end of the semester and is unclear how important they are for graduation.
GICF recently began posting audios of its Sunday sermons. I listened to a few. Check them out when you get a chance. Stuff still gets censored on the Net here in China (e.g. blogspot.com and geocities.com), but there's a lot that doesn't that one would think would. It's tough denying the great strides China's made over the past 30 years.
One of L's former students (K) with a current student (G), visited us to talk about G's grades. She failed because she never attended class. She produced two letters written by her and signed by school administrators essentially exempting her from attending class, which she thought woudl convince L. to give her a passing grade. L. didn't budge. She and I talked later about making sense of an educational system that bases passing on standardized tests independent of what teachers give, yet is unsure of whether teacher's grades on students is required until near the end of the semester and is unclear how important they are for graduation.
GICF recently began posting audios of its Sunday sermons. I listened to a few. Check them out when you get a chance. Stuff still gets censored on the Net here in China (e.g. blogspot.com and geocities.com), but there's a lot that doesn't that one would think would. It's tough denying the great strides China's made over the past 30 years.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
worst thunderstorm yet
We stayed home the whole day grading tests and watching "The Shawshank Redemption" on DVD. It rained and stormed something fierce today. Lightning and thunder tore through above us. The power kept surging out. At times, it went out completely. At least it didn't stay out for long periods of time like last Saturday (9 hours)...only a few minutes at a time at the most. Only time I ventured out was to get dinner at the cafeteria and some bread. Huge, cold puddles blanketed the sidewalks and soaked my flip-flops, while the rain beat up my little umbrella. L. had little appetite and a lot of nausea still. We finished up all the tests.
Monday, June 20, 2005
160 beats/minute
We went back to the doc today for another checkup before we leave. The appointment went well. L. and the baby are on track. We heard the heartbeat today! Wow! 160 beats per minute, which Dr. P. said was normal.
We then went to the Brazilian BBQ for lunch. The TV's were tuned into NBA finals game 5. Spurs won a close one! Woohoo! L. and I were yelping and hi-fiving the whole time, which turned a few heads and made the waitstaff smile. No one else seemed interested in the game except us.
On the way home, we dropped some money off for a beggar whose face was nearly burned away. We've seen him several times and have given him money each time. He would blow into a harmonica, trying to play it, as a way to get people to give to him. There are a lot of disfigured beggars in GZ, but this poor chap is by far the one I have had the most sympathy for.
The rest of the evening was spent correcting tests...L. needed a lot of help since she had so many to do...
We then went to the Brazilian BBQ for lunch. The TV's were tuned into NBA finals game 5. Spurs won a close one! Woohoo! L. and I were yelping and hi-fiving the whole time, which turned a few heads and made the waitstaff smile. No one else seemed interested in the game except us.
On the way home, we dropped some money off for a beggar whose face was nearly burned away. We've seen him several times and have given him money each time. He would blow into a harmonica, trying to play it, as a way to get people to give to him. There are a lot of disfigured beggars in GZ, but this poor chap is by far the one I have had the most sympathy for.
The rest of the evening was spent correcting tests...L. needed a lot of help since she had so many to do...
Sunday, June 19, 2005
western anything
At the usual Sunday afternoon study and discussion at the 3-self church, I and a couple ladies talked about "yang2 jiao4" (Western religion, as Christianity is looked upon). They said that many locals choose to believe because it is associated with the West. They see how it has made Western society successful and so they want to emulate it. I sought to clarify whether these two ladies accepted Christ for the same reasons...they didn't seem to deny that they did, which was a bit disconcerting. It almost seemed natural to do so. Much of Western culture is referred to this way, by placing "yang2" in front of whatever Chinese wished to distinguish as something with a unique, admired Western quality, be it cars, soap, clothes, religion, etc. I asked if I was considered a "yang ren"; they said no. Their enchantment with all things foreign amazed me.
"HL" and I later got into a lively discussion about the Iraq war. We had differing viewpoints on it, but it was amicable. It was especially nice to discover how I could actually communicate with someone in Chinese about these topics. I didn't think I had it in me, vocabulary-wise. It sure beats always limiting topics to just the weather and family.
This evening was also our last men's study on the main campus. We talked about Thomas, it was a good way to end our time together. A lot of sharing took place. We took pictures and exchanged email addresses.
"HL" and I later got into a lively discussion about the Iraq war. We had differing viewpoints on it, but it was amicable. It was especially nice to discover how I could actually communicate with someone in Chinese about these topics. I didn't think I had it in me, vocabulary-wise. It sure beats always limiting topics to just the weather and family.
This evening was also our last men's study on the main campus. We talked about Thomas, it was a good way to end our time together. A lot of sharing took place. We took pictures and exchanged email addresses.
Saturday, June 18, 2005
orphanage and senior center
I went to meet "Y" at the main campus and we took the bus to an orphanage. "Y" goes to the 3-self church I've been attending. The orphanage we visited used to be a regular elementary school before the orphanage took over. The orphanage, I learned, used to be situated in the city center, but was moved when it got too crowded. "Y" thinks it's much better where it's at now, since it's cleaner, the air is fresher and there's more room.
The ride took almost an hour and it went through fairly rural territory. There weren't any bus stops in this area...you just told the driver where you wanted to get dropped off. Pickup was the same, just standing on the side of the road and waving for the bus.
The bus dropped us off right in front of the orphanage. "Y" and I were the first, but 3 other people showed up later. Other people from another group (not a fellowship) came to help towards the end. A guard let us in...the gate was kept locked otherwise.
We had 35 kids, about 2/3 of them girls. They were ages 5-7. About 1/3 of them were handicapped in some manner. About 6 of them had to be physically carried, they couldn't walk on their own. They all spoke mainly Cantonese, tho' I was able to converse a bit in Mandarin. We tried to sing a song "Y" made up, using the tune of "Father Abraham", but it didn't work well. The puzzles "Y" brought were a hit, however. They were colored drawings of Bible characters and stories. Later, we taught them another song ("We Are One In The Bond Of Love"). "Y" was careful not to sing songs that were overtly religious, as the orphanage does not allow this. The orphanage was overall fairly well-kept. The kids sleep in wooden beds, situated side by side, about 30 to a room. As we were leaving, we passed out toy fans and granola bars. I brought some candy and chips for the teachers (all female, it appears). At the end of our time there, the kids all gathered to eat lunch. It was pretty calm and quiet during lunch. The kids were quite well-mannered. The teacher would talk with the kids, asking them questions about lunch. The kids would respond back in unison. We weren't allowed to take pictures, which was understandable. The other group helping cleaned up the equipment, washed windows, and straightened out rooms while the kids ate.
Next stop was an elderly assisted-living facility. Once there, several elderly women came out to meet us. They were quite kind and friendly. Like the orphanage children, they all spoke mainly Cantonese. This is a Christian facility, started by the Shamian Christ Church. It is named after the physician (and apostle) Luke. Most of its residents are in the family. The facility was quite clean and modern. We met one man who was 104 years old. One wheelchair-bound woman could sing some songs in English. I chatted with a couple of the women, with help from one of the members of our group. One woman kept asking me questions, some off-the-wall. It was kind of cute. They also asked whether I followed Christ, which I answered affirmatively, an answer they appreciated hearing.
We later visited a seminary library on the same campus. It had very old books, most written in either Chinese or English. There were shelves of commentaries and Biblical encyclopedias. We also visited the Dongpin church and took some pictures there. The Luke Elderly Facility, Dongping church, seminary, and dorm are all located next to each other. They are considered part of the same campus. They've been there since 2002.
During our entire time out (which was several hours longer than I expected), I kept in touch with L. to let her know what we were doing. She had been enduring an entire day without power, which had gone out at 9:30 am and didn’t come back on until past 6 pm! Poor sweetie! So much for grading those finals!
The ride took almost an hour and it went through fairly rural territory. There weren't any bus stops in this area...you just told the driver where you wanted to get dropped off. Pickup was the same, just standing on the side of the road and waving for the bus.
The bus dropped us off right in front of the orphanage. "Y" and I were the first, but 3 other people showed up later. Other people from another group (not a fellowship) came to help towards the end. A guard let us in...the gate was kept locked otherwise.
We had 35 kids, about 2/3 of them girls. They were ages 5-7. About 1/3 of them were handicapped in some manner. About 6 of them had to be physically carried, they couldn't walk on their own. They all spoke mainly Cantonese, tho' I was able to converse a bit in Mandarin. We tried to sing a song "Y" made up, using the tune of "Father Abraham", but it didn't work well. The puzzles "Y" brought were a hit, however. They were colored drawings of Bible characters and stories. Later, we taught them another song ("We Are One In The Bond Of Love"). "Y" was careful not to sing songs that were overtly religious, as the orphanage does not allow this. The orphanage was overall fairly well-kept. The kids sleep in wooden beds, situated side by side, about 30 to a room. As we were leaving, we passed out toy fans and granola bars. I brought some candy and chips for the teachers (all female, it appears). At the end of our time there, the kids all gathered to eat lunch. It was pretty calm and quiet during lunch. The kids were quite well-mannered. The teacher would talk with the kids, asking them questions about lunch. The kids would respond back in unison. We weren't allowed to take pictures, which was understandable. The other group helping cleaned up the equipment, washed windows, and straightened out rooms while the kids ate.
Next stop was an elderly assisted-living facility. Once there, several elderly women came out to meet us. They were quite kind and friendly. Like the orphanage children, they all spoke mainly Cantonese. This is a Christian facility, started by the Shamian Christ Church. It is named after the physician (and apostle) Luke. Most of its residents are in the family. The facility was quite clean and modern. We met one man who was 104 years old. One wheelchair-bound woman could sing some songs in English. I chatted with a couple of the women, with help from one of the members of our group. One woman kept asking me questions, some off-the-wall. It was kind of cute. They also asked whether I followed Christ, which I answered affirmatively, an answer they appreciated hearing.
We later visited a seminary library on the same campus. It had very old books, most written in either Chinese or English. There were shelves of commentaries and Biblical encyclopedias. We also visited the Dongpin church and took some pictures there. The Luke Elderly Facility, Dongping church, seminary, and dorm are all located next to each other. They are considered part of the same campus. They've been there since 2002.
During our entire time out (which was several hours longer than I expected), I kept in touch with L. to let her know what we were doing. She had been enduring an entire day without power, which had gone out at 9:30 am and didn’t come back on until past 6 pm! Poor sweetie! So much for grading those finals!
Thursday, June 16, 2005
cancelled concert
It started raining pretty hard this afternoon, and didn't quit until the middle of the night. It was apparent that the concert we'd been practising for, would be cancelled. After checking about the concert (which the music teacher said would be postponed), I decided to hop over to the supermarket for some groceries. L. was upset that it took me more than 2 hours to get back home. She thought I was only going for some Big Macs and it'd be only an hour or so. What makes L. anxious is that if something had happened to me out here, she wouldn't know where or how to find out about me. I felt bad. I'll have to remind myself to give her notice of where I'm at.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Finals
L: This week was finals week...i had informed them last week and hoped that it would help them study. However, instead of the usual 20 that show up in each class...practically all 45-50 came...which means more grading for me. It really doesn't matter, since they're going to fail anyway, but still...it really bugs me that they think they can come for the final and pass. I had to run to the copy room and ask for more finals, since i'm almost out of the ones i asked for. I am not a happy camper! I really don't want to grade all these tests...poor S, he has to deal with me in this mood.
S: I went to meet "V" to practice for the performance tomorrow. After practicing, we talked about XM, music, faith, and learning Marxism. Intrigued, I asked him about his courses. "V" is an English major. His major consists of 13 courses. All but one are English-related. The only one is that is not is Marxism. Every student has to take this class. Most of what is taught is already known to some degree by the students, since it's a philosophy they grow up with. When asked about it, "V" says that theoretically, a student can refrain from all classes, homework, and mid-terms....if they do well on the end-of-year examinations, the "gao1 kao3" (from elementary on through college) --- they could technically get their degree or certificate to move on to the next level. XM is not an "open college" that's open to just everyone. You have to have a score of somewhere around 400 on the entrance exam. You just have to score higher to get into other colleges. GW is something like 600. Zhong Da is like 700. And so on.
S: I went to meet "V" to practice for the performance tomorrow. After practicing, we talked about XM, music, faith, and learning Marxism. Intrigued, I asked him about his courses. "V" is an English major. His major consists of 13 courses. All but one are English-related. The only one is that is not is Marxism. Every student has to take this class. Most of what is taught is already known to some degree by the students, since it's a philosophy they grow up with. When asked about it, "V" says that theoretically, a student can refrain from all classes, homework, and mid-terms....if they do well on the end-of-year examinations, the "gao1 kao3" (from elementary on through college) --- they could technically get their degree or certificate to move on to the next level. XM is not an "open college" that's open to just everyone. You have to have a score of somewhere around 400 on the entrance exam. You just have to score higher to get into other colleges. GW is something like 600. Zhong Da is like 700. And so on.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
procedures...procedures...procedures...
Another hot and muggy day. :-P Hard to believe that just 3 months ago, we were all shivering and packing our beds with hot-water bottles!
I was on my way to the Garden Hotel to cash some travelers' checks and buy our plane tickets. The bus on the way there had some air-conditioning problems that the driver felt the need to stop and try to fix for about every 15 minutes. Should've known better than to jump on a bus spewing brown water out of one of its side panelings...
After picking up a number at the bank, I found the travel agency, where I signed an invoice confirming our reservations. Then I headed back to the bank, but the waiting line was still as long as when I'd left. I went back to the agency to borrow the phone and call L., then went back to wait until my number was called. Turned out I needed the receipts for the travelers's checks, which I didn't bring! Argh! They didn't request this the last couple tiems we'd changed travelers' checks. But I didn't argue...just went back home to collect the receipts.
After about an hour, L. and I took the shuttle to the main campus and then a taxi back to the hotel with the bank. We finally got the money exchanged, after what seemed a while as the bank staff were figuring out what to do with the travelers’ checks, then went back to the travel agency to pick up the tickets.
After a Starbucks break, we took a taxi to the "Lemon House Vietnamese Cuisine". The dinner was fantastic...probably the best-tasting meal I've had in GZ...and priced reasonably to boot! We even had leftovers, which made L. happy. She had been looking forward to eating here for a couple weeks...and for good reason.
I was on my way to the Garden Hotel to cash some travelers' checks and buy our plane tickets. The bus on the way there had some air-conditioning problems that the driver felt the need to stop and try to fix for about every 15 minutes. Should've known better than to jump on a bus spewing brown water out of one of its side panelings...
After picking up a number at the bank, I found the travel agency, where I signed an invoice confirming our reservations. Then I headed back to the bank, but the waiting line was still as long as when I'd left. I went back to the agency to borrow the phone and call L., then went back to wait until my number was called. Turned out I needed the receipts for the travelers's checks, which I didn't bring! Argh! They didn't request this the last couple tiems we'd changed travelers' checks. But I didn't argue...just went back home to collect the receipts.
After about an hour, L. and I took the shuttle to the main campus and then a taxi back to the hotel with the bank. We finally got the money exchanged, after what seemed a while as the bank staff were figuring out what to do with the travelers’ checks, then went back to the travel agency to pick up the tickets.
After a Starbucks break, we took a taxi to the "Lemon House Vietnamese Cuisine". The dinner was fantastic...probably the best-tasting meal I've had in GZ...and priced reasonably to boot! We even had leftovers, which made L. happy. She had been looking forward to eating here for a couple weeks...and for good reason.
Monday, June 13, 2005
Practise
We stayed home for most of the day, watching the Spurs and Pistons play during the morning. It was live, but the commentary was all in Chinese. Only later did we find that it was also being broadcast on a HK channel...in English! Arrgh! Spurs won big, BTW. Go Spurs!
L. and I worked together to get her class grades entered into the "grades calculator" spreadsheet I made for her last year. Later, one of her former students stopped by for help with her resume. I went to practise for the "concert" on the 16th with "V". A couple of "V's" friends came by to listen, including "O", who will be the other MC, along with "V". We talked about how our part of the program and more ideas for songs. "O" would like to add another song, more upbeat, possibly something the group can sing along with. I suggested "Do-Re-Mi", which they thought would be fun.
Somehow, we all got to talking about my faith. They asked if I was a Christian. It came about because of the choice of my solo "Great Is Thy Faithfulness". "V" said he'd like to know more about the book and hopes that I would tell him more. He also hopes that I can teach him some piano. "O", upon learning that L. was pregnant and about our initial/current anxieties, asked as Christians whether we would ever consider abortion. I told her that we wouldn't, considering that it is the taking of a life. Interesting that she would be tuned to the issue in such a way.
L. and I worked together to get her class grades entered into the "grades calculator" spreadsheet I made for her last year. Later, one of her former students stopped by for help with her resume. I went to practise for the "concert" on the 16th with "V". A couple of "V's" friends came by to listen, including "O", who will be the other MC, along with "V". We talked about how our part of the program and more ideas for songs. "O" would like to add another song, more upbeat, possibly something the group can sing along with. I suggested "Do-Re-Mi", which they thought would be fun.
Somehow, we all got to talking about my faith. They asked if I was a Christian. It came about because of the choice of my solo "Great Is Thy Faithfulness". "V" said he'd like to know more about the book and hopes that I would tell him more. He also hopes that I can teach him some piano. "O", upon learning that L. was pregnant and about our initial/current anxieties, asked as Christians whether we would ever consider abortion. I told her that we wouldn't, considering that it is the taking of a life. Interesting that she would be tuned to the issue in such a way.
Sunday, June 12, 2005
rainy Bible studies
I went to the 3-self church for afternoon Bible study. Not as many people were there (about 30), as there was a baptism at another 3-self church which many chose to attend. About 60 people were being baptized, I heard. I joined the same group as last week, with "L", "E", and "HL". I learned that "E" and "HL" have one child each, but each are divorced. They came to Christ after they got divorced. Their faith in God and fervor for reaching out to others, in spite of their past, is encouraging. One lesson "E" finds important in her marital experiences is to not focus on others' faults, but instead focus only on your own life and what areas you need to improve. Too much energy and time, she feels, is wasted sitting around waiting for others to compensate for wrongs they've done to you.
"E" went over the "wheel of the Christian's life", with Christ as the center, and witnessing, prayer, obedience, and God's word as spokes. We talked mainly about obedience (suen4 fu2) to God, how we please Him by obeying Him, and testifying of our obedience to God. This group goes through a lot of Bible verses in their studies.
Matthew 12:46-50
2 Corinthians 9:13, 8:9
Philemon 21
Mark 9:50, 12:29-31, 16:15, 14:8
John 9:31, 12:24
Acts 16:6-7
Psalm 106:15
Ezekiel 36:37
Luke 5:26
Acts 19:17-18
1 Corinthians 13
Philippians 2:16-17
Colossians 1:25
Isaiah 38:7
Judges 6:17, 36-40
Romans 12:1
Numbers 13:23
It started raining very heavily during our Bible study. Heaviest rain I've seen here yet. We finished our Bible study and then ate some meals that were left over. Apparently, the church bought several lunch boxes, but not many stayed to buy and eat.
I learned that a trip to the orphanage yesterday that I wanted to go to had been postponed for next week, due to the chamber concert. However, the chamber concert was cancelled by a last-minute schedule conflict on the performers' part. Unfortunately, 50 people who didn't receive the news in time showed up anyway for nothing.
As I left church, it wasn't raining as hard, but still coming down steadily. I went early to the evening BS, but no one was home. After walking through the rain to find out what was going on, I eventually learned it had been cancelled, since most people couldn't make it. It would've been nice to have had a cell phone then, I thought to myself.
"E" went over the "wheel of the Christian's life", with Christ as the center, and witnessing, prayer, obedience, and God's word as spokes. We talked mainly about obedience (suen4 fu2) to God, how we please Him by obeying Him, and testifying of our obedience to God. This group goes through a lot of Bible verses in their studies.
It started raining very heavily during our Bible study. Heaviest rain I've seen here yet. We finished our Bible study and then ate some meals that were left over. Apparently, the church bought several lunch boxes, but not many stayed to buy and eat.
I learned that a trip to the orphanage yesterday that I wanted to go to had been postponed for next week, due to the chamber concert. However, the chamber concert was cancelled by a last-minute schedule conflict on the performers' part. Unfortunately, 50 people who didn't receive the news in time showed up anyway for nothing.
As I left church, it wasn't raining as hard, but still coming down steadily. I went early to the evening BS, but no one was home. After walking through the rain to find out what was going on, I eventually learned it had been cancelled, since most people couldn't make it. It would've been nice to have had a cell phone then, I thought to myself.
Saturday, June 11, 2005
reunion...
It was oppressively hot and humid today! Yuck. I went to the canteen to get some snacks, drinks, fruits, and sugar from the campus store. The "black river" was foamy today, so I took some pictures. L. called the "Greenpeace" office in Guangzhou regarding the "black river". Someone may come next week to inspect it.
L's students from last year dropped by. Seven of them showed up, including L's favorite, A. We watched the wedding DVD, played UNO (they had a blast with that and kept playing "one last one"), ate snacks and dinner. L. and I prepared an Indian dinner for our guests. We ended up a bit short, but everyone seemed to be okay with what we had. The students went out to look around their "alma mater" before returning with a watermelon and some Popsicles for us to enjoy. Most of them hadn't seen each other in the past year, so it was a nice gathering. L. really appreciated that they were willing to come so far out to see her, since she was not up to the travel into town. It really blessed her that they came (some from up to 2 hours away) just to hang out with us.
L's students from last year dropped by. Seven of them showed up, including L's favorite, A. We watched the wedding DVD, played UNO (they had a blast with that and kept playing "one last one"), ate snacks and dinner. L. and I prepared an Indian dinner for our guests. We ended up a bit short, but everyone seemed to be okay with what we had. The students went out to look around their "alma mater" before returning with a watermelon and some Popsicles for us to enjoy. Most of them hadn't seen each other in the past year, so it was a nice gathering. L. really appreciated that they were willing to come so far out to see her, since she was not up to the travel into town. It really blessed her that they came (some from up to 2 hours away) just to hang out with us.
Friday, June 10, 2005
French Ballet
About a month ago, L. and I signed up attend a ballet, one of the many perks of being part of this university. But today, L. was not doing very well, and opted to give her ticket give her ticket to someone else. I went along, barely making it, but since the bus was having some difficulty getting started, so it was late. Lucky for me. :-)
The performance was a contemporary version of Bizet's "Carmen", using ballet and modern dance. It was a French production. Long, boring speeches were given by dignitaries from Guangzhou and France, using only Chinese and French (no English). The ballet was good, but at time risqué. I enjoyed the music a lot...love Bizet's "Carmen". There was a story line, but not easy to follow. Intermission allowed me time to get snacks. Cool thing is that you're allowed to eat in the auditorium, unlike American auditoriums. Also, there were large books given away detailing Guangzhou's sister-city relations around the world. Their sister city in France is Lyons.
The performance was a contemporary version of Bizet's "Carmen", using ballet and modern dance. It was a French production. Long, boring speeches were given by dignitaries from Guangzhou and France, using only Chinese and French (no English). The ballet was good, but at time risqué. I enjoyed the music a lot...love Bizet's "Carmen". There was a story line, but not easy to follow. Intermission allowed me time to get snacks. Cool thing is that you're allowed to eat in the auditorium, unlike American auditoriums. Also, there were large books given away detailing Guangzhou's sister-city relations around the world. Their sister city in France is Lyons.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
last day at YLT
The morning was spent preparing for the YLT middle school class...we were told that today would be the last class, as next week, the students have tests to prepare for.
I taught them the song "Peace Like A River", which went okay in the 1st class, but middle-schoolers are the same all over...I think it was too uncool for them. More riddles, and then a demo on American football. We did the demo for both classes. N. told us after the first class that some of the kids know how to play American football. In fact, YLT formed a team that was coached by American coaches. L. had suggested while I was preparing the football presentation that I should also teach baseball. But I figured they already knew the sport, given that it was so popular in other countries out east. But lo and behold, N. said the kids know nothing about baseball! Yet ironically, they knew about American football. L. had a good laugh about that. The 2nd class, however, said they didn't know how it was played. It was fun explaining it to them, with L. playing defense and me playing offense. The matching games (from http://www.esl-games.com) were a hit. In the last class, I gave them points for their team for each match they made. In class 1, team 1 beat team 2, score 6-1 (I didn’t keep score for the match game until the 2nd class). In class 2, team 2 beat team 1, score 19-16.
After class, we took group photos with the senior faculty (headmaster) and class 2. The students were quite patient despite having to stay at school so late. Maybe they were just intimidated by the headmaster.
We were driven home in the van (L. was glad we won't have to ride in the bumpy van anymore) and stopped by the cafeteria for some food. We took some to go and spent the rest of the evening at home...where we had no power for a while. We waited in the growing darkness, talking about communicating and misunderstandings about asking each other when to/when not to do/take something). The power eventually came back on, one building at a time. L. finished her final exam, which she had been told, earlier in the semester, wouldn't have to be prepared...but then told again last week that she'd have to give one. Just another addition to her growing list of incentives to leave.
I taught them the song "Peace Like A River", which went okay in the 1st class, but middle-schoolers are the same all over...I think it was too uncool for them. More riddles, and then a demo on American football. We did the demo for both classes. N. told us after the first class that some of the kids know how to play American football. In fact, YLT formed a team that was coached by American coaches. L. had suggested while I was preparing the football presentation that I should also teach baseball. But I figured they already knew the sport, given that it was so popular in other countries out east. But lo and behold, N. said the kids know nothing about baseball! Yet ironically, they knew about American football. L. had a good laugh about that. The 2nd class, however, said they didn't know how it was played. It was fun explaining it to them, with L. playing defense and me playing offense. The matching games (from http://www.esl-games.com) were a hit. In the last class, I gave them points for their team for each match they made. In class 1, team 1 beat team 2, score 6-1 (I didn’t keep score for the match game until the 2nd class). In class 2, team 2 beat team 1, score 19-16.
After class, we took group photos with the senior faculty (headmaster) and class 2. The students were quite patient despite having to stay at school so late. Maybe they were just intimidated by the headmaster.
We were driven home in the van (L. was glad we won't have to ride in the bumpy van anymore) and stopped by the cafeteria for some food. We took some to go and spent the rest of the evening at home...where we had no power for a while. We waited in the growing darkness, talking about communicating and misunderstandings about asking each other when to/when not to do/take something). The power eventually came back on, one building at a time. L. finished her final exam, which she had been told, earlier in the semester, wouldn't have to be prepared...but then told again last week that she'd have to give one. Just another addition to her growing list of incentives to leave.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Fabric Market
L: Another teacher, L (M. and S's mom) took me to the fabric market. I considered having some maternity clothes made here since they would be much cheaper. She also wanted to make a few outfits here for her summer in the States.
The fabric "market" is actually a few buildings, several stories high, clustered in the space of a few blocks. One day is not close to sufficient to see everything available. Since I wasn't sure how "big" i was going to get, we decided against buying fabric for me, instead i wanted to make a couple baby slings with a model given by a Russian lady at the university. This place is huge...stories of little stalled packed right next to each other, stuffed with bolts and bolts of fabric...anything and everything you could ever imagine. We barely made it up to the second floor. This would be every designer and decorator (and women who like to sew)'s dream. We looked through several little stalls and then i saw it...the cutest fabric...not too froo-froo, in case we have a boy. I liked it so much, i bought whatever was left on the bolt...6.5 meters. This was the first time i'd really been excited about the pregnancy. Uptil now, the nausea and discomfort have kept any enthusiasm and excitement at bay. S. of course, patiently put up with my rantings about the fabric market, although i'm pretty sure he was glad he wasn't there. I did find another great bargain of some really fun material and made an order for two baby slings...can't wait to see how they'll turn out.
S: On the way to grab dinner at the cafeteria, I watched a boy's basketball game. It appeared to be a championship game of a intramural tournament. They had student refs and scorekeepers. The game was played on concrete and outdoors. The hoop rims had no nets. A large crowd of students watched and rooted. The game was close, 58-57. Basketball is a pretty popular campus activity, along with badminton. People play basketball on the concrete top, even in the rain or if it's puddle-strewn. We seen young men wearing NBA jerseys, many of them unofficial, almost homemade-looking. Yao Ming and televised NBA games have had a tremendous impact.
The fabric "market" is actually a few buildings, several stories high, clustered in the space of a few blocks. One day is not close to sufficient to see everything available. Since I wasn't sure how "big" i was going to get, we decided against buying fabric for me, instead i wanted to make a couple baby slings with a model given by a Russian lady at the university. This place is huge...stories of little stalled packed right next to each other, stuffed with bolts and bolts of fabric...anything and everything you could ever imagine. We barely made it up to the second floor. This would be every designer and decorator (and women who like to sew)'s dream. We looked through several little stalls and then i saw it...the cutest fabric...not too froo-froo, in case we have a boy. I liked it so much, i bought whatever was left on the bolt...6.5 meters. This was the first time i'd really been excited about the pregnancy. Uptil now, the nausea and discomfort have kept any enthusiasm and excitement at bay. S. of course, patiently put up with my rantings about the fabric market, although i'm pretty sure he was glad he wasn't there. I did find another great bargain of some really fun material and made an order for two baby slings...can't wait to see how they'll turn out.
S: On the way to grab dinner at the cafeteria, I watched a boy's basketball game. It appeared to be a championship game of a intramural tournament. They had student refs and scorekeepers. The game was played on concrete and outdoors. The hoop rims had no nets. A large crowd of students watched and rooted. The game was close, 58-57. Basketball is a pretty popular campus activity, along with badminton. People play basketball on the concrete top, even in the rain or if it's puddle-strewn. We seen young men wearing NBA jerseys, many of them unofficial, almost homemade-looking. Yao Ming and televised NBA games have had a tremendous impact.
Sunday, June 05, 2005
lively discussion at church
After the retreat, I went to the 3-self church for afternoon Bible study. About 45 others were there in separate groups. Our group's leader "E" went over the "wheel of the Christian's life", with Christ as the center, and witnessing, prayer, obedience, and God's word as spokes.
It was a lively, talkative group, which got us sidetracked easily. One fellow, "D" asked some good questions in challenge to some of what's shared. He had a hard time understanding how God speaks His will to people, how He makes it known. He also disputed some people's experiences of God blessing them materially as a response to obeying Him, based on the premise that he's never experienced it himself before. "D" also challenged whether God works miracles today, or is just natural processes at work. Also discussed were validations in the Bible of Jesus being God's Son and the Trinity. I was able to share some of my thoughts, using a combination of English and Chinese. Some of the verses we all shared ---
Exodus 28:36
Acts 25:32; 5:29
John 4:38
Matthew 4:19; 3:17
John 21:4-6, 11; 20:29; 1:7-8; 5:36-39; 8:12-19; 15:26-27
Mark 16:15
Luke 8:21
Ephesians 5:21
1 Samuel 15:22
Romans 7:25
Isaiah 30:21; 42:1-7
Philemon 16
Acts 1:8
Psalm 2:7
Haggai 2:8; 1:5-11
Zechariah 4:6
Mark 16:18
It was a lively, talkative group, which got us sidetracked easily. One fellow, "D" asked some good questions in challenge to some of what's shared. He had a hard time understanding how God speaks His will to people, how He makes it known. He also disputed some people's experiences of God blessing them materially as a response to obeying Him, based on the premise that he's never experienced it himself before. "D" also challenged whether God works miracles today, or is just natural processes at work. Also discussed were validations in the Bible of Jesus being God's Son and the Trinity. I was able to share some of my thoughts, using a combination of English and Chinese. Some of the verses we all shared ---
Happy Hippo
We've been on a retreat this weekend. Yesterday, L. was feeling pretty bad today. Nevertheless, we went to the retreat that was organized by our local study group. We had to wait first until a torrential thunderstorm had passed. We took a taxi to Nanhu Hotel (right next to the Happy Hippo water park) where we checked into our room on the fourth floor. It was a bit unkempt, with peeling wallpaper, old carpet, and crayon markings on the wall. But it was air-conditioned and it had a nice view.
We watched M. and S. (the boys I teach piano) take up fishing for a while. Then L. and I on a paddleboat for an hour...It was a pretty calm, humid day. They had motorboats for rent as well. Afterwards, we had dinner at the hotel with the fellowship group.
At 7:00 pm, M. and S's mother led a study in Chinese. Her husband and L. weren't there, since they're not familiar with the language. I attended and was able to follow most of what was shared. Not everyone believed, but those that didn't asked good questions. At times, it got emotional, as people shared some personal feelings. S. and his wife, J, spirited discussion between each other about different approaches people have developing their faith. J. was anxious for S. to believe and S. feels he needs to think it through. I shared a bit about Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman at the well...sharing mainly in English.
L. had a hard time sleeping...We went to bed amidst thunder and lightning and she didn't sleep at all. It's pretty difficult for her to sleep in a comfortable position these days...from what we've been told...it's only the beginning...
This morning, L. was not doing well at all. The thunder kept her up most of the night, so she finally went to sleep around 8 this morning. I let her sleep while I went downstairs to get some breakfast. L. and I had a good talk about ourselves and the baby. She wasn't feeling well, so we checked out. There were no taxis available (being as remote as this place was), but a bus did go by. We caught it and went a little ways out to catch another bus. L. got off at the main campus, while I went ahead to the three-self for the afternoon study.
Arriving back home, I learned that the power was out the entire day, which made things quite miserable for L...who was looking forward to catching up on sleep with air conditioning. This had not been a good weekend for her.
We watched M. and S. (the boys I teach piano) take up fishing for a while. Then L. and I on a paddleboat for an hour...It was a pretty calm, humid day. They had motorboats for rent as well. Afterwards, we had dinner at the hotel with the fellowship group.
At 7:00 pm, M. and S's mother led a study in Chinese. Her husband and L. weren't there, since they're not familiar with the language. I attended and was able to follow most of what was shared. Not everyone believed, but those that didn't asked good questions. At times, it got emotional, as people shared some personal feelings. S. and his wife, J, spirited discussion between each other about different approaches people have developing their faith. J. was anxious for S. to believe and S. feels he needs to think it through. I shared a bit about Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman at the well...sharing mainly in English.
L. had a hard time sleeping...We went to bed amidst thunder and lightning and she didn't sleep at all. It's pretty difficult for her to sleep in a comfortable position these days...from what we've been told...it's only the beginning...
This morning, L. was not doing well at all. The thunder kept her up most of the night, so she finally went to sleep around 8 this morning. I let her sleep while I went downstairs to get some breakfast. L. and I had a good talk about ourselves and the baby. She wasn't feeling well, so we checked out. There were no taxis available (being as remote as this place was), but a bus did go by. We caught it and went a little ways out to catch another bus. L. got off at the main campus, while I went ahead to the three-self for the afternoon study.
Arriving back home, I learned that the power was out the entire day, which made things quite miserable for L...who was looking forward to catching up on sleep with air conditioning. This had not been a good weekend for her.
Friday, June 03, 2005
mexican with no guacamole?
L. brought back 3 girls from class who wanted to learn more English and find books that were easier to read. These girls were the same ones my sis and I talked with back on April 22. The book they need to study (which they marked copiously with notes) contained complex essays by Aldous Huxley and folks...more appropriate for college level poly-sci or philosophy. It was stunning. They said they had to memorize blocks of the text, as the test involved fill-in-the-blanks. It's almost like being asked to memorize a newspaper editorial and take a test on how it was worded, not what it communicated. There is much to be desired in the goals of some schools in China. One of the girls asked to see the Bible. I gave her my English-Chinese one that I bought at church, which she asked to borrow. They also borrowed some Reader's Digest books. We encouraged them to come back again.
L. has been craving Mexican food, so we hopped a taxi to an "American" restaurant that had been recommended to us. Unfortunately, after an hour and a half wait, the burritos they served weren't very good at all. L. only ate half of one (there were 3 altogether). I had a club sandwich. We both had nachos...with corn? We weren't very impressed with the food. Looks like we're going to be visiting Taco Bell a bit when we get back to the States.
L. has been craving Mexican food, so we hopped a taxi to an "American" restaurant that had been recommended to us. Unfortunately, after an hour and a half wait, the burritos they served weren't very good at all. L. only ate half of one (there were 3 altogether). I had a club sandwich. We both had nachos...with corn? We weren't very impressed with the food. Looks like we're going to be visiting Taco Bell a bit when we get back to the States.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
English corner...or lobby, rather...
L. wasn't feeling well, but managed to make herself come along with me to YLT, even after she taught her class today. I really appreciate her help. Her presence and help with the computer at the class frees things up a lot for me.
The 1st class started off late, as we had trouble copying our diskette to the class computer. A virus writing a "winfile.exe" folder kept writing itself to the diskette whenever we tried to copy to the class computer. The head teacher, "N", said it shouldn't affect the copying, but I wasn't sure. We tried another disk he gave us, which worked.
We showed more "English Signs in Guangzhou" photos. I taught them the song "Head, Shoulders, Knees, And Toes" with the motions, but I think they thought it was a little silly. We went through more riddles --- they respond well to those. We're keeping score, having split the class into two teams.....right now, in the first class: Team 1 has 5 points and Team 2 has 1 point. The second class: Both Team 1 has 5 points and Team 2 has 4 points.
In the evening, I checked out a English corner that was supposed to be held around 7 pm in the XM school building. Other students were looking for it as well. But the room was being used for something else. We looked around, but didn't find the gathering. A senior administrator came by and told us it had probably been cancelled. I suggested having an impromptu English corner somewhere with the students. We checked various rooms, but they were all occupied or locked. The tables in the store outside were too wet and the other store's tables (on the other side of campus) were too loud with people watching TV. So we had it in the lobby of the building, pulling up some loose chairs. Mosquitoes gave us some fits, but we had a good discussion, going over things like what we like to do in our spare time, post-grad hopes, one-child policy (all the students I talked, around 20 years old, with have siblings), thoughts on school, and sports, among other things. We started out with four women. Later, 2-3 more came by to join us. They enjoy going to English corners. They all went to one held yesterday and one we had at E's café weeks ago. They hope to have more English corners in the future.
The 1st class started off late, as we had trouble copying our diskette to the class computer. A virus writing a "winfile.exe" folder kept writing itself to the diskette whenever we tried to copy to the class computer. The head teacher, "N", said it shouldn't affect the copying, but I wasn't sure. We tried another disk he gave us, which worked.
We showed more "English Signs in Guangzhou" photos. I taught them the song "Head, Shoulders, Knees, And Toes" with the motions, but I think they thought it was a little silly. We went through more riddles --- they respond well to those. We're keeping score, having split the class into two teams.....right now, in the first class: Team 1 has 5 points and Team 2 has 1 point. The second class: Both Team 1 has 5 points and Team 2 has 4 points.
In the evening, I checked out a English corner that was supposed to be held around 7 pm in the XM school building. Other students were looking for it as well. But the room was being used for something else. We looked around, but didn't find the gathering. A senior administrator came by and told us it had probably been cancelled. I suggested having an impromptu English corner somewhere with the students. We checked various rooms, but they were all occupied or locked. The tables in the store outside were too wet and the other store's tables (on the other side of campus) were too loud with people watching TV. So we had it in the lobby of the building, pulling up some loose chairs. Mosquitoes gave us some fits, but we had a good discussion, going over things like what we like to do in our spare time, post-grad hopes, one-child policy (all the students I talked, around 20 years old, with have siblings), thoughts on school, and sports, among other things. We started out with four women. Later, 2-3 more came by to join us. They enjoy going to English corners. They all went to one held yesterday and one we had at E's café weeks ago. They hope to have more English corners in the future.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Only here...
While L. was at class, I went to pick up some food at the nearby cafeteria. On my way out, I saw a truck that passed by me earlier tipped at an angle. It had backed up onto a construction site next to the cafeteria, but the pavement dropped off abruptly, causing it to scrunch up painfully. It certainly did damage to the frame, axles, chassis, and body. I'd never seen a truck bend that way. The truck didn't seem to be made of the sturdiest metal...almost like aluminum. The strangest accidents I've seen, I've seen here in China...
I also went to the music teacher's room. "V", a student and beginning violinist, and I will be playing for the graduation celebration on June 16. We practiced "Auld Lang Syne" and "Edelweiss". We first practiced on the music teacher's electric organ, but later went to the school building and used the piano there. It felt good to play the piano again! "V" also wanted to interview me in front of the audience and also have me play a song (I chose "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" and explained what it meant to me). "V" speaks pretty good English and Japanese. A pretty talented guy for one so young.
I also went to the music teacher's room. "V", a student and beginning violinist, and I will be playing for the graduation celebration on June 16. We practiced "Auld Lang Syne" and "Edelweiss". We first practiced on the music teacher's electric organ, but later went to the school building and used the piano there. It felt good to play the piano again! "V" also wanted to interview me in front of the audience and also have me play a song (I chose "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" and explained what it meant to me). "V" speaks pretty good English and Japanese. A pretty talented guy for one so young.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)