Were you an active student?

One of my students asked me today what kind of student I was like. Was I quiet or did I raise my hand and participate in class? In fact, I was a fairly passive student. You don't need to participate to learn, right? However, now that I teach, I tend to think that my students aren't learning unless they participate. Hello, hypocrisy.

My student said that she guessed I was a quiet student, because I'm sort of a quiet teacher. My students often comment on the fact that I'm more subdued than the other foreign teachers. For example, my teammate Tarah majored in theater. She is outrageously expressive in class, and the students love it. My other teammate, Lisa, isn't quite as dramatic in class, but she's always outgoing, friendly, and full of hugs for her students. I find myself wishing I had a more active personality. Hello, envy.

Chinese Students: The Gift that Keeps on Giving

A couple weeks ago, I had five freshmen over for dinner as a reward for winning a challenge in class. As they walked in the door, the first girl handed me a gift. And then the second girl. And the third, and the fourth, and the fifth. You can see in the picture that I got quite a windfall from those girls: two cups of instant milky tea, two hand-drawn cartoons, four bags of chips, a gift-wrapped trinket, two packages of frozen dumplings, a bag of crunchy snacks, some gummy fruits, a pair of wrist warmers, a bag of popcorn, more oranges than I could eat in a week, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Chinese manners dictate that you shouldn't arrive at someone's house without a gift in hand. (It seems like the gift is often fruit.) But I have never gotten quite so many things in one visit. Thanks to my generous students!

A couple days ago, I received another generous gift. One of my junior students, Gloria, gave me a pillow that she cross-stitched. She has been working on it since this summer, and gave it to me as a thank-you for a couple times I had invited her over. I don't know Gloria very well, so I was surprised and touched that she would give me something she had put so many hours into. You can see from the picture that the front expresses the sentiment "I love pig." The back has a lovely Chinglish fabric, which you can't read in the photo, so I will transcribe it here:

"Have a dream, a song
to sing to halp me cope
with anything."

"A friend is so-
meone who know-
s the song in yo-
ur heart and co-
n sing it back t-
o you when you
have forgotten
the words"

"Friendship is themo
st preoious thing in
allhappiness which
comes to life wisdom."

I love my students and their gifts. Their friendship is preoious indeed!

A Word about Fellowship

Yesterday I mentioned that one of the highlights of Thanksgiving in Rizhao was having fellowship with other believers. I had looked forward to singing and praying together, and it was awesome to be able to thank God together for his work in our cities. It was like the description of the early church in Acts 2: "They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people." I've been reflecting on how joyful our fellowship was over Thanksgiving, and (if it's okay with you), I want to speak candidly about my reflections:

If you are a believer, your fellowship is your built-in support system. They are your family when your family can't be there. They can lead you, encourage you, serve with you and dream with you. These are substantial benefits, and I think they are taken for granted in America. It seems to me that fewer people would leave churches if they experienced life in an place like China, where meeting together is a privilege and large group teaching and worship in our own language may be a rare treat.

If you are not a believer, you miss those benefits. You don't get to worship God with a fellowship of sisters and brothers who love you, love God, and love the world. You don't get to be challenged by others to keep growing. You don't get to be part of a team that lives for something bigger than ourselves. You miss knowing the perfect Father and his imperfect family. Don't miss it! We need him, and we need each other.

A Shandong Thanksgiving

What happens when 20 English teachers from North America descend on a Chinese city for Thanksgiving? Food. (Also, fun and fellowship.)

Highlights from Rizhao, in no particular order:

-Hiking up a nearby hill
-Playing Apples to Apples
-Reuniting with friends from training
-Eating pie
-Staying with the wonderful Sara Gawronski
-Singing praises together
-Seeing the hills and terraced farms on the bus ride there
-Hearing what God is doing throughout our province
-Septupling the size of my team, if only for a weekend
-Experiencing hospitality
-Reading the Thanksgiving cards made by team Rizhao's students
-Smelling baking dinner rolls
-Resting
-Laughing
-Playing
-Praying

Lowlights from Rizhao:

-Doing dishes

Gan En Jie

My Chinese tutor taught me the word for Thanksgiving: "Gan En Jie."

I bring you Thanksgiving greetings from Rizhao, China, a seaside city where I am spending the holiday along with all our organization's English teachers from our province. We will be here till Sunday.

Yesterday, my teammates and I walked into a warm, cozy apartment filled with friends and acquaintances (and some new faces), and it almost felt like going home for the holidays. Our big Thanksgiving meal is tomorrow, and all through the apartment building, preparations are going on. Today I've spotted chickens, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, and pumpkin pies in various stages of readiness. I am also looking forward to a time of worship tomorrow.

Today we did some hiking up a nearby hill, and soon we'll go downstairs for a homemade chili supper. Life is good.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Hello Again

Hello, my lovely readers. I'm sorry to have neglected you this past week. The time has been filled with lesson planning, grading, classes, free talks, and meeting with students. I've been tired and haven't taken the time I need to recharge in God's Word.

I promise a longer post soon. In the meantime, enjoy these random China tidbits:

I ended my freshman class today by saying, "Happy Thanksgiving!" A student yelled out, "Me too!" (She later asked me if "me too" and "you too" mean the same thing.)

One of my students wrote a composition about how to make one's calves smaller. She wants to fit into the cute tall boots that are popular here.

The campus clinic is filled with students who are in isolation due to fevers or the flu. "Isolation" means they must sleep at the clinic, but they can still have visitors and some of them can go out to buy their lunch and supper.

I am about to join a student for her birthday lunch. Talk to you soon!

Heat, or Lack of It

It is now 28 degrees Farenheit, according to weather.com. Our students are probably shivering under piles of blankets and warming their toes on hot water bottles. The university still hasn't turned on the heat! As usual, rumors are flying: The heat will be turned on tomorrow, the heat will be turned on today, the heat will be turned on in December. Some say the heat is regulated by the government, and it will be turned on all at the same time across the region. Others say the university is just holding out to save money.

In any case, the students are cold. They wear their coats and mittens to class (and I do, too!). They wear enough layers to clothe an eskimo. My apartment is fine, since I have an air conditioning unit that makes heat. But for the sake of the students, turn on the heat, please!

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad

Congratulations to my parents on celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary today. Mom and Dad, I love you, I'm thankful for your marriage, and I'm thankful for everything you've done for us.

If you see them today, make sure to wish them well!