Sports Day

Today was a 

WONDERFUL

AWESOME

SUPERB 

and

FABULOUS

day.

 It was Sports Day, which is like a really organized Chinese version of field day. 

Each of the school's three sections had a Sports Day this week, and today was my section's turn. 

The morning kicked off with a soundtrack that included "Wave Your Flag" (from the 2010 World Cup) in Chinese, which meant that the day had to be epic. Next came the opening ceremonies which were pretty terrific. If you've ever wondered how the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies ended up being so perfect, it's because they had been doing this stuff since they were SIX. China knows how to do group performances.

Parade, speeches, confetti cannons--the works. 

 

(That's my student, Scott, and he wiggled his fingers at me from behind the creepy fire thing while the ceremony was going on.)

The rest of the day was a bunch of random games and races that nobody really cared about unless they were participating. 

The real reason I LOVED Sports Day is because I got to play with my kids on the sidelines all day long. 

And you all know how much I adore my kids. 

Hundreds of mini conversations. 

Dancing. 

Fighting. 

Playing. 

Making faces. 

Getting my cheeks, lips, and butt kissed (that was a little weird).

Eating free food. 

Hugging. 

Cuddling. 

Clapping and cheering. 

High-fiving and fist bumping. 

Laughing uncontrollably. 

Watching my students be kids. 

They said all kinds of ridiculous things that I don't feel like writing, but I'll include a few pictures. 

I loved this day.

Wind in the Branches

So I'm a bit of an introvert. 

That doesn't mean that I hate people and like to spend all my time alone, it just means I get energy from being in quiet solitude rather than being around people. 

I don't know if Taiyuan's the place for an introvert. 

In case you haven't heard, something China is not short on is people. Up until this point, I always recharged by doing quiet things--going for a drive, sitting in a coffee shop, taking a walk, or just staring at things with leaves. And I never did these with a lot of people around.

(Speaking of leaves, here in Taiyuan the closest thing to my window with leaves is the baby potted plant that sits on my sill. Of course, there are some trees with leaves outside: the meticulously planted, straight-growing, thinly-leaved kind of trees, nestled between the dusty gray buildings of Taiyuan. But they aren't the sit-under-my-shade and climb-my-branches kind of trees. They also aren't the first thing you see when you look out the window.)

I'm not the kind of girl who loves shopping. After three or four hours I hit sensory overload and need a to take a hasty retreat back to a place of familiarity and quiet. 

I used to wonder why I never liked going anywhere in Taiyuan; why I always felt so drained when I got back from going out, even if I only went to one place. Then I realized it's because Taiyuan's simply an enormous heap of sensory overload for an introvert like me. It's like going shopping back in the states, concentrated by five.

 Now it's not just clothes--it's people, noise, colors, traffic, unidentifiable words in a language I don't understand printed and spoken everywhere.

Even when I get back to my apartment I can still hear construction trucks, horns, and people down below.

The last time I heard wind whistling through the trees was exactly ten days ago, and I know that because the sound was such a memorable thing that my mouth actually dropped opened in surprise. For a moment, everything was still enough for me to hear that wonderful, beautiful sound. 

My job is not exhausting, but I still find myself inexplicably tired many days. 

Even here, in my favorite coffee shop in all of China, I'm unable to recharge in the way that I used to be able to. Everywhere I look there is motion and noise (and the occasional Chinese person sneakily taking pictures of me with their iphone).

I love my school. I love my job. I love my students. I love my friends here. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything.

But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited about going on hikes when I get home this summer, or sitting outside while the wind blows just so I can listen to it, or watching thunderstorms from a porch while clean raindrops fall on my bare toes. 

Or even just going on a long walk outside without my lungs hurting from exercising out in pollution. 

 Or just sitting somewhere quiet for a little while.

{Now, on an unrelated note, here are some pictures from the unexpected snow/rain/sleet storm we had all day last Friday. Yeah. No precipitation for months and then ALL THE PRECIPITATION at once.}

 The snow makes the trees more visible than ever.

Class 16...I mean, Class 2.

Here’s the thing about Class 16.

Well, they WERE Class 16. Now they’re Class 2.

Last term I had a FANTASTIC co-teacher who was really good at managing their crazy. So good, in fact, that I didn’t know they were crazy.  

This term my co-teacher is new to classroom teaching and she is about to lose her mind. 

The thing about this class is that they are smart, energetic, and playful. Their homeroom teacher is a terrifying woman who never smiles (but keeps them in order so that they are safe and healthy, which is her job, and I don't condemn her), so when it’s time for English class, they let go. Like, really let go.

Letting go can sometimes be good…and it can sometimes not.

They look so angelic when the homeroom teacher is starting them down, don't they?

Some days they make me crazy and every day they make my poor co-teacher crazy.

But the thing is that deep under all that, I really, really love that class.

How can you not love such a plethora of personality?

Anita is teeny tiny and enjoys telling me, “I LIKE YOU.”

Dallas and Wyatt are quiet observers and look like scruffy, Chinese baby bears.

Ryder gets in trouble EVERY DAY OF HIS LIFE and I don’t care because he has giant ears and a sneaky smile.

Cliff also has giant ears and likes to get in trouble, but he’s more conniving about it.

Autumn and Gretel are polite and Autumn likes to ask me questions in English.

Wesley looks like an old man and likes to show me things from his desk.

Tristan and Bobby are chill and don’t care too much for English.

Myrna minds her own business in the back but flashes me smiles every once in a while.

William wants to be my friend, but he doesn’t like to do work.

Alyssa is shy, wears pink glasses, is a GREAT artist, and says “thank you” when I compliment her on her work.

Windy always has an answer.

Alice likes to bury her head in my chest when she hugs me in the hallway.

Jake likes to move his lips without actually saying anything in English.

Josie hates it when I don’t call on her.

Tate always surprises me with his quiet, silly ways and how much he loves to dance and make others laugh.

Jessica wants approval and grunts every time she raises her hand.

Kyle has a scar under his left eye and I would probably think he was really cool if I could understand his Chinese.

Hellen always wears an awkward smile.

Micah is a smart ball of personality and does a mean impersonation of Papa Bear.

Breezy knows everything and has one of the broadest smiles I’ve ever seen.

Harry likes to spin in circles, and when we draw in class, he always makes his pictures for me.

Cindy looks like a little old woman and has a gap-toothed smile.

Arnold has sporting blue glasses and a lot of quiet personality.

Lily is always, always, ALWAYS happy to see me.

China, Joanie, Lois, Sky, and Celia usually get overlooked and I hate that I do that.

Dave is straight-up cool.

Channing thinks he’s straight-up cool.

And Fabio…Fabio is my baby. He has a lovely singing voice, he makes this “Oh-my-gosh-it’s-youuuuu-and-I-love-youuuuuuuu” face at me in the hallway, he purposefully doesn’t talk in class and makes faces at me from the back so that I’ll notice him, he’s cheeky, he’s quiet, he likes to take apart his pens instead of doing his work, and he knows that he’ll never get in real trouble with me because I love him too much. Besides, he never bothers anyone and still manages to make good grades, so I don’t care.

Oh, Fabio. 

Class 16...I mean, Class 2... doesn't try their hardest and they are usually goofing off in class, but I know they love me.

And they know I love them. 

Wyatt, Tate, and Ryder.

Fisher, Cooper, and Jason

Here I sit across from Fisher, Cooper, and Jason.

These are three of the biggest troublemakers from Class 1, which was Class 15 last semester. Class 15 used to give me stomachaches because nearly the entire male population in that classroom was against me.

And if you’ve ever been to China, you know that the male population is most of the class.

This semester I’ve figured out how the class works, have a co-teacher who’s involved in my lessons, and I see them less as a crazy mass of Chinese children and more as a group of individuals.

These three boys are currently sitting across from me in the office, practicing their English with my co-teacher, because they aren’t doing well enough in class. I wonder how it makes them feel, to know they are behind. Is that why they are so crazy in class?
Is it because there is a lot of pressure for them to do well and they are frustrated? Or does it have to do with the fact that they are probably their parents’ only child, spoiled by all the adults in their families?

It’s probably both.

Sometimes I want to judge these students against the students I had during student teaching. Those students, for the most part, came from homes without much money and families who didn’t care much for their education. My current students are given the best life and schooling their parents can provide.

Does that mean that my former students are more worthy of love?

No.

Does it mean that the groups of students have different needs?

Yes.

Does it mean that I should care for one group over the other?

No.

Because, in the end, they all need the same thing: the Father’s love.

The squirming trio sitting across from me, bickering and rolling their eyes, need His love just as much anyone else on the planet.  

The Awesome Day.

This week I had a REALLY AWESOME DAY.

Not just a good day, but a really awesome day. 

Now I'm going to tell you about the things that made it awesome.

Awesome thing #1:

The sky was a lovely blue with fluffy white clouds that looked like clouds. 

Awesome thing #2:

I got to observe a Chinese math class and it was one of the most fun classes I’ve ever sat in on. The kids were dialoguing the whole time, everyone was excited, it was fast paced, and watching children climb over each other to get called on was hilarious.

Some would criticize China’s sense of competitiveness, but it can really make for energetic classes.

And the teacher had a great pointer. I was envious of that pointer.

Awesome thing #3:

My first graders didn’t eat me. I love it when they are nice to me in class.

(Just in case you were wondering, I am starting to like first grade. You can get them to do anything you want as long as you say everything in a sing-song-kids-show voice.)

Awesome thing #4:

Class 6 made me laugh uncontrollably. While we were playing a game, two kids messed up and started laughing, the class started laughing, my co-teacher started laughing, I started laughing, and EVERYONE was laughing together.

I don’t know why it was so great, but it was. 

Awesome thing #5:

I played with one of my old classes on the playground. I beat two boys in arm wrestling and helped the girls slide-tackle Alex. 

Awesome thing #6:

The lady at the store gave us hugs. She’s so nice. 

We also found these stickers at the store: 

 

Awesome thing #7:

Team dinner.

Bethany threw a bunch of stuff in a pan, had no idea what she was doing, and it ended up being delicious.

Awesome thing #8:

Watching Wreck-It Ralph in Susie’s apartment.

“I don’t have to do BOO!...forgive my potty mouth.”

“Well MILK my DUDS!” 

Cheesy lines are my heart language.

I think the greatness of the day really boiled down to how much laughter happened.

Laughter is the best medicine. 

Rain.

I'm a Tennessee girl. 

In Tennessee, it gets hot, it gets cold, it gets windy, it gets muggy, it gets a LOT of different kinds of weather...but one thing it does NOT get is super dry.

I’m not really a Taiyuan girl.

In Taiyuan, it gets hot, it gets cold, it gets windy, it gets dusty, and a few times a year it gets precipitation.

I’m seen roughly 7 rainfalls and 4 snowfalls since I got here in September, give or take.

I didn’t see ANY rain from November until last week.

I used to complain about rain, but I never realized how big a part of my life it was. Sometimes I just NEED a rainy day. Why? Rain smells great, makes things greener, and gives you a reason to drink hot chocolate.

Rain is nature’s way of crying out all of its angst. 

And when nature can’t get it out, neither can I.

Last week I’d been checking the weather every day to see if there was any chance of us getting rain. The chance went from 60% to 20% and I was sure my hopes would be dashed to the rocks.

But then....

I was making tortillas by the stove, staring out the window, when I saw it.

Little, wet specks falling from the sky.
Could it be????

I THREW OPEN THE WINDOW, STUCK MY HANDS OUTSIDE, AND YELLED.
Yes it was!!!!

Sweet, wonderful, good-smelling RAIN!

Wet, dripping, musical RAIN!

Wonderful, refreshing, exhilarating RAIN!

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN, RAIN, RAIN!

It only lasted an hour or two, but I was smiling for the rest of the night.

I LOVE RAIN.

Along with the rain came it’s friend, Mr. WIND, whom I’m not so fond of, but the pair of them made me a gift.

They brought the sky back.

I stumbled into my kitchen a few mornings later and found myself gaping at the sight of mountains, blue skies, and little white clouds outside of my window.

I’ve been hiding under pollution so long it didn’t even look real to me.

The world was a beautiful place this week.

 

 

 

 

Team

 

My team =

Co-workers

Friends

Family

Support system

The only Americans I interact with on a daily basis. 

 

What I am living out with my team is something most people never experience. The community in every aspect of my life this year includes/is made up of the same five other women.  

My team =

Beauty

Pain

Laughter

Annoyance

Tears

Honesty

Personality

Community

We are each other’s dirty mirrors. We can’t hide the ugly things about ourselves from each other like we can from our friends or co-workers at home. 

We step on each other’s toes, we know each other’s weaknesses, and we have to choose to love each other. 

When I’m messy, grumpy, angry, lazy, or the one to finish the last of the cookies, it affects them, too. Selfishness reaches farther than myself in a more visible way than ever.

I hate it and I love it and it’s so good for me. 

It’s good for all of us. 

 

And through the struggles, heart-pulling conversations, and day-to-day drudge, I love, love, LOVE my teammates. 

Natalie is a straightforward bougie queen whose randomness is hilarious and surprising.

Alex is a quirky ray of sunshine who both challenges and accepts with a loving heart. 

Jenessa is a lion cub, eagerly tripping through life while demanding justice and good food for all. 

Bethany is a songbird, zipping and twirling through changes in the wind while looking for a place to nest.

Susie is the epitome of a servant leader, loving her fledgling team with patience and understanding. 

And Laura is the blessed mess, being loved on by these tremendous, personality-filled women.

Thank you, team.

 And a special thanks to Alex and Natalie, the loving roommates who have to put up with my face the most.