October 2008

So, October comes to an end. It has been a busy month with classes starting and a trip to an orphanage in southern China.

First, I travelled with a team of 7 others from my fellowship group to visit an orphanage during the first week of October. (October 1 is a national holiday so we didn't have classes that week.) We endured about 20 hours by big bus with beds, to smaller bus, to motorized cart (I have no name for the little vehicle that took us the last 4 miles of the trip. It reminded me of my dad's old Cushman scooter.) And don't be decieved by the "big bus with beds" vehicle. Sixteen hours on a bed about like an ironing board was not so great- not to mention the odor of one disgusting on board toilet and 50 stinky travelers (shoe removal is required when you get on board and that doesn't help either).

Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked...once we arrived and were greeted at the entrance by a dozen adorable little faces, the pain of the long journey faded away quickly. We spent about two days with the kids and packed in as much fun as possible. We played games, did arts and crafts, played basketball and ping pong, sang songs - there was never a dull moment. They even coaxed me into teaching them a line dance. Trust me, I should not be teaching anyone a line dance. (I sorta learned a line dance this summer for my friend Amy's wedding in TX. She knows how "well" I can dance : )

There were about 25 kids in the orphanage during the holiday week. The other 80 that normally live there had gone to be with relatives for the holiday. It was tough because of the language barrier - kids got tired of me asking them their names and ages - about the only things I could ask in Chinese. But smiles and laughter are the same in any language. There were a few tears too. One little guy who lost his parents to the Sichuan earthquake could not hold back the tears as we got ready to leave. He wanted to go home too. Despite their many sad stories, these kids were happy and lively - normal kids. I said to one of the older girls (about 13 years old), "You guys are like a big family here." She replied (in Chinese), "We ARE a family, not LIKE a family." It was wonderful how they all worked together - the older ones helped the younger ones. They had lots to eat and were allowed to go back for 2nd, 3rd, and more helpings of food - and they did! The staff were loving and kind. The guy running the place is a doctor by profession. He felt called to leave his medical practice and run this orphanage. His wife is also a doctor. She lives and works in another province. They see each other on holidays.

For a special treat, we took the kids and staff out for dinner to a restaurant in town. It's something they rarely, if ever, get to do. You cannot imagine the scene of 7 foreigners marching through town with 25 kids. We took up the entire restaurant. I would never attempt such a thing back home. I tell you what, I have never seen such well-behaved kids. They sat patiently and waited for the food (thanks, in part, to the tv playing cartoons). When the food was served, they ate and ate but were very well mannered. Again, the older ones helping the younger ones. Wow. We walked all the way home after the meal - about a 45 min. walk, and we had no problems. It was a great night.

One of the older boys there (about 14 years old) was badly scarred from burns on most of his upper body and face. It was an accident involving fireworks in which he lost his parents and brother. He was a sweet kid. He was one of the only ones who could speak English because he had been in the States for two years receiving treatment for his burns. On our last night there we were passing out clothes to the kids that we had brought. In the mass of clothes there was a dressy sport jacket and shirt that fit this young man perfectly. He beamed as he modeled it for us. I thought maybe he liked getting some attention on his clothes rather than on his face.

It was well worth the long journey there and back. I've posted some pics online. Take a look. A picture is worth a thousand words.

http://picasaweb.google.com/a.brantingham/RongshuiOrphanageOct08#

Finally, classes started this month as well. I'm teaching freshman Marine Engineer students. 200 students - all boys! They are fun. I'm really enjoying them. The first day of classes they clapped at nearly everything I did or said, although I don't think they actually understood much of what I said :)

Those are the highlights for the month. Thanks for reading.

"Giving a speech" or "45 minutes of fame :)"

So the other evening I was invited to a local college to give a speech to the English club about "How to Learn English." I wasn't really sure what to expect, so I thought I better prepare a little something to say. I arrived about 35 minutes early, and I was escorted up many flights of stairs, in the dark with no lighting, to a large but old classroom that was in desperate want of paint and repairs. Students started filing in and immediately had a look of shock on their faces when they entered and were greeted by a foreigner. I talked to one girl sitting near me for a few minutes, but the conversation waned quickly as her range of topics was fairly limited in English. I decided to do a little "meet and greet" with the time I had left before the speech. I slowly made my way around the room and shook hands and greeted every student there. By this time there were about 60 or more students in the room. They were so nervous. I could see some of them squirming in their seats as I approached them to say hi. I knew they were practicing over and over in their heads, "Nice to meet you too. Welcome to our school." They were all giggles and nerves. It was very fun. By now the room was completely full with, I guess, 100 or more students.

At this point, I knew that the information I had prepared to give them in my talk was going to be too much language for them to grasp. I watered it down and made it very interactive to try and keep their attention. I said a few lines in my very simple Chinese, at which they gave me a great applause for my efforts. I talked for about 45 min. and then let them ask questions. They asked me everything from "Do you like China" to "How can the American Economic Crisis be solved." To that my answer was something like, "If I could answer that, they would elect ME president." After that there were photos galore and then I was wisked away carrying a huge boquet of flowers as a gift from the English Club.

If you can't tell, I love doing that kind of stuff.