Dear Friends - This is my first post as I prepare for an academic year as a Writing instructor in Indonesia. The job starts on Sept. 1, so this is really just practice. I'm going on the US Dept. of State's English Language Fellows Program. I hope to be reporting on my further preparations, as well as my travel, my settling in at the State University of Malang, in Java, as well as my life and work there, and travels in Indonesia, and beyond. Who knows what's going to happen? Join me on the adventure!! - Y.S. Fing/Will
(Photos 1-3) The opening ceremony last Friday was really cool. The QuFu and Rizhao campuses live streamed the ceremonies to each other, so the speakers and performances are alternating between campuses. There was a lot of reciting of Confucian Analects, some ancient poetry, the national anthem, the school song, and some sort of flag ceremony where all incoming students were passed under the school flag.
(Photos 4-8) We finally made our way to the Confucian Temple, Family Mansion, and Cemetery this week. Only about 2km away from campus, these historical landmarks are 2000 years old. Some sections had to be renovated after the Cultural Revolution due to the belief that Confucian ideals were anti-communist which led to the destruction and vandalizaition of many artifacts. Our tour guide told us that when he grew up he had never heard any of the Confucian sayings. The only idea he had about what Confucius might have said is if he was quoted by the government when they were criticizing him. Now, students from all over China come to pay homage to the “perfect sage”.
(Photos 9-10) This was my first week teaching! My freshmen students are super adorable. Unfortunately, our classes are held in computer labs that are left over from the time of Audiolingualism. I have no whiteboards or blackboards in the classrooms. Their computers are controlled by mine so they can see my screen, but I can’t have them do any research or exploration on their own. There is no internet in these classrooms. Fortunately, I’ve found ways to use the computers to my advantage despite the lack of writing space. I’ve also managed to get a portable whiteboard that I’ll start taking to classes with me.
Last week ended with a bit of slump mentally/emotionally. I was stressed out waiting for news about my family and friends in North Carolina with the hurricane’s landfall (they’re all fine). In order to combat the blues and distract me from my endless anxiety, Kim and I decided to go for an “American” dinner at Pizza Hut and to see a movie.
We walked to Pizza Hut (about 2km) and were the first customers there. However, it quickly filled up with families and crazy children. The family that sat down next to us had 5 (read: five despite the new two child policy). The two older girls were very eager to try and ask us where we were from multiple times (they didn’t understand our response) and then preceded to ask if we knew Chinese.
I ordered a margarita pizza and was very happy with the amount of cheese on it. Kim ordered the pepperoni. For dessert, she, despite my warnings, ordered durian ice-cream cake. Her assessment of the flavor: fart and cream. I stuck with chocolate ice-cream for dessert.
(My glorious pizza)
(Kim’s dessert mistake).
Afterwards, we attempted to use Didi (China’s Uber) for the first time. This was only half successful. For some reason, it wouldn’t let me order a didi, but let me use the app to call a taxi? Whatever. We successfully got ourselves to the movie theater in time for the movie to start 2 minutes early with no previews. Craziness. We watched a move about the Brazilian soccer player Pelé. It was very dramatic but exactly what we needed.
We decided to start walking home and see if we saw a taxi on the side of the road or driving by. Fortunately, we got to cross off another QuFu must do: ride in a little electric enclosed rickshaw/bangbang/ tuk tuk! It was a lot of fun.
(In the Tuktuk)
The next day, Sharlyn (another Fellow), Kim, and I decided to go on a walk. We walked all the way to where I had hung out with the two Chinese girls the previous week. We had just enough time to get a snack before it started to rain. It was just drizzling but seemed like it was picking up. We walked towards the exit of the shopping street, and agreed to let this tuk-tuk driver take us back to the university. As soon as we stepped in and shut the door, it started torrentially down pouring. There had to be up to 5 inches of standing water on the road; in some places there was more. We walked from north gate of campus and very quickly saw that there was enough rain that the freshmen had been released early from military training. They were equally soaked. I should have just taken my shoes off to walk back from where the tuk tuk dropped us off. I really don’t know why it didn’t occur to me. I tried to dry my shoes by hanging them from the AC unit so they’d get some air flow… but that didn’t really work.
The roads are no longer flooded, but it hasn’t really stopped raining since the weekend. Come Tuesday night, I had agreed to meet with the teacher whose class I observed last week. She had asked me to help prepare a student for a teaching competition. I didn’t really know what to expect, but it turned into me sharing some communicative ideas for teaching middle schoolers (games, etc.) and then giving a demo-lesson for which I was completely unprepared. Probably the worst demo-lesson I’ve ever given. Nevertheless they loved it and seemed really inspired. I also got to talk to the two teachers there about more activities I could hold like this on campus (workshops etc). Slowly building the connections and rapport I need on campus to set up secondary projects!
This week we also had to go to the “police station”-> more like giant administrative building to start our residency permits… did I think I would have this process started sooner, yes… anyhow, in theory I’ll have my passport back on or before October 9th. We all know how trapped I feel without my passport. In the mean time, we have this little nifty piece of paper that apparently vouches for my legality in the country and can be used to purchase bus, train, and plane tickets.
I also had my first Chinese class this week. We did the listening section of a mock HSK (Chinese proficiency exam). Apparently, even after missing 10 out of 45, that is good enough to pass. We ran out of time before moving on to the reading section. So, now that is homework. I was also assigned the task of looking up all the words I didn’t know on the listening section’s answer sheet and asking native speakers to use them in sentences for me. I also have to do the reading section as homework so we can go over it in class next week. The teacher is really nice and works with all the international students here on campus.
Wednesday night also consisted of the welcome banquet for the foreign faculty on campus. This included all the English teachers (me, Sharlyn (fellow Fellow), and Kim), the visiting Canadian physics professor Karen, the French teacher Jordan (from France), and mystery Russian lady who no one caught her name. We were organized around the table with a Chinese representative from our departments so we would all have someone with a mutual language to talk with. The food… I should have taken pictures of. I am sorry. The vice president of the university joined us for dinner and many speeches were given. And we were gifted mooncakes! But I am saving those for Mid-autumn moon festival.
In other news: I had a giant delivery of popcorn kernels today and that was super exciting. I’m planning my first conference trip in October to Changchun! I’m very excited about it. I’ll also be going to Beijing in November to do a Roundtable (small Group) at the Beijing American Center at the embassy and a larger presentation the next day. Lots of presentations to plan! Oh, and I successfully baked bread.
Upcoming: this weekend QuFu opening ceremony for Freshmen, Confucius Temple, Mid-autumn moon festival, and first classes of the semester next week!
