November 23
It’s been awhile since I’ve sat down to clunk out my feelings and sort through photos and update all you wonderful people on life in China.
So this week in my classes we played a writing game, where you have to start writing a story, then you pass it to someone else and they continue your story. I also talked about Thanksgiving and the history of the holiday, and they loved seeing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade clips and seeing how big a turkey is (they don’t eat turkey here!)
Thanksgiving was a beautiful and crazy production, as it only can be in China. We ordered a turkey, cranberry sauce, cheese, and butter on Taobao, and also bought things for mashed potatoes, apple pie, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, green beans, corn, rolls and stuffing. We don’t have ovens in China, as you know, so everything was masterfully created inside Brittany and Lauren’s toaster ovens (yes! Even the turkey!)
That afternoon we invited Chinese friends and students to come learn AMERICAN FOOTBALL. I brought my football across the Pacific Ocean for a moment like this. They LOVED it. First we played catch and let them get the feel for this strange oval and pointy ball. Then we explained the game and I nearly died watching the Chinese students run around frantically trying to grab the ball, even if the play was over. After they understood the quarterback position, the running and throwing, and the four downs rule a little better, we had a solid game going and the light faded too quickly.
This weekend I also went to a dance/singing competition for students who want to perform in the Foreign Language School Christmas performance, and the American Gang and I grabbed some Pizza Hut (it’s been awhile.) The next Monday I invited my class 3 students over for a Hot Pot Party! Hot Pot is a special Chinese food where you make a broth (spicy) and you can cook all kinds of meats and vegetables in it – whatever you like!
It started out a little strange at first. During my lunch break on Monday, as I was walking to my apartment, I saw 6 little heads pop out from the fifth floor on my apartment building. “Rachel!!!” they all yelled down to me, and I realized they were from class 3. “Uh hi….what are you doing?” I called back to them, because we made plans to meet that evening, not during lunch. “Waiting for you!!” they yelled back.
They had decided to go grocery shopping that morning and bring the food by so they would have more time to cook that evening but didn’t tell me (lol). It was a lovely surprise once I got over the shock – class 3 is probably my favorite class because the students are SO fun and they love participating and talking in class! They started getting things ready, and it was so funny to have six Chinese students hopping around my apartment, cooking and washing vegetables and peeling potatoes.
After my afternoon class, they came back to continue cooking. The rest of their classmates came shortly, and before I knew it 26 people were in my apartment, laughing and playing games and eating so much food.
We played a game called punishment, where you pass a cup around while a person is counting in the middle. When they stop counting, whoever is holding the cup has to do a punishment, like singing or dancing.
I made a video about the party, check it out if you would like to see my students singing and dancing and eating lots of food! (I have a bad video editing software on my computer, don’t judge the quality too much) Click here.
To sum up a little, I’m thankful for my job.
I’m thankful for my students.
I’m thankful to living in China.
I’m thankful for all the ways the big guy upstairs has provided. He is so good.
Rachel Meets China 