Thriller with students

Halloween Party 2013

Last night’s Halloween Party was a chaotic jumble where things didn’t always go as planned but everyone had a great time (and took a bazillion pictures).

            A group of students helped Kayla and I bring all the party materials to the English Library around 6, for the party which would start at 7.  They were a great help, even though most of them were new students and didn’t speak English well.  We laid out the food (bread bones, chocolate caramel apples, pumpkin bread, oranges with jack-o-lantern faces drawn on, and banana ghosts).  We had apples for bobbing and we put them in a bowl with water to show that they were off-limits.  We attached the photo props to chopsticks and set them by the Halloween decorations to serve as a backdrop.  Paper, glue sticks, pencils, and stencils were set out on the table for mask-making.  I had hoped to have the students carve pomelo skins for jack-o-lanterns like last year, but unfortunately after sitting in my apartment for a few days the skins were moldy and soggy.  Only one was still dry and almost mold-free.  I cut a face in it, intending to light a candle underneath and encourage students to try the idea at home. By 6:30 students were already arriving, and next thing you know I’m swept into a flurry of photo-taking with students that lasts for the next thirty minutes. 

            <I should tell the students not to eat the apples because they’re for a game…>

            Mira, come take a photo with me! 

            Now me!

            <Two steps forward, elbow is grabbed>

            Here wear this mask!  Take a photo, ok?

            <Students keep walking off with the photo props and not putting them back, I should collect them.>

            Mira, this is my friend! She wants to have a photo with you.

            I love you!

            <Ok we just met, but I love you too!>

            Kayla, Mira, come take a photo!

            <Ugh that girl is wearing the semi-moldy pomelo jack-o-lantern on her head, I should probably tell her not to.>

            Mira, look at our masks!

            <Oh those are great! Let me take some pictures.>

            The students must not have eaten in weeks, because they devoured EVERYthing edible on that table.  They must have wondered why the heck the apples were floating in water.  Well, so much for bobbing for apples.  Needless to say, my intentions weren’t completely fulfilled.  The apples were eaten, the photo props wandered off and a few were incorporated into students’ masks, and the pomelo skin bounced from head to head.  I guess I can’t be everywhere at once, especially when there are 50 students crowded into a small library!

            We had a contest for the students who’d made masks, but because I could never move more than two feet across the room, I wasn’t able to tell them how to make them more interesting.  Many students just cut out the mask shape and tied on a string, without decorating it all.  I had all the students who’d made masks stand on one side of the room, and then chose 10 students to each choose their favorites.  From there, we whittled it down to about 6 winners.

            Apart from vanished apples and plain masks, the other activities were a huge success.  I’d brought 4 toilet paper rolls and it was riot to watch the teams compete to wrap their friends as mummies.  Pin-the-nose-on-the-pumpkin was hilarious, although Chinese students really need to loosen up and have a little fun.  They were giving correct instructions to the blind-folded person! Where is the fun in that?!  It amuses me greatly to offer cheers when they’re about to place the nose in the wrong place, and see the surprise on their faces when they lift the scarf. 

            One of the highlights of the night was teaching students part of the Thriller dance.  Kayla and I had started learning it this past weekend.  I didn’t realize how many parts there were to the dance!  Videos on YouTube were only moderately helpful, but they went too fast and didn’t review enough.  To keep things simple, Kayla and I only taught 4 eight-counts.  The students loved it and it was really easy for them.

            We were surprised and rather overwhelmed at the number of students who came to the party.  We’d expected no more than 30, but about 50 came.  The noise and having to yell over everyone to get their attention left me with a headache by the end and I was happy when it was over, but the party went really well overall and I could see the excitement on my students’ faces and the gratitude when they said goodbye.  And in the end, that’s what always makes it worth all the headaches and frustrations.

The infamous pomelo skin jack-o-lantern

A busy morning

I turned to wash my hands in the sink when suddenly I saw a giant gray fur ball leap from behind the toilet and through the hole under the bathtub (don’t ask me why there’s a hole there- China seems to have an affinity for random, inexplicable holes in walls).

I let out a shriek and ran out, slamming the door behind me.

No, no, no. I can’t have rats.  Not in my apartment.

For the next hour, I sat on the couch, far away from the bathroom, debating what to do.  I briefly considered surrendering my bathroom to the vermin, but then a second later I realized I had to pee.  It would also be nice to brush my teeth and brush my hair before class!  Plus at some point I would need to shower again.  So that wasn’t an option. 

As horrified and disgusted as I was to see the bugger, it did solve a mystery that had been bothering me for some time.  There was one day a few weeks ago when I returned from class to find that the toilet paper in my bathroom trashcan had sunk down, as if someone had pushed it down.  I was struck by that because I’d distinctly remembered noticing it was getting pretty full only a few hours earlier when I’d left that morning.  I was baffled, but it quickly left my mind, until two days ago something happened that was harder to ignore.  I was at my apartment Sunday morning, and a few hours after using the bathroom I went in again, only to find that the entire bag from the trashcan was gone, and the can was knocked over!  It really freaked me out to know that something was in my apartment.  I definitely hadn’t taken it out and forgotten because I’d hadn’t yet left my apartment, so if I’d tied up the bag it would still be inside.  After I saw Stupid McRat-Face, I knew he’d taken the paper for his nest and mostly had been snacking on used toilet paper. Ick.

So I had to do something but I didn’t want to do it alone.  I would get Kerry or Kayla to help me!  I didn’t want to use poison or traps because then I’d have to deal with the smell and the dead body. Ughh.  No thanks. Plus, I don’t think I could kill something like a rat.  Cockroaches and spiders, yes.  But a rat isn’t so far from a hamster or even a cat.  So I’d have to cover up the hole.  Cardboard and tape! That should work.

After about an hour, I really had to pee, so I suited up by putting on sneakers (no fool is going to bite my toes!) and armed myself with a broom.  I prepared a cardboard square, packing tape, and scissors.  I realized from having seen the rat leap so quickly into the hole that it was probably just as scared of me as I was of it.  So before entering, I turned on the light and banged on the door to announce my presence.  I opened the door slowly, peering left and right before coming in and closing it behind me.  I peered behind the toilet and under the plastic shelving to make sure he was actually in his sub-tub home.  The tape screeched as I made a border around the cardboard, then before I could chicken out I quickly slapped the square over the porcelain hole and flattened down the tape.  The hardest part was over!  I reinforced it all around with more and more tape, and shook the broom in the air in victory!

  To be honest, I’m still a little nervous that little mister fuzz will appear out of some other hole or drain, but I’m proud that I dealt with the problem on my own.

It turns out a full bladder is a very strong motivating force.

Sorry Ratigan, Splinter, and Templeton. You guys are cool, but I don't want you or your friends in my apartment!!

Leaving class

Chalk powder cakes my hands and clothes
As I leave the classroom
Skirt billows in a rare breeze
Heel to calf to scratch a bug bite
ToespressagainstleatherasIdescendthehill
P a c e  s l o w s  a s  I  r e a c h  f l a t  g r o u n d
Voices shout "good morning" from behind
Whispers...
"Good afternoon!!" they correct, followed by a burst of giggles
Sidelong glance as I briefly return the greeting
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th floor
Dig under chalk, phone, pen, and small papers for keys
Door opens, bag and keys fall to the table, and I drop into a blue leather chair.
Today's teaching is finished!

My 2nd China Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday, and in honor of the occasion, I chose birthdays to be the theme for my Listening and Video classes in the morning.  I had the students fill in the missing lyrics on a worksheet for “Birthday” by The Beatles, did a dictation about Pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and played the game, had the students line up in order of their birthdays without talking, and a few other games.  After class, I did nothing, just watched Antz and an episode of Mad Men.  Kayla made a surprise treat for me: blondies with coconut, banana, and chocolate!  So delicious.

Later I met Kayla and a student Vimy for dinner.  Vimy’s roommates were supposed to come but Vimy told me they had other plans.  I was also expecting two other students but they were late. About 15 minutes later, they showed up with hamburgers from Dico’s (a fast food place here), and a cake shaped liked a bear face!  We ate some delicious Sichuan dishes before going up to the library for the party I’d scheduled.  Little did I expect that all my guests would be there waiting to jump out with balloons when I appeared!  I turned the corner and suddenly they all yelled happy birthday, and everyone was giving me hugs and handing me gifts.  It was so sweet, and I was really touched.  The great thing was that I’d just been thinking earlier in the day that I’d never had a surprise party, and now I have!!  I loved it.  And I realized that Vimy’s roommates’ “other plans” had been to prepare and wait for my surprise!  I had no idea.

At the party, we played freeze dance, Indian chief, charades, and Kayla and I taught them the electric slide.  Which was awesome because I’d been wanting to teach line dances for a while but never got to it.  I’d dreamed of it though, and it finally came true.  They learned it pretty quickly, and it was cool to look around and see my Chinese students dancing in time with us!  Some of them gave up after a short time, but a few kept up for the whole song. 

Our bookshelves weren’t brought down yet, but I still got my birthday wish of being able to use our new library.  I’m glad that was only a temporary setback.  Overall, it was a really great birthday.  Simple, but meaningful, which is all I ever ask for.

During Pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey in class, I flipped the paper to mess with this student, but some fool in the class told her it was upside down!! Gah, China and your fear of losing face. It's just a game, people! It's supposed to be silly.

The crazy delicious dessert the Kayla made for me! OM NOM NOM

Balloons, presents, and sweet people!

My goodies: thermos, lamp shaped like an ice cream with a face (my second favorite gift), nail polish, candy, earrings, and a stack of cards written by Vimy and each of her roommates (my favorite gift).

New library

Our new library, after I cleared out most of the trash.

After we had brought down all the books and posters

Two weeks after walking into the shock of our previous English library having lost its wall, I was handed the key to a new and slightly smaller room just one floor below.  I arrived to find a mess of books, crumpled papers, and bits of plastic and junk on the floor.  After pulling out unused notebooks and saving the clean pieces of paper for future art projects, I piled all the junk and moved it to the trash bins outside.  After dinner, a crew of about 9 loyal English Cornerians joined Kayla and I to clean the new room and also empty out the old room.  In an hour, we had swept and wiped the new room, and removed all the posters and wall decorations from the old.  We also removed all the books from the shelves, and brought them along with the games and DVDs down to the third floor.  All that remains is bringing down the bookshelves, which were too heavy for us girls to move.  It's such a relief to have so many willing and, for the most part, uncomplaining helpers for this otherwise frustrating situation!  To me, it's pretty dumb that our space was taken without our consultation, especially when the school keeps talking of moving to the nearby metropolis, Mianyang.  We now have to move with the possibility that in the not-too-distant future, someone will have to move the library again.  Then again, they've been saying for years that they're going to move and not much progress has been made.  It's too bad that our new room is smaller (about half the size).

But, consistent with my determination to see the positive aspects, I have noticed a few improvements.  The door to our new library is a lot easier to lock and unlock.  We have working light switches in the room, instead of inside another room with different key (remember how I said it had shared a wall with the art room? They also shared the lights, and unfortunately for us the switches were in the art room half).  Being on the 3rd floor instead of the 4th means one less flight of stairs to climb.  Plus, having bare walls and an empty room means a fresh start and a chance to go through the shelves and get rid of unnecessary things.  We can make this our space, however we want it to be!

I hope that soon the book shelves will be moved.  Tomorrow is my birthday and the only gift I want is to be able to celebrate in our new library.  And even if the shelves aren't yet relocated, we will still celebrate.  For as slow and frustrating things can be in China, it is great that after only two weeks we were able to at least partially settle in a new space.

Rice

The community is a-buzz tonight

Gather the rice! It’s time to harvest.

Driveways and sidewalks covered in grains,

Raked out into squares

A Zen garden of tiny gold pieces

Reed mats with frayed, curled edges

Hold thousands.

A long stretch of road,

A series of edible pyramids.

An old man bends to gather the last few handfuls.

Wide dust bins gulp up small mounds,

Then pour like rain into canvas bags

Bags of blue, green, red

Some with pictures of smiling pigs

Rows of bags standing like sentinels.

A woman cranks a machine

That separates the grain from its armor.