Sheng Dan Kuai Le!

...Also, known as Merry Christmas! I hope that this post is finding you full of Christmas cheer! I have had a good, but very different, Christmas over here in China. I spent all day Christmas Eve and Christmas Day hanging out with some of my foreign friends. We did the usual...ate, played games, ate, watched movies, ate, sang Christmas carols - did I mention that we ate?

My international friends (from left): Sonja from Germany, me, Carrie who grew up in Africa, and Natalie from the U.K...


I also got to talk to a lot of my family on Skype that day! :) The different part was the lead-up to Christmas. By the time Christmas Day got here, despite all of the eccentric decorations that are everywhere, it just didn't feel like Christmas. Maybe because I wasn't in Iowa buried under a foot or two of ice and snow! I have come to fully realize and appreciate how we celebrate Christmas as a season in the U.S., not as just a day. Yes, there were some pre-Christmas activities going on here but it was just missing something - I guess I was probably missing all of you!

Tonight I went to a Christmas service at a Three-Self Church (Patriotic Movement) - you should Google it if you want to find out more! A couple friends from my school went with me. The whole service was in Chinese so they helped to translate some of it but the most beautiful part was the choir. They sang around 15 songs and they were amazing, it was a really neat Christmas experience.


Yesterday I celebrated Boxing Day with Natalie. The name of the holiday comes from the tradition of opening boxed gifts on the day after Christmas but Natalie says that doesn't really happen anymore. We spent it looking much like the guy to the right - another day of eating, watching movies and just hanging out. I think I'll be bringing this holiday back to the U.S! :)

Students Write the Darndest Things!

One of the perks of teaching English writing is reading some of the innocent mistakes made by my students. Some of my students will write me personal letters thanking me for being their teacher or send me holiday greetings and this is when I've gotten some of the best "bloopers." For example:

Recently, a student wrote me a letter telling me that she appreciates my class. At the end, she wrote, "Your smile is so pure, and you are an angle!" Would you peg me as a right angle or obtuse?? :)

A letter that came in at Thanksgiving from another student was actually quite good until she got to the closing. It was signed,
"Science,
Cassandra"

I just finished checking a formal invitation letter where the student was talking about how she met her boyfriend. She wrote, "Later, we met at Star Buckets." Also known as, Starbucks...how cute is that?!?!

I'll include some more another day!

Of All the Charlie Browns, You're the Charlie Browniest!

Yep, I've got Christmas on the mind, especially "A Charlie Brown Christmas!" In fact, this week I am showing "A Charlie Brown Christmas" to all of my classes in hopes that they can get some grasp on the true meaning of Christmas, not just the pink Christmas trees and all of the commercialism....


After watching it three times already this week (with 4 more to go) I just keep thinking about how this show was produced in 1965...over 40 years ago and STILL TODAY commercialism at Christmas-time just takes over. How disappointing... Don't get me wrong, I love the trees, lights, gifts, goodies, etc. but I want to focus on what's really important at Christmas!
Another thing I am doing in my classes this week - listen up, you Ingleby's! - I am carrying on the tradition of reading the "Night Before Christmas" as we do at my grandma and grandpa's each year. We sit in a circle, each with a bag of candy, and my grandma reads the story. Each time she reads the word "AND" we pass the candy one person to the right and each time she reads the word "THE" we pass it one person to the left. Usually, we end up with some candy being thrown across the room when there is a shortage and there is some major bartering at the end if our favorite candy doesn't make its way into our hands. Interestingly enough, these are both Chinese practices, too! My students have caught right on and would fit in well with the Ingleby's. :)
Some other things I've been doing these past few weeks to get ready for Christmas...
* Went to Tianjin International School's Christmas Bazaar (pictured below) to pick up some gifts while my mom was here.


* This past weekend I went to a Christmas program that was hosted by the Special Education Program, a project associated with my organization.
* Jian Hua Foundation, my organization, Christmas party.
* The children's Christmas program at Fellowship - I had to do all I could to not jump out of my seat and help direct it...I guess old habits die hard, huh?
* Christmas cookie baking! We were a regular little cookie factory, churning out at least 12 dozen cookies!


I hope that you are being blessed with many Christmas activities this time of year!

SENSORY OVERLOAD: Guest Blogger, my mom!

When I was planning my trip to China, I expected to be overwhelmed by the sights, but I never dreamed that what I saw, would be such a small part of my visit. Of course what I saw was truly amazing, but also the sounds, smells, tastes and even the feel of the country is so much more than I ever expected. China has to be experienced to be believed!

I saw things I had dreamed of since I was a child. THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA!!! Beautiful Chinese architecture, small villages. I also saw that the lines dividing the lanes of traffic are merely a suggestion. Everyone drives wherever they want. Bikes and people and cars are everywhere!

There are so many sounds. The sound of everyone around you speaking a language that you cannot understand is very overwhelming. A great sound was listening to Shannon and her Ayi speak to each other. Her Ayi speaks no English, and while Shannon's Chinese is getting very good, it was pretty funny to observe. Every vehicle driver honks his horn constantly - at the bikers, at the walkers and at each other. And the spitting...they are not quiet spitters.

The smells were everywhere. Food from the street vendors and restaurants, the bakery, the exhaust from the buses and the cabs, the "squatty potties".

We did a lot of tasting. Chinese Hot Pot, Thai, Korean, Peking Duck, Gou Bu Li Baozi, dumplings, and some of the best ribs I've ever eaten.


Touch. Two kinds. As Shannon has blogged before, there is no such thing as a "bubble" here. But more than that, I was so touched by the wonderful people I met while I was here. We took students with us on most of our excursions, and every one of them was so endearing. They kept me from getting run down when crossing the streets. They bartered for me when we were shopping. They interpreted, explained their culture and customs to me, and made this a trip I will never forget.

I leave tomorrow for Marshalltown, and I think it's going to be pretty quiet. I'll get used to it again, but once you've been here, China calls you back. I'll have to try this again someday!

Hiking on the Great Wall...Seriously, How Cool is That?!?!

I'm sitting at my computer, typing away and listening to Christmas music while my mom takes a little pre-dinner snooze on the other end of the couch. Yes, my mom is here! She arrived on Wednesday evening and I've been doing my best to keep her awake during the day so that she can conquer her jet lag...she's actually done pretty well so far, which is why I'm allowing the nap right now. :)
We've had a busy couple of days! Thursday morning mom went to class with me and even participated in the writing assignment. :) At the end of my last class I asked my students if they would sing a song for us...a song that they did as part of a singing competition not too long ago. I tried to include the video on this blog but apparently it's not going to work tonight! I'll try again another time...
Yesterday we spent the afternoon hiking the Great Wall! It was absolutely beautiful...I could not get enough of the fresh air and the peace that surrounded us - I could have stayed up there for days. The best part was that we went to a section of the wall that is not a tourist hot-spot and we only saw 3 other people there the whole afternoon! The landscape was simply breathtaking...add to that a bright blue sky, overwhelming serenity, one of my students as an unbelievable guide, and standing on a wall with thousands of years of history that was constructed by the bare hands of thousands of workers...it makes for an amazing day. Below are some of our "postcard worthy" shots!

Today we went to the Christmas Bazaar at Tianjin International School and then to the fabric market - some great shopping was done!
I am hoping that at the end of the week my mom will be a "guest blogger" so that you can hear firsthand about her impressions of China...I already know that she wants to wrap some of my students up, put them in her pocket and bring them home with her! :) They are SO GREAT!

A Must-Read!

I just finished reading a book called, "The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices" and, wow, I can't think about anything else! The author is XinRan and I highly recommend that you read it if you have any interest in the stories of Chinese women. I will warn you...it is not an easy book to read, it is quite graphic and detailed but it will open up your eyes to...well, you should just read it! This is what one publication said about it:

This book "leads the reader on an anguishing journey of discovery and catharsis. What emerges from the tragedies that have lain silent all these years is awe for those women who survived the horrors of their past, grief for those who couldn't, and a reexamination of one's own place, identity, and emotional life."

If you get a chance to read it, let me know what you think!

Magazine Article

Ni hao! I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was asked to write an article for a new magazine that is going to be published here in Tianjin. The magazine is primarily for ex-pats (foreigners), so that was my targeted audience and I was asked to write about being new to Tianjin. I'm including the article below in case you're interested in reading it!

The Newcomer
By Shannon Ingleby

Do you remember what it was like when you first came to Tianjin? I am guessing that some of your Chinese students, colleagues, teachers or friends have asked you the question; what was your first impression of China? What were the unfamiliar smells, sounds, tastes, or attitudes of this brand-new city? Or maybe you are still feeling new to Tianjin and are experiencing this fascinating and intriguing culture for the first time. If so, “welcome,” you are in for an adventure!

I am not able to speak from too much experience; in fact I have been here for just over three months. I am an English teacher at Tianjin Foreign Studies University, I am an associate with Jian Hua Foundation, I am a volunteer at the Tianjin orphanage and I am a learner who is attempting to take in all that is around me. This is my third time traveling to China – every time I leave and go back to the U.S., something draws me back in again.

Some would say that I am adjusting nicely to life in Tianjin, as I can now ride my bike with the flow of Tianjin traffic, rather than stopping at each light, waiting for the first glimpse of green. I can avoid getting hit by cars, or more frequently car doors that swing open at the most inopportune times, as I pedal through the city. I have mastered the “point method” as I order in restaurants, but admittedly, I have yet to try the famous Gou Bu Li Baozi. Although I am not studying the language full-time, I am able to decipher some words spoken with a Tianjin accent and make a feeble attempt at responding. Most importantly, I can reach my apartment at the end of a busy day and think, “I’m so glad this feels like home.”

As most visitors to China would probably confess, there is still a lot to learn. I guess we all learn by experience – like the time my friend and I got on the wrong bus that carted us for over an hour to the outskirts of the city. Or the time the clouds decided to open up while I was searching for a taxi. I learned an important lesson that day; never try to get a taxi after a FIFA World Cup game when it’s pouring outside. Or what about the numerous times I’ve been asked to be in a photograph or have noticed someone slyly maneuvering so that I’ll be in the background of their picture. On occasional days, I am grateful for the local Starbucks which I escape to for a bit of familiarity.

Despite all of the changes and newness of living in a foreign city, I find myself very thankful that I am allowed this opportunity. I see this move as being one of tremendous growth and newfound independence. I see this constant adaptation as being one that will mold me and change me. I see this adventure as one that will open my eyes and my heart to the lifestyles of others. I see this journey as one that will give me more empathy and understanding. As I am on a journey, so are you and I hope that you keep a tight grasp on the opportunities that come your way…and let China draw you back in again.

Thanksgiving

I hope that your spirits are feeling refreshed and your bellies are feeling full after your Thanksgiving celebrations!
I decided that last week I would do a lesson in my classes on Thanksgiving. I shared some of our customs and traditions with my students including; Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Black Friday (which I heard was even worse than usual this year), and all of the food that we eat on Thanksgiving Day. I had them make lists of 10 things they were thankful for and some of them had a hard time coming up with 10...can you do it? :) Lastly, I gave them an outline of the history of Thanksgiving and asked them to role play it in small groups...some of them were hilarious! I especially liked the groups that had special Native American dances or head-dressings. :) The main questions from the students about Thanksgiving were...does everyone travel home for this holiday? And if they do, is there a lot of traffic congestion? I reminded them that I'm from Iowa and traffic jams are pretty much nonexistent! They cannot even picture what that must be like...
On the actual day of Thanksgiving I headed to the orphanage for my weekly visit and I got a good reminder to be thankful - for washing machines! If you are a mom maybe you can already guess what happened...yep, I got peed on by a little boy. I just had to laugh about it as all of the Chinese workers looked hesitantly at me, probably thinking, "What's the foreigner going to do??"
On both Friday and Saturday I went to Thanksgiving celebrations with some Americans here in Tianjin. Friday's celebration was with people from my organization and it was really nice...we ate a lot of food, watched a movie, played games...all of the things I would do at home! It really helped me to not feel as homesick on this holiday that I love. Two of the pictures included are from this day - Cindy and Lizzy are at the top, the hosts of the event and my friend, Jessica, and I are below, with our matching outfits.


On Saturday the big treat was REAL TURKEY! I am not sure how or where they got it but I was so thankful to see it because turkey is not a main meat here in China. Below is a picture of the group I was with on Saturday.


As this holiday of giving thanks wraps up, I want to say that I am SO thankful for each and every one of you reading this blog. You mean so much to me and I am blessed to know you all. My life is better with you in it! I hope that we can all continue this spirit of thanksgiving throughout the year.
And now it's back to real-life, with Christmas around the corner. I found a small Christmas tree today and hung some lights...Christmas is Christmas no matter what tiny corner of this vast globe we occupy...

Weekend O' Fun

This past weekend was full of fun and laughter! On Friday night, I had some students over for dinner. First, we walked around campus taking pictures and then we started cooking! It took us about 2 hours to cook and then we feasted! The most challenging part was trying to figure out how to strategically place all 7 of us into my tiny kitchen. After dinner, we played cards - they reminded me how to play Mafia and I taught them Uno...they loved it! It's really a gift to get to know some of my students outside of class. Pictured above is Abby, Christina, and Joyce.




Pictured here is Abby and Si Wen is in black, she's the girl who is staying in Tianjin for a while to practice her English with me.













Saturday, Si Wen and I went to Wuqing - a suburb of Tianjin to meet a guy named, Luke. When people say it is a small world, it is so true! Luke works for Emerson (Fisher Controls) here in China and he has traveled to Marshalltown for business at the Emerson plant located in my hometown! Last summer he met my dad, step-mom and some of our friends! So, he invited me to meet him and hang out for the day. We ate lots of good food, played some pool, and even rode on bumper cars!
In these two pictures you'll see Luke beside me, and his roommate, Bob, on the other side of the
Emerson sign. The motorbike to the right was our form of transportation in Wuqing - I think they called it a 3-wheel; for obvious reasons.

It was a great weekend and now I'm looking forward to some Thanksgiving celebrations coming up this next weekend! :)

Lifeboat

This past week I did an activity in my classes that focused on persuasion and argumentation. I set up a situation that included a sinking ship and a lifeboat that could only hold 6 of the 10 remaining passengers. My students had to argue for their place in the boat and some of them were very creative and hilarious! It was an international passenger list and some of the people on the ship included: a Rabbi, an Arab diplomat, a Brazilian athlete, a Hollywood actress, a German accountant and his pregnant wife, a CIA agent, a Hispanic poet and an African-American med student. Here are some of the best stories from this activity:
* In one of the groups a boy was the CIA agent and he told his group that if they didn't take him, he would just pull out his gun and shoot them all...they decided to bring him along pretty quickly!
* In almost every group, the Hollywood actress sank to her doom but in one group she convinced the other members that she was skinny enough to compensate for the weight of the pregnant lady!
* Another group decided that they didn't really need the Brazilian athlete in the lifeboat but that she could swim behind the boat and push it!
* The Hispanic poet was another one who rarely made it into the lifeboat and in one group she tried to convince the other members that she would write a historical poem about the event. They decided that she could write it quickly before she died and give it to them to take back and publish!
Just wanted to share a little bit about one of my many interesting teaching experiences! This week I will teach a Thanksgiving lesson! :)
I'll try to post again in a few days and include some pictures from my weekend...lots going on around here!
I hope that this Thanksgiving week finds you thankful and truly blessed.

Competition in China

There is NEVER a dull moment when you live in China! In fact, sometimes life is so not-dull that I need to remind myself to take a deep breath every once in a while and rest......
This past week has brought with it some unexpected surprises, as most weeks do, and this one happened to be in the form of a person! Now, I'm sure some of you are thinking, "Shannon met a man!" Sorry to disappoint you...hasn't happened yet. :(
Anyways, if you've been keeping up with my blogs than you all know Echo, my Chinese friend that I went to visit in October. About a month ago she asked me if her cousin could come and stay with me for about a month in order to practice her English. I said, "Sure, why not?" and then never heard back from her about whether or not it was happening. So, on Wednesday night I got a phone call from Echo's cousin and she said, "I'm coming to Tianjin! I booked my ticket for Saturday!" So, in perfect Chinese-style timing, Si Wen showed up last night! After I found out she was coming, I booked her a room on campus so that she can be close to me and she will be my little shadow for the next several weeks... Although, I spoke with her today and it looks like she may sign up for a 5 month class here in Tianjin, which means she will have an English class everyday! Why am I telling you all of this? Well, I wanted you to get a picture of how stiff the competition is here in China, especially for college students. Many Chinese students will do whatever is in their power (or their pocketbook) to get a little bit more experience, a little bit more practice, and a little bit more education. They have to! Si Wen is 24 but she is planning to study in the U.K. for a while and she needs to improve her English before she goes. As unexpected as this was, I want to be flexible and help her as much as possible! Echo is one of my best friends and her family has treated me so well, this is the least I can do for them.
On another note...for a visual in this posting I am attaching a picture that I took with some of my students a few nights ago.



And finally...some other news! I was asked to write an article for a magazine that is published here in Tianjin. It's specifically for ex-pats and I was asked to be a guest writer! Hehehehe...I'll post the article on my blog once it's done so that you can all see my published work!! :)

Long Underwear. Yep, that's really my title.

I know that I posted yesterday but I just had a very funny experience and wanted to tell you about it! About an hour ago I walked in the door of my apartment after class, with my Ayi at my side. An Ayi is someone who cooks, cleans, or some Ayis even watch people's kids! It is very cheap to have an Ayi in China so I hired a woman who comes once a week and cleans my apartment...it's so nice because I am already struggling to balance my many commitments and time - having one less thing to worry about has been a blessing!
Anyways, as I mentioned in a previous blog, personal space and privacy is not a big deal to Chinese people like it is to Americans. My Ayi saw that I was kind of shivering from the cold, so she looked at me then bent over and pulled up my pant leg to see if I had any long underwear on underneath. I didn't, and her shock was quite evident on her face! She then pinched my pants to feel their thickness but she clearly was not satisfied! She kept telling me to by some long underwear and then she pulled up her own pant leg to show me what her long underwear looked like. Before I knew it, she was unbuttoning her pants to show me the top part of her underwear so that I could easily find it in a store. She kept saying, "Buy it! Buy it!" (in Chinese)
From the very beginning, when she pulled up my pant leg, I started laughing uncontrollably and soon she was giggling, too. I guess this just goes to show that if you put two people in the same room who cannot speak each other's language, they can always manage by using the two universal languages: hand gestures and Laughter.

A New Perspective

On Friday my friend, Steffi, and I were feeling like we needed some perspective...a different perspective of China and particularly Tianjin. So, we went up to the observation deck of the TV Tower (the tallest building in the center of the city.) Steffi has lived in Tianjin for several years so as we walked around the deck, she was explaining different parts of the city to me and telling me many stories about Tianjin. The entire city is actually built upon swamp-land and much of the newer part of the city used to be ocean! There were some other very interesting stories...ones that I'll have to tell you when I come back to the U.S. As we walked around, Steffi pointed out where I live, where we go to Fellowship, where our organization's office is, etc. and I realized that I have become a biker babe! Ha! I really have to travel quite far to see people and to get to different places...it's good for me though since I've definitely been enjoying the Chinese cuisine! Anyways, as we took our last loop, we saw this beautiful sight...the TV Tower's shadow was extending out and across the city - it was breathtaking. I came out feeling renewed and quite proud of my small, yet seemingly mountainous accomplishments in this huge and vast city.

You've seen the Olympic stadium from the inside...this the outside view.


The Water Park where I took the pictures of the lanterns in a previous blog...


And just to prove that I'm an official "biker babe," here I am on my new bike...someone gave it to me and it's loads better than the old one! And, you probably can't see it but I am wearing heels - true Chinese-style!


Finally, I just have to share this with all of you Iowans out there --- today in class, one of my students was munching away on some corn-on-the-cob that she brought with her! :) It's probably not sweet like we have in Iowa but nonetheless, she had it and was enjoying it!

Just Call Me Judge

During this past week, I've had two interesting experiences as a Speech Contest Judge. The first one was on campus and it was pretty casual. I was the only foreign judge, in fact the only foreigner in the entire room, and we had to score the competitors on things like intonation, grammar, body language, and content. It was really fast-paced and really quite fun! They had some dancing, singing, and musical instrument acts in between rounds and some of the students were pretty funny, so it was a very entertaining night. Of course, being the "honored judge" that I am I had to make my own speech at the end of the evening and talk about how great it was to be there, how good the competitors were, how much I enjoyed it, etc. - by now, I know all the right things to say. :)
The second competition was quite a bit more formal. I had to travel to another campus and I was again the only foreign judge among 7 Chinese professors. I was so out of my league! All of the other judges were older Chinese men, and I could tell that they are very distinguished in the universities where they teach. This competition was for all university students in Tianjin and will be shown on CCTV - a station similar to ABC or NBC. My job in this competition was to be the "question master." I had to ask each competitor a question about their prepared speech after they were finished. Thankfully, I was given the speeches ahead of time to prepare my questions, otherwise this could have proved to be a very stressful day! I got paid to judge this competition and at both contests I was given a thermos. I guess this is just another experience to add to the list! And, in case you're wondering, the only qualification I need to be a judge is that I am a native English speaker...not too difficult to meet that requirement!

One more quick story about my week...something that is very little and inconsequential but it just wouldn't happen in the U.S! I was at the supermarket yesterday buying the basics...bread, yogurt, milk, laundry detergent and was waiting in line to check-out. In China, people are unconcerned with personal space or privacy, if you have something that they are curious about, they will ask or just look for themselves! :) Anyways, I was holding my basket and suddenly felt some things shifting around. I looked back and a lady was casually digging through my basket. She was completely harmless but curious about what I was buying! Then, she picked up my yogurt and asked how much it was, so I told her and she seemed satisfied with the answer so she put it back down and let me be. Ha! I had to laugh because another thing that Chinese people will always do is ask you how much you're paying for things - anything from yogurt to a new house - they are just curious. If they think you're paying too much, they will tell you so! I was happy that for once I didn't hear the words, "Tai gui le!" ("Too expensive!")
Hoping you are having a fabulous week....Shannon :)

My Most Important Hours...

As mentioned in my last blog, I want to tell you a little bit about my recent volunteer experience at the Tianjin Orphanage. I have been there twice now and I plan on going at least once a week. One thing I can confidently say is, these hours will be some of my most important that I spend in China.
For any of you who have been to an orphanage before, you may have some idea of what it's like. For the most part, the facilities of this orphanage are satisfactory. They could be better but I have seen so so so much worse, especially in Jamaica. In Tianjin, each infant or toddler has their own crib - and there are anywhere from 3 - 14 children in one room. I spent a few hours last week with the infants. The heartbreaking part of this experience is seeing and knowing that the babies are laying in their cribs all day long. I don't believe that the workers are heartless or cruel, I just don't think they know how to love the babies. So, while I was there I went straight for the crying or fussing babies and picked them up. I rocked them, held them close, talked to them, and basically just loved them. It was amazing how within minutes of me holding them, they would fall asleep. As soon as they were asleep I would move onto the next baby who was crying. I was trying to show the workers, "Look! This works! They don't cry if you give them the affection that they need!" They need it so desperately.
With the exception of the newborns, most of the children at the orphanage are handicapped in some way. This can mean anything from very seriously handicapped (cerebral palsy, spina bifida, blindness) to things that can be fixed easily or things that are based on how the child looks (cleft palates, albinos, GIRLS). Most of them end up at the orphanage after they are abandoned in the hospital. Families are only allowed one child so if the parents are not happy with their child, they will leave them in the hospital after delivery. :( Some of the children are adopted and some are high functioning enough that they can go to school to get an education but the rest will likely live out there childhood/adolescence in the orphanage. I'm not sure where they go when they turn 18...
Anyways, if you want to find out more about the orphanage you can go to, www.tjicco.org and read about some of the things they offer there. Please remember these children in your prayers!

Bartering and Light Fun

On Friday, I went to Beijing for a little shopping with 6 other ladies from my organization. We started out at the Pearl Market - a market full of jewelry, shoes, purses, and clothes. At this market you barter for EVERYTHING, meaning you negotiate the prices. Usually, they can see a foreigner coming from a mile away and they will do anything they can to rip you off, for example, start the price at 385 RMB when it's actually worth less than 50 RMB. I wasn't planning on buying anything but then I got really into the bartering and bought a few things just because I was getting them for a ridiculously low price! I was named the "Barter Queen" for the day, and everyone decided that if they wanted to buy anything, they had to take me with them! It was really fun! I tend to use the "I'm walking away..." method, as well as just being really persistent and continuing to demand lower prices. It helped, too, when we spoke Chinese to them because then they knew that we had a clue about what was going on. Anyways, I plan on going back...either to shop for myself or to help someone else...so fun! We also hit IKEA while we were there...yep, I said IKEA - Swedish meatballs and all. :)

Last night I went with Cindy, her daughter Lizzy, and Natalie to Tianjin WaterPark where there is currently a Lantern Display. After this week the display moves to another city and apparently it is going to travel around the country during this next year before the Olympics. Tianjin was its first stop. It was really cool --- this huge park full of different displays and inflatables. Some of them played music and some were kind of like puppet stages with different Chinese activities or rituals being shown. Here are just a few of the pictures I took:

As you can see in the last one, they are gearing up for the 2008 Olympics!

I will be posting another blog within the next few days to share with you some of my experiences as I have begun volunteering at the local orphanage. Until then...
Shannon :)

Sports Day

About halfway through last week all of us teachers were told that there would be no class that Friday. We'll call this a 'cultural difference' - not being told until 3 days before that there is no class! Soon I found out that the reason for the cancellation was because of Sports Day, which is conducted at universities throughout China. The students sign up to compete in different events - much like a "field day" that we would have in the States. So, I went with some students that morning to check things out. First, they had a parade of sorts where they marched around the track according to their department (English, Chinese, foreign students, etc.) and then the competitions began! Some of the events were your average track and field type events - 100 meter dash, shot put, relays but the rest were what you might think of as playground activities. There was dribbling the ball around the cones, kicking a soccer ball into the net, hackey sac, jump rope, and my personal favorite - hula hoop. :) There was actually a faculty team for each event but I chose not to participate...call me a sore sport but I just didn't feel like getting beat in a jump rope contest that morning! :)
Pictures: At the top is part of the parade - I don't know what department that is. Pictured in the second photo are some of my sophomores...(from left) Daniel, Joy, Lucia and Laura.

Reality Check

As many of you know, I have done my fair share of complaining about my accommodations since I have been in Tianjin. "It's dirty, it's uncomfortable, there's no furniture, the lights are too fluorescent, the bed is hard, I don't have a nice view from my window..." The list goes on and on. As much as I hate to tell you about me being such a complainer, it is necessary as I tell you about my recent reality check. The students on my campus live 6 to a room - they each have a lofted bed with a small desk, closet, and stool underneath their bed. That's it... I had 9 students over on Saturday night to watch a movie and as soon as they walked in there were "Oohs" and "Aahs" like you've never heard! They quickly ran around my apartment, checking everything out and they were totally amazed. One girl, Angie (pictured to the right), said to me, "So, how many people live in this unit?" My reply, "Just me." She became a bit more persistent..."Okay, so you live in this room (the living room) but how many people live in the other rooms?" Again, my reply, "Just me...this is all mine." They were blown away...they could not believe that someone on their campus lived in such luxury. Soon after, Angie plopped down on the couch and got comfortable, then she looked at me and said, "I have a new goal for my life...someday I want to live in a place like this." I felt like a total jerk! How could I complain about where I'm living and then sit and listen to a student tell me that it was a goal for them to live somewhere like this?? Wow...reality check! During the movie, all 9 girls piled onto my couch and rug in total comfort and happiness. At one point, one of them even started to fall asleep and I was so glad that they felt safe and comfortable enough here that they could do that. University students in China have so much pressure and stress...I was happy that they could take a few hours to forget about that - and in the meantime they taught me a great lesson.


To end this blog on a light note, I have to include this story from today's class! I was walking around the classroom as my students were working in pairs and I stopped to help one girl, Emily (pictured to the right). When she was done asking me a question she said, "By the way, today you are dressed to kill!" I was so surprised to hear her say that, I just burst out laughing! She must have thought that I was laughing because of an incorrect use of the phrase and she asked, "Did I use that correctly?" I quickly reassured her that she had, in fact, used the expression correctly but that I just was not expecting her to say that. How cute is that?!?!? :)

Chick(en) Flicks, The Giving Tree, and a Cold November

Lately, I have been getting the chance to spend some time with my students outside of class and it has been so much fun! Since I have 150 students I have not been sure how to get to know some of them without showing favoritism. Fortunately, those students who want to work on their spoken English or who want to become better friends with me have started to step forward. I had a movie night for one of my classes last weekend and this weekend I am again having students from another class over. Since the majority of my students are girls, there were no boys at my last movie night so we watched "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," the classic Chick Flick. I taught them the phrase, Chick Flick, as they had never heard it before and at the end of the movie one of my students said, "So, please tell me again...Why do you call this a 'Chicken Flick?'" Hehehehe....
My university does not monitor or even wonder what I teach and has provided me very little curriculum so I come up with my own lesson plans each week. Last week I taught my students about Narrative Essays and I read "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein to them as an example of a narrative. They loved this story - some of them nearly cried, some of them thought that "the tree was stupid," one of them referred to JC and how He says it's better to give than to receive, and one went very philosophical spouting about how the tree and the boy represent different cultures, races, governments, religions, etc. They are so bright and have great thoughts if encouraged to express them. Overall - a good lesson!
And my last interesting fact for this blog...I found out recently that in Tianjin, and possibly all of Northern China, the heat during winter time is regulated. This means that they turn on the heat (for the whole city) on November 15th and it goes off again on March 15th. Depending on which floor you live on in your building, you may be quite hot or freezing because the heat gets set at one temp - one temp that is not determined by the person who lives there. So...my task for this week is to get some good, warm blankets because it is already in the 50's during the day in Tianjin so I'm anticipating that it could be a cold month until Nov. 15th rolls around. Enjoy your heat!

Shanghai and Hangzhou Part 3: The People

One of the neatest things about my trip was that I got to spend a lot of time with a Chinese family, who now refers to me as their "extended family." :) I learned so much from them about Chinese culture, their traditions, their beliefs, and even about some of the struggles that they've been through. (Of course this was all through my interpreter, Echo). They made me feel like a part of the family, though, and that was really nice...

This first picture is of Sarah, a girl that I met while in Hangzhou in 2003. She now lives in Shanghai and we met her for dinner one night.


This next picture is of Echo and her family! Echo is sitting in the back between her grandparents and her mother is seated on the far right. Her grandma has the beginning stages of Alzheimer's and so we had to make sure she didn't wander away - she was soooo cute, though...I just wanted to hug her! :)


This is the Bamboo Forest in Hangzhou and pictured below is Echo (on the right), myself, and Echo's 16 year-old cousin, Ally. Ally is learning English and was so excited to be able to practice with me. I taught her a bunch of new words, one of them being 'weeping willow' and I told her that if she uses that in her English class her foreign teacher would be blown away! She also sang me songs from "The Sound of Music." :) Ally's parents were so happy that I was talking with her...they even sent me back to Tianjin with some beautiful silk scarves.


Echo, sitting in Starbucks.


Thus concludes my adventures in Shanghai and Hangzhou...I have already thought of two more blogs I want to write so check back soon as I will be posting. Also, I finally got internet in my apartment and am soooooo excited!! If any of you use Skype, my user name is shannon.ingleby so you should add me! If you don't use Skype, you should download it...I talked to my sister, Laura, last night from computer to computer for FREE and since we both have web cams we could see each other...it was so cool!
Bye for now! :)

Shanghai and Hangzhou Part 2: The Sights

Part 2! During our time in Shanghai and Hangzhou, Echo and I visited quite a few places but managed to avoid the millions of people who were traveling during the week! Fun fact...apparently the number of people who travel in China during the October holiday is the same number of people as the entire population on the U.S! Can you imagine?? Anyways, Echo's family has a car so we used that most of the time and were able to avoid the masses who were using public transportation. We spent a decent amount of time at West Lake in Hangzhou, which the Chinese would describe as, "Heaven on earth." I don't know if I'd go that far but it is very beautiful! Check out the sights below...

West Lake in Hangzhou - view from a local Starbucks.


West Lake again...different view from Starbucks!


West Lake....


Not sure...but it's in Hangzhou!


Echo's family owns a 4-story Villa outside of Hangzhou...this is very rare! Anyways, these next two pictures are the view from the top floor of their Villa.



The view of Shanghai from Echo's 25th floor apartment...

Shanghai and Hangzhou Part 1: The Food

Hey all!  As I mentioned in my last blog, I headed to Shanghai and Hangzhou this past week to see my friend, Echo.  Some of you know her or have heard of her --- she is my good friend from when I studied abroad during college.  We had an awesome week.  It is very customary of the Chinese that when they have a visitor to their hometown, they pay for EVERYTHING.  So, out of an entire week I managed to get my money out before her for one meal and one taxi ride.  I was really spoiled!  She took me to a ton of really nice restaurants and we even had some meals at home with her family.  Another customary thing of Chinese culture (or maybe all cultures??) is that they practically hand-feed you while you are in their home.  So, that being said...I ate some interesting foods throughout the week!  Echo's family loves seafood so that is a staple at each meal - I ate eel, shrimp with the head still attached (don't worry...I bit the head off and spit it out!), tons of fish...bones included, which I also spit out :), oysters, clams, squid, crab legs, crab soup, crab dumplings, crab and potatoes - just call me Bubba Gump!  I told Echo that I would try almost anything once and, looking back, I'm glad I inserted the "almost" because I had to draw the line when they brought out the turtle...still looking very much like a turtle, just flipped up on its shell with its little legs sprawled.  :( 

Echo did give me a real treat one night when we went to Papa Johns for dinner...oh, the cheese was soooo good!  

All in all - the food that we had was pretty tasty and I learned that I can eat much more exotic foods than I thought I could - and I think I came out a little bit more open-minded, too.  ;)

Stay tuned for Shanghai and Hangzhou Parts 2 & 3 - The Sights and The People!!  

Game 2: U.S.A. WINS!

We went to our second FIFA World Cup game on Saturday night...U.S.A. vs. England and the U.S. won 3-0! It was so exciting...our group consisted of a bunch of Americans and a few very loud Englanders. Needless to say, we were louder! It was a good game - although not as packed as the China game. Some of the American boys came with their chests and backs painted...yep, no matter what country you put them in, American boys will still paint themselves for sporting events! Ha! :) I took a better picture of the stadium so am posting that, as well as a picture with my friend Cindy (she's the one that I knew from a previous trip to China) and one with my friend, Chuck.



I leave for Shanghai and Hangzhou (where I studied abroad in 2003) on Friday and will be there for 6 days visiting some friends so I will have much to report on after that! Thanks for reading! :)