May 17th: English Classes

We sat in on some English classes yesterday and this morning. The teacher of the class was very nervous-looking as he was explaining that “our distinguished American guests” were going to talk to his students all about life in America compared to life in China. He would use his hands in funny ways that had nothing to do with what he was saying. The 4 students that me and my buddy Rob were paired up with like to make fun of him and his hand gestures.

They basically put us all in a room together and said “Ok, talk.” The class period was an hour and 45 mins long. The best comparison that I can make is that it was like an awkward date. We didn’t really know what to expect out of our talk. The conversation was very superficial. It was a crowded room, so I couldn’t really hear the other person who was talking. We got stuck in traffic, and lost on our way there. She is vegetarian, but didn’t tell me until after we arrived at Ruths Chris. The waiter was making lame date jokes. We got a ticket afterward. I really need to figure out what I want out of a classroom-discussion relationship, and then think of corresponding questions to achieve my goal. If I don’t know what I want, then I’m just going to end up an lonely old maid for the rest of my life.

In the class yesterday, we were supposed to help the students read a talk by George Bush the Elder and answer some questions on the reading. The talk was really boring, though. Something about Bush eating ‘fragrant meat’ that is actually the upper lip of a dog and also undermining Henry Kissinger in order to take over diplomatic relations for China on behalf of the US. I don’t know exactly. I wasn’t really paying attention. Instead, my other buddy Tucker and me just started talking to the 3 students paired up with us. It was just a lot more natural than being forced into a relationship like in the other class with Hands Man. I don’t care how many dozens of times he referred to me as ‘distinguished.’ He didn’t take the time to Rob and me flow easily into the situation. We had so much in common with the first group. I really think there was real chemistry. I’m thinking of taking it to the next level, which would be… writing emails back and forth? I don’t know what the next level would be. Is the baseball analogy also applicable to week-long, academic-exchange relationships? I guess ‘study a broad’ takes on a whole new meaning when you combine the 3 words into 2. In the two classes combined, there was about 45 students, 2 of which were dudes. Kinda interesting.

I’ve really learned a lot talking with these students on different levels: politically, socially, familially. One of the girls this morning was explaining her family situation. She is the oldest of 2 children. She’s 21, her younger brother is 14. That’s a pretty big age difference, first of all. But what made me more surprised is why her parents were allowed to have another child. It’s because their first was a girl. Now, having a second child under the One Child Policy can cost the parents a one-time fine of anywhere from $700 up to $2000US. Money, of course, go a lot farther here where the CPI is a lot lower. That is a LOT of money. But having a son is so important that the government will waive that fine to give the parents a chance at a namesake. How would that feel, being one of those two children and knowing quite obviously who the favorite is?