You must come over to have a taste of mom's home cooking

Yesterday was my second day of teaching. I was nervous all over again. But this time I felt more prepared, and a lot more in control. I struck the fear of god into my students by making them stand up and read aloud from their books, and answer questions in English. At the beginning of class I started the film they're supposed to watch, and noticed that some of them had their heads on their desks, some were reading books, some were chatting quietly, and some were just staring off into space. So I paused the video and had two students stand up and read the dialogue aloud. You should have seen those heads pop up into attention! And when I started the video again, everyone was studiously following along in their books, or watching the video intently, mouthing the words. I was very amused. After the video we went over the dialogue as a class, and then I asked them all to stand up and say something they're good at. They said things like, "I'm good at sports", "I'm good at singing", "I'm good at computer games". Then I asked them to say what they're bad at, and they all said things like, "I'm bad at math", "I'm bad at studying". I told them I was good at dancing, and bad at sports. I really enjoy looking at their faces, getting to know them. In the middle of my class, another class let out, this one all boys, and the boys all crowded around the window in the classroom door, yelling "Hello, Hi, Hi teacher!" The girls in the class started yelling at them and ran to the door to chase them off. And what was I doing... laughing, of course! And yelling, "Hello, Hi, Hello students!" right back at them. I love the way people here say "hello" to me. They say it like they're not sure it will work out for them. Like it's some kind of trick, "Hello!" and then they look at me surprised, like they're holding their breaths, until I say "Hello!" back, and then they smile or laugh. It's like a game. I love this game.

Jenny, the beginning English teacher, attended my class again, this time to get me to edit a speech she's giving in English. It's very fun to edit things here because I really feel like I'm helping. My only comparison is editing papers in college for my friends, which were all written well, maybe a few typos here, or a misspelled word there. Here, when Flora or Jenny ask me to edit something they've written, I can really do something to make it sound like native English, and they really appreciate that because it makes them seem more adept at the language than they really are. And I like the idea that I've taken something that didn't sound the least bit native, and corrected it so when they communicate with English speakers they'll be more prepared.

In any case, after class Jenny invited me out to dinner with her later that evening to thank me for my help. I was wary, but I accepted because, let's face it, my social skills are rotting away under a plank of solitude. After class several students approached me as if they wanted to speak with me, and then just stood and stared. I think they were afraid that, since I'm their teacher, if they tried to talk to me then they'd be graded or something. One, very sweet girl with a big round face, asked me if she could come to my apartment to visit me and practice her English. Another student walked silently beside me as we left the building, but I sensed she wanted to say something to me, so I turned to face her and smiled. She smiled back, handed me a note, said, "My phone number", and ran off.

Here is what her note said: Dear Teacher, I am one of your students. My name is Li ShanShan and I suppose we are about the same age. It would be a pleasure to be your friend and be helpful to your life here like being a guide of hanging out or shopping. Oh, you must come over to have a taste of mom's home cooking.
Sincerely, Your student, Li

I was very happy with this, because Li is one of the students I like to look at. She's very serious, and almost never smiles, and tries very hard to speak English, though she's one of the poorer students as far as pronunciation. When she answered what she was good at, she tried for a complex sentence, not a simple one like the other girls. She said, "I am good at friendship and being caring with others". I was charmed. But I suppose I am easily charmed here, where everyone seems so good-natured.

Well, after class I got ready to go out with Jenny. I met her at the school gate at 6:00 and we started walking. She walked and chatted equally fast, and I found it difficult to keep up with both. She told me again all about the successful members of her family, etc. Quite dull, but I was a receptive listener, and that gives me a lot of pleasure in itself. We got to this hole in the wall restaurant called "Sunshine Happiness Restaurant". I thought that was promising. It had sort of a dive bar feel to it, rough wooden tables and chairs, dim lighting. We sat at a window looking out onto the street, which I didn't find too appetizing as the streets of Yidu tend to smell overwhelmingly of piss. Jenny ordered, and it went something like this, "You like shredded pork fried in dough, you put it in a pancake and eat it. We'll get that. Yes? You like celery? It is a vegetable, crunchy, green. Cashews on top, yes? You like a pork, sweet, but also vinegar, but sweet. You like sweet pork? We'll get that. You like, uh, it is fried pork and cabbage, uh, stuffing! Fried dumpling! With pork and cabbage stuffing. You like fried dumplings? We'll get that. You like beer? One or two? We'll get two. What else?" And she finally took a breath. That woman can talk on and on.

I also found out why I was under the impression I didn't like the food here. Jenny told me the restaurant around the corner (of previously mentioned chicken foot fiasco) is actually part of the school, a cafeteria. It's cafeteria food! Of course I didn't like it. The dishes we ordered I enjoyed very much. They came out one at a time, so I had time to appreciate each one. The "pork and pancakes" was a lot like moo shoo pork in chinese restaurants at home. Little breaded pieces of pork in a sauce, that you put in a thin piece of tortilla, with a little shredded cabbage, and eat like a taco. I was very relieved that, in fact, it was wonderful. Then came the cool, marinated celery with hot cashews on top. Also very good. Then the "sweet pork", which tasted very much like honey barbecue chicken. It was incredibly good, my favorite part of the meal. Then came the fried dumplings, stuffed with mostly cabbage, and a little pork for flavor. And the beer! I'll have a beer or two in general, but I don't think it tastes very good. I had a beer last night called Tsingtao beer, that was like nothing I've ever had. I wonder if I could bring some of that home as well. But, again, perhaps it was only because I was parched from our swift jog up the street.

The dinner conversation left much more to be desired than the dinner itself. And still, I'll admit I enjoyed my evening out. Jenny treated me like something quite special which, while undeserved, was somewhat endearing. She told me that my students thought very highly of me, and shared loads of gossip. She told me about previous English teachers who had married and run off with students, and how they no longer hire male teachers anymore for that reason, and about students who "got into trouble" with other male teachers.

When we walked home, she linked arms with me, which was quite awkward, as it made it more difficult to maneuver around people on the street. She walked me back to the school gate and hugged me goodnight. This was the most incredibly uncomfortable hug. We both leaned our heads in the same direction for the hug, and for one brief, disturbing moment, I thought she going to kiss me. Instead, she quickly averted her head the other way, and we said goodnight. I promised I would call her if I was ever free for lunch. Soon I will return to Sunshine Happiness and I will be able to order for myself because I got Jenny to circle the items on the menu that we had ordered.

A small victory.