Take care. Save face.

Exactly a week ago today was the Mid-Autumn Festival, or the Moon Festival. It is a grand celebration, much like the American Thanksgiving, where families gather and have a dinner together. Followed by the lighting of lanterns and the eating of Mooncakes. It is a celebration of an old fable, complete with various versions. From what I can recall it is a story of two lovers separated because of a mistake the wife made. In the end the Husband, Houyi, lives on the Sun(yang) and Chang’e, the wife, lives on the moon. Houyi visits her once a year. Hence the moon is full, bright and beautiful on the day of the Mid-Autumn festival. 

For this foreign teacher the celebration meant memories with new friends and allowed three days off from teaching to do so. So it was set Sunday night Alex and I would be VIPs at a nationally televised concert by CCTV, this was the first time-ever-for it to be televised from Jiangmen, with major Chinese artists and dancers. Then, Monday night, the actual day of celebration, would be a smaller but more family/friends affair with our new friends Yin, William, June and their family as well as a few other foreigners. Alex and I would be picked up by William at 2:30 to help make sushi, pizza and dumplings and then the eating and merriment would commence. 

Saturday, sometime in the afternoon Alex and I received an invitation to go to the President’s house to celebrate the moon festival at 9pm on Sunday night. When I asked if that would be right after the CCTV event; I was told no the CCTV event will be on Monday night. . . . Thus begins my first major cultural lesson in China. 

It amazes me that it has already been a month here in China. I sometimes feel as if I am just getting to know the place. I guess I am in a way because every single day I learn something new wether it be a new part of the street or that the grocery store closer to my apartment, the one I have been avoiding, is actually cheaper than the one I have gone to. Yet sometimes, in certain hours of the day, I find myself jaded. At times I actually think the “American way” is the right way instead of just a different way. I find my self uncomfortable when int he attempt to embrace chinese culture. The double-booking of the Mid-Autumn Festival happens to be my first run in with this tension. 

After the awareness of our double booking I set out to clear things up right away. I made countless calls and finally got a hold of Yin-- my mother figure in Jiangmen and a great friend. She informed me that my decision to turn down the CCTV event to attend my pre-planned outing to her home was very American of me. She informed me of her gratitude in my aim to keep my commitment to her but the pointed out that it was not necessary. In China it is okay to cancel things last minute and it would really “save them some face”* if I said yes to the CCTV offer. 

I was defeated, to say the least, and frustrated at my stubbornness, yet happy I could go to this great opportunity. I hung up the phone and felt like the “Stupid American” when all I wanted was not to bail out on a friend. But the chinese do things differently and so do the french and so do the irish and so do the minnesotans. Sometimes I need to remind myself of this. In the end Alex and I went to both. At 2:30 we made it to Yin’s, made sushi, pizza and dumplings. We stuffed our faces, talked and laughed just in time to be picked up at 7pm and whisked away to the area where the CCTV extravaganza occurred outside. 

All in all a lesson was learned and I still got a great night out of it. So take care. Save Face*. No matter how chalked my teacher’s bag gets I need to remind myself: I always have something to learn.

*For those of you who do not know-- or in other words you are me before I came to China. “Save Face” means to allow someone their dignity or to not slight them in anyway. For example, in orientation we were instructed to never yell at or “single out” a student because this would embarrass them or make them lose face. 

Not Lost. Just in CHINA.

        If you are new to this blog: two years ago I set out on an adventure to study and live in Ireland. I left my readers, my family and a few friends--  out of the loop. From my last post in 2009 it appears as though I left for London and Paris and never returned. However, I returned from Ireland and continued on to graduate from University with a major in English and a minor in History. 

Now that we got that out of the way I am typing to you from my little desk in my quaint, rough, urban apartment in Jiangmen, China. Yes, CHINA. This is what I have decided to do with my life. . . . at least for a year, teach Oral English to a LOT of University sophomores. 

The journey here was long to say the least. My first week in China was spent in Hong Kong where I got to know other teachers from Mary Knoll while we all went through a somewhat tedious and sometimes helpful orientation. The air was clear(er)-- due to the Mary Knoll house’s location, the toilets western, the city crowded, and the signs--for the most part-- all translated into English. So, to say the least, Hong Kong is a VERY western city. 

After a two and a half hour ferry ride, where I slept in the hopes of not throwing up from motion sickness. My new friends Fr. Tim Kilkelly, Alex Griep and I arrived in Jiangmen! My new home for the next year. We arrived on Saturday August 27th, Sunday August 28th we had our Foreign Teachers’ meeting and stated teaching on Monday. So to say that I was a little overwhelmed would be an understatement. I hated it. It was too many new things coming at me at once. Then some thoughtful words from family and friends made me realize I want to be here. To be able to do this, teach in China, for a year is an opportunity that I cannot dismiss as “no big deal.” 

Now, on my fourth Saturday in China I can safely say I am falling in like, which will hopefully turn to love, with a new country, new culture and new people. Here are some of the things I have observed over the past few weeks. My students are, for the most part, eager to learn although they are extremely shy which is frustrating at times. The Chinese people I have met so far are very hospitable. However, burps and hocking loogies are not uncommon and are considered a natural cleansing. The ground is so uneven here that I always watch my step. Building will spit on you unknown liquid. . . . runoff from who knows where? At night, on campus, those things flying around are not birds they are bats. Bats in abundance. It is normal to be a part of another person’s conversation on the phone because the chinese literally yell at the person on the other side. Every time you cross the street you risk your life because the bikes/motor bikes/cars/buses will not stop for you. Friends are touchy-feely while boyfriends/girlfriends are not. And, umbrellas are used more often for sun than for rain. 

These are just a few things I have learned in three weeks and I know I will learn more everyday until the day I leave. I have settled now though and I meet new friends everyday so really China has been pretty good to me.