Class at Jingyuetan

Every spring semester my supervisor, Wang Laoshi, holds a seminar-style class for his PhD and Masters students. For our last class he planned a picnic to Changchun's Jingyuetan, a large man-made forest and reservoir just outside the city. It was my first time to the park and, albeit the pictures don't show it, I was excited for the outing.

 

 

 

 

While waiting for everyone to arrive at the meeting point, Wang Laoshi took out his camera. I could see him pointing it in my direction, so I turned away awkwardly. Really, the following pictures are not my best, but I felt embarrassed at having the camera pointing at me and not knowing how much he had zoomed in on my face.

 

 

Our picnic location in a meadow overlooking the lake.

 

The women lagged behind, with each step lamenting their quickly dirtying shoes.

 

 

As per some unspoken rule of Chinese picnics, there had to be a tent.

 

 

No one had called or texted me...just avoiding the camera again.

 

 

 

Wang Laoshi's idea of a picnic is to hold regular class with each person giving a short presentation on some aspect of the reading from the semester. Not surprising, I was chosen to read mine first. Oh, the expressions of my avid followers!

 

 

"Ting de dong ma?"

 

 

Can they even understand what I'm saying??

 

 

The tent stands alone, the tent stands alone, hi-ho-the-dairy-o...

 

 

 

Wang Laoshi handed off the camera

 

 

I'm not sure what I wrote after all.

 

 

Attentive much?

 

 

 

 

I just had a feeling I was unnecessarily included in some photos.

 

 

 

Quite to my surprise, one of our department's secretaries showed up to get some papers signed. I wonder if he had to pay the entrance fee for the ten minutes he was in the park. He took our signature group photo, had one piece of chicken, and left.

 

 

The glory of my day: being the only one to enter The Tent with my half-eaten cucumber.

 

 

Aha! The picture we have all been waiting for. Wang Laoshi and I--minus the cucumber, which a classmate graciously offered to hold for me. After eating I proposed some games. Eventually I suggested "Do You Love Your Neighbor?" and we ended up playing that for the better part of an hour. Whenever someone lost they had to eat something as punishment. Once all the cherries and strawberries were gone, the women moved on to tomatoes. One girl ended up eating at least two as her "punishment."

 

 

 

Not a clue.

 

I'm it!

I made a few friends, got a sunburn as well as class credit, taught one of my favorite games to a new group of people, and hung out in nature all day. As my student says religiously, "Class Over!"

Starting the New Year with a New Business

Most of you know by now that I am in the U.S. visiting family and friends. What many of you don't know is how I'm really spending my time.

I have projects galore!

While in Oklahoma visiting my mom and siblings for Thanksgiving I completed my profile on Elance and began working as a freelance writer, editor, and researcher. 

I visited Dr. Robert Davis Con-Undiano at the University of Oklahoma, who gave me a lot of information on my research topic of how Americans view Mo Yan, Nobel prize winner for literature in 2012. 

I met with another professor at Oklahoma Central University and ended up being invited to present at the Asian Center for Development Program's (ACDP) national conference in Houston this coming March.

I decided to make a quilt top while in Oklahoma and two days later I was finished.

I then took a 16+ hour Greyhound bus ride to Holbrook from OKC. I met a man who had been shot eight times in his life, twice in the head. I even felt where the bullet is still lodged in his forehead. There was also a German-speaking, elderly Amish couple on board, and a girl who drank a 2-liter soda in three hours. The Greyhound truly impressed me as very American, to say the least.

I wrapped a suitcase full of presents and got more excited than the kids when it came time to open them. Fortunately, all the clothes fit, albeit some just barely ;) 

I got food poisoning.

I signed up for a 10k. I train at home and around town when I'm not helping my dad with food storage and feeding chickens.

So now I am gathering my research materials, getting in contact with more professors, writing articles for various blog posts, and I've started preparing presentations on China for my younger siblings' classes. 

But the thing that I just have to share with everyone is my new business--selling t-shirts! It's been my goal for a long time to sell shirts with my original designs. Since I'm starting small, right now I only have one design and 10 shirts. I have until March 16 before I head back to China and I'd love to get them all sold before then. For now, expect to see a lot of posts on Facebook and other outlets about these shirts. If you're interested in making a purchase, feel free to contact me through my Facebook page or my Etsy shop.

 

 

What do you think? Do you know someone who would like an English-Chinese character mix that combines American humor with Chinese aesthetics? If so, pass it on or leave a comment.

Happy New Year!

Fortunately

Sometimes things just don't go your way. Sometimes it's not just a one day thing. But whether it's by the minute or by the year, things always turn around. Inspired by one of my favorite books growing up, Fortunately by Remy Charlip, here is what's been happening with me since we last met.

Unfortunately, someone was not very nice to me.

Fortunately, I found a new place to exercise. I had to pay a little money, but now everything I want to do is all in one spot not too far from home. I go five or six times a week for an hour or more each time. I figure with every workout I burn at least 500 calories. In the last three weeks, I've lost almost three kilograms, about five pounds. My goal is to lose six more kilos before I go home in November. Six more weeks!

Unfortunately my neck and shoulder are on the fritz again. 

Fortunately the doctor is still seeing me. Adding stretches and yoga is helping. Also, I've learned that it might be a symptom of gallbladder issues, which may seem like an "unfortunate," but I'm actually happy to know the connection. As I've experimented with some suggestions on what to eat, I believe I'm feeling a difference. The biggest help so far? Fresh ginger juice! Mmm, spicy!

Unfortunately, I didn't do my yearly tradition of buying a nice, fancy box of mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival. 

Fortunately, for once I was given a box of fancy-shmancy mooncakes! Giving and receiving the tasty treats is typically done in Chinese society. I look at the fact that I received some as achieving some sort of clout among my local friends.

Unfortunately, tutoring has been canceled a lot lately, which means my funds are considerably lower than I would like.

Fortunately, this has given me the time I needed to do more in-depth research for my thesis. I'm feeling good about the direction it's heading. 

Unfortunately, it took DA3 two months to get his new passport.

Fortunately, with its arrival we could get his U.S. visa application started! Wish him luck for his interview!

Unfortunately, due to a dumb mistake on my part, I'm unable to listen in on a particular writing class for Chinese.

Fortunately, I have been writing anyway. Just this week I started writing a short story in Chinese. Hopefully that can get finished in the next 10 years. I'm only slightly joking. There's no deadline and I am notoriously inept at keeping my own. However, I had a breakthrough while brainstorming for it and the more I write, the more excited the story makes me. On a side note, I usually read and write while riding the bus, and although I ride the bus often enough, it is still a contributing factor to why this might take a while to get finished. 

Unfortunately, in the last couple of weeks I had a few bad days. I lost some sleep and felt bodily pain. 

Fortunately, things are looking up. Why, at this very moment I am making whole wheat, tuna-olive bread. Later, I'm making Borsch. Life is fine.

What do you think? After reading my list, do you think it might all be connected somehow? Also, did you run into some bad luck this week? How have you seen it start to turn around?  

Meeting with the Supervisor

Earlier in the week I got a call from my college's office telling me my supervisor (also the department director) is looking for me. Whoops! I had forgotten to give them my new phone number. So I called Mr. Wang and he told me to come to class on Thursday afternoon at two.

Today I went to this first meeting of his "team." There were a handful of PhD candidates and a few Master's students as well. He asked us to give an outline of what we plan on researching for our thesis. I hadn't really understood this is what we'd be doing, so I kind of haphazardly put something together. By the time I got to explain, my mouth just fumbled through it all. It's amazing I got any clear-cut idea out. But he seemed to be okay with the direction I plan on taking. The thing is that I don't know if it's because it's actually a good idea or if it's just because he doesn't expect much from me. 

Not to give too much away, I plan on working along the lines of Magical Realism as a tool for collective memory with a focus on literature in the Northeast Asia region. Oops, I hope I haven't said too much! Anyway, this semester we'll have this "class" twice a month. It's time to get working on the thesis!