2008 (er ling ling ba!)

Well the year of the Rat and the Olympics is finally upon us. We rang in the New Year with style as always. We had about 15 friends come to Yichang from Wuhan and Shiyan yesterday afternoon. Beth and Kim arranged a video scavenger hunt which was hilarious and awesome. We split into 3 teams and ran all over the city getting random videos and pictures. Some favorites were Titanic re-enactments, pictures with split pant babies, Kung Fu on the bus, and going up and down escalators the wrong way. It all ended at Pizza Hut with a delicious pizza feast. We headed back to Kim and Katie's house for a video viewing and snacks.

Now last year we apparently began a tradition that has gained interest and appeal all over Hubei province. We dropped an apple down a chopstick at Midnight as a make-shift Time's Square ball. This year as our guests arrived they kept asking about the apple and chopstick. Apparently that's what brought people in far and wide. So this year we spruced the apple up a bit with sparklers and the Chinese character "fu" which means blessing, and I believe it's safe to say it exceeded all of our expectations! :)

Now with resolutions and such I'm usually pretty skeptical. But this year two of our very own Yichangren completed a resolution! Kim's goal was to become a hat person, and Beth's was to cook a new recipe each week - 52 in all! Amazing. So this year I'm not declaring a resolution, but I do have something I want to focus on and study. Sunday we began discussing what it means to love, and what that actually looks like in our lives. So I want to begin a new quest to learn to love as Jesus did, and I need your help and accountability. It's the greatest command but I often look over it and don't take the time to think about what it really means. It's easy to love people you like, but is that what Jesus did? His love is radical, unreserved, and abundant!

I found this definition of love:
Love - unselfish, loyal, and benevolent concern for the good of another
and of course, 1 Corinthians 13 gives an in depth look at what love is. So help me keep on track, and ask me about what I've learned on love in 3 months when resolutions die! 2008 could be the year Amy loved.

Oh, and I want to eat slower. But how can you really measure that?

Pictureless updates

Much to my dismay, it seems that we are now blocked from loading pictures into our blogs on Blogger/blogspot. Hopefully this is just temporary. So I guess I'll continue the tales of recent days sans pictures. :(

Let's see...
Friday night we performed. All of the offices of the (12-17) colleges of our University held a performance. We didn't find out about it until the week before and didn't really know what to expect. Jian told us we were singing "Jingle Bells" so we figured it was just some small time New Year party or something. Somehow word got out about me dancing at my students Christmas party and they asked me to dance. Actually, it went more like this:
Jian: "Ally thinks it would be cool if you danced at the performance."
Me: "Oh, really?"
(two days later)
Jian: "I've been trying to get in touch with you! I need the music for your dance!"
Me: "Huh? What dance?!"

That afternoon we went for a run through of the performance in the performance hall where we saw that this was no small time gig. A) We were in the huge Music and Arts performance hall. B) The people ahead of us had swords and were doing acrobatics to a man belting out a triumphant Chinese song. The people that were just walking in had Olympic hoops and costumes. This didn't look too promising.

Not many people could come for the rehearsal. Katie and I were the only foreigners with a couple of other Chinese office workers. When we got to the part where we were supposed to sing Jingle Bells, it was ridiculous. Jian had picked a four minute hip hop Jingle Bells version that had singing on it! We were practically Nilli Vanilli! We immediately started our campaign to change versions, suggesting acapella (no way!) or guitar (not enough time!). We went back to the office and found an instrumental one-minute version. Whew!

Thankfully Katie agreed to dance with me. We have dance lessons together every Tuesday afternoon so we've been working on the Shim Sham and Charleston moves. I spent Thursday morning choreographing my first routine ever, and we spent the rest of the day practicing. We performed in front of all of our friends trying to make sure we wouldn't forget anything! So Friday night finally arrives...

So the performance went something like this:
Katie and Ally did an intro in Chinese. Katie and I danced (and it was fun!) Then we all filed out to sing Jingle Bells. Well, I accidentally started the song a bar too early and ridiculousness ensued. But it turns out that Jian had named our performance something to do with being stupid or funny, and we were the only college with foreigners, so we won 3rd place.

Exam Madness

Oh exam time. For all the times I dreaded preparing and taking exams, I never once thought of the torture it caused the teacher. I haven't quite decided if giving exams is this ridiculous all over the world or if it's just the cultural differences and communication meltdowns here. I'm leaning towards the latter. When things are going smoothly, just watch out, that probably means you missed something...

Weeks ago I began asking about my exams, knowing there are always a billion steps to actually getting the final product. They kept saying we'll send you an email. I finally get an email the week before Christmas explaining my exam. In this email I was asked to ensure a 90% success rate, meaning only 10% of my students can fail. In reality, more like 20-25% should fail. Moral dilemma. So as I'm making my exam I'm leaning toward the easy side so that I don't have to cushion people's grades in the end...wondering what on earth was the point of me teaching class (by teaching I mean pushing "play" in listening class) class for 17 weeks if the end result doesn't matter.

I finish making exam A and exam B (exam is the retake exam for students that fail the first one?!?!) and email it to the boss to make sure it's ok before I proceed. I make a few small changes and it's good to go...right?

Today is Saturday, but I had to teach today because Monday is a school holiday (don't even get me started on making up holidays...) So on my way to class I had to stop by the office to get some form. Turns out I have to get two teachers to take my exam to see if it's easy or hard. Chinese teacher or foreign teacher, it doesn't matter. So I'm thinking, A. how are they supposed to know the level of my students?! B. of course they'll think it's easy...they speak English!!! C. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry (I often cry when I become angry).

Then I find out I have to have my listening exam on CD (I had planned on reading it myself) because I don't give my exam, someone else does. So I have to go across campus and record my exam. "We need it soon, by Tuesday I think," says my boss' henchman. I kindly remind her that it's a holiday (hence Monday being Saturday and me having class) and no one will be there. With anger rising we agree to go first thing Wednesday morning. I rushed out of the office before I could lose my mind.

I fear only a foreshadowing of what's to come when it's time to average and turn in grades...Aiya!

The best Christmas ever!

Maybe I said last year was the best Christmas ever, well I take it back...this year was so amazing! I guess I should start at the beginning.

On Christmas Eve we went to Yidu, about an hour away, to meet some other foreign friends who'd been asked to sing at the church there. This was my first experience in a church in China. And it being a Christmas service may have made it different than usual, but it was just like any get-together in China...performances. There were several different traditional Chinese dances and songs...mostly older ladies. There was one group of little girls that performed. They danced with sunflowers on their hands and sang "This is the Day." We were invited to come on stage and sing with them since they'd learned one verse in English. We were told we were going to be the fourth "act." Well what seemed like 20 acts later we finally got to sing our two songs: Silent Night and O Come O Come Emmanuel. We ducked out immediately after that to head back to Yichang.

We made a palate in Brad's floor with the intention of watching "It's a Wonderful Life" and waking up together on Christmas morning. We never quite got around to the movie. Once it passed 12 I kept trying to get everyone to open the presents then. It technically was Christmas. It's funny because my mom instilled in us the habit of not necessarily waiting until Christmas to open things. We've always been in the habit (with any gift giving occasion) to give it as soon as you buy it because we can't stand the anticipation and want to see the person open it immediately. I see Christmas as more of a season of giving and not just one day ;) Anyway, it didn't work.

We woke up around 8:30 and had bagels and cream cheese, eggs, and coffee! By 9 we began opening gifts and I thought I would burst! I seriously thought I'd have an anxiety attack waiting for everyone to open their stuff. We had all spent so much time and creativity making our gifts, I just couldn't wait! I think we hit some kind of record...we opened gifts until after 2! 5 hours of gifts! Divided between us that's an hour per person!

I was just so impressed with our group here. Each person displayed love and thoughtfulness in each gift, picking up on inside jokes and individual traditions. It was so wonderful. There's no way I can accurately describe everything, and I don't have pictures yet, but I will leave you with these two amazing gifts...

Beth made me a "Girl on the Go" kit which included an awesome patchwork bag she found, bagel chips from Wuhan!, personalized stationary she made, and a 2008 planner she made with verses, pictures, and quotes. Too sweet!











Brad and I got to spend alot of time together over the last week because alot of our gifts were joint projects. We had two 4 am nights, but had so much fun in the process! Brad knows that I'm a quality time person and that's all I really care about in a friendship, so his gift reflected that.

As some of you know, a frequent phrase of mine in the past has been "I want a Diet Coke as big as my head." Well, in China, all the Diet Coke has lemon in it (which tastes like dark sprite to me...not a fan.), so I've had to become a diet Pepsi girl. So far in Yichang it's only sold individually, and usually I go into town to get it. I usually only get 3 or4 at a time because I don't like to haul everything around back to my house. It's not like I can just throw it in my car here. And even more tragically, the store I always go to is currently out of Diet Pepsi! That may not seem like a big deal, but in China if a product sells out they don't think "Oh, we should get more, it's popular." They just order it when they feel like it I guess. So who knows when it will be back in stock.

Anyway, I say all that to present this next gift:
Brad got me 36 Diet Pepsis! 24 in a box (rare!) and 12 wrapped cans. His intention was for it to be like a Sweepstakes and for me to open several of them and hopefully find the prize. Well, I opened the prize-winner on the first try! Inside was a golden ticket awarding me one D-Day with Brad where we can do anything I want that starts with "D". Now this is hilarious and exciting to me, and I can't wait to start making my list of "D" things! He knows I always want someone to dance with, so we'll begin the list with that...


Anyway, all of the gifts were wonderful and thoughtful. Kim made me salsa and a brownie mix because she knows I hate shopping for cooking stuff. Katie made me a note for each day I'll be gone over Spring Festival and not be with them in India. A watch, gloves, post-its, a necklace...the list goes on and on.

I'm so thankful for this group. It makes me want to stay here with them forever, but in reality, how could we ever top this Christmas!? We truly are blessed to be here together.

Money Money Money

Tis the season for giving, asking, and receiving, so why not. It may be poor form to do this through a blog, but it's the most expedient way! We've had some things come up with our finances and group fund. We make enough money here to live on in China (about $400/month), but that money doesn't go far when transferring it to school bills, health insurance, etc. We were counting on support coming from Beth's church, but they have asked that she only use that money for herself, not for the team.

Discounting Beth's loans, Brad and I need about $300/month from January to July. $10 a day if you break it down. I'm not even sure who all reads this, but if you are interested in supporting us or know of a good way for us to do so, please email me at aminginchina@gmail.com. Every little bit helps!

White Elephant Observations

I did my first White Elephant party of the year with my teacher class. It's always funny to see when they catch on that they can steal gifts. And my teachers weren't shy at all like some of my other students. A few observations:
1. Chinese taste must be completely opposite to that of the average Westerner. The first gift opened was the most hideous lamp I've ever seen. It was stolen three times in 5 minutes. It was followed by many random stuffed and fuzzy things that were also stolen to the max.
2. Allow me to dispel the myth that Chinese people do not like sweets. Anytime we offer them cookies or talk about our favorite desserts they say, "Oh it's too sweet! We Chinese don't eat sweet things." Tonight people nearly killed each other over some chocolate and a huge lollipop that I would never dream of wanting!
3. The American Dollar bill gift brings a priceless round of shouting and cheering everytime!
4. The Christmas spirit is here: Many of the teacher's gave me the gift they had received at the end of class along with some others. Very sweet.

Last night we watched "The Grinch" and I finally feel like it's Christmas. Sure we've all been plotting, planning, and creating our gifts, but it just hasn't felt much like Christmas. I didn't realize how nostalgic that movie was. Once we started watching it we were all like a bunch of kids laughing and quoting it. Makes me remember how every year my dad threatened to hook up our dog to a sleigh and cancel Christmas while quoting about the roast beast. Classic.

Tonight the students I share with Beth are putting on a Christmas party/performance. Of course Beth and I are performing. We are singing. And I sneakily got tricked into dancing...alone.

Sabrina: Amy, would you mind teaching us how to dance like at your birthday party?
Me: Sure, no problem.
Sabrina two days later: Amy, perhaps you could dance by yourself first and then if there is time you can teach us how.

I've actually never performed any dance alone before. Solo isn't my strength, but I doubt they'll care. We'll see how it goes!

Hot Springs

The school took all the foreign teachers on a trip with the Foreign Affairs people and their families. We loaded up on a bus Saturday morning to head out near Wuhan to a hot springs/spa resort type deal. We arrived Saturday afternoon, just in time for xiuxi (nap time) so they told us to relax until dinner at 5:30. So basically we got up early to drive to a place to take a nap instead of leaving later and jumping right into the fun when we got their. A difference in culture I suppose. Our rooms were really cool. They were Japanese style with ghetta slippers and beds on the floor. It was pretty cool. For our xiuxi time we walked around the area and checked things out, then went back with the intention of taking a nap. Beth and I somehow started taking stupid pictures of ourselves and laughed until we were nearly sick. No nap for us. (Pics on facebook). I had to leave dinner early b/c I was feeling sick, so I actually missed out on the entire hot springs part of the trip. The others said it was pretty good. You could sit in a milk bath, water with rose petals, lay on hot rocks, etc. Back in the room, I read and spent some much needed Quality time with Dad, then slept for a while. Beth got back to the room around 1, so I got up and went for a walk with the others. We got back to our rooms around 2 or 3, slept, and then woke up much too early to head back. The school had planned on taking us to some mausoleum, but we convinced them to take us to Metro in Wuhan instead. Metro is the store we buy all of our cheese and other precious Western foods. So we basically got a free trip to Metro out of the deal, not bad at all! I left carrying a precious load of cheese, cream cheese, and pita chips! Yum! We road the bus back for what seemed like forever. We got back around 6...hit the showers...then immediately made chicken hot dip (loaded with cream cheese) and sat by the Christmas tree. Not a bad weekend in all. Now it's Monday and we're all trying to get ourselves together with exams and wrapping up the end of the term. One week 'til Christmas!

Encouraged

I read these words this morning from Heb. 12 and it settled something in my heart. Just wanted to pass them along.

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart...

Endure hardship as discipline...No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Woot!

It's done! I bought my plane tickets yesterday to fly back to the States for Spring Festival. I was set on going to India with the others, then realized that I would lose my mind traveling for nearly 4 weeks straight, and for just a little more I can come home and get recharged and see all you wonderful people. So one month from tomorrow I'll be flying out! Woot!

In other news, the school is kidnapping, I mean, taking us on a trip this weekend. It's about 5 hours away by bus. Some hot springs thing. It could be amazing or it could be very... interesting? You never can tell. Anyway, I'm sure there'll be some fun stories. It'll be fun to hang out with the foreign affairs people this weekend. Wish us luck!

Highlights

Remember the Highlights magazine? I used to love it when I was little, especially the hidden pictures. Today I was reminded of the hidden pictures on the treadmill at the gym. My view from the treadmill overlooks a small street with random shops and restaurants. Above the restaurants are floors and floors of apartments, so you can see what people hang out their windows. Usually it's clothes drying, sometimes weird plants. Today was a super fun hidden picture. Usually it goes something like this: underwear(usually larger than you can imagine any Chinese person wearing), long johns, red underwear (must belong to someone in the year of the pig...you're supposed to wear something red everyday in your year for good luck), long johns... Yesterday it went like this: underwear, long johns, underwear, dead chicken hanging upside down... Today (same window) it was underwear, long johns, underwear, dead chicken hanging upside down, cow rump, leg of a random animal, and a mystery meat. Next door strings of sausages were hung like garland. Tis the season to deck the windows?

This afternoon Peach, Jumping, and Sylvia came over. We made cookies and watched Mulan. They'd never seen it before which I thought was pretty funny. I told them it was my favorite movie and that's why I came to China. They believed me for about 5 seconds. :)

Brr

It's 2 am. Can't sleep. This rarely happens.
It's cold. Happens often.
I'm hungry. Also frequent.

Solution?
I'm gonna try canned ravioli, Phantom of the Opera, three fleece blankets and a plug-in hot bag thingy.