TheBanyanTree: Return to China - Part 8

[Pat M]

 *See bottom of page for links to videos of the children singing to me on my
birthday
November 27

It was my birthday and I awoke with a mild fever and a cough. Several little
girls in the dorm have bad coughs and I guess it was inevitable I'd get one,
too.  I have a strong immune system and almost never get sick but no doubt
I'm being exposed to germs here that I do not have immunity to.

Today I will feast on the first real meat I've had since I left Canada,
aside from a few tiny pieces of pork fat.  (Ordinarily I wouldn't eat pork
fat but when my diet is rice and boiled cabbage for breakfast, lunch and
dinner, a coin-sized piece of pork fat becomes tolerable.)  This morning I
saw two chickens in the kitchen sink so we will have a special meal.  Yes,
two chickens for 70 people but that is how scarce meat is here. These
chickens will be cut into the tiniest of pieces, bones and all, and the feet
and head will also be cooked and eaten.

A couple of days ago, Peter told me the principal of the school wanted me to
teach English once a week and I'd agreed to it.  Today, Peter told me she
wanted me to start today and she wanted me to teach twice a week. I declined
to start today; I wasn't feeling well so wasn't going to push myself.
Besides, I prefer a little more notice. I suggested I would start the
following Tuesday.  There was no mention of pay but I assumed I'd be paid.

Until now, I've felt like an outsider but today I feel more like a part of a
very large family.  At breakfast I asked Jessica and Alex if they'd like to
learn English and if they'd teach me Chinese. They agreed and were very
excited and pleased. We arranged to meet later in the afternoon.  At lunch
time I did French braids in several girls' hair, and they loved the
attention.

Today, Peter and I discussed how to get the things I left in Sanya mailed
here. I'd left many teaching materials, books, house wares and clothes there
because I'd hoped to return. Margry (owner of the school in Sanya and a
friend) had tried to mail them to me at the orphanage but the Post Office
said they couldn't get them to the address Peter had provided, it is too
isolated and we'd need to go to the Post Office in the nearest city (2 hours
away) to pick up the package.  I'd asked Peter to phone Margry and he'd come
to deliver the news that he'd called her and given her instructions on which
carrier to use. I should have my box in about a week which will be great as
I have several English Chinese dictionaries coming that will be very useful.

Because I can't speak fluent Chinese I feel I am not doing as much as I
could to help out so I again asked Peter for suggestions on what I could do.
He said I could help wash and prepare vegetables with Alex and Jessica and
could also supervise one of the classrooms in the evening when the children
are doing their homework between 7 and 8.
Before lunch, I could smell chicken cooking and I was really looking forward
to lunch. I hoped to receive a chunk or two of chicken meat. After all, I
was the birthday girl. Alas, when my bowl was filled there was only a
one-inch piece (two vertebrae) of the neck with not enough meat on it to
even taste it.
I knew birthday preparations had been going on and thought Peter and the
children must be going to put on a surprise party—perhaps at suppertime but
supper came and went, as unremarkable as always—white rice and cabbage. Oh
happy day!  By now, I was wondering what was going on and if there was going
to be a party after all.
At 6 pm I went to teach as scheduled, but no students showed up. Puzzled, I
went to find Peter.

"No students showed up for class," I said. "What's going on?"

"Oh, sorry, I forget to tell you there is a birthday party at 7:00," he
said.

I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows. It was my birthday and he forgot to
tell me? As I said, he isn't a good communicator.

At 7:00 all 61 children and the staff gathered in a circle in the TV room
where I teach English.  I understood nothing of what was being said and was
surprised when the evening started out with entertainment. Numerous pairs of
students took turns going into the center of the circle and wrestling.
Everyone was very excited and the cheering was so loud it hurt my ears.  Then,
two boys got up, stood in front of me and read from a paper for a very long
time. I had no idea what they were saying but I listened attentively.  Peter
was on the opposite side of the room. If he'd been thinking he'd have been
close to me so that he could give me an idea of what was going on and what
was being said.

After that, many groups of children sang songs to me. I've been teaching
them 'Eensy Weensy Spider' and some of the kids performed it. Very cute!  When
all of the singing was done (it went on for a very long time), the children
then handed out pictures they'd coloured and birthday cards they'd made. I
was surprised to see I wasn't the only one receiving cards and pictures.
When two large birthday cakes were brought in—one with my name on it and
another with Chinese characters on it, I realized mine wasn't the only
birthday that was being celebrated.  Two lines formed—one in front of each
cake and it was my duty to cut my cake into serving-sized pieces for the
children. The  woman cutting the other cake was serving very large pieces
and I was afraid the cake was going to run out before each child had a piece
so I cut much smaller pieces.  What good children!  None of them complained
that their piece was small. They were just happy with what was given to them
and from what I've seen are much better behaved than most North American
children.  It really is a pleasure to spend time with them.

***Pingguo China 2008 photos can be viewed at
http://picasaweb.google.com/Ms.Pat.Martin/Pingguo#

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-0llogPKNI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxyjlV5pKJM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EBDY9OSW0o