Letters from Overseas

March 23, 2008

Greetings on this Easter Sunday!

I did not realize how much I depended on drama and visuals in my experience of worship during Holy Week. I found the Good Friday service at the Protestant church very disappointing. There was nothing in it that spoke to me of Good Friday. Perhaps it was in the prayers, readings, and message but I was unable to tell. All I would have needed was perhaps a black drape on the cross and a solemnity about the service. I had already decided to go to the Catholic Church on Saturday evening for the Easter Eve vigil. There I found the drama!

We started outside in the darkness, a fire was built, and candles were lit from the main fire and passed very haphazardly among the congregation. We then processed into the darkened church, which became gradually lighter. By the end of the service (about three hours) all lights were on and we were singing hallelujahs and celebrating communion.

It's now after church and I am happy to report that the Protestant church redeemed itself. There were many bouquets of flowers at the front of the church and a huge banner declaring: "Hallelujah, Christ is risen!" The speaker was very animated and throughout the hour had people raising their hands and repeating, "Hallelujah, Christ is risen!" in Chinese. We sang "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today" and several other joyous Chinese hymns. In our English Bible study this afternoon, one of the speakers introduced the greeting and response: "Christ is risen!" "He is risen indeed!" This was very new for our Chinese participants, who seem excited to be back studying together.

I have to tell you how passionate I am about teaching Teaching Methodology. On Friday I did Figures of Speech and then switched to TM. I have fun doing Figs of Speech, but my heart sings when I teach TM. I don't even mind using my own lessons, good and bad points, to demonstrate and encourage reflective practice. The students miss nothing.

Today we were talking about handling student answers and of course, I am reminded of one of my favourite Haim Ginott quotations: He writes of reaching the frightening conclusion that he is the decisive element in setting the classroom’s climate. That means that a teacher can make a student's life miserable or joyous, can torture or inspire, hurt or heal.

We had a discussion about how the students are the most important people in the classroom and yet the teacher holds all the power. We started to explore ways that a courageous, risk-taking teacher could create a classroom community in which power is shared. My junior class is such a wonderful example of a community in which all learners are valued and supported by their classmates. They have a very concrete model to analyze.

This semester I have received many more requests for tutoring English. I am not really prepared to do formal tutoring but am happy to meet with people to practise their English. I meet Jim once a week for lunch. His home is near Xi'an; his mother died about five years ago and I'm not sure if he sees me as a bit of a mother figure. He likes to introduce significant topics like Friday's: "What is most important when you are choosing a mate?" He started off very sure that it was wealth but has agreed to give more consideration to love. We had a very interesting conversation about how important his mother's love had been and is to him, and tried to transfer that to the marriage relationship.

We are continuing to have very nice spring weather. The blossoms are ready to pop. Tomorrow I'm going back to a little wooded area on campus that I walked through on Friday. I'm sure every bush will be in full bloom. I hope it's a little warmer for you this weekend. You will be in my thoughts as you worship and as you meet with family and friends.

March 30, 2008

I think usually my letters are quite positive and upbeat. This one has a little different tone, but it is also part of my experience here.

The most valuable thing I have learned about intercultural communication is to consider the possibilities when something happens that I don’t really understand. Usually I do that and it has seen me through some potentially disturbing situations.

Today I could not do it when I was trying to buy some tomatoes in a supermarket. I went to one line where a worker was weighing produce for others and he directed me to one across the store who was also weighing produce. He, in turn, sent me to a third line where I waited while all around me were taken care of and then any others who arrived. When the clerk directed me across the store back to the original one who was laughing, I lost it and dropped my basket right where I was standing and walked out! Maybe there is a reasonable explanation but right now it is eluding me. Sometimes I do encounter individuals who are resentful toward foreigners. I’m afraid my behaviour today did nothing to make them less resentful.

Last week I happened to learn that one of the workers in my International Exchange Office, who works very long days, makes 1300 RMB per month (under $200). I receive almost double that as my living allowance, and it is this employee who gives it to me. Many days he works until well into the evening as handyman to the foreign teachers’ and students’ apartments, taking us to the bank, to doctor’s appointments, delivering notices, accompanying us to banquets, moving furniture from one apartment to another without benefit of an elevator.

When I mentioned this to some other foreign teachers at another school, they told me that their young Chinese teachers who also work incredibly long days only receive 1400 RMB/month. There is such a discrepancy and it’s hard to know what to do about it.

I’m wondering if I am going through a predictable phase in the cultural adjustment process! In addition to being more critical of my surroundings, I am missing my family, feeling discouraged with my limited language learning, and questioning the value of what I am doing here! I hope this will pass.

This coming Friday is the Qing Ming festival. This is tomb-sweeping day. Families visit their ancestors’ graves, clean them, and bring wreaths, flowers, food, and paper money for the ancestors. I think these items are burned at the gravesites. There was a similar festival celebrated in the fall but the fires were all over town. I understand that this is the more important festival and the fires are lit at the graves.

Student groups are continuing to enjoy the games nights. They are commenting that Whonuu is a good way to learn vocabulary and they love the physical challenge of Twister. I think we have found our very flexible and well-balanced class champions! They are curious about who plays such a game in Canada.

Please pray for me this week, that I get through this phase of discouragement and see clearly again why I am here.

God bless.

Love,
Mary

Mary Fraser is a United Church of Canada Overseas Personnel serving with the Amity Foundation in China. The work of this ecumenical partner and the work of overseas personnel are made possible through your gifts to the Mission and Service Fund of The United Church of Canada.