The Vine and Branches: A Night to Remember

Last Friday night about 250 students wanted me to get beat-up, and I deserved it too. It was our first English Night at Jon and Ryan's campus. Part of our night included a skit where I played the character "Jamelia." In the skit, Jon plays my boyfriend Jack and I start to get pretty angry when Rose shows up to our Kongfu class making eyes at him. He helps Rose work on her "elephant move" complete by sticking her hand on her face and pulling her other hand through to make a trunk. As he is doing this, they literally have a "titanic" moment as they gaze off into the distance and the music fades in...and of course 250 students clap and "ohh." I am mad enough though that I come and send Jack off and put my best Kongfu move on Rose, knocking her down to the ground. Jack and I leave and the skit ends with Rose giving a monologue. At one point she says, "What I am going to do about Jamelia? She is so strong." Pause...And a student yells out from the audience, "BEAT HER!!!" Emily had to keep herself from laughing at this moment.
All in all the whole night was terrific. We played games with the students; making the boys be chairs for the girls during musical chairs and a game where the students are naming items under bowls only to pull one up and find Tim's head! Hilarious really! We couldn't make a night in China complete without singing songs. The last part of the night, Ryan gave a talk about "Love in Action." It was sweet to see some of the student taking photos of his slides and really soaking in all his words about loving your neighbor as yourself.
English Night is only a small part of all the action going on so far this semester. I have officially started my classes again and it feels great to see my students. At my New Campus classes, I have the same students as last semester and it really fun to try and come up with lessons that will really challenge them this semester. I am also trying to accomplish a couple of goals for myself this semester. Not only am I a teacher this semester, but a student. It feels so nice to sit behind the desk in Chinese class and just try to take in all they can teach me. Right now, I know a few things in Chinese, but once you get beyond the first basic greetings, or we have ordered our food at a restaurant, I am out. I have can not offer anymore Chinese than that, so it is exciting to think about being able to chat with some of the people here that so far our biggest communication is hand gestures and exaggerated facial expressions. Soon that day will come, but until then it just feels really good to be back in a rhythm. So now, I leave you with some photos of what's been happening lately...