Christmas Time in China!

When I was a little girl, my dad always wanted me to be an actress when I grew-up. In the depth, of my 7-year old, as I performed "Baby, Baby" for everyone in my family, I think I wanted to be a singer. Well, for now I am neither of those things, but in my current employment, I have to opportunity to practice my acting and singing skills on a daily basis! The latest practice came at the Christmas party we got to throw with the students and teachers on old-campus. We decided we couldn't let the season go by without throwing a proper Christmas party, complete with friends, a tree, food, dirty santa (white elephant, yankee swap), and of course the Christmas pageant. What better way to tell about the Christmas season than acting out the birth of Jesus?
Each of the team and our friend Cameron had a part in the play. Unfortunately, I didn't get to be the mother Mary, but I did get to play the part of the angel who shares all the good news to everyone! I think I like being the role that brings news of great joy. My hope is not only to do this when I am acting as an angel in a play. The students loved our play and enjoyed hearing the story of the birth of Jesus. The picture to the right shows us acting out the play.
So, now that my practice for acting is complete, it only leaves the need to practice my singing. Oh, but in China these opportunities are never far away. This past week's practice was especially wonderful though because it was singing Christmas carols in my class. I had the honor of teaching a Christmas lesson in my classes for these past weeks and of course, singing had to be included. I made the students sing the Twelve Days of Christmas and broke them into twelve different part for the days. Whenever it came for their turn they had to stand up and sing their part for the classes. Most students really liked it, although some were not loving the standing up and singing part. After working the students up by singing the Twelve Days of Christmas, I always calm them back down a little with Silent Night. Standing in front of my students as they they sang Silent Night always filled me with so much joy. Besides just singing in this class we also read the Christmas Story. Complete with the angels visit, Mary being a virgin, and Shepard's going to visit the baby Jesus! What a sweet time in class!
Not only have I been celebrating Christmas in class, but also with my IECS family here. The Baoding team knows how to do Christmas. We woke up and all came together for french toast and ham. Followed by a few hours of presents! It was amazing! Later in the afternoon the rest of the IECSers joined us here in Baoding! So fun! Em and me were in charge of the big dinner for everyone, so we spent the afternoon getting the food ready and had many helping hands from the boys. Ryan is quite the chef. We later opened even more presents with the rest of the IECS team. Reflecting on the day just reminds me more and more of how blessed I am!

Am I in Wal-Mart or China?

Standing just outside campus, Emily and I looked down the road in waiting and hoping to see the 27 bus. "Man, they usually come faster than this," Emily said as the 22 bus pulled in front of us. As the door opened, a college-aged girl came flying towards Emily with her arms-wide-open. She looked like a bat out of its cave spreading its wings to fly. "Hellooo!" She said and she warmly embraced Emily. A surprised expression crossed Emily's face, but also one of joy and delight. Emily chatted with her student for a few moments before Joy (yes, she lives her name out) ran off in the wrong direction, before running right back in front of us again a moment later. It is unusual for Chinese students to show so much excitement when seeing us. Often times they are really excited, but are also nervous, so they don't show their excitement always through their body language. This was a rare and beautiful experience.
Later, that evening, walking into the KFC for dinner, the first person I saw was two of my students. A girl, and a guy with the former name of Boobie until I made him change it, and now it is Alex. I said hello to them both and they offered me some of their food, which I declined. I think they were on a date because in China it is common for guys to take their girlfriends on dates to KFC. I think guys in the USA would love to hear this, along with their wallets. As I savored a huge gulp from my large cola, a boy came over and pulled the children's chair to our table and sat down. He looked to Emily and then to me. Emily then looked to me as if to say "I don't know him, he has to be your student!" Images of my students flowed through my mind as I tried to desperately local just who this boy could be. Before I could place it...."Hello, do you remember me?" Oh no, that is always the question! "Ummm, maaaybe....." I replied as I still shifted through the faces in my mind. "Do you know Jon Allison?" He asked as head did a sharp nod down, "We are his students. We ate lunch with you." Click and there it was! Jack and his friend chatted for only a moment more before leaving as abruptly as they came. We then finished eating and headed out to do our shopping for the night.
After making our way up and down most of the aisles in the store and examining the bake goods for about 20 minutes with no selection being made we headed for the check-outs. "Hello, Amelia!" I heard as I pushed my cart around the corner. Looking up I saw two of my students from my class that day. It was DeAnn and Jason! They are also both students who I had lunch with on Thanksgiving. I think I was as excited to see them as they were to see us. We chatted with them for a few moments before we all headed as a group through the bottom level, up the down ramp, past the toiletries, past the frozen food, past the boxed and bagged milk to the baking goods. "Is is this baking soda?" We asked as we held up a bag that had Chinese characters all over it and Saleratus written on it. After a consultation with their translators the students confirmed our guess. "Yes, we were right!" Emily yelled out. We all then went back to the front of the store and then left together to head back to our homes for the night. As I reflected on my night I couldn't help but feel joy at seeing so many people I knew. Over the past week, Emily and I have both felt a little homesick and it was nice to have an evening where even though we are in a still very unfamiliar country at times, their are faces popping up everywhere that we know. It reminded me of when you are in the US and you go to Wal-Mart and of course, run into somebody you know.
On another note, I decorated my room this week for Christmas and it is fabulous! Below are pictures of my Chinese Christmas tree!!!! Enjoy! I am so excited for Christmas.

This is my tree!

This is my desk all lit up!! Yah!!

A "Thankful" Everyday!

The Chinese have a funny little English saying here, "have a happy everyday" or just "happy everyday." I am under no impression this is possible, although I do believe we can have joy everyday. After spending a great Thanksgiving in China, I think the saying should be changed to "thankful everyday." Something I am learning each day in China is to be thankful and of course this can only be magnified by spending my first Thanksgiving away from home in China. Many of the events of my thanksgiving week allowed me to have both "happy everyday" and "thankful everyday" moments. I celebrated Thanksgiving a little longer this year, because I taught many Thanksgivings lessons in my classes and often told my Chinese friends about this great holiday. Thanksgiving week became a week of numerous "Thanksgiving" feast with different friends.

Out for a Thanksgiving feast with my students after class on Thanksgiving.

On the actual day of Thanksgiving, even though I was far from home it was hard to feel sad when I was getting a text from a student every hour or so. The students here all wanted to make sure we felt care for while here on the big holiday. Emily even received 40 text messages! That night, the Baoding team even got together to prepare a big "American" meal...although it was fajitas with a finish of chocolate-chip cookies! I am convinced nothing could have tasted better though.

A wonderful plate of cookies!!! Yummy!

Don't worry, I still had a lovely tradition Thanksgiving meal. This past weekend the whole team went to Lang Fang to meet the teachers there, Courtney and Wil, and even Newt and Claire who came all the way from the US to be with us. We had a great meal with turkey, green bean casserole, and even pumpkin pie. Better than the food though was being in the company of the team! I couldn't have asked for a better weekend. Often people will wish a holiday could be everyday, and I think with the case of Thanksgiving it should be.

Everyone on the team playing a little football in honor of the big day!

Running toward the Light

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

I came to China and went a little crazy...why you may be asking? Every weekday morning I wake to the sound of my clock chirruping at the around the hour of 6 am. I pull on my UNCW hoodie and my sweatpants, do a little stretching, go downstairs and wake the lady at the front of my building in order to unlock the door and head out to into the dark morning. As I walk to the track (or the playground as the students here call it) I always think, "It is so cold. What am I doing?" And then I round the corner and see a huge smile waiting for me. "Hello, Amelia!" Nancy says as I greet her in the morning. We are "taking exercise" in the morning by running around the track. Trust me, I am not a runner or a morning person, and this is where the belief that I have gone a little crazy comes in.
"Okay, let's go," Nancy says as we walk towards the track and wait just a few seconds for the myraids of kong fu kids to go speeding by. Then we trudge around the track four times (and yes, we did work up to that number) and when Nancy say "Okay, that's enough" we stop and walk two more times. In in craziness, I've come to learn more and more that the morning is an unique time. It is a blessing every morning to see the sun rise and watch the sky change before my eyes and go from darkness to light. It is a blessing to spend time every morning with Nancy and run with her and many mornings follow with breakfast. The morning has a peace to it like no other time of the day (especially in China!). My hope is to not only see experience these things in the morning, but see it in my students' lives as well. This is a great reminder for me each morning as well.

Nancy and I out for a Birthday dinner for her!!

For awhile, I was afraid I might start a new student organization with my running. Many students have asked to join me as I run in the morning. Some came and some didn't and now there are a few consistent people. Most mornings it is Nancy, Virgo, and Cynthia who come out to run with me (or more like I come out to run with them). They are always gracious as I run a step behind them and have a nose pouring with snot! I don't know how the girls' never have a runny nose running in 30 degree weather, but they don't. Each morning, there is a something in our conversation which reminds me to keep running for the ultimate prize. So, I will continue this crazienss! (Although, when it gets colder I think we will have to take a winter break).

China Idol

A Stage for the Big Night

Chinese people love to sing. At KTV (a karaoke place) if there are a group of Americans and Chinese people there, the Americans will always goof-off and sing out of key. While the Chinese sing as though they are really performing for millions of people each time. They take it seriously and almost always have a good voice. I don't understand how all of them can sing so well! Earlier this week, after my Monday afternoon class one my girls appraoched me, "Amelia, do you want to come and be a judge for the foreign-song singing contest?" How could I resist such an offer? As the week went by some of my students learned of my new position of importance (at least for the moment). "Amelia, are you a judge on Thursday night for the contest?" Rita asked me before she proceeded to ask me to help one of her friends make it to the final round. "Rita, if he is a good singer then I will vote for him, but if not...kerrr" I said as I dragged my finger across my throat to let her know jokingly I'd give him the cut. Of course, in reality, her friend is also my student and I was delighted to know one of my students was going to be in the contest.
On Thursday evening, Emily and I headed over to New Campus to take-in all we could of the big event and be a judge... or at least try to be a judge. Can't the students tell I have no talent for singing or music from me "singing" so often in class? Meagan met us at the front gate and led us to a large room with hundreds of students waving around glow-sticks as a band played in front of a chalk board covered in writing and drawings. The whole room was decorated with ballons, and paintings of pictures. The Little Mermaid even graced us with her presence, though I must say her nose has grown alittle since the last time I saw her...the Chinese sometimes call Westerns "big nose."

The annoncers for the evening...so dressed up!

Three or four rows up was a line of empty seats, with a water bottle and papers on the desk in front of the seats, our seats. I felt a little nervous at this point. "Crap, I have no idea who can really sing," I thought. As Emily and I scooted into our seats though a familiar face came up right behind us. Nic, who is our boss on the New Campus was also a judge. He helped us figure out all the papers, translated some of the Chinese for us, and even entertained us as he passionately sang along to most of the songs for the night.
There were two rounds for the night. the first had two people, or a group go head to head against one another. The judges chose which one they liked better and whoever had the most votes made it into the next round. Jack and Creasy are both in my classes and were in the second of these rounds. They had one matching white coats and sang a Westlife song. After singing, while they were standing waiting for the judges to hold up our numbers, they kept glancing my way with a look which said, "Please Amelia, please vote for us! You are our teacher!" I voted for them.

Jack, Me and Creasy after the performance

Some of the performers that night were really funny, I had to stop myself from laughing a few times. But most were really good. Emily also had one of her students in the competition, Manson. He was very serious the whole time he performed and totally had the look of a young Elvis, competely with a leather jacket, jeans, and full hair in the front. It was great.
Both of our students made it into the second round, and even placed! Jack and Creasy got second place and Manson got third. The girl who won was awesome with a throaty voice and an easy stage presence. Emily and I had a great time at the contest, and we didn't even have to sing or anything! Below are videos of some of the perfomers and a Chinese teachers....so check it out for yourself.

Creasy and Jack singing Linkin' Park


The Winner for the evening...she is awesome.


A talented teacher

A Different Perspective

Mouth watering I reached for the wrapper that promised sweetness inside. The box showed a chocolate covered vanilla (or probably yogurt here) cake with a middle layer of hazelnut! It was an alluring sight for this coffee-loving girl who finds the perfect match for coffee in little sweet things. As the cake whirled and twirled around in my mouth though, my face couldn't hold back the disappointment in the cake. It was almost like eating slightly flavored air, with a hit of some kind of nut and a chemical tasting chocolate outside. This was no Little Debbie!! How deceiving it was! Everything looked right on the outside, but the inside of cake didn't have the fullness or satisfaction I so craved.

These are the little cakes-they are called Qute cakes

After I quit eating the little cake and threw the rest away, I couldn't help but think about how the world is like this often as well. We see things in it that look so attractive and appealing. On the outside it looks like it will satisfy, but then it never seems to fill that craving you so desire. It is empty on the inside. Sometimes, we try to consume more in hopes it we were wrong the first time or just plain out didn't get enough. I must admit, I tried the cake again with the same result the second time. I realize more and more each day though we can only have the fullness of life from our Father. He is the true satisfaction. It is easier for me to say this because I know what this feels like and know the truth. Although, I sometimes am led astray and have to reminded. But what about those of have never had a taste of the truth? What about those who've been eating empty little cakes their whole life and haven't had a chance to try the true delight, like one finds in a Little Debbie. I think this is where it is our part comes it to share with others. Share the truth we know and stop others from walking around in falling into empty traps.
Besides just purchasing little cakes lately, I have also made maybe the best purchase yet...a heat fan!!! This little guy works magic in my room. In China, they have a day that the heat will come on for everyone...Nov. 15th (this Saturday!! ), but it is already getting cold outside. So my room has been many degrees of cold. At night, I wrap myself up in my blankets like a Flaming Amy's burrito with many layers. My new fan keeps me a lot warmer and cuts the chill in my room drastically!

Here is the fan in action!! Praises!

A closer look of the warmth coming from this machine!

Sweet Tea Rice

A look of innocent confusion passed over Vince's face as he looked down at his plate. Bravely, he brought his fork and knife to the plate and began to try to cut into the greasy goodness on his plate. His knife was working against him though, as he had it turned around the wrong way; only resulting in a hacked mess on his plate. He turned his fork and cut a small piece, too small for a boy who always finishes everyone's meals at the Chinese restaurants. As he chewed, and chewed the small piece, his head jerked forward as if this small piece of food just might pop out at

Vince and Emily eating pizza

any moment. "Vince, do you like the pizza?" Emily asked him. "Well, it is okay. It takes some time for our palates to get use to this Western food," Vince replied. "Oh okay," Emily said as she turned and smiled at me. "Yes, I use to always watch movies and see all the men eating lots and lots of pizza and be jealous of them. But now, I think maybe I am not so jealous," Vince said. "So this is your first time to try pizza?" I asked. "Yes."

Most of those at the sitting at the dinner table of the beloved Italian restaurant also had their first taste of pizza that night. In honor of Ryan's Birthday we decided to take him to get pizza and have some of his students and friends come along. Of course, we treated and brought a cake. We ordered 8 pizzas and all were gone by the end of the night. Though, most of those who had their first try of pizza that night probably went back to their dorms and had a bowl of noodles when they got there. Even though all the students didn't LOVE their first try of pizza, it was a great night. Besides just the team here and the students who came with us, we also had Tony with us and our friend and fellow teacher Jason. It was great to celebrate life and be able to pour out our love on Ryan and show and share that with the students.

The whole group after we delighted in pizza and Ryan's (center in the black coat) Birthday!

It does not always take a birthday though to spend good time eating with the students. It is "my pleasure" (the students say this all the time) to break bread with the students. I am becoming close to a groups of girls in one of my new campus classes. Their names are Rita, Semanda, DeAnn(said like Diane), and Betsy.

Betsy, Rita, DeAnn, and Semenda one day when we played ping pong together.

I can't help but love to be in their presence because they are all such good friends and take care of one another. They are also all very different girls. Picture Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants China style. After class on Thursday, we walked out of campus, past all the street food, past all the people selling little trinkets on the street, past all the restaurants a step above street food, and all the way down North street beside the campus. At the end, we arrived at The Green Apple. It is a brand new restaurant, complete with a little green apple on the sign that looks exactly like the Apple brand logo, only perfectly apple green. The inside is even better complete with round booths and decorated in orange and black (but not scary). As I sat and ate with the girls in the booth, I half expected their to be a camera hiding somewhere recording this movie moment. The place begged to be the "hang-out" of some group in a TV show, just like The Max for the Saved by the Bell gang. "Amelia, have you tried the special rice we eat at (some special) festival?" Rita turned and asked me as she talked with the owner of the restaurant who was helping us order. "No, but I'd love to try it," I replied. Five dishes later, the rice came to our table bundled in a leaf. Gooey goodness rested inside the rice. This rice gives "sticky rice" its meaning. As I took my first bite my mouth was greeted like an old friend. This rice tasted just like sweet tea!! What a dream for a southern! Rice that taste like sweet tea, in a restaurant in China with good friends. Maybe life doesn't have to be like a movie or TV show, but is too great to truly capture in such moments.