We have discovered a number of things we didn't know before we came to China and one of them is that any future groups from SHS would not be working at this particular school, but at another campus, the Tang Nan School. Last Saturday, Y, the kids, and I, wearing our finest, visited the other campus before we went out to a "western" lunch, hosted by none other than Madame Jiao. ("Get as dressed up as possible, " were my instructions to the crew, knowing their travel wardrobes were somewhat limited.)
Kids arrived at school Saturday morning all gussied up. Back home, when we'd told them to bring something to dress up in, they complained, but I think they were glad to. They looked nice. I wore my suit, justifying for the second time its weight in my suitcase. We drove in the familiar van to the campus which was more towards the center of the city than our current location. When we got there, Y said, "Look everyone! They're ready for us!" They sure were. They had a marching band with a majorette in school uniforms standing on the sidewalk and a phalanx of people holding bouquets of flowers, one for each of us, kids included. Throughout our entire day, we were also photographed by someone with a still camera and someone else with a fancy movie camera. Despite the fact that I am certainly un-photogenic, I would love to see some of this footage.
We were escorted to the schoolyard, led by the marching band. The kids were photographed with their Chinese student hosts, and we were led to seats under a large banner. Madame Jiao never speaks to me -- she knows no English -- but she always interacts with me, takes me by the hand constantly, and in this case in a typical Chinese manner, just pushed me, not at all unkindly, into the seat I was to occupy. Alrighty then. We had our photograph taken and went inside to a conference room with fruit on the table.
The table was oval shaped, and Y initially suggested the kids alternate -- American student with Chinese student -- but The Plan was to have the Chinese students on one side and the Americans on the other. The discussion was led by the Chinese students, and by one girl in particular who spoke truly excellent English. Her first comment was how "handsome and beautiful" all the American students were. She said this again later; I think she meant it. She said one boy looked like Beckham the soccer player which Y and I thought was pretty funny. Our guy has a buzz cut, but is very dark and looks nothing like Beckham -- maybe all westerners look alike. The kids talked back and forth for a while. They got onto the subject of "grounding", which our kids defined as no cell, no computer, no going out, no TV, etc. One Chinese student laughed and said he was always grounded -- meaning he never had access to any of these things, not as punishment but because it was his way of life. Another girl pointed out that he was top student, however, so maybe "there is something to this."
I had a chance to talk to their English teacher, the woman who will coming to the US for their side of the exchange and liked her very much. Her English in terms of pronunciation and vocabulary, syntax, all of it was really excellent, and it was clear she had done a terrific job teaching these kids. She talked about how when she was young she listened to American music to expose herself to English, and that she really liked The Carpenters. Well they certainly had great diction and understandable music. We discussed Karen Carpenter (no I did not tell her the Mama Cass joke) and while she did know poor Karen had died, she did not know she was a drummer. The teacher said Karen had a "beautiful and special" voice, and being a fellow alto, I did agree. [I actually do think she had a beautiful voice. I told her about singing "Close to You" in a karaoke session while I was in Japan, which was met with huge approval. The Chinese teacher especially likes "Top of the World" which I said was a cheerful song. "Rainy Days and Mondays" was also reviewed. (Of course I like that sad tune better.) I am embarrassed to admit I could easily sing all of these songs right now. I picked "Close to You" in Japan because it was in my range and I knew all the words.] She also said that I spoke "almost British" English, that it was very clear and that I had a good vocabulary. (I have even been avoiding words like "ameliorate" and my personal favorite "deleterious" since I have been here. ha ha) I wonder what she thinks American English is like, or who she thinks epitomizes American spoken English. She has not traveled outside of China, but has met "foreigners" before.
After the Q and A was over, the kids piled into the van again, but Y and I got to ride in Madame Jiao's chauffeured car, a beautiful Honda sedan with tinted windows. Her driver, who we'd met on several occasions, is a nice guy, as are all of her people, as I've said before. We drove to the Bell Tower Hotel in the center of town, the same hotel R and I stayed in last time we were in Xi'an. They have a "Western Restaurant", according to the sign, and that's where we went -- what was used as the breakfast room in '04.
Some of the food was not Chinese, certainly, which was appreciated by many of us. There was a great selection, served buffet style. The kids stuffed themselves silly and Y tried a little of everything. Madame Jiao wasn't right next to me, so I got to choose my own food for the most part, except she sent one of her assistants to get jiaozi, dumplings, for me at one point. Of course I ate them.
After lunch, we said goodbye to the Chinese teachers, packed the kids into the school van and sent them off, and Y and I got into Madame Jiao's Honda to go shopping. I really was not into this, but it was another example of doing whatever you have to do for work. The trip was to get gifts for the superintendent and the former superintendent which Y and were to take back.
We drove to a fancy department store where her driver parked with the few other cars there on the sidewalk -- this is common enough -- no street parking in Xi'an really. Y and I helped pick out blouses for the two other ladies, and then Madame J insisted that Y and I pick out something for ourselves. In the ladies department of a Chinese department store? I was concerned as well as embarrassed by her generosity, although I am very aware of Madame J's financial position; it wasn't going to hurt her in any way, let us say. Y and I ended up in a section of the store where "Tang Style" clothes were sold. These are Chinese-ish modern style things - interesting cut, colors, and Mandarin collar. I found one thing, but the driver, who had been following us around and dealing with the money -- he is really an assistant, not just some guy who drives--picked out something else and I tried that on. Everyone agreed I should get this one particular blouse. I like it, although it is sort of fancy. It makes me look a little like a diplomat in a Star Trek episode, somewhat Vulcan-esque, but I can probably find an occasion to wear it. It was very expensive. Y got another thing from the same department. We be stylin' now.
We got dropped back at school and Madame Jiao mentioned that we will have another dinner with Shang before it's all said and done here. If it is warm, I will wear my new blouse.
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