On the Town

Ni Hao!
Last Saturday, the American teachers all went to the Hubei (Province) Museum. (See some of the objects are read more about the museum at www.chinaplanner.com/hubei/hub_muse.htm) It's main exhibit is the burial artifacts of a governor from the 5th century BC. We attended a performance of bells and drums that are replicas found at the burial sight. The real ones are on display in a sealed glass case. The bells are extraordinary for two reasons. First, they're huge. The largest bell would take two people to wrap your arms around it. Second, the bells' notes pre-date the modern musical scale and yet can be used to play modern music. They performed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony "Ode to Joy" as their last piece.

Later that same day, we went to the Yellow Crane Tower (www.chinaplanner.com/hubei/hub_yelc.htm). It's reknown for inspiring Hubei province's most famous poets to write their best-known works. At ten stories tall, it provides a spectacular view: the tower itself, and a view of the city when standing on the top story balcony. The murals inside are gorgeous and I spent quite a while looking at the city of 7 million people below me.

I've also visited the Guiyuan Buddhist temple (www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/hubei/wuhan/guiyuan_temple.htm). It was packed with people meditating. I don't have many pictures because cameras are banned in most locations. The most fascinating part was visiting the Hall of Arhats. 500 statues of Buddha-like men, each with a different look, personality, and often objects in their hands, are enclosed in a maze of glass cases. You are supposed to select one, then begin counting them one-by-one until you reach the number of your current age. This is then the Arhat that you pray to for that visit. Mine was a bald man with a slightly maniacal look holding a softball-size gold orb in his hands.

One of my favorite activities, so far, was seeing a performance by the Wuhan Chinese acrobats. It was fantastic to see these performers just a few meters (China is metric, so I'm trying to adapt!) away from our ring-side seats--and the bargain rate of just 44 yuan, about $5. I was quite amazed by their abilities for strength, balance, and gracefulness. Most impressive were the two women who juggled tables, large clay pots and spinning rugs (you'd have to see it to understand, I suppose), all while laying on their backs, using their feet to do the juggling! Oh, and the "monkey men" were fun too. These guys were climbing up 15-foot poles upside-down, or jumping and grabbing onto the poles with just their legs, etc.

Zai jian
Greg

Positive Reinforcement

Ni hao!
Before leaving for China, I'd read a few books that said China is a gift-giving culture. So, I contacted different departments on the University of Utah campus to see if they would be willing to donate small items for me to give away as a token of 'Thanks' and friendship. I received free ball caps, buttons, lapel pins, pens, calculators, bags and books from departments on campus, and Utah Jazz keychains from the Salt Lake NBA team. Fortunately for me, crimson red is Utah's school color and a very important color in Chinese culture, and basketball turns out to be the universal language, so the gifts are a perfect match.

During the first week of classes, I quickly realized that the students are so concerned about "saving face," that I can hardly get them to volunteer to talk during group discussions, or volunteer to be the first to give the daily "impromptu" speech. So, to overcome the inertia, I've now begun to reward risk-taking behavior by letting those who volunteer first to choose one of the small gifts I have with me. The pens and ball caps are a hit, but the Jazz keychains are definitely the most popular. One guy absolutely gushed about what a fan he is of the Utah Jazz. This is actually a surprise considering that Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets is one of the most famous and popular Chinese celebrities.

The students are so expressive and full of emotion, once we get past the student/teacher subservience barrier. When I announce to the class that the volunteers will get a gift, there's always an "oooooh" from the class. And when the students come up to select their gift, there's often a spontaneous applause, too.

I've taken a photo of some of the students with their gifts. I'll see what we can do to get it (and others) posted onto the blog.

Zai jian.

Learning to Teach - Part I

The first week of instruction is behind me, and I've learned quite a lot, myself, about teaching English and working with Chinese students. And it seems that the students are learning just as much.

The students' ages range from 17-20. They were selected to be part of this program because they are some of the best English students at Wuhan University, based on a written exam and their own professors' recommendations. Our mission here, however, is to improve their listening and speaking skills. Both formal speeches and classroom discussions are being promoted by all of the American teachers.

The first thing I noticed was how attentive the students are when I'm talking. Every eye is on me and paying close attention. But the second I ask them to contribute to the conversation, the entire mood of the class changes. The Chinese students are so afraid of making a mistake that they are unwilling to volunteer to speak first. Once the inertia is broken, it becomes easier (but by no mean simple) to coax more out of them. But there is one difference between these students and the ones back in the US that has been a constant frustration for me. As soon as a classmate speaks up and participates in (what I believe to be) a group discussion, many of the students' heads drop down to read their notes, look at their phones, or chat with their neighbor. It seems that in Chinese classrooms, students address their instructors only, not other students. It's as if they don't feel that they can learn from one another.

I've changed my approach for getting group discussions going. An observing Chinese English instructor suggested that I give the students the opportunity to talk to a partner first before expecting them to answer my questions or join a larger discussion. This gives them a chance to try out their new vocabulary and build confidence that they know what they're going to say. It has certainly improved the number of students willing to volunteer.

I need to run off to my afternoon class. I'll write again on this topic very soon!

Driving in China

After seeing how the Chinese drive, it's a wonder to me that anyone is willing to step onto the street! It seems that yellow and white lines on the road are merely a suggestion. Cars weave in and out of traffic, on either side or sometimes straddling the middle lane marker, even on two lane roads. Riding in the tourist bus, I felt quite safe. But going on my first taxi ride was a terrifying experience. It was all I could do to keep myself from pushing my foot through the floor trying to brake. On the return trip, I put on the seatbelt and got a strange look from the driver. My Chinese companion had a quick conversation and a good laugh with the driver. I remained buckled up.

Bikes and pedestrians are yet another obstacle to throw into the mix. There are people walking and biking on every road. I even saw an elderly man pushing a cart on the main bridge across the Yangtze River, an 8-lane freeway, last night. At unregulated intersections (which is most), it's a big game of "chicken"--who will stop first and let the other go ahead. Surprisingly, there are very few accidents, and not one case of road rage. Horns are rarely used, from what I've seen. There are plenty of signs that show what looks like a bugle with a red line running through it. It took several days to realize this means "no honking allowed."