Guagua’s Baoshan Diary – July 29, 71AM, Sunny
Guagua’s Baoshan Diary – July 29, 71AM, Sunny
I really like the mornings in Baoshan, or rather, mornings in villages like this: the air is fresh, the air smooth and soothing, the mountains shrouded in clouds pristine and mysterious, allowing the imagination to expand. Clouds of various shapes and sizes floating in the blue sky make a beautiful painting. Six and a half in the morning, the loudspeakers begin to broadcast CCTV news, awaking the villagers. Car honks mix in with the broadcast, joined by Sichuan accented conversations. At around 7:30AM, the village enters its daytime hustle and bustle, and a new day begins.
I think I’m beginning to get used to the life here, waking up less tired than I did two days ago. Class runs from 9 to 11:15 AM and 3 to 5:15 PM, but the kids show up at random times. When the kids get bored at home during the holidays, they come to the summer camp to hang out with the volunteer big “brothers” and “sisters.” So from 8 in the morning till 10 at night kids are always running around us, snuggling up to the volunteers, playing with us, and even making fun of us.
More than a hundred kids signed up for the summer camp, but about seventy to eighty of them attend class regularly. Given the experience of the last badge of volunteers , we separated the kids into three classes: Class A consisting of grades 1 to 3, B is for grades 4-6, and C is for the junior high students. Every class is unique in its own way. The A class kids are very little, at the beginning of their growth stage. They like visual stimulation, cannot concentrate for long periods of time, and don’t like to listen to you. Most of the bigger kids are obedient, some of the naughtier boys like to run around and scream, but they would tone down when you get a bit more serious. The kids enjoy arts and crafts lessons, and some of them like to sing. Some of the class A kids have left a deep impression on me from the very start. Eight-year-old Yang yinmong wants to be a singer when she grows up. Her parents work in another city, she lives with her grandmother. Yinmong is tall and lanky, very well-mannered and wise beyond her years. She’s disciplined and very considerate. She’d think for a long time before she asks something of us. I like her a lot. Eight-year-old Qi Yilian, nicknamed “Qi Yue” [“July”], has parents who work in Chengdu, and lives with her grandmother. Educated in the city, she has seen more of the world than the others. She has taken art classes before, and draws better than any of us. The little girl is very smart, observant of colors, expressive, and is a natural leader among the kids. She likes outdoor BBQ, and keeps telling us about the benefits of BBQ and asking us when we are going. When she see us in a meeting, she would tell others that we are discussing the BBQ, making other kids want to go as well, increasing the group pressure on us. Anyway, Qi Yue is very talented and has received a good education, but she needs someone to give her character guidance, so that she can use her talents on the right track. It’d be a real pity if she stepped on the wrong path with her talents. Another girl named Wang Yanchi has these big eyes, a little pony tail, looks a little scattered-brained, and very huggable!
Haha, these kids each has their own uniqueness, I must get to know each one of them, and get used to the life here. Good night and till tomorrow.
July 30, 1:30AM.
I’m begnning to like the kids here, and enjoy this lifestyle.
I’m used to being surrounded by kids all the time, it’s fun, and although sometimes difficult, the children are very cute, and their sincere curiosity and loveliness makes it all worth it.
A little boy named Xiao Hei [“little black”] has big, cute eyes, and whenever I see him I want to pinch his cheeks. He’s always circling around me, calling me Guagua sister. When I ask him what’s up, he would just giggle. Finally, one day he asked, Guagua sister, why is your last name “Gua”? I laughed, and said, “you are Xiao Hei, but your last name is not “Xiao” [Little], is it? He laughed embarrassingly and continued to play a game on my cell phone.
Another boy named Yan Jiapeng has very fair skin and laughs to laugh. He looks like the carefree, naughty type. When he plays volleyball he likes to play solo, against everyone else, including the volunteer teachers. No matter how bad he loses he doesn’t want teammate. His mantra is “non-trendy,” and sometimes other kids make fun of him by calling him that. He likes Zhou Jielun’s song, “shuang jie gun,” and whenever he sees me using the computer he’d ask me to play that song. When other kids here it they’d always make fun of him.
Yesterday afternoon I taught Chinese to Class C. Last year’s summer camp no one taught Chinese, and the children don’t really focus on it either. Their Chinese foundation is quite weak, and have forgotten most of what they have learnt. They don’t like to read books outside of class. Only one out of the five kids in the class likes to read philosophical short stories. The others either don’t read at all, or peruse teenage magazines and romantic novels, which is too narrow a reading range. As such, my used my first Chinese class to teach them Chinese literature theories, from the pre-dynastic era up to the Min, Qing dynasties. I used some famous quotes to rouse their interest, and at the same time help them revise what they’ve learnt in the past. To keep things interesting, I would add a lot of anecdotes and gossip. The children pay a lot of attention and want to remember everything I tell them. One day, I explained a famous Chinese saying that describes the inherent contradictions in life. One girl named Xiao Han came to me after class and told me that she’s very drawn to this theory. She used to believe that something is either good or bad, and for the first time she realized they are two sides of a coin, one cannot exist without another. Learning this allows her to understand things she had not understood before, making her happier. Before the earthquake, she was a carefree child. After, she felt that life was fragile and unpredictable, and became a lot more mature. Xiao Han likes Chinese classes, and wants to become a teacher in the future. She’s a realist, and has a clear understanding of her family’s living situation and her own future plans. The earthquake had given her wisdom beyond her years. I really like her.
I spent a long time happily preparing for geography class this morning. There are no big maps of China here, so I used a piece of paper and colored pens to make my own. My geography was very good in middle school, and I got to put it to good use. Many kids didn’t even know where Sichuan is in China, so they had a lot to learn.
It’s late in the night now, and very quiet outside. I’m a little unused to this quiet. I might really miss the kids here when I leave – I’ll miss the intellectual debates in class, being surrounded, hugged, watched by the kids, preparing for classes till late, an unusual summer.
July 31, 2009
Till now, I’ve taught English, Chinese, music, geography and history. Being a teacher is an art. I didn’t realize this when I was a student, but when you become a teacher, you realize how hard it is to allow students to learn easily, to stimulate their interests, and adapt to their progress. I often over-estimate how much I can accomplish in one class. As a teacher I realize my knowledge is really insufficient. I have forgotten a lot of the things that I have learnt before. In class one has to use lively language and interesting methods to teach otherwise dry subjects.
Let’s talk about the students. I teach Class C the most, on history, Chinese and English. A lot of the kids in the class have already begun school, so only four or five of them attend our class regularly. They are very well-behaved, ambitious, and smart. Three girls, Xiao Han, Ma Ting and Wang Jing are rather quiet in class, unlike other girls of this age, perhaps because we are not that familiar with each other. Wang Jing knows quite a bit and has a good memory. Xiao Han chats with me more. As a I said before, she’s more mature, and loud. Ma Ting hasn’t really shown her personality yet, but you can tell she’s a bit naughty. Among the boys who attend class frequently there is Taing Yanqiao and Yang Jie, and apparently a good kid called Wen Jie, but he didn’t come lately. Tang Yanqiao is a little hyperactive, but respectful, smart, and picks up new things quickly. He’s also the youngest in the class but the most clever. He’s always bright-eyed, and when he looks at you, you feel like you can see right through his clear eyes, like the innocent heart of a child. Yang Jie is also smart. Anyway, the kids in Class C are always very adorable.
Class B is a tough one. The kids are at an age where they think they know everything, but not quite. It’s the biggest class. The boys are naughty and hyperactive. The younger girls tend to be attention-seeking, and the bigger girls have get into squabbles. The classmates don’t get along well enough. My first time teaching Class B was the worst in my teaching experience. I had planned introduction games for them to get to know each other better, but they didn’t like the games. They refused to participate in games they had played before, and found the rules of the new games boring. The boys jumped on chairs and scuffled around. The girls played petty and said they already began to miss the previous teachers, and did not want to be in the new class. They staged a little strike to show their reluctance. I tried hard to put on a smile and lasted for half a class, feeling like a big failure. The bigger girls were really proud of their efforts, reveling in my embarrassment and the chaos in the classroom. Finally a teacher from the last badge of volunteers helped me calm the scene. After that class, I asked for advice from the more experienced volunteers, consulted with my own friends, and told myself that everything will be fine. After observing the Class B pupils, I noticed the pack leader among the girls is Gan Qin, who is rather stubborn. She’s often with Wang Yanyi and Zeng Shiyao, who are little princesses. If you don’t pay them enough attention they’d yell “boring.” These bigger girls like to oppose the teachers, but other girls are better. The most charming boy is Tan Wenyi, and all the boys listen to him. Ren Xinnian is like a little doctor, knows a lot, studies hard, and has a lot of sway among kids. Knowing this, I followed my friend’s suggestion, and approached the pack leaders, picking Gan Qin and Tan Wenyi as the boy and girl class rep, and have them help manage the other pupils. The trick worked. They acquired a sudden air of responsibility, wanting to prove their hard-earned rank among the pupils. Although Yang Yanyi likes to throw tantrums and go on strike, she learns quickly and is quite reasonable. If she thinks something is right, she would do it. She has a strong self-respect, and I’d praise her when she’s well-behaved or learns something quickly. She tried to look as if she did not care for the praises, but it’s obvious she’s pleased. Afterward, she was a lot nicer to me. Once her plastic board broke, I was worried and fussed about her quite a bit. I think she was quite touched, and began to greet me whenever I see her, and sometimes would even help me with maintaining order in the class. I’m very happy J. Zeng Shiyao also became more well-behaved. Although Class B is still the most difficult class, I’m confident that I’ll get along better with the kids, and that they will respect their form teacher Guagua, and that I can teach them well.
The more the kids rely on me, the more I like spending all my time with them. If they don’t come and see me for a while, I’d feel strange. The children are adorable, treat us with sincerity, and completely trust us. I hope I can do better in the future, and not disappoint them.
August 1, 2009 Sunny
There’s no class over the weekend, but the children are still everywhere. I remembered what Tina, an American volunteer, had told me before she left for the States: don’t cry no matter what, otherwise we will leave our sadness to the children. I think about what she said sometimes: give others happiness, and keep the sadness within ourselves. My mother used to tell me that the last time she saw grandmother, the octogenarian knew that she may not see her again, but nonetheless sent her off with a smile. My mother said, even though grandma didn’t cry, she felt her sadness, and respected her for how she thought for others. I wish to leave one day with smile, giving the joy to others and hide my own sadness, leaving only sweet memories behind.
Aug 2, 2009
Besides little kids, there are two high school seniors: Huang Jingcheng and Zhao Yuewen. Jingcheng is outgoing and studies the sciences. Yuewen likes the arts and literature, is quiet and introverted. Both of them are quite smart and often think about their own future. I often tutor Yuewen on her geography. Jingcheng often helps me with teaching the kids in simpler classes. When I see these two I can’t help but think of my own high school senior year. I was passionate, ambitious, and worked hard. I miss that year, and I miss my form teacher; I miss struggling through the hard times with my classmates, and the innocent, guiltless days. I have one more year of university - I must live this year to its fullest, giving a perfect ending to my student life. All of that begins with this summer’s volunteering experience.
August 3, 2009
I listened in on Tina teaching classes B and C in the morning. Her English was very native, and the pace was great. But not every pupil wants to learn English, and some of them have no English foundation at all, so that class didn’t quite match all of their interests and ability. Despite this, Tina was determined to finish her syllabus, and was not affected by those who weren’t paying attention. She’s very strict with the misbehaving pupils. I will certainly learn from her. I’m easily distracted by the inattentive students, and often lose my motivation because of that. But really it’s impossible that all kids would like what we teach. We must do our best to interest them, but not let them have their way. We have to be strict when need be, so that the kids will both love and respect us. Tan Wenyi didn’t come to class today – apparently he couldn’t come the next few days because his mother was going through surgery, and he had to go back and look after her. I’m worried about him, and his mother’s surgery. Tan Wenyi is one of my favorites – he’s very responsibe, and a natural leader among the boys in the B Class, often helping me maintain order in the class. He likes learning. Once he missed a music class, and insisted on making up for it later, practicing the lyrics himself. As any other teenagers, he misbehaves sometimes, but he’d never overdo it, and always checks himself when we tell them off. I regret the fact that such a good student can’t make it to class. Hopefully his mother will recover soon, and that he can return to class
At night, Song Dihu from the A Class brought us some aromatic, delicious corn – we were very touched. The siblings Guang Qian and Guang Jie brought flowers and put them in two vases in my bedroom, which smelled sweetly fragrant. My pillow is just between the two vases, and falling asleep to the sweet scent is fantastic. The small acts of kindness are tugging my heart.
August 4, 2009
I lost my temper in Chinese class this morning. Two of the bigger girls weren’t paying attention at all, and completely ignored my warnings. Finally I lost it. The students have never seen me lose my temper, and were scared into silence. At first I was proud of the fact that I managed to silence them, but at night when I look at their photos I think about how cute they are, and feel bad that I made them look scared or unhappy. I often turn down some of the kids’ requests during the daytime, and at night I’d regret not treating them better. No matter how naughty and irrational the children are, my annoyance with them never lasts long.
In the afternoon the kids too me to see the new school built after the earthquake. This is the only school in the Longmen Mountain Township with the nine-year education system. It’s spacious, well equipped, and has good teachers. The kids who attend school here come from well-to-do families. Most of the kids will attend the opening ceremony tomorrow.
On our way back the kids made me go to the riverside. We played in the river until the sunset. Watching the kids playing reminded me of my own childhood. Their energy and innocence are traits that every adult misses. I hope that I can always be a child at heart.
August 5, 2009
Yesterday we met a face changing (“bianlian”) artist, Liao Chao, who invited us to have lunch with him today. He made some very authentic Sichuan sausages, and brewed some delicious coffee that he brought from Vietnam.
Liao Chao is only 18 years old, but has been working for two years. He looks and acts very mature, much more so than those of us who spent our entire lives in school. He’s very good at the art of face charging, and even knows a few magic tricks. I was very happy to be friends with him.
Every Wednesday afternoon there are two community service classes. The class serves two purposes. The class serves both as a form of education for the children, and to increase community awareness on environmental, medical, and hygiene issues. This afternoon I took the kids to do some cleaning in the local community. There’s a couple of broomsticks and dust pans in the dorms, and I told the kids to bring some other cleaning items. I divided them into 3 groups, one group cleaned the public toilet at the local swimming pool, another helped get rid of the excess water collecting on the floor, the third group picked up trash in the area. They were very enthusiastic with picking up trash – I think we pick up all the trash in the area. We talked and laughed while we picked up trash, and I told them the importance of protecting the environment. At the end of it they realized that picking trash was difficult, and concluded that it’s always better to throw trash can rather than litter. They said they should tell the people they know to not litter. I was very happy with their conclusion.
At night I visited Gan Qing and Yu Hong’s family. From what Gan’s mother and grandmother said, she is a wiser child than I had thought. Although she has some minor faults (ex: she likes to gossip, order other kids around, doesn’t pay attention in class, etc.), but she has a lot of sway among the girls, and has a sense of righteousness. According to her mom, teachers always likes to solicit her help with things. During the earthquake, the kids were having class. She was with a younger girl, who was crying with fright. Gan was scared, too, but because there was a little girl next to her, she wanted to protect her, until someone came to save them.
Yu Hong first attracted my attention because he was naughty in class. He never pays attention in class and likes to chat with the students around him. When you tell him off he still wouldn’t listen. One of the more difficult kids in class. I had planned to go to his parents and ask them to teach their kid, but my interview turned up a surprise. His parents were divorced, and his mother had custody of him. He was deeply affected. The divorce left him feeling scared and unsafe, but he was afraid to tell his mother for it will make her sad. He hopes that they would get back together, but they moved far apart. He’s sad, and his temper got worse. His mom told him that he shouldn’t worry about the adults’ business, and just concentrate on studying. But he thinks the divorce made him “lose face” among his students, so he uses misbehavior as his shield. He failed his Chinese last semester, and his mother is worried, hoping that we would help improve his Chinese. After knowing the reasons behind his acts, my attitude toward him changed. I will take better care of him in the future, and give him more proper guidance, even though I know that I will probably be of little help. I want to help form his own good attitude in life, one that he can use to face challenges in life.
August 6, 2009
I have a lot to write today, so I’m going to use sub-titles J
Zhang Mei switched to Chao Ba village
In order for the volunteers in the Chao Ba and Bao Shan villages to learn from and understand each other, the two villages each sent one representative volunteer to the other. When Zhang Mei left she reminded me to call the new students. I was quite impressed by her detail-oriented thinking. At night she texted me to tell me that she wanted to come back already, and that she missed the kids here. I totally understand her: these kids are so adorable, who wants to leave?
Chinese class
I like teaching Chinese to the C class. They understand well, appreciate the better literature pieces, and have a lot of their own opinions. I teach them Chinese knowledge, ancient Chinese, reading, and writing. Today’s class is writing. I taught them how to write about people. I read them a few famous pieces, and let them analyze the style of writing and discuss their thoughts. They loved and laughed at some of the expressions in the short stories. The class assignment was to describe someone in the class in 10 minutes. They looked around, both excited and nervous, even a little embarrassed. Ten minutes later, I asked the kids to read what they had written and make others guess the object of their description. A few girls wrote about me, with the most frequently used words of “tall,” “gentle,” “likes to laugh,” and “knows a lot.” Seeing the remarks gave me a little leap of joy. Xiao Han wrote just one sentence, which really moved me, “she’s a person whose smile gives you energy.” I also participated in the assignment, and described Tang Yanqiao. Here’s what I wrote so you can get to know him a bit:
He’s always changes poses in class. He sits, lies on the table, looks under the table, or gets on the floor to pick up something. He looks like he’s not paying attention, but if you question him, he knows mostly what you’re saying. If he doesn’t know, he’d look all innocent and say “I don’t know.” Writing gives him headaches, he would mumble, “what to write . . . can’t write anything. . .”, knock on the table occasionally, turn around to face the wall, and put his head in his hands. He’s even more hyperactive when he’s thinking hard.
History class and Ren Xingnian
Today’s history class for the C Class involved the Three Warring States Period. I like this part of the history a lot, and used a lot of class time teaching it, partly for my own sake. Ren Xingnian happened to skip from the B Class and walked by our classroom when I was teaching the Three Warring States Period, and stayed on to listen, and when he did, he refused to leave. I’m quite impressed: he has a wealth of knowledge, just begun fifth grade, but already knows so much about Chinese history. He’s read the originals of “the Romance of the Three Warring Kingdoms.” He’s an excellent student in every subject. He’s smart and loves to learn, very adorable. He and I basically taught the class together. I would tell part of the story, and he would continue. He said he’ll cut class again next week to come to our history lesson. I love having a little doctor as my assistant. Hopefully his teacher won’t get mad, hehe.
Taking Xixi to the hospital
Tiantian fell and hurt herself, her knee bled quite a bit. Her aunt called us to see if we had any band-aids. Fu Kaili and I went to her place immediately and helped Tiantian apply antiseptics. When her wound didn’t stop bleeding, we took her to the hospital. On the way, we took turns holding on to Tiantian. When her tiny, soft body curled up in my arms, I felt warm inside, hoping that she’s my daughter so that I can forever hold her and protect her, from the rain and wind. Maybe this is my maternal instinct. . . cute little Tiantian made my uterus skip a beat. When I have my own child one day, I must hold it a lot, watch its little face fall asleep, and enjoy all things maternal.
The adorable Wu Lei
Wu Lei loves to play games. Countless times every day he would use a cartoonish voice to ask us whether he could borrow our cell phones to play games. If we don’t let him, he would ask pitifully, “why not?” which is irresistible. Nine out of ten times you look at him he’s bent over a cell phone playing games, so we had to limit his cell phone usage. When he asks, I always insistent on rationally refusing him. But when he looks disappointed I’d feel bad, and a little regretfully. This kid tears our hearts. . .