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Yesterday was one of those days when it felt good to feel useless. Now usually I'm not a big fan of feeling like a disposable commodity; in fact, this is very rarely a welcome sensation. However, I couldn't help but feel joy welling up in me yesterday upon arriving at the orphanage. Most of the team is in Beijing this weekend, so I had borrowed a teammate's bike and ridden all the way out to the orphanage. OK
, the italics in "all" seem to indicate I'm a fitness guru, which you all know is a lie. It really isn't that far...but it did feel great to stretch the legs. Anyways, after about 30 minutes of grueling pedaling I pulled into the orphanage. Parked outside the gate were two buses (now, I don't want you to get the wrong idea here...the buses should probably be called "minibuses", Siping
is a small metropolis). The orphanage is sequestered way on the edge of nowhere, which means buses don't usually make it out there. And the fact that there were two of them waiting by the gate...well, it was unusual. However, their surprising presence wasn't more than a quick flicker of a thought in my mind--living in China I've gotten used to not asking "why?". Yet even though I did not ask that forbidden question, I got my answer just a few short minutes later. I walked down the hallway of the retirement home, out the back door and to the gate of the large pink castle (aka orphanage). Usually, when you walk through the gate a flood of kids comes running to hug you, pull on you, try to talk to you, laugh at your Chinese, etc. However, I walked through the gate several steps without a single greeting. It was at that moment that I noticed the large horde of university students running, jumping and playing with the kids. The students outnumbered the kids by far and were more than handling the task of entertaining them. Obviously I was not needed outside in the play area, so I headed upstairs to the toddlers. Once again I was confronted with crowds of students...perhaps about four per toddler. The large group of students, on their own initiative, had arranged for the two buses to bring them out to the orphanage. I must admit, my eyes got a little misty as I watched them play, cuddle, caress, and love on the kids. I was entirely useless...and ecstatic
. As much as I love my weekly trips to love on these forgotten ones, there's nothing that brings me more joy than seeing them remembered by the future leaders of this country. These students are in an environment where they are pressured from all sides every day to excel and look out for themselves. Competition is fierce, so there is no one to trust for success except themselves. They are working so hard to earn a better life for themselves and their parents. Seeing a huge group of them lay aside the pressures and take time to care for the lower echelon of this society simply makes my heart burst. 
How many students does it take to change a diaper?
A few of the things that have recently caused me to smile, shake my head, and think "only in China..." - We were informed this week that we needed to give our FAO our May holiday plans by this weekend (April 13th). Considering May holiday is always at the beginning of May, this seems like a perfectly reasonable request. However, we have yet to find out when May hoilday is. Well yes, we know the general vicinity of the holiday, sometime around the first of the month. But the actual dates? We were informed in that same memo asking for our plans that the school would make a decision around April 20th when the holiday would take place. The only possible response is to chuckle...
- The team was quite excited with the discovery at the end of last semester of cans of spaghetti sauce at a local store. This is a "western" item that we used to have to travel to Changchun to buy. We were so excited that within the first couple weeks of this semester, we had bought out the whole supply of sauce. And alas, the store does not seem to be restocking the sauce. Changchun here we come...
- The other day I gave a quiz to my junior writing students. It was a pop quiz, but I give a quiz almost every week, so the class wasn't all that surprised. However, later in the class one of the students came up to me with genuine remorse on her face, saying, "Miss Katherine, I'm so sorry I did not do well on the quiz. I promise I will try harder and study more in the future." Now I was quite the brown-noser in school, but I don't think I ever apologized to my teacher for my poor performance!
- It is spring. And spring means new life. Therefore, the school has decided that demolishing sidewalks to make room for wildlife is necessary. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of wildlife. However, the new "life" they are planting only seems to accentuate the barren landscape...examine the photograph below and let me know if you agree with me.
This past weekend was packed full of Easter activities. We had a great time of fellowship on Sunday. In the morning I went to the local fellowship and then met with the team for a time of celebration and reflection. After that we all contributed to a tasty homecooked feast--which left us all groaning that we had eaten too much. Exercise is always the best option after a big meal, so we headed outside to hide eggs and then documented Sarah and Josiah searching through the park. After the egg hunt we met up with brothers and sisters for an Easter dinner...that none of us were hungry for. Check out my photo site for pictures from the day!
China has apparently decided that Blogger is not a threat...once again I'm free to roam through blogs without using secret sneaky tactics. However, currently a greater threat looms over me and Asia. While being preoccupied with making sure the internet is a "healthy environment", China has evidently failed to recognize this new danger. The danger is the impending dominance of the pig bear. It is now quite impossible to make it through a day without spotting one of these "cute" creatures. Glancing around the classroom, you can find them sneaking up in every corner--on a glasses case, a pencil case, pens, erasers, notebooks... As if that wasn't enough, apparently the pig bear can now be "everywhere you want to be". A few days ago Wu kindly brought me a brochure on how to get a pig bear credit card. Apparently, China is not the only country in danger of being overrun by the pig bear. I also received in the mail this week a pig bear make-up bag from Vietnam. Yes, apparently I have (against my will) become a pig bear magnet. Yet the only pig bear item that I actually desire and would not mind being added to the collection...a nice pair of fuzzy slippers...continues to be the elusive item. 
It's been a busy week of non-stop work, but the work will pay off as I go to relax in Beijing this weekend. I'll be meeting up with a teammate from last year and one of her friends from the States. Looks like I'm escaping Siping just in time...it's snowing right now...
Less than a week after my relocation and blogger has been blocked too! For an explanation about why this is happening, check out Sarah's most recent blog entry. However, since I'm a computer genius, I've still found a way to post (for now...). Last night we had a team taco dinner, thanks to the awesome folks in Hong Kong who sent us lots of goodies. We also did a little surprise birthday party for Sarah since we missed the real day. There's a bunch of pictures up on my photo sight.
Right now I'm working on grading journals...a lengthy process with 90 writing students. At least the task is brightened with the priceless tidbits of wisdom I can gather from the covers of my students' journals. Here are some examples of the treasures I've been extracting: - When we rejoice in our fullness, then we can part with our fruits of joy.
- I can dream about you, I'm gonna prass my lips against your and hold you to me. Let's keep our love secret till we fill our dreams.
- This is the most comfortable notebook you have ever run into. You will feel like writing with it all the time.
- Friendship is the golden thread that ties the heart of all the world.
- The night desert is burning for the love of a blade of grass who shakes her head and laughs and flies away.
- The life melody is the combination of all small things.
- Today is funny-day. My cuts friend, have a good time!
- Smody burgundy softer than the rain length have in mind remember.
- The capstone of any North Woods trip is an ascent of Mount Katahdin via the legendary knife edge, a narrow arete with 1,500-foot drops on both sides. (Where did they get this? And why did they combine it with a picture of an angel pig holding a heart?)
On another note, made spaghetti for some friends last night. It was their first time trying it...I think they liked it, but not surprisingly, the homemade chocolate chip cookies were an even bigger hit. 
Evidence that spring may eventually arrive in the Dongbei region of China...- Melting snow: the five feet snow drifts are slowly receding and creating nice little streams all over campus.
- Swinging cranes: construction is back in full swing, which combined with evidence #1=very muddy roads.
- Streetside small talk: no longer is everyone walking briskly, hunched over, just trying to survive to the next indoor destination; the temperature has risen enough to actually stop and have a (short) conversation.
- Reappearance of children: no longer are children submerged in ten layers and smothered with blankets--they're actually permitted to frolick outside.
- Chirping birds: actually wildlife! Amazing.
- Warm sun beams: there's a distinct difference between standing in the shade and standing in the sun. Once again sun beams actually beam down warmth to your face.
- Optional long underwear: no longer do you automatically reach for the long underwear in the morning...there is actually a debate of: can I get by without it today?
Yes, all evidence does seem to indicate that spring might be around the corner. But before that conclusion is reached, let me remind you of one more thing...our last snowstorm last year was in mid-April.Went to the orphanage today...check out my photo site for lots of pictures!
Today is Administrative Assistant's Day. As the team's unofficial AA, Robb decided to shower me with flowers. It's pretty awesome having flowers in every room of the house. :) 
Tonight was supposed to be our girls' study...but various situations resulted in it being just Michelle and I. Michelle made a grand entrance into my apartment, pulling off the door handle (don't worry, that happens frequently) and flinging a bowl of popcorn all over the room. We swept it up, made another bag of popcorn and pulled out some M&Ms to munch on. The M&Ms actually led to quite the interesting discussion. They were the "Bunny Mix" variety and so had various Easter animals printed on them. Our discussion was initiated by this M&M...
Katherine: "Is this a dog? How is a dog related to Easter?" 
