January

Greetings from Nanchang ,

This update is sponsored by the words cold and weather as it’s a bit nippy here in southern China . I thought about wearing gloves to type this but this would look rather strange. Even with the cold weather this last month has been a mix of blessings for us and our students.

Christmas:

Four parties in four days made for a busy holiday. We hosted a party for our students that included a fun filled gift exchange. Joey and I (and the other foreign teachers) were invited to a special dinner that was hosted by our school administration. Joey and I also had dinner with one of our classes which included a few rounds of badminton. To round off the weekend I spent an evening at a dinner hosted by students I had met at another university in Nanchang . I received holiday wishes from Chinese friends and students I had met or taught during my previous China trips.

End of Fall Semester: January 12^th.

We ended our semester with a graduation ceremony to recognize the achievements of our students. The highlight of the ceremony was the English speeches by the two student leaders. We took oodles of pictures and exchanged classroom memories. It was truly a special day for me as I witnessed the outcome of the efforts our students. We ended the day with a wonderful lunch with our students.

A second highlight of our day was a plentiful dinner that was hosted by the President of Nanchang University . I was so nervous that I dropped my food twice but luckily none of it ended on or near the President.

Thoughts on Fall Semester:

I would like to use the Chinese word nai xing which translates into patience. Teaching in China is definitely a challenging job but as I share with my student’s patience is needed in language learning and life. As teachers themselves our students have been helpful in sharing with me insights about how they reach their own students. For my Middle East friends the Arabic word for patience is sabr.

I was nervous when I arrived in Nanchang but after a few weeks I felt fine and was able to integrate myself into a routine. I've enjoyed planning a variety of outdoor activities and taking my classes to the supermarket to share the English translation of food items. I've shared a numbers of examples from American history and culture. ( U.S. Presidency, Immigration, and U.S. Government)

Chinese New Year:

With the Fall Semester complete Joey and I will now enjoy an extended holiday break until we prepare to welcome a new set of students in the spring. I'm planning to remain in Nanchang and spend time with our students, neighbors, and friends. I'll have the privilege of celebrate my first Chinese New Year in Nanchang .

Family News:

I would like to take this opportunity to share that my Grandmother Ina Cottrell will celebrate her 96^th Birthday on the 25^th of January. Ina resides in a care center in Boise , Idaho . The nursing staff enjoys her sense of humor and stories about our family. My parents visit with Ina on a regular basis and share updates like this one with her.

Lesson of the Month: Ellis Island/ Angel Island Experience

I organized an in-class simulation exercise to give our students an idea of what occurred at the Immigration stations at Ellis Island , N.Y. and Angel Island in San Francisco . Each student filled out an Immigration form and had an oral interview with the official which was me. I rejected and accepted an equal amount of the forms which allowed the students an opportunity to learn what immigrants experienced. I gave a brief overview of immigration history and how it related to people from Asia . Most of the information I shared about was from a Ventura Community College class ( Calif ) I took called Introduction to Asian American Studies.

december.

Friends,

Happy Holiday from China !!! I trust this update finds you preparing to celebrate with your family, friends, or students as it is with our China teaching team. The next four weeks will be fill of new experiences as I will be in Nanchang for my first Christmas and New Year.

Teaching Philosophy: I thought I would take a moment to explain how I'm approaching teaching. I've been here in China for four months and seen my strengths and weakness come out during my time in and outside of the classroom. I think the most important thing I can do with our students is be there for them as they progress through our course. I have vivid memories of my professors being there for me while I was an adult learner progressing through language courses, Theology, Math, English, and History.

It’s my turn to be that presence with our students as we go through the many lessons and activities. I have to remind myself that even though our students come from a different country we're finding that time spent in formal and informal discussions we find that we have similar interests and hobbies.

Invitations: I have a good example that I shared this week of how I accepted and declined an recent invitation. My Chinese friend called me last Wednesday with a meal invitation for the 9th. On Thurs I received a wedding invitation from a foreign teacher neighbor for the same afternoon of the meal. Because I’ve known the neighbor the longest I attended the wedding and had a wonderful time. The night before the wedding I called and gave my student friend a valid reason for not going to a meal with him. I shared this situation with our students and allowed them to discuss it without telling them I was the person that had this predicament. After a few moments of discussion I listened to a variety of reasons of declining and accepting invitations.

The question for you: What would you do in the above situation?

Holiday in China : The first hint that I saw of the holidays occurred when I was shopping in Wal-Wart and saw an aisle of decorations and gifts. The music section has an assortment of holiday music so I might have to return and browse the selections. The big holiday period however is the Chinese New Year which is called "spring festival." Just this morning I received a knock on my classroom door and Joey and his class were wanting to practice a holiday song for my class. I invited Joey and the students in and my class was treated to a mini concert. Weekly highlights like this make living in China full of memories and experiences.

Campus Evaluation: Last month our students experienced an all campus visit by the Chinese Board of Education. It’s similar to the accreditation process used in American Universities. Since our students are Professors they were busy before and during the week the visit occurred. We didn’t have classes during the evaluation period so our students can fully participate in the process. From the reports we’ve received the visit went smoothly so we can continue with our language classes. The expressions of relief on our students face when they came back from the week long absence was priceless for me to witness.

Fall Semester: Our Fall semester will be finished on January 12. A graduation ceremony will be held for our first set of students and present them with a certificate of completion. There will be speeches by two students, host officials, Joey and I. After the ceremony we will have an extended holiday break. Joey and I will begin the spring semester in late February soon after we have celebrated the Chinese New Year.

Thanks again for taking time to read my update. In next months update I'll share about the New Year preparations and our graduation ceremony. Thanks also to those of you who have donated to my support account this year. It means a lot to me to enjoy this privilege of teaching our students with the support of friends and family in the U.S. and overseas.

Have a safe and joyous holiday with your family and friends.

Brian

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