This semester, I've been teaching an intercultural communication class again, this time to sophomores with English as their 2nd major. I organized another field-trip, to the Jewish museum in Harbin, like I did last semester. 25 students came! Since we took public transportation, we ended up having to take 2 buses, but everyone made it! And they all enjoyed seeing a part of the history of Harbin many did not know even existed.
Over a period of about 100 years, 20,000 Jews lived in Harbin. Most came from Russia after 1917. The last Harbin Jew died in 1985. The museum is housed in on of the two standing synagogues near the river.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
"SPRINGTIME" IN HARBIN
I was loath to put on my down coat this past Monday. Something about wearing a down coat in April doesn't feel natural, but once I stepped outside into the wind and snow and pulled my hood tight over my head, I was glad I had put it on. 
At least the snow wasn't sticking to the roads, my co-teacher and I noted as we walked back home from lunch.
That afternoon, I had office hours, and running a bit late, I decided to take my bike. The roads were clear, after all... But when the doorman saw I wanted to get my bike, he quickly said "It's snowing!" "I know," I replied. "You'll break your head open, the roads are slippery!" I looked out the door... "Oh!" He was right, there was 2 inches of snow on the road! I decided to walk.
That evening, after my class ended at 8 PM, two students walked me home, umbrellas in hand. By the time we reach my apartment, there was a thick layer of snow on the umbrellas.
Umbrellas in the snow ... that reminds me of a story ... I should have known that Harbin was under the White Witch's curse.
Tuesday, it kept coming. It didn't keep me from going to the pool, though, but I think trudging through drifts of snow up to my knees and walking against the wind was as much exercise as I got while swimming! I wonder how long it took for this taxi that I passed to get out...
All the locals say this snow was really abnormal - a once in 50 years kind of thing. I admit, it was bit fun to see all this snow at once, but I'm still left wondering, how much longer until Aslan comes? How much longer until Spring?
At least the snow wasn't sticking to the roads, my co-teacher and I noted as we walked back home from lunch.
That afternoon, I had office hours, and running a bit late, I decided to take my bike. The roads were clear, after all... But when the doorman saw I wanted to get my bike, he quickly said "It's snowing!" "I know," I replied. "You'll break your head open, the roads are slippery!" I looked out the door... "Oh!" He was right, there was 2 inches of snow on the road! I decided to walk.
That evening, after my class ended at 8 PM, two students walked me home, umbrellas in hand. By the time we reach my apartment, there was a thick layer of snow on the umbrellas.
Umbrellas in the snow ... that reminds me of a story ... I should have known that Harbin was under the White Witch's curse.
Tuesday, it kept coming. It didn't keep me from going to the pool, though, but I think trudging through drifts of snow up to my knees and walking against the wind was as much exercise as I got while swimming! I wonder how long it took for this taxi that I passed to get out...
All the locals say this snow was really abnormal - a once in 50 years kind of thing. I admit, it was bit fun to see all this snow at once, but I'm still left wondering, how much longer until Aslan comes? How much longer until Spring?
Sunday, April 11, 2010
SUNDAY SNAPSHOT
It turns out that this year Easter was followed by 清明节 Tomb Sweeping Day. While riding the bus back from Easter fellowship last week, I had the opportunity to talk with a good Chinese friend about this.
It's interesting to see these two holidays back to back. On the surface, these two spring holidays seem to have something in common. They both involve something related to tombs, right? But in one, they sweep and clean off the still-full tombs. The other, we remember the empty tomb! One is full of mournful remembering, solemn processions, and the giving of paper money and food to the dead. The other is full of joy and song, feasting, and is all about the resurrection!
[On Tomb Sweeping Day in Harbin, you see carts of paper money for the dead being sold throughout the city]
[On the evening of Tomb Sweeping Day, people burn the money on street corners to remember those who have passed away. The origin behind burning money is so that those in the other world will have money to use.]
It's interesting to see these two holidays back to back. On the surface, these two spring holidays seem to have something in common. They both involve something related to tombs, right? But in one, they sweep and clean off the still-full tombs. The other, we remember the empty tomb! One is full of mournful remembering, solemn processions, and the giving of paper money and food to the dead. The other is full of joy and song, feasting, and is all about the resurrection!
[On Tomb Sweeping Day in Harbin, you see carts of paper money for the dead being sold throughout the city]
[On the evening of Tomb Sweeping Day, people burn the money on street corners to remember those who have passed away. The origin behind burning money is so that those in the other world will have money to use.]
Monday, April 5, 2010
EASTER BRUNCH
I am babysitting a waffle-maker this year...so I thought I'd put it to good use this Easter:
Easter brunch with my my co-teachers, one co-teacher's dad, visiting from America, and a friend who teaches in another city in North East China:
I bought some signs of spring at the flower market nearby campus. Still waiting to actually see some green outside, though!
Easter brunch with my my co-teachers, one co-teacher's dad, visiting from America, and a friend who teaches in another city in North East China:
I bought some signs of spring at the flower market nearby campus. Still waiting to actually see some green outside, though!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
SUNDAY SNAPSHOT
Too Much Birthday?
This past week was week of celebrations! In my last snapshot I wrote how we had a small surprise party for one of the foreign teachers. Well, that was partially just to make her not suspect what we were really up to ...
Last Wednesday we gathered ALL her students together in a coffee shop on campus and threw a BIG surprise party for her. Since she has about 150 students, we had to have the party in 3 shifts, each group of 50 had 1 hour. Students gave performances and small gifts, sang songs, and played games. We all took lots of pictures and ate lots of birthday cake. Some of the students are also my new students this semester, so it was a good opportunity to get to know them better. (Snapshot below: The third party - English 2nd majors - who I also teach)
As if 3 birthday parties wasn't enough for one week, this past Sunday, at the local fellowship I've just started to attend this spring, the College Group had a birthday party to celebrate anyone who has a birthday between January and March. I'd been feeling a bit strange attending a "college" group seeing that I teach at a college and I'm not a student, but this Sunday, I found out that the ages of people in the college group range from 16-25...and I am not the oldest, so I realized the term "college" applies loosely. I am starting to feel more connected to the people there - the first few weeks not many people talked to me because they were afraid to speak English (they told me this), but now, they realize that I can usually follow most of the what they're saying in Chinese.
This past week was week of celebrations! In my last snapshot I wrote how we had a small surprise party for one of the foreign teachers. Well, that was partially just to make her not suspect what we were really up to ...
Last Wednesday we gathered ALL her students together in a coffee shop on campus and threw a BIG surprise party for her. Since she has about 150 students, we had to have the party in 3 shifts, each group of 50 had 1 hour. Students gave performances and small gifts, sang songs, and played games. We all took lots of pictures and ate lots of birthday cake. Some of the students are also my new students this semester, so it was a good opportunity to get to know them better. (Snapshot below: The third party - English 2nd majors - who I also teach)
As if 3 birthday parties wasn't enough for one week, this past Sunday, at the local fellowship I've just started to attend this spring, the College Group had a birthday party to celebrate anyone who has a birthday between January and March. I'd been feeling a bit strange attending a "college" group seeing that I teach at a college and I'm not a student, but this Sunday, I found out that the ages of people in the college group range from 16-25...and I am not the oldest, so I realized the term "college" applies loosely. I am starting to feel more connected to the people there - the first few weeks not many people talked to me because they were afraid to speak English (they told me this), but now, they realize that I can usually follow most of the what they're saying in Chinese.
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