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Four Things I've Learned in China

- Christine Barron

Keep your glass half full – Literally. I was surprised to discover that while
entertaining guests, the Chinese aren't exactly moderate drinkers. Countless
times I drained my beer, only to watch my plastic cup refill before I could even
say "cheers."  It didn't take long to figure out--just keep the glass full.  But
also, applying that little saying was very essential to surviving my time in
China.  Squat toilets, broken A/C, and bugs straight from National Geographic
wasn't eaxctly the way I envisoned my summer.  I wouldn't have lasted a week if
I let my lifestyle get me down.  But somehow I had to deal with it, and when I
took everything in stride, it wasn't bad at all.

Everything tastes better Spicy - Nothing hot had passed my lips before this
summer.  I had possibly the wimpiest tongue in China.  Why be so masochistic?
How unadventurous I was then--spicy isn't torture, its just makes things a bit
more interesting. This trip has been about trying ridiculous things, not because
they're even remotely fun, but because they're there and I can.  It made
everything so much more memorable, and that in itself is fun.

When somebody asks if you can dance, think twice before you say "yes." - Chances
are, you'll end up trying to conga with one of your students, in front of the
entire class. As much as my students hated display of any kind, they also loved
forcing each other into fairly awkward public performances.  However, watching
these kids leave their comfort zone, being able to have lots of romping fun, was
one of the things I loved most.

Don't sweat the small stuff - Okay. Its impossible to not be sweating in China.
But a lot of things happen when you're teaching that leave you with an uneasy
feeling. Someone didn't know what "happy" meant, and another spent the
lesson collecting pencil shreddings. Its frustrating to come thousands of miles
from home and not know how or if you're even making a difference.  But if you
let this stuff bother you, you'll never see the light.  Instead, focus on what
teaching methods work, and do more of it.  Out of the 120 kids and 116
lessons I taught this summer, (oh, I've counted), I know something clicked for
someone. Their enthusiasm in class makes the distance, the hard work, and even
all the bugs most definitely worth it.