Dreams Set Sail in Guangzhou: August 10th, 2015:

Welcome to China!

The Qilin stood guard over many entrances into the many ancient pagodas, palaces, and temples of China. There was a male and female on each side of the entrance. How one could tell the gender difference is by the size of the ball under the front paw of this beautiful sculpture. The smaller ball indicated a female dragon while the larger ball represented the male dragon, demonstrating greater strength, a real protective bulwark! Standing guard outside of the Summer Palace, the Qilin is known by some to be sacred pets of the deities and only capable of punishing evil and evildoers. Many words and characteristics are associated with the Qilin such as fertility, longevity, protection, luck and benevolence despite its stoic and sort-of intimidating appearance. As divine and peaceful creatures, they are mindful and respectful of every form of life surrounding them. As one can see, the Qilin bears many animalist traits, such as a lion's tail, ox's hooves, deer antlers, scales and skin of a fish, and the traditional Chinese dragon head. Quite a sight to observe!

What's Your Dream? Add it to the Dream Board!

What's Your Dream?? Add it to the Dream Board!

There is a little faux-Starbucks-type coffee and tea shop just a 5-10 minute walk from the university campus. Alan told us where he found it and it became a quiet little shop for peace of mind, quiet, soothing music, and, of course!, some hot tea! Although my favorite and most comforting order was matcha tea, I also tried some other options ranging from citrus teas to aloe-scented and ginger teas. The barmaid was so sweet and had such a beaming, innocent smile and part of my relaxation was knowing she was there ready to exchange simple Mandarin with me.

As I was delving into my matcha tea and doing finishing touches before my final two classes for the day, I looked across the shop and on the opposite wall, there was a dream board. Beneath the title, "Dreams set sail, a reflection of the value of life", there are all of these little Post-it notes with people's dreams written across them. I was tempted every day to add one of my dreams to the board, but to no avail. In fact, I wasn't quite sure what dream I would add since I was currently living one of them!

As I read the title every time I walked into the shop, sometimes many times in one sitting, I wanted its proverb to soak in and reflect in my very being. I had to really think about how dreams setting sail reflect the value of life. I may not be very clear in my revelation, but I will try my best.

Ever since I can remember, when I was little, I always wanted to discover ancient lands, African safaris, fully immersing myself into such diverse cultures, setting my soul free. Humble finances, frequently being told that I couldn't, or shouldn't, travel because of the "what if's" began to drown any hope of my going anywhere. Being so active in so many extra-curricular and school-related activities, particularly basketball, kept me grounded. I could travel to different states, which was very exciting for me, but due to the year-long pre and post-season commitments, especially in college, there was no chance of any of my innate cultural passions coming alive. Until one day, in 2008, I received a letter of acceptance of receiving a Fulbright-Hays scholarship to Africa. I received it right before my 1st period class rolled in. I was absolutely breathless. In fact, I ran to the faculty restroom, fell to the floor, and cried. It was really happening and my dream was about to come true!

What I didn't realize was that this very acceptance letter and invaluable experience in Southern Africa planted a seed of passion that would grow bigger and bigger that it could no longer be contained. I was different, changed. My heart will never be the same. My eyes saw differently. My mind processed with such a wider scope of thinking. I devoured every bit of information I possibly could and from 2008, six years later, I was off to Nepal, the following year China.

The more I read that title in the tea shop, the more I began to understand how much I loved and valued life, not only my own but those lives around me. The more I interacted across the world, shared my experiences with students, friends, colleagues, family, the more alive I was feeling. The greater purpose I felt within my very bones. The more confident I grow in who I am and in my vocation. The more I come to understand God's purpose for what I was created to do.

It continues to remind me of a quote said by Mark Twain, one I hope every reader takes to heart and becomes involved in our international and national communities. This is a quote that shouldn't be read to say "oh, good stuff!", but rather one that inspires its beholder to take action and explore this beautifully diverse world:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

So, combine my story with Twain's quote with the title of this dream board and you found the basis for my blog. Albeit it was a very quick 22 days in China, being accepted by International Partnerships in Education in China as a volunteer teacher was an absolute dream come true! My life will never be the same and I am very excited about where the winds will take me!

Saturday, August 22, 2015

August 10th, 2015:

So it's almost been a week since I've returned home from China. Although it was a 22-day trip, I am still adjusting to the time change, cultural differences, and even the subtle loneliness that sets in when the ever-moving traveling, teaching, and interactive schedule comes to an abrupt end. Albeit it's a peaceful time to reflect, but when I am never ready to leave the beautiful and ever-embracing peoples of a faraway land, I can easily tell myself that I can do without all the quietude. I miss the camaraderie, the classrooms that were saturated with both kindness and humidity, and the ever-present smiles shining by my beautiful Chinese students and newfound friends.

Just the other day, I was driving to the gym and I had to take a deep breath, sitting in the parking space, looking at the windows that displayed its members working hard on the treadmills. My initial response, quietly to myself, was something along the lines of "well, I guess I'm back. I'll be another rat running on the same old wheel until the next time..." I despised the fact that I virtually have to drive almost everywhere again, unlike in China. I loved the fact that we could walk and walk, and run!, and not be in need of a car on a daily basis. I have so much appreciation for using our bodies to get us from points A to B. It's a great way to stay in shape, stay alert, feel less spoiled, and, let's face it!, you can see so much more around you when you walk; take a deep breath, and visually take it all in! I can see beauty exposed to the open skies, marketplaces, surroundings than one could ever observe in a vehicle.

It's been a strange feeling being home. My body is here, but my mind is back in rooms 117, 217, and 223 at the Guangzhou's University campus's classrooms. My students await for me to walk through the door and we recite a loud and boisterous "Good morning!" and every time I ask how they are doing, they are searching for endless ways to tell me WITHOUT saying "I'm fine", the canned response their early English years taught them to say. I truly felt a blissful happiness, a newfound confidence I never experienced before, and a deep sense of purpose while in the presence of these beautiful and hard-working individuals. Perhaps they will never know that as much energy as they exhibited in excitement for my being there, I absorbed it all and reflected with a greater energy than I have ever known, like I was on the top of the world, ready to give them everything I had. Perhaps they will never know how much they truly touched my heart and how much it hurt to walk out of that classroom one last time.

It was the first class, my adult class, that openly expressed on our last day at camp that it was too difficult to say goodbye, so they suggested we didn't. That saved me from a river of tears. For both of us. I told them that in just over three weeks, they have made China feel like home to me. So two of my very loving students, Nicky and Chinin, asked me when I was coming home again. It was decided. We wouldn't say goodbye; we would simply respond with "see you again when you come back home!" That alone almost brought me to tears, but the deep feelings of sadness subsided when they all came up to me, linking arms, putting their arms around me, and we ended up taking multiple selfies, even with Ying's selfie stick!, and just sharing endless moments of laughter.

That was followed by my entire class teaching me how to write my name in Chinese, signing my camp shirt in multi-colored Sharpies, having me write on their camp shirts and writing them little notes, like I was signing their yearbooks. One of my students is a reporter in Guangzhou; her name is Li Li. Her smile beamed from ear to ear and her eyes lit up every time she saw me in the hallways. She would always wave excitedly and greet me with a "Hello Holly!" or "Good morning!" Her English skills were very basic and she relied greatly on her peers to help translate and help her push out her responses in English. Unbeknownst to me, she wrote about 3-4 pages about me, how I made camp so exciting for her, and how she learned so much from me. It is all in Chinese; however, thanks to the wonderful gesture of my student-teacher, Lucy, she promised to translate the reflection and send it to me. I look forward to reading Li Li's reflections with such humility and compassion! There was a saying that I told this class, over and over again, especially when they felt they were performing only sub-par: "you are much better than you think you are!" Perhaps this was Li Li's way of saying the same to me.

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Tiananmen Square

This square is so massive and open to an ever-flowing presence of pedestrian and tourist traffic! Known for its infamous Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989 due to the democracy movement led by students and workers, the square felt so bereft of passion and tension, two climates, I'm sure, that permeated strongly in 1989. There were many guards on post, scouting the Square with their ever emotionless expressions. This historical moment in Chinese history and one that captured international attention is nonexistant in Chinese schools and is one not discussed unless with a family member or close friend. Using the Chinese version of Google, researching this massacre results in every image, BUT the government-inflicted martial law and violent response. The results show many photos of the square itself, smiling faces, the Chinese flag waving in the wind, and many tourist selfies. What a striking dichotomy!

Mao Zedong

You can see Mao Zedong's picture displayed in Tiananmen Square once you move beyond these elaborately beautiful gardens. Selected as a hero of China's Communist Revolution, this revolutionary holds great status in Beijing, and frankly anywhere in China so long as you are using Chinese currency as you will find Zedong's face on each yuan. Perhaps cliche or too touristy, I purchased Mao Zedong's Little Red Book and started to read its opening pages on how to be a good Communist. It's very interesting how simple ideas turned into vindictive measures of accomplishing Communism as Zedong and his wife saw fit. But if one looks closer at all that Mao Zedong had accomplished and struggled during his reign, the bigger question is, as heroic as he may seem to some, might others have thought otherwise, that, perhaps, he was a villain?

Forbidden City

Although I remarked on the immensity of Tiananmen Square as it is the largest public square in the world, the Forbidden City's monstrosity was just unfathomable to comprehend in regard to its length, distance, ornate decorations and architecture, and the insurmountable tourists and visitors that poured through each of its gates, climbing stairs, touching its imperial doors, and taking multiple photos, never truly capturing its ancient essence!

I find myself constantly short of words to describe feelings and what it was like to stand amongst the other people before these colossal sites. Even more difficult to describe was standing at the top of the stairs, in front of the palace, overlooking swarms of people and imagining I was the emperor ready to deliver a speech. Sometimes I think we fall short of words because words can only do so much justice to our emotions, descriptions of what we see and what we feel. If words could truly convey the same excitement, that same breathless wonder, and aura of our experiences, there would be very little incentive to experience that moment ourselves, in our own ways. But to be there and visualize the time periods when many of these historical sites were once active and feel every element of our environ is something that becomes very dear and true to us as we continue to learn and appreciate the progress of civilizations in prior generations, but also to explore our own ambitions, aspirations, and dreams.

The Forbidden City, now a major tourist site in center Beijing, was the site of the imperial palace for 24 emperors and empresses from 1420 of the Ming Dynasty until 1912, concluding with the Qing Dynasty.

Temple of Heaven

Built in the early 1400s during the reign of the Yongle Emperor, this beautifully constructed temple served as the site in which the Emperor would retreat to twice a year and pray to Heaven for good harvests. It was believed that the Emperor was the son of Heaven's authority father and this was his way of connecting Earth to Heaven through prayers for blessings for his country. As this temple has been decided a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998, it is no wonder why. Its architecture and everything this temple represents, dating back to the early 1400s, represents yet one more fascinating piece of the growth and development of ancient Chinese civilizations!

Happy Birthday to our Senior 3 Class!

A few evenings before it was time to say goodbye and conclude our Happy English Camp, our Senior 3 students invited their three teachers, Jane, Tim, and me, to have a little farewell party. This was in addition to their constant studies and activities, but these wonderful individuals had insurmountable amounts of energies, contagious amongst us all! As our evening began around 7:30, the student teacher and students, afforded all sorts of foods, drinks, and snacks...AND performances, contests, singing, etc. as a display of their deep appreciation for us and their time at camp. Little did we know, but we also were asked to sing before our students oh, about a minute before they expected us to stand up and begin, but we pulled it off! Tim and I sang the duet from Aladdin, "A Whole New World" and Jane sang a song very dear to her heart, one she sang to her son when he was a baby, "You Are my Sunshine." After eating again after a fulfilling dinner, stuffed to our ears, they lit a beautiful cake that read "Thanks Teachers" and Tina began singing "Happy Birthday". Unsure of who we were singing to, she added a line that touched our hearts very deeply. "Happy Birthday to our class" and we finished with more energy from the depths of our souls. This summer, indeed, marked the beginning of a beautiful series of friendships and accords.

Don't worry; it wasn't all exotic like the market!

Behold the Great Wall of China!

This section of the Great Wall, called Mutianyu, was built in 1404 and renovations started in 1983, opening it up to the public again in 1988. It is included as one of the World Cultural Hertiage sites, containing multiple watchtowers, battlements, and breath-taking views of the mountains and forests on which this incredible structure was built. Despite the large attractions of many tourists and crowds that find their way to the Great Wall to behold its wonders, this particular section was unpopulated, quiet, allowing its visitor to imagine the courage soldiers of the ancient times exhibited to protect their people and their culture. So amazing!

It's Absolutely Endless!

I distinctly remember during one of our pre-departure Mandarin lessons when our instructor specifically warned us to stay together because it was very easy to lose each other in the swarms of people and although no photo from ground level could ever show this, the Forbidden City goes on and on! One would need to take an aerial shot to see all of its corridors, extensive buildings, climbing each series of stairs, and explore its every nook and cranny! I remember joking with Sean and telling him we will need to get a leash so he doesn't wonder off, but it was I, who kept struggling to find the group. I kept trying to examine all of the beautiful decorated palaces and pagodas and just in that moment, I had to search high and low for someone that looked familiar! Inside the imperial walls, a group could easily move from one corridor to the next, never realizing they've left a member behind!

Summer Palace

Its construction and design began in the early 1100s, the Summer Palace served so many interesting purposes for the imperial court and Emperor. It served as the imperial retreat, with specific areas designated for the imperial horses, entertainment, and serenity. With sites along the Kunming Lake, like Longevity Hill, the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, the Great Opera House, Long Corridor (an extensive outdoor hallway uniquely hand-painted is truly the site to see, almost exhausting the faculties to, again, try to envision what it took so many centuries ago to create such beautiful masterpieces!), and the most serene surroundings of the Garden of Harmonious Pleasures, this is an aesthetic environmentalist's dream come true! This was the time to come, albeit abbreviated for such an expansive site, and observe the beautiful lotus blossoms and the weeping willows draping so solemnly and perfectly over the waters of the Kunming Lake.