Xie xie for Xi'an

Xi'an!!!!!

So two weekends ago, I headed to Xi'an with a surprise trip thanks to a thankful parent (flights not included) with Steve, Charles, Dave, Sainan, Q, and Paul.  It was just wanted I needed: a weekend of travel with almost not hassle as everything was planned for us.  I mean, sure our flights were delayed both times, but hey--it's China and flights are usually delayed it seems.

Saturday started off right with Jessica, our tour guide, greeting us warmly and within 10 minutes of our trip calling me out as a lesbian inside a man's body...I guess I need to hide that part of me better; too obvious.  Her sense of humor was stupendous.  She's a counselor at Dipont in Xi'an and has experience as a tour guide.

We went to the famed Xi'an Terracotta warriors -- a truly interesting place.  6,000 plus life-sized warriors found only in the past 40 years (or so) from the first Emperor of China's tomb.  They were all smashed but have been restored, or are in the process I should say.  With Steve's help, I was working on learning the skill of "blur" photography which is my high-tech name for focuses on something in the foreground and blurring out the background.  Apparently a telephoto lens makes a good difference, but my 30x zoom and tiny knowledge of F-stops and shutter speed (thanks to Steve) helped me practice a very different kind of "point-and-shoot".

After a delicious feast which included orange juice marinated wax gourd (delicious), we were free to wander the Muslin quarter of Xi'an where Steve and I spend far too much time taking pictures, attempting to buy some things, and making trouble with the locals.  "If you don't have interest, WHY YOU ASK HOW MUCH?"  She says walking after us....woops.

The following day was one of the highlights of my time here: up early eating Dunkin Donuts!!! That's right, I'd flown to the source of awesomeness--but don't worry that's not really the highlight.  The highlight: cycling on Xi'an's wall.  It surrounds the entire downtown and we were lucky enough to cycle around the whole thing, which took about an hour and a half -- lots of good things to take pictures off.  If the view wasn't exhilarating enough, trying to bike on an old wall was plenty exciting with all the bumps.

It was a wonderful weekend full of laughter and has started a trend of a upward motion I think.

Explore. Dream. Discover

Thank you.  Thank you to Mr. Robertson for inviting me to speak on this momentous occasion of graduation.  Believe it or not, you are all graduating today.  But what does that mean…to graduate?  Are you going to wake up tomorrow a different person?  Are you suddenly going to feel fully prepared for life after high school?  It’s possible, but unlikely.  Today marks not only the end of high school, but also the beginning.  What is it the beginning of? Well, that is, ultimately, up to you.  Our job, as your teachers, counselors, and parents has been to prepare you for this moment.  From here, it’s your job to pick your own moments and to prepare yourself for them.  Like any cautious new parent, I, as a new teacher, can’t just let you, my first class, leave here without one last lesson.  I’ll do my best to avoid my dear subject of psychology, but I make no promises.

At my high school graduation, just five years ago, all I could think about was summer break as I waited impatiently for my name to be called.  Graduation felt like just another day.  It was my mother who helped me see the gravity of my situation.  I’ll never forget her words to me on the way home, diploma in hand.  “Son, you know what this means, right…?”  And before I could find my voice, she answered her own question: “…it means…you have to do your own laundry now!”  And she laughed!  With thoughts of college and an uncertain future in my head, my mom was laughing with delight about the end of her role.  She was right, of course.   Unlike all of you, I was moving out of my home for the first time after that summer, and a big part of college, and life, is independence, from doing your own laundry to running your own life.  But guess what? A bigger piece of life is how many people help each of us become independent: our parents, teachers, friends, and even strangers sometimes.  Thus, the first lesson for today is to practice gratitude. Acknowledge those that have helped you get this far.  Thank your parents, thank your teachers, thank your friends, and thank yourselves.  Always remember that a thank you goes a very long way. And yes, psychologically speaking, gratitude does increase mental wellbeing (sorry, I couldn’t resist).  Practice gratitude.

If my Mom had instead told me that I would be giving a speech in China to a graduating class in five years on the way home from my graduation, I would have been understandably confused.  I’d never even done my own laundry—how could I ever hope to be in China living independently?  But that’s the thing about life—we never are fully certain of where we will be heading.  The Wojciks do not have an international reputation, and I’m the first one in my family to work abroad.  Choosing to do the novel; the new; the exciting is what sets us all apart.  Your choice of studying in the United States is a brave one, and is a first.  Even if you’re not the first one in your extended family to study abroad, this will be your first time studying at that school in that place.  Thus, the second lesson of today: never be afraid of firsts.  Don’t be afraid to keep pushing boundaries.  No, Senior 3s, I don’t mean the boundaries of school rules or regulations, which we know you’re good at pushing and hoping over.  No, I speak of your own boundaries.  Push your own limits: take college courses you’ve never heard of, make friends with people from different backgrounds, join new activities, try scary American food!  Challenge yourself: what other firsts will you experience?  What new things will you try in this life?

In just a few short months, you will be boarding a plane and leaving almost everything you know behind.  Your first week of college will be a blur; new friends, a new environment.  Then classes will begin and before you know it, you’ll have finished your first of eight semesters and survived your first round of college finals.  You have four years to learn about subjects and, more importantly, about yourselves.  Four years to take note of who you are becoming.  Four years to experience new moments of life with like-minded people.  And then, the four years are over and you’ll be graduating again; though it will be a very different you then who I see before me now.  And someone else will be up here speaking, urging you to make the most of your life.   Time moves faster next year.  This faster pace seems to only quicken once you graduate college.  Thus, the last lesson: time moves fast, enjoy each moment.  Enjoy the thrills, the fears, the joys, and the sorrows, for all will be found in a life worth living.  Life is also messy, frustrating, and, sometimes, disappointing.  But no matter what, remember: life is beautiful.  There are countless moments that will amaze you and make you gracious to be alive.  And if that fails, then remember your psychology: our brain is wired to remember positively – so with a bit of time, what bothers you now, won’t bother you later.  We adapt.

Speaking of time, our time is finally up.  It’s time for us, your educators, to give up our roles with you.  Now if I take your phone, I’m no longer enforcing discipline – I’m stealing.  You’re finally free. I hope that you take the good from this experience and carry it with you.  Be it a good moment finally grasping a concept in calculus with Mr. Varga or laughing at the absurdity of Mr. Gregory’s booming voice; there have been good moments here.  Maybe this one counts as well.

To end: a quote, a personal favorite from Mark Twain, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream, discover.”  Class of 2012, practice gratitude, never be afraid of firsts, and enjoy each moment of your life.  This is your moment; savor it.  Congratulations and good luck next year.

Li River and More!

Meet Jane.

Jane, a good friend of Cynthia's, has been here for almost 4 weeks (which sadly means she will be leaving soon).  I met Jane in my apartment weeks ago.  We made chocolate chip cookies and blasted music.  She's a cool girl.

She wanted to see the Buddha so we went together 2 weeks ago and found the Buddha in sunshine--a real treat.  But the highlight of our one day excursion was a moment of silence a top a monastery that felt so authentic, that I actually decided I would light my first prayer candle in China.  Later on, before our bus back to Chengdu from Leshan, we went to eat some Chinese food at a place with no English/picture menu and were successful in getting food!  Jane, like myself, has been taking Chinese lessons from Lynette.  I started in mid-March and feel like punching myself in the face as I really should have started in October.  I know I didn't start because I felt so stressed with trying to teach for the first time...oh well, live and learn.

Cynthia and Jane headed to Xi'an to see the ancient city one weekend and I stayed in Chengdu, booking our next trip to the Li River.  After successful bookings, I headed over to Ryan's place for a 17th floor rooftop South African braai (BBQ).  The food was delicious and the company were all teachers from the three centers and some Chinese staff.  It was a sunny day and from the rooftop, Chengdu looked...beautiful? (Actually, it's been sunny quite frequently of late; well frequently for Chengdu).  Leon, Alissa, Steve, and I played some rooftop badminton, only losing a few shuttlecocks off the top.

A week later, after the Buddha trip, Cynthia, Jane, and I headed to the airport.  We touched down in Guilin where I bounded out to the lobby waiting to see the sign with my name on it.  But alas, I couldn't find "Johnny" anywhere.  Finally I turned around a disgruntled man was holding up "Johnny".  My excitement at this didn't seem to make sense to him...or Cynthia and Jane.

The trip from the airport was AWESOME.  After a few minutes, large giants were viewable from our windows.  Eventually they were all around us -- finally I was in the land of karst landscapes!  Karst is a formation of bedrock that varies in many ways--but China has some of the most dramatic formations weathered by time.

The next day, we were up and going (sadly without NZ 'Up & Go's) after a quick breakfast at our hostel.  A bus ride later we were boarding a boat on the famous Li River.  The plan: to cruise down to Yangshuo, 70km down the river, passing some very dramatic Karst mountains (Karst is not a proper noun, but trust me, it should always be capitalized for emphasis).

What was visible by night was SO COOL by day.  Cliffs, waterfalls, and sweet green slopes guarded the banks of the Li River.  Needless to say, I'm came back with over 800 photos.  The sky was BLUE, the water a brownish yellow due to rainy season, but it was all good.

We disembarked inYangshuo, what once was a small town, not a bit larger with tourism.  It had grown fast in the past few years due to the attention from Han Chinese, as was previously a paradise away from Guilin for foreigners.  Large karsts surround and intrude throughout the city.  Walking around through the carless alleyways was wonderful.  Eventually our wanderings found us climbing up a small Karst and then up another one!  Great views of the city and larger Karts were our rewards for sweeting up stairs -- it was hot and very humid.

Later, after a nice dinner with a girl from Israel and Pris, or Pricilla, from Hong Kong, Cynthia, Jane, Mary, a French girl wet on the cruise, and I set out to see cormorant fishing.  Cormorant fishing is an ancient practice and from the clip I saw via BBC, I was determined to go watch.  But since the influx of tourism, it seems the practice has changed and was rushed and not well done.  Tourists use to board small boats with the fisherman and his flock of birds.  We were on a fairly large boat.  The birds dove time and time again into the water, eating most of the fish they caught, except the large ones.  A thin string tied around the birds neck prevents the swallowing of bigger fish.  In the BBC clip, it showed the birds returning to the boat and willfully giving up the fish – knowing they’d be rewarded.  In our trip, I watched a fisherman yank out a fish from a choking bird.  It was still neat to know that this harmonious practice exits, but I’d much rather see it a different way (where it actually looks harmonious).

That night, we took Yangshuo by storm starting out at a lovely rooftop bar where we all realized our inability to play pool.  From there we figured out, after a bit of food and some more drink, that it was our responsibility to take each bar by storm, get people dancing, and then promptly leave.  Something about a stripper pole, and then the night was over, after I managed to bang my leg on a fall from a stage.

We left Yangshuo early the next day by bus towards a river in the mountains.  We were to go drifting.  Which is like white water rafting, but without paddles, and the river is made to be super-navigable.  Jane and I climbed into our raft and after waiting in a queue with all the other boats, we were realized down a damn spill way into the river!  I snuck on my waterproof camera, which proved to be a great idea as I attempted to document our ridiculous hour and half journey down the river.

We all agreed it was the best fun we’d had in weeks, if not months.

Back in Yangshuo after a beautiful bus trip through rice paddies that I slept through, we hung out for a bit longer that expected with no buses back to Guilin for a few hours.

In Guilin, we got back to our first hostel and set out to walk around Guilin’s twin pagodas before some restless sleep with a bed bug scare.

Morning arrived finally and, with four other teachers, we found ourselves headed to a minority village.  At the village we viewed the “Long Hair Show” as the women of the village cut their hair once at 18.  They wore it in three different styles depending on their status in life: single, married, or married with child – using their hair that they cut at 18.  They wash their hair with the water used to wash rice, which results in super black hair.  It was interesting, but not the best show I’ve seen.  Lunch afterwards was a bit on the too much fish side with whole river fish fried.

Finally, the main attraction of the day, rice terraces!  We climbed and climbed through some mountains that reminded me of New Zealand and hiked/walked around some terraces.  We were a bit too early for the planting at this altitude, but the terraces were still beautiful.  Carved out thousands of years ago, I couldn’t help but think “ChinaChinaChina”. 

It was a really nice trip, but its fast pace, after life in sleep Chengdu, caught me by surprise.  Thank goodness we returned to a two-day week.

On the weekend, Jane and I explored Wenshu monastery, admission only 5 yuan, which felt very authentic.  Between that and seeing the Li River Kart landscape and rice terraces, I was in a very mixed mood.  I’d finally seen some of the things I came here to see and since AP Psychology, my job energy has just fallen.  Could it be time to go home?

But then I look at the map of China and there’s SO MUCH TO SEE!  This country is officially TOO big.  But, hey, I could always come back.

Class Dismissed

AP Psychology is over.  I have to the best of my ability attempted to teach 31 students psychology as well as an interest for it.  These students don't know this.  Most of them lost interest as second semester seniors.  Some of them turned to their review book in place my teaching.  But, like an energizer bunny, I kept going.

I tightened discipline. I loosened discipline. I included relevant examples. I switched examples mid-sentence when realizing students weren't getting it. I scoured for youtube clips. I graded. I complained about grading. I tried to make disinterested kids learn. I tried to help stressed students calm down.  I tried to hard on some things.  I didn't try hard enough on others.  I let their disinterest get to me.  I recharged on weekends.  I fought.  Students opened up to me.  Students started trusting me.  Some students started to resent me.  I caught myself resenting students.  I beat myself up for their disinterest.  I learned to let go of their responsibility to learn.  I joked with them.  I acted in front of them.  I worked for them.  Some worked for me.  I got bored.  I got too excited to sleep.  I couldn't wait for class to end.  The bell usually came too early.  I was nervous with detailed plans.  I am confident with no plan.  I talked to students after class.  Students talked to me after class.  I wasn't a teacher.  I was a teacher.   Am I a teacher?

Since October 8th (or there abouts) I have been teaching AP Psychology, a subject that is a bit boring, but does contain some wonderful knowledge.  It was a struggle.  Some days were wonderful, others were far less than.  All-in-all, I somehow guided the students over each chapter of the book.  More important to me, I was able to discuss about some things far more important than the book's contents.

I hope what I have done in the classroom has been helpful to these kids bound for the US next year.  I know many of them did not understand much of what I said, so I hope that they do in time.

For me, much of what teachers have said haunts me later with those awful "ah-ha" moments: awful only because if I had only listened then...you get it.  This task of teaching has made me super appreciative for my teachers and all teachers.  It's a tough job.  There's no bonus if the kids learn well except for personal satisfaction and maybe, just maybe, a thank you note--thus you really have to give it your all to pull it off.

Teaching really is one big performance.  And like any self-conscious actor, I wish I had had more practice before it went live.

The AP Exam is Monday at 1:00PM.  Fingers crossed for their study habits.  And if teachers get this nervous/excited about their students growing up and learning to work on their own, I don't know how anyone handles being a parent.  When I confiscate a student's cell phone, I get to go home and not share the same house with them!

So to teachers out there everywhere: I thank you.  Thank you for not giving up, thanks for staying after school and being late for dinner with friends, thanks for making your job a big part of yourself and sharing yourself with your students.

Xie xie!