Return to Longzhou: The Term to Begin!

Posted on October 10, 2009 by connieinasia
 
                 Friday, October 9th, saw all of China back to normal. 
                The holidays were officially over.  Classrooms filled with students, the overburdened airports, train and bus stations cleared of vacationing millions, and stores cleared their shelves of mooncakes and 60th anniversary discounts.  TV stations  are no longer featuring flamboyant celebratory programs of dancers and singers, and the newspaper headlines are back to the usual mundane affairs of the country.
 
For Here, Not Yet Back to Normal
 
                But here in Longzhou, my new placement at Guangxi Normal University for Nationalities, we are still in the upheaval mode.
                Although I was told to return for October 9th classes, once I arrived  on the 5th, I learned that most likely we’d still be waiting to begin the new semester due to the opening of the new campus.   
              Just as a recap, there are 3 campuses to this school.   The oldest campus is in Longzhou (where I am).  The second campus is in central Chongzuo, the county capital city 1 1/2 hours away.  The 3rd and brand new campus, which is the one now opening to new students, is located in the outskirts of Chongzuo, in the middle of sugarcane fields and dirt roads.
               The Longzhou campus will eventually be closed in  2 or 3 years because it’s just too small to accommodate the growing number of students that have been enrolled.  In the meantime, different departments are moving to the new school.   The English Department, for now, is remaining in Longzhou thus all the English major students and faculty will be here.  A few other departments are here as well.  Of course, we stay but a vaste number of others are leaving.
 
              All freshmen students have been at this Longzhou campus, doing their mandatory military training, for a month while the brand new campus was being completed.  I had assumed the students would leave us before the National Day holidays to move into their new school dormitories 1 1/2 hours away but I guess the final touches on the buildings there hadn’t been made yet.  Thus everyone stayed put here in Longzhou, including the faculty who were moving as well, and waited for the big move ahead.
              And that move is taking place this weekend, with classes hopefully beginning on Monday. 
               We are having 3 days of thousands of students packing up their small belongings into huge plastic carrying bags with zippers or small suitcases, dragging their things to truck pick-up points and seeing them off to their new home in Chongzuo.
              The administrators have done an excellent job of organizing the student move.   The pick-up point is in the covered sports’ building where everyone receives a colored ribbon to tie on their things.  The colors are by departments.  Then their bags get a bag check sticker and the owners receive the receipt number so they can get the right luggage  back at the other campus. 
              All bags and suitcases are all lined up in neat, tidy rows for loading onto the truck.   The loading is done by workers who carefully pile the things into the truck, stacking them clear to the vehicle’s compartment roof to get as many as possible inside.
               There are 3 pick-ups a day:  one at 9 a.m., one at 12:00 and one at 3:30 p.m.  It’s just enough time for the truck to be unloaded at  one end and make the return journey to Longzhou for yet another shipment of thousands to be packed onto the truck yet again.
 
A Difficult Move for Faculty
 
              As for faculty, many have waited until the last minute to leave.  Our campus is now filling with small moving trucks parked outside of apartment builings.  Neighbors stand outside, watching loads of boxes and furniture being hauled downstairs by movers who will begin placing them onto the vans.  Grandmothers with the grandbabies and grandchildren stand about, helping parents keep  toddlers from getting in the way of the bustling traffic of the movers. 
               In many ways, it’s a rather sad scene. Some of these elderly, who live with and are now following their children (faculty employees) to a new location, have been here for years.  This is their home. These are familiar surroundings.   They have their community here and their nearby shopping places.  The new Chongzuo campus is far from having a friendly neighborhood feel yet.  The landscaping is nowhere near finished, meaning no pretty parks, walkways and grassy sitting areas as we have here. Also, the school is  located in such a distant location,perhaps 20 minutes by bus from the city itself.   I wonder how these people will feel after years of Longzhou living. 
               It will be quite an adjustment and I’m sure it won’t come easy.
 
In the Meantime . . .
 
             For myself, the cooler temperatures here (in the 80s daytime, pleasant 70s at night) are proving quite a relief from the 90s and 100s that I experienced before in August.  All my lessons are in order for the first week of classes where I will be teaching English Education, Business English and Practical English majors.  Usually, Amity teachers only teach educataion majors.  Business English and Practical English will be a bit new for me.    I even had to ask what a Practical English major is.  I was told it’s a major that is for any English field (teaching, business or tourism) a student wants to go into.  So rather than concentrate only on being an English teacher (English Education major) or working in the business field (Business English major), Practical English majors have the foundations for both as well as other English  language-related jobs.
            Classes I learned will be much smaller than in Luzhou, where I had 50 – 60 crammed into the room.   Here there are between 35 – 40 students, which is quite a luxury for me.  That I certainly am looking forward to.
 
News of the Animals
 
            As for Little Flower, she is still feeling unsettled and not exactly at ease in her new surroundings.  The apartment is  huge compared to Luzhou.  LF has been wandering about most of the day trying to find places to crash in that feel normal.  She’s flopped on the spare bed but that wasn’t right.  She’s moved from her bassinet to her carrier and back again numerous times.  That also doesn’t feel right.  She’s curled up on the two cushy couches in the living room.  Again, not to her liking.  She’s even tried hiding in the wardrobe among my clothes and positioning herself on top of a huge plastic bag of unshelved books I still have to put away.  All good efforst to feel at home but likewise, disappointing bedding places.         
            I always knew it  takes time for one to feel settled and comfortable in a new environment.  I just didn’t figure it would be that way for a dog.
 
           Perhaps yet another taking time to feel at home is Kitty, who was dropped off at Dr. Q’s veterinarian clinic last Sunday.  He was a bit confused as to why he was in such a strange place when I left him.  Dr. Q’s huge, fat and sassy cat came to take a look at the new arrival.  She was more interested in eatting  Kitty’s food I carefully set out for him  than she was in really caring that another feline might be sharing her space.
           A phonecall to Dr. Q’s clinic yesterday had me reassured that the kitten is finding his way around by himself.  He enjoys playing with the staff and chasing things around the many cubicles.  Dr. Q has given him full run of the clinic.  I’m sure within a short amount of time, he’ll be parading around as if it were his own.
 
          News ends here at present until next week’s accounts of students and school teaching life.  In the meantime, I  hope your weekend is a pleasant and happy one.  Ping an (Peace), everyone!
 
           
            
 
      
             
              
Posted in Along China's Li River: Longzhou, Guangxi | Leave a comment

Mooncakes Galore! Mid-autumn Festival Arrives

Posted on October 3, 2009 by connieinasia

 

            Yesterday evening had me at the nearby grocery where the second floor was filled with mooncake boxes for sale.  Heaps of individually wrapped mini-mooncakes of all varieties and flavors also took up space in the specialty item selling area.  They’d been there for over a week but Friday night brought everyone out in droves, snatching up mooncakes galore in preparation for Mid-autumn Festival on Saturday.

            Below, in the 1st floor fruit section, hundreds of youzi, or pomelos (a large citrus fruit the size of a football, comparable to a gigantic grapefruit), were likewise being snatched up for the next day.  Mooncakes just wouldn’t taste right without being accompanied by a pomelo for the family gathering the next day.

What is Mid-Autumn Festival?

            What exactly is Mid-autumn Festival (sometimes referred to as Moon Festival) and what does it entail?  Looking up on the Net, this is what I found:

            The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, or in Chinese, Zhongqiu Jie, is a popular harvest festival celebrated by Chinese people, Koreans, and Vietnamese people (even though they celebrate it differently), dating back over 3,000 years to moon worship in China‘s Shang Dynasty. It was first called Zhongqiu Jie (literally "Mid-Autumn Festival") in the Zhou Dynasty.  In Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, it is also sometimes referred to as the Lantern Festival or Mooncake Festival.

           The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is usually around late September or early October in the Gregorian calendar. It is a date that parallels the autumn and spring Equinoxes of the solar calendar, when the moon is supposedly at its fullest and roundest. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties.

          The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the two most important holidays in the Chinese calendar, the other being the Chinese New Year, and is a legal holiday in several countries. Farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date. Traditionally, on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomelos together.

The Accompanying Folk Legend of Mid-Autumn Festival

         There are numerous versions of the folk story that accompanies this festival but I’ve only chosen one.  Here it is:

           Houyi was an immortal, while Chang’e was a beautiful young girl, working in the Jade Emperor‘s (Emperor of Heaven) Palace as the attendant to the Queen Mother of the West (wife of the Jade Emperor), just before her marriage. One day, Houyi aroused the jealousy of the other immortals, who then slandered him before the Jade Emperor. Houyi and his wife, Chang’e, were subsequently banished from heaven, and forced to live by hunting on earth. He became a famous archer.

           Now at this time, there were 10 suns, in the form of Three-legged birds, residing in a mulberry tree in the eastern sea; each day one of the sun birds would have to travel around the world on a carriage, driven by Xihe, the ‘mother’ of the suns. One day, all 10 of the suns circled together, causing the earth to burn. Emperor Yao, the Emperor of China, commanded Houyi to shoot down all but one of the suns. Upon the completion of his task, the Emperor rewarded Houyi with a pill that granted eternal life, and advised him: "Make no haste to swallow this pill; first prepare yourself with prayer and fasting for a year".  Houyi took the pill home and hid it under a rafter, while he began healing his spirit. While Houyi was healing his spirit, Houyi was summoned again by the emperor. Chang’e, noticing a white beam of light beckoning from the rafters, discovered the pill, which she swallowed. Immediately, she found that she could fly. At that moment, Houyi returned home, and, realizing what had happened, began to reprimand her. Chang’e flew out the window into the sky.

        With a bow in hand, Houyi sped after her, and the pursuit continued halfway across the heavens. Finally, Houyi had to return to the Earth because of the force of the wind. Chang’e reached the moon, and breathless, she coughed. Part of the pill fell out from her mouth. Now, the hare was already on the moon, and Chang’e commanded the animal to make another pill from it, so that she could return to earth to her husband.

        As of today, the hare is still pounding herbs, trying to make the pill. As for Houyi, he built himself a palace in the sun as "Yang" (the male principle), with Chang’e as "Yin" (the female principle). Once a year, on the 15th day of the full moon, Houyi visits his wife. That is why, that night, the moon is full and beautiful.

Connie’s Plans for Mid-Autumn Festival

         My custom for Mid-Autumn Festival has always been to give mooncake boxes to the administrators and English department staff at the school where I’m teaching.  This year, unfortunately, finds me in Chengdu during the holidays when school is not in session.  That leaves me  trying to find a substitute custom for this year:  Giving mooncakes to those I know in Chengdu.

       Yesterday evening’s visit to the grocery was a fortuitous venture as I hit the sales:  Buy 1 pound of mini-mooncakes, get the second pound free.  So along with everyone else, I was filling bags with mooncakes and having them weighed to receive my extra pound free.  I was loaded down with 8 pounds of mooncakes by the time I left, 4 bags each of 2 pounds. 

       Who will be the recipient of my mooncake gifts?

        First will be the pool staff at both the indoor pool and outdoor pools at Mengzhui Wan Aquatic Center.  As an avid swimmer, I have been a regular every day at both the indoor and outdoor pool this past month.  The staff keep both facilities extremely clean and never have a day off.  Even for Chinese New Year, the pools are always open.  The workers, always pleasant and quick to please, deserve a little something special for their family gathering  this evening so 1 bag each will be dropped off at the pools today for sharing with everyone.

       Next will be Dr. Q’s clinic, which I’ll be visiting tomorrow to hand over Kitty for his new life as clinic cat.  Although a day late, Dr. Q’s staff of 11 can still enjoy snacking on mooncakes during their down times in between caring for the small animals visiting.

      The last bag will be for Jalin’s family.  This evening, I’ll be spending time with them, eating mooncakes and pomelo while we watch TV programs celebrating the festival.

      There will be a few mooncakes held back for Xiao Hua (Little Flower) because this is her 8th birthday.  Although the festival day changes every year, it’s around this time Little Flower was born thus I always choose it as her birthday.  Little Flower will have her own individual mooncake and candle on top.  She will also be breaking her diet from our ongoing Diet Camp.  Everyone deserves to be spoiled on their birthday, Little Flower included.  She’ll be given a full mini-mooncake to enjoy, whatever flavor she wants, before the day’s end.

       Sad to say, we won’t be able to enjoy the full moon tonight along with our goodies.  The weather is not cooperating at all with dark, cloudy skies and rain.  That’s O.K.  Moon-sighting or no moon-sighting, I’m sure Little Flower and I will have a great Mid-Autumn Festival together, Kitty included.

        Here’s wishing you Ping An (peace) for your Moon Day and weekend! 

         

Posted in October 3rd: Mid-Autumn Festival in Chengdu | Leave a comment

A Former Student Visits: Diana the Accountant

Posted on September 30, 2009 by connieinasia
 
              Diana (Ding Yanbin) was one of my favorite students at Luzhou Vocational and Technical College.
              To begin with, she was the first student I met with her parent in tow.  I was hanging out at the English Department’s welcome table for new students when she arrived that first week.  Her sun-weathered, dark-skinned father, in his 60s, was with her.  She greeted me shyly by saying "Hello" and I was quick to praise her language ability, talking to her father in Chinese about her excellent pronunciation.  His face beamed and the two of them excitedly went off to find her dorm room.
 
A Blind Baby Adopted
 
             It wasn’t until later I learned Diana had been abandoned at birth due to her blind left eye. It’s noticably foggy and I’m sure for parents from the rural countryside, this was a frightening experience.  To have a girl child not in perfect health, maybe very well completely blind, was too much of a financial and emotional burden for them to take one.  She was placed on the street where a 50-year-old  unmarried farmer found her.  His kind heart went out to this little baby.  Despite being extremely poor, he adopted her and raised her as his own.  His own family (parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles) had died, leaving him alone in the world, except for this gift from God. 
             And a true gift it was.  Ding Yanbin, or Diana as she chose for her English name, proved to be quite the intelligent one.  She worked hard in school and managed to be matriculated into our Luzhou college as an English education major.  Her father saved and borrowed enough money for just one semester, about $350, which left somewhat of a dilemma as to how she’d pay for the rest of her schooling.
 
A Benefactor Appears
 
            Fortunately, someone in their smalltown area heard of her plight and sponsored her to continue her schooling.  The gentleman owned a business that sold cars and was hoping that Diana would come to work for him for a few years after her college education.  The problem was that he insisted she study accounting.  He needed accountants, not English majors. 
            Diana had already completed a semester of English courses and had her heart set on being a teacher.  When she learned that she would have to switch majors to accounting (something she isn’t really very good at), she was disappointed and disheartened.  Yet with someone else paying for her education, she was obligated to study what her benefactor suggested.
            Her determination to continue with her English studies, however, paid off.  She managed to convince the man helping her that she could do a double major, English and accounting, and still do well in both subjects.  He agreed and thus she graduated last May as an English language teacher and an accountant.
           At present, Diana is at her benefactor’s car dealership.  She works on the second floor. above the showroom, as one of the many sales girls who is in charge of the accounting department.  Diana’s job includes taking large sums of cash to the bank (car buyers pay in cash in China, not by check) preparing all documentation of car sales for both the buyer and seller, and applying for/completing certifications of car ownership needed for government and license approval.
 
Car Dealerships in China
 
            When Diana visited me for the afternoon on Saturday, I learned a lot from her about the car selling industry.  Her boss’ dealership sells only one brand, a Chinese car called Beijing Xian Dai.  This is a medium-priced vehicle in China, ranging from U.S. $11,000 to $21,000.   I assumed car buying would be down in China as it was in the States but according to Diana, the business is booming.  On average, their small dealership, located in a small town, is selling on average 100 cars a month.  Gracious!  I’m not even sure car dealorships in America did that well during a booming economy.  Most are filing for bankruptcy.
 
Enjoying Chengdu Time Together
 
                Diana and I had a lovely afternoon together at the Bookworm, the foreigner’s hang-out, where we talked, enjoyed iced coffee and giggled over possible boyfriends.  We even managed to walk Little Flower around Sichuan University before she departed on the last bus to her small town, 1 hour away from Chengdu.  It had been a wonderful visit together and one I hope we can do again in the future, on my next journey back to Chengdu.
 
            Tomorrow, it’s time to visit yet another student another, Ji Ke (Jason).  I’ll be traveling to his small village where a National Day of good food and family unity will be enjoyed. 
 
             I’m often asked by the Chinese why I like teaching here so much. Why don’t I go back to America, my home country? Don’t I miss my family and friends? 
             There are a number of reasons I prefer being in this country but the biggest has to do with people such as Diana, Jason, Jalin and her family, Dean Cathy:  They are my friends and family.  I don’t have to return to America for that.  I have it all right here!
 
            And on that final note, I’ll just say Ping An once again, peace, to all of you on this first day of October.
                 
            
Posted in A September in Chengdu | Leave a comment

Gearing Up For Celebrations: China’s National Day

Posted on September 28, 2009 by connieinasia
 
  National Day Holiday is Nearly Upon Us          
 
             October 1st, China’s National Day, is nearly upon us.
             On October 1st, 1949, the PRC was established.  This year marks the 60th anniversary of the country’s founding so you can imagine all the hoopla that’s been leading up to this coming Thursday.
             All around the city for the past week, banners have been waving high from government buildings, hotels, restaurants, department stores, schools and universities and so on. All proclaim warm wishes to the motherland for its 60th birthday.  Also taking a prominent place throughout Chengdu have been flags.  All shapes and sizes of the Chinese flag can be seen at every turn.  They hang from building tops, dangle from windows, flutter from car radio antennae, motorbikes and bicycles.  The weekend brought out the flag sellers, their 3-wheeled pedal bikes loaded with flags stuck into styrofoam, all for the patriotic passers-by.  They sold for 40 cents to a dollar, depending on the size you wanted.  I expect on the day itself, the flag sellers be out in grand numbers making a great profit for China’s 60th.
           Celebrations during the last 2 weeks have included grand concerts of Chinese folk dancing, famous singers, dramatic poetry readings, children’s patriotic performances, orchestra and choral numbers on a magnificent scale.
           Also included around Chengdu have been numerous singing contests, something like a Chinese Idol, where locals can take the stage and sing until the judges literally "gong" them out of the running for a prize.  Every evening in Jalin’s home, her father and I have been watching that day’s contestants.  The stage is outside in the open and anyone can stand in line to sing.  Those who sing for 60 seconds without the gong choose yellow balloons which are popped.  Inside are slips of paper with either "Thanks for participating" or a money amount.  Those who sing over 90 seconds pick from the blue balloons which have higher prize amounts inside, from $100 to 300.
           Granted, not many make it to the 90 seconds as most are pretty horrendous singers.  It doesn’t matter, however, as everyone has a good time (including the judges) and since the contests are all fore-runners to National Day, the holiday spirit is quite strong.  Whether you get gonged or not, everyone leaves smiling.
           The holidays for National Day run from Oct. 1 to Oct. 8, meaning that Jalin is free during those days.  We already have plans to visit Ji Ke (Jason) in his village on October 1st.  He’s invited some of his friends to join us and Jalin is considering bringing a classmate as well.  It will be a good opportunity for her to get outside of the city.  Living the life of a high school student is tiring and not at all pleasant.  I’m hoping this outing together with me will make the holiday a bit more special for her other than doing the tons of homework she’ll be assigned.
 
About The Chinese Flag
 
        I’m sure as you watch TV in the States, you’ll come across the Chinese flag during the National Day festivities that are covered on our news networks.  Here’s a little FYI about the flag itself.
       While there have been several Chinese national flags throughout history, today’s flag was introduced in 1949, when the People’s Republic of China was formed. China’s original flag, introduced in 1872, featured a blue dragon on a yellow background.  After the 1911 revolt, the flag changed to five different colored stripes.

         Today’s flag features five stars in the left-hand corner — one large star surrounded by four smaller stars — on a red background.  The red background is known as China’s traditional color and dates back to the Han Dynasty in 206 B.C., but also represents the Communist revolution.  The large star represents Communism, while the four smaller stars represent the Chinese people’s social classes.  These four classes are peasants, workers, petty bourgeoisie, and patriotic capitalists.  Also, the total number of stars adds up to five, which has always been an important number in Chinese philosophy.

 
Bits and Pieces:  News from The Week
 
Jalin’s Aerobic Competion
 
            One National Day activity which took place last Saturday morning dealt with Jalin.
            A month ago, Jalin was selected by her teacher to participate in an aerobics contest among local schools in her education district.  This was to promote health and well-being of young people as China entered its 60 years of existence.
            Jalin’s school had 3 teams of girls to enter while other schools chose from their students.  Saturday morning, the competition began in a small neighborhood square on an erected stage.  Jalin’s mom and I went to watch her performance and cheer her on.  There were 4 categories of student teams, from elementary to high school, and each team had an 8-9 minute routine to show the judges. 
            Despite the drizzle and the chilly weather, everyone did their best and no one slipped on the wet, slick stage.  Jalin’s team had a score of 8.4 out of 10. Not the best but certainly not the worst.
 
Mid-Autumn Festival Coming
 
              While October 1st marks China’s founding, October 3rd has us also celebrating another big day in China:  Mid-autumn Festival or Moon Festival.  
           This is a gathering of families together to watch the full moon rise, enjoy community time together and eat the many varieties of mooncakes available in China today.  Mooncakes consist of a pastry-like outside and a sweet filling inside.  The fillings run from traditional (red bean paste, pine nuts, hardboiled egg yokes, peanuts) to more modern style middles (chocolate, fruit jams, ice cream). 
          Every year, these mooncakes grow more ostentatious in their packaging, designs and flavors. They appear in every shop, department store, specialty sidewalk stalls, and grocery around the country.  In Chengdu, there is a monstrous selling hall filled with mooncakes from different Asian countries and regions.  Anyone can go to sample mooncakes from Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, and even Japan, then decide which they wish to buy for relatives or friends. 
         Tomorrow, I plan to visit this gigantic Mooncake Palace.  I’ll be sure to add pictures to this site when I’ve returned.
 
Kitty Updates
 
         Two weeks ago, a bleeding, wounded, crying, wet kitty landed in my hotel room. 
         Two weeks later, Kitty is enjoying the life of a full belly, comfy nesting spots atop pillows, crazy racing sessions around the room, stalking stints after Little Flower and shoulder perches on Connie while she watches T.V.  His wound has healed nicely, thanks to the anti-biotic spray, and while there’ll be a scar, it won’t be too big.
         As the days ticked downward to my October 5th departure, I was worrying about where Kitty would go.  After a visit to Dr. Qiu’s clinic this afternoon, however, all worries are gone.
         Little Flower’s vet, Dr. Q, said he’d be happy to have Kitty around as a clinic cat.  He has one already, a female which he spayed last year, so this will be his male addition.  Dr. Q will make sure his vaccinations are completed and he is fixed.  He’ll roam about freely, come and go as he wishes, and have a happy life among the staff and with Dr. Q. 
        And the greatest thing about this new home is that I’ll be able to check up on him during my visits to Chengdu in the future. 
        In the meantime, Kitty stays with me so I can enjoy our last days together.  I’m sure jealous Little Flower would rather he left immediately but she’ll have me all to herself soon enough.  For now, she can just put up with Kitty until I turn him over on Sunday.
 
          Until next time, here’s wishing all my Chinese readers a Happy National Day and Mid-autumn Festival!  And to all others, Ping An (Peace) for your week.
 
 Connie Wieck

             Guangxi Normal University for Nationalities
             125 Dushan Road
              Longzhou County, Chongzuo City
              Guangxi  532400
              P.R. of China
 
 
Posted in A September in Chengdu | Leave a comment

Another Lost Critter Finds Its Way To Connie

Posted on September 16, 2009 by connieinasia
 
               What is it about little lost critters and Connie?
               From  5-day old stray kitty, Xiao Gui-gui (Little Ghost), to jawless, toothless Chihuahua, Xiao Lao-lao (Little Old), it just seems these pitiful souls land themselves directly in my pathway for a reason — they know I can’t pass them up.
               So it goes for another small find 4 days ago. 
              After a horrendous lightening, thunder and rainstorm the entire Friday night, Little Flower and I made our way out of the hotel for our usual morning outing along the sidewalks of Chengdu.  The temperatures had dropped considerably from 88 degrees the day before to 65.  Literally, everything was drenched with leaves and twigs scattered in all directions.  And by "everything," I also include the tiny, mewing figure huddled against a closed storefront which greeted us within 5 feet of the hotel entrance.
              Here was a black and white kitten, about 5 weeks old, looking a bit like a drowned rat due to being soaked in rainwater.  He was very scared and cold, shivering and looking about for Mom.
              "Pass him by," my practical, inner-self said.  "He’s old enough to fend for himself.  You can’t be responsible for a kitty when you’re leaving in another 3 weeks."
              But  he could use some shelter so I made sure he scurried himself into a quiet, shrub-covered cubbyhole alongside the building.  At least he wouldn’t get hit by a car if he wandered off and also have some shelter when the rains started up again.
              Off Little Flower and I went on our walk.  I was determined not to give it another thought and I’m sure LF was determined not to have another visitor to take away her Number One presence in my life.
              Yet 5 hours later, the kitty was still mewing.  I had to check up on him, despite saying I wouldn’t.  He was just too pathetic to leave in the muck, where he had positioned himself under a wet bush.  Off he came to the hotel room for a bath, which revealed a deep gash under one front leg.  It did not smell too good, either.
              This kitty, obviously, needed tending to.  Aside from being hungry and cold, medical assistance was a definite must. 
              So once again, it was Connie to the rescue of yet another one of God’s helpless creatures.
              Five days later, our little kitty is racing about the hotel room, cuddling up for naps on my lap and stalking about the room a very wary (and jealous) Little Flower.   He uses his litter box like a pro and eats like a horse. Talk about a huge belly!
               A visit to a new veterinarian clinic, Harmonious Animal Hospital, has our kitty on antibiotic sprays for his wound.  It’s already healing quite nicely although the area looks nasty, especially after the vet shaved off the surrounding fur so she could take a better look at what we were dealing with.
               Unfortunately, he’s too little for vaccinations yet.  The vet believes he’s about 6 weeks, which leaves him 2 weeks shy of receiving immunizations. 
              I’ve already been emailing friends in the area about a home.  My first thought was Jason, Ji Ke, who was a former student of mine.  His sister was in need of a heart procedure a year ago and I was thankful to have enough money to help out the family with the operation.  Jason’s parents live in the countryside in a small village which is very near Chengdu.  A countryside home for a male kitty would be a great place.  He can wander to heart’s content, especially when the adolescent and adult stages hit with full sexual driving force. Nothing like a strong Tom given full run of the chicken coop! 
             After a phonecall to Jason, who then talked to his parents, Kitty definitely has a home with them.
             Or there are Luzhou city folk as well.  My good friends there would most likely give this little guy a very cushy life, free from fleas and diseases.  I know they’d make sure yearly vaccinations were in order.  In Jason’s home, Kitty will probably remain susceptable to all the feline killers that come with not getting vaccinated.  No immunizations are just the way it goes for farm cats here.
             Thus in the Chinese countryside, it would be a life of free roaming with not much human care given to what happens to him.  In the Chinese city, it would be a lot of love, safety and comfort for the rest of his life.
             We just have to see how it plays out and who is the most willing to take in our little kitty.  In the meantime, he will continue to stay with me and Little Flower in the hotel room.   
             He’ll heal.  He’ll plump up. He’ll scamper about.  
             Hopefully, I can get in one round of vaccinations before he goes to a new home and I leave for Guangxi.  One round is better than none.  And, hopefully, I’ll find him  the perfect home before October 5 sends me, along with Little Flower, off to Longzhou to begin the school year.
 
             Wish me luck, and here’s Ping An (peace) added for your day.
            
             
            
              
            
Posted in A September in Chengdu | Leave a comment

Connie’s New Address in Guangxi!

Posted on September 11, 2009 by connieinasia
 
             I’ve received quite a few notes asking what is my new address in Guangxi.  Many of you have expressed a desire to send things on my wish list but have had no place as yet to send them. 
             Here you are, and I’ll be sure to include the address in every blog entry just in case you can’t find it easily enough.
 
           Connie Wieck
             Guangxi Normal University for Nationalities
             125 Dushan Road
              Longzhou County, Chongzuo City
              Guangxi  532400
              P.R. of China
 
           As a reminder, I am helping add books to an English Language Center, located on the 7th floor of the library building I’ve been told.  I’m also a big fan of educational encouragement stickers (Good, well-done, excellent), which cannot be found anywhere in China.  I use these as rewards on essays, prizes, gifts to teachers I visit in grade school, and as a free-for-all for my Chinese English teacher colleagues.  By sharing with my colleagues, I am no longer considered the high and mighty foreigner who has all the goodies to distribute.  Your sticker gifts help me work in partnership with my Chinese co-workers, not in competition with them.   I consider this one of the best contributions you could make to my work as a teacher and a Christian here in China so send as many as you want!
          I’ve also been starting up my collection of Christmas holiday pencils to give to each student in December for our Christmas festivities.  I usually need around 400 of these.  They should be seasonal, meaning sayings such as "Merry Christmas" on them or decorated with snowflakes, Christmas trees, snowmen and so forth.  The glittery ones are usually the most coveted.  Such pencils are usually sold in bulk at educational stores or have to be ordered via educational on-line companies.  
 
         If you need some suggestions, have questions or comments, just email!   I’m always eager and grateful to help you out, especially as I’m the recipient of all the cool goodies you always send my way.
 
         Thank you for thinking of me and, as always, Ping An (peace)!
 
Posted in A September in Chengdu | Leave a comment

Chengdu News: Auspicious Weddings and Diet Camp

Posted on September 8, 2009 by connieinasia
 
              It’s the second week of my return to Chengdu as I wait out the start of my school year in Longzhou on October 9.
             As always, my evenings have been spent with the Yang family, my former neighbors when I studied Chinese here for 1 year at Sichuan University.  Jalin, the daughter, just turned 16 and is likewise in her second week of starting high school.  I was so looking forward to spending more time with her but, alas, her junior high years of carefree studies have come to an end.
             Jalin leaves for high school at 7:10 a.m. and doesn’t return until 8:30 p.m., her last class of the day ending at 8 in the evening.  This is the life of a high schooler in China, Monday to Saturday.  Already, Jalin has signed up for Sunday courses in the morning at a cram school to improve her chemistry and math skills.  We are meeting up but usually at 10:30 p.m., after she’s finally finished the last of her homework for the night.  
            In the earlier part of the evening, her mom, dad and I sit down to dinner where Jalin’s mom has always prepared great homecooked meals which I’m  invited to.  Then it’s an hour of watching the Channel 5 Chengdu news where I catch up on what’s going on in the city. 
 
Auspicious Weddings:  Triple 9 Day is Here!  Good Luck . . .
 
           This evening, Jalin’s father introduced me to the big news which seems to be filling not only the TV channels but the newspapers as well. 
           Wedding banquets and celebrations are a big deal in China, usually taking place during national holidays or weekends so lots of guests can attend. Choosing the right date is likewise important.  Eights, for example, are considered lucky numbers because they sound similar to the Chinese word which means treasure or riches.   So unless the dates are really special, it’s unusual to have weddings in the middle of a week but tomorrow seems to be an exception for some.
     September 9, 2009 (9-9-9) has been touted as being a good day for marriage.  The number 9 sounds like and is symbolic of "a long time"  and "forever"  in Mandarin Chinese, naturally meaning your marriage, and love, will last into eternity.
           On  the news, various couples in Chengdu were getting their licenses at the city’s government marriage office.  Jalin’s dad likewise told me tomorrow would be a good day for snapping wedding pictures.  Western style white satin gowned brides with their grooms standing outside restaurant doors will begin greeting guests for noontime banquets.   Cars bedecked with roses in the shape of huge hearts  and huge white bows will  also be parading throughout the city, the lead vehicle holding the happy couple within as they are whisked about to and from their celebrations.
 
. . . Or Bad Luck?
 
          But other young couples are more hesitant about celebrating their special day on the triple 9 date.
          August 20 to September 16 is regarded as the Hungry Ghost Festival among many Chinese communities in China, Singapore and Taiwan.
          According to  folklore, the gates of hell are opened during this month to free the hungry ghosts who wander the earth in search of food.  The Chinese remember their dead family members during this time and pay tribute to them in various ways.  One of these is to offer food to the dead to ward off bad luck.  Fruit, cakes and canned drinks (coke, sprite, beer) are often seen during this time presented at the altars of temples or at the gravesites of relatives.   Fake paper money is also burned and joss sticks as well outside of the house, in the yard or along the sidewalk in front of apartment buildings or home owners’ doorways. The paper money is to be used by deceased  relatives in heaven so they can buy whatever they want in the after-life. 
            (Well-stocked department stores and shops manned by angelic sellers?  One does wonder if the phrase "I’m in shoppers’ heaven!" actually comes from the Chinese.)
         Also by the superstitious, it’s not a wise idea to go swimming during these hungry ghost days.  An evil spirit might very well drag you under water and cause you to drowned.
         But from my daily jaunts to the swimming pool here in Chengdu, I find city folk might take their supersitions a little less seriously than those in other parts of China.  In our 90-degree heat and steamy atmosphere, I noticed Sunday had our crowds just as busy splashing about in the cool waters of the Meng Zhui Wan Swimming Complex  as  during the summer months when school wasn’t in session.
 
Wait and See!
 
         I guess the only way to find out if tomorrow’s Triple 9 will hold in Chengdu as a great day for a wedding celebration is to wait and find out.  
        I’m already juicing up my rechargeable batteries for my digital camera as we speak.  I’m not about to miss out on a great photo opportunity when it comes to weddings in China.  The brides go all-out in their poofy, glitterly, princess-like garments and look gorgeous having such  slim and slender figures.
        Very few crash bridal diets in China for our Sichuan gals.  They’re already quite fit and trim, which is a far cry from Americans and other Westerners, that’s for sure.
 
Diet Camp for One Chinese Gal
 
         Not all Sichuan girls are in such great shape, I must admit. 
       After 6 weeks with her babysitter, Mrs. He, Little Flower’s pretty little figure has gone to the dogs.  Hotdog pieces, meaty bones, and heaping bowls of rice gruel topped with leftover dinner scraps have taken their toll.  Although my strict instructions on food portions for LF (1/4 cup of dry food only   2 times daily) are fully understood, Mrs. He can’t help but spoil my dog by feeding her the same as she does her  own overweight poodle.
       Both dogs end up getting 3 meals a day (Chinese are very particular about their hearty 3 meals a day and insist pets should get the same).  Both dogs end up getting tidbits of extra goodies.  And both dogs also receive their dry food on top of everything else.  
           All this  and no exercise made for a very fat  Flower when I returned to pick her up 2 weeks ago.
         Her 8.8 pound figure had ballooned up to 10.1 pounds.  Not a lot on a person but definitely noticable on a little Chihuahua.
         Thus for the past 2 weeks, Little Flower has been participating in Connie’s Diet Camp.  No snacks and a lot of walks around the city streets and the nearby Sichuan University campus  are trimming her slowly back down to her normal size.  Yesterday’s weigh-in had her at 9.8 on the scales, which is a great achievement in my books.
         When we land at our new home in Longzhou a month from now, I want her looking her best to greet neighbors, students and faculty. 
Same goes for me so that’s why I swim every day, Hungry Ghost Festival or not.
 
       And on that last note, I close off for now wishing you Ping An (Peace) for your day!
 
        
 
Posted in A September in Chengdu | Leave a comment

My New Home: “She Arrives!”

Posted on August 24, 2009 by connieinasia

 

            From the Nanning airport, I looked in amazement out the window of the delightfully air-conditioned school van.

            The vehicle swerved, swayed, and wove its way through  vast sugar cane fields and low-lying rice paddies, all nestled between jagged mountain peaks that exploded skyward over the flat landscape.

            Bright blue skies with mushrooming cumulous clouds perched themselves over our heads.

            Tiny villages with water buffalos tied to brick homes popped up at every turn.

            This was Guangxi Province, my new home.

 

Beginnings of a New Adventure in China

 

            Already, 6 days have passed since I arrived at Guangxi Normal University for Nationalities, located in the small town of Longzhou (long – joe), whose population includes just 1 foreigner, me.

            Since school hasn’t started yet, the campus has remained quiet and empty aside from the many faculty families living here.   Teachers and administrators likewise are not in offices quite yet, still enjoying their last days of summer vacation before entering a new semester.  This has allowed me plenty of time to unpack over 60 boxes and try my best to find places to put everything, which certainly hasn’t been a problem.

            My apartment on the 3rd floor of the faculty building No. 6 is spacious and huge. I have 2 bedrooms, 2 office rooms, a large sitting room, 2 restrooms (one with western sit-down toilet, one with Asian squat style), a tidy little kitchen and a balcony area for hanging out clothes to dry.

            Everything was thoroughly cleaned before I arrived and all the equipment checked out to make sure it was working.  Never have I received such a great welcome in China before, where new residents to apartments are usually confronted by a filthy mess.  It’s the custom that the new occupants clean things themselves and the old ones don’t bother as they no longer are living there.

           

The Sizzling Heat:  Adapting To a New Daytime Schedule

 

            As is usual in China, one bedroom is equipped with an air-conditioning unit for comfortable sleeping purposes.   The rest of my large dwelling, however, is left to the mercy of the stifling heat.

            And this place is hot.

            The sun is wicked and sizzles the skin in just a matter of seconds as soon as you step into it.  Umbrellas are the savior of all here.  We carry them everywhere.  These shield us from burning rays, but they don’t protect us from the intense heat wafting up and around us from the concrete pavements. 

            In this climate, grandparents and parents are out early around campus with the children.  Since school has not yet begun, the excited cries of kids playing in the park in front of my apartment are a constant.  Everyone sits under shady trees to chat, especially the tiny elderly whose wrinkled, weathered skin show the damage of years of living in this region.

            Noontime to 4 p.m., the unbearably hottest times of the day,  people remain indoors.  There’s not a single soul outside on the school grounds.  The streets of the Longzhou are likewise quite empty as people hide within, not yet venturing out until evening.  Things again start to bustle after dinner, around 6:30 p.m., and then its more adult visiting and playtime for the kids.   This might go on until 11:30 p.m. when everyone calls it quits for the night.

            When our school year begins, the first class is at 7:40 a.m., giving us 5 class periods of 40 minutes each which end at 11:40.  There is an 11:40 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. siesta before we’ll start up again at 2:40 to 5:00.  Evening classes take over at 7 p.m. and close off by 9 p.m.  

            All of this is quite new to me.

            I’m not used to a schedule built soley around the weather but I certainly am grateful for it.  Teaching in classrooms with ceiling fans swirling around oppressive, sticky air wouldn’t be much fun if we had to endure it all during the hottest hours of the day.

 

The Small Place Where I Live:  Understanding The Divisions of Government in China

 

            To understand a little about where I am, it’s important to understand the division of government levels in China.

            There are basically 5 levels of administrative hierarchy in China:  provinces (like our US States), prefectures (government level between a province and a county), counties (like our own state counties), townships and villages.  

            Under the division of “county”, there are a number of levels as well:  autonomous counties (those with ethnic minorities, of which China has 56 different ethnic groups), county-level cities, districts (subdivisions of urban areas), banners and autonomous banners (same as counties except the name is different).

            In Sichuan, I lived in Luzhou county with the city Luzhou (3 million) being the government county seat.  It’s what is called a prefecture-level city. 

            In Guangxi, I live in Longzhou (long-joe) county (270,000) with the town of Longzhou (maybe 50,000?) being a county-level city only.  Mostly, that means it’s much smaller, with no government level offices that are authorized to perform government duties, such as hearing court cases, export-import business documents, visas for Chinese travelers going abroad, work visas for visiting foreigners, and so forth.

            To do any of those kind of transactions, you have to go to the prefecture-level city Chongzuo, 1 ½ hours away.

 

Exploring Longzhou

 

            I arrived in Longzhou from the airport, a 3-hour drive away, and was whisked into my apartment quite late, at 8 p.m. I had no time to see Longzhou, even on Monday when I was driven to Chongzuo to register for my work visa.

             My waiban, Mr. Luo (the foreign affairs director of our school) and two young Chinese teachers (Millie and Kate) accompanied me.

            That left little time upon my return to do much of anything except begin to unpack, which I’ve been doing continuously for 3 days.  (That and sweating away in this sweltering heat.)

            Finally, the last box taken care of, I ventured out into the town for more than just a quick stop at the grocery store.

            Last Thursday led me on an exploratory journey outside the school’s back gate during the 11:30 rush hour of bicycles, a few cars and 3-wheeled taxi motorcades.  Here I found rows upon rows of fruit sellers under their canopied stands.  What exotic fruit greeted my eyes!  

            With us being so close to the border of Vietnam, only 1 hour away, you can imagine all the different kinds of south-Asian citrus displayed by sellers.  Half of the produce offered I’d never seen before. I’m just wondering if they even have English names.

             I’m sure when school is in session, the fruit sellers do a great business from students.

            This road also hugs the famous Li River, which is a part of the Guilin River to the east of us.  The Li River zigzags through a multitude of Guangxi hills for over 50 miles and passes hundreds of towns such as Longzhou. 

            Its muddy waters are doted by sampans and low-riding barges.  The tall, steep cliffs make for quite a picturesque view as boat owners cruise by. 

            Also quite majestic is the town’s stone bridge  which crosses the Li.  The locals call it Da Qiao, or Big Bridge.   Built in the early 1960’s by the back-breaking labor of thousands, this bridge gave greater access to those from the distant farmlands into the town.  It also helped supply local merchants with more goods and services from bigger cities.

 

The Town Itself:  A Visit To The Market

 

            Longzhou is small. 

            One can walk from one side to another in about 20 minutes at a fast clip. 

            Beyond the town limits, you’ll find more sugarcane fields, rice paddies and mountains. 

            In the town, the center boasts the Longzhou Hotel, the fanciest one we’ve got.                          

            Buzz the gut and you’ll pass numerous family-run shops:  stationery, cakes and breads, small and large household appliances, cellphones, traditional herbal medicines, common people’s restaurants, and so forth.

            If you’d like to buy everything in one place, like we do at our U.S. Walmart or K-mart stores, then it’s best to visit the largest indoor supermarket.  There are 2 floors, one with food items and one with personal supplies and household goods. 

            There are 2 other such indoor supermarkets that offer similar things but they are much smaller.

            Buying fresh, decent produce and meat, however, is best done in the town’s covered open market.  Like many such concrete building markets in China, Longzhou’s market brings in sellers from all over. 

           Freshly slaughtered animals give buyers choice cuts  of beef, chicken, pork and duck.  All these are displayed openly on concrete slab tables.

            Flies abound so it’s best to purchase your meat early morning.

            Seafood is yet another section of the market, along with vegetables and fruit.

            On my walk-through Thursday, I found what normally I’d see in Sichuan except for one very odd item.

            Squatting low to the ground, 2 women and a child were opening up cocoons and depositing fat, wiggling grubs onto a canvas sheet.  The green caterpillars squirmed and writhed in the heap they were tossed onto.

            After conversing with the women, I learned can jian (as they are called in Chinese) are a favorite with the children. They are stir-fried and eaten as a snack. 

            “Hao chi!  Hao chi! (Good eats!  Good eats!)” the women grinned, trying to entice me to buy.

            Later, I was told by a new teaching colleague that their soft, pudgy bodies make for a squishy, delicious meal.

            Maybe so for the Longzhou crowd but as for me, I’ll pass.

 

Getting An Extended Summer Vacation:  October 9th Starting Date

 

            The complicated make-up of Guangxi University for Nationalities will take a while to explain.  I’d leave it for later but since it has to do with my start to teaching on October 9, I’d better spell it out now.

             There are 3 campuses to this school.  

             One is here in Longzhou (the original campus), one is in Chongzuo city (1 ½ hours away) and one is outside of Chongzuo city in the middle of  nowhere, literally on the vacant plains without a  village, shop or bus stop in sight.

             The middle-of-nowhere campus is currently under construction.  Officials are determined it will be ready to go by October 9, which is after the 1-week National Day holidays, but I have my doubts. We passed it on my way to the government offices to get my visa.  The entire place is a muddy mess, with no walkways, sidewalks or roads yet, and the buildings are covered in scaffolding.  It’ll be a miracle to have it done in 6 months much less 6 weeks but one never knows in this country of incredibly speedy, seemingly “overnight” constructed buildings.

            Because all 1st year students in China must have military training for a month, and because the new campus is yet to be completed, our freshmen are all coming here to Longzhou to do their mandatory marching, drilling, unity-bonding course. 

            There’s not enough dormitory space for the 2nd and 3rd year students if the freshmen are here so we have a delay of starting classes until October 9, after the National Day holidays.

              By that time, the 1st year students assigned to the new campus will be moved to their school and all of our Longzhou students will be able to return to begin their fall semester..

            In other words, I now have an extended vacation of an extra 6 weeks.

 

Until October 9

 

            After the Amity Teachers’ Summer Conference in Nanjing is finished on Aug. 26th, I’ll be returning to Chengdu to hang out with friends for awhile.  Then, with Little Flower, I’ll eventually make my way back to Guangxi by the end of September to gear up for my new teaching position here.

            It’s somewhat disappointing not to be able to teach immediately but this does give me yet more time to say my goodbyes to my Sichuan friends. 

I’m guessing by October 9th, I’ll be more than ready to start fresh in a place of such beauty and interest here in Guangxi Province.

            As always, stay tuned for updates!  


            From Guangxi, here’s my first (and certainly not the last) Ping An  (peace) sent your way.  

           

             

           

 

 

           

           

Posted in Tiny Town on the Li River | Leave a comment

A New Adventure About To Begin!

Posted on August 15, 2009 by connieinasia
 
              Tomorrow, a new adventure in China is about to begin for me.
              At 12:30, at the Nanning airport, my colleague from Longzhou will be greeting me and seeing me off in the school van to my new placement, a 3-hour drive from the big city. 
              I’ve already been back in China for over a week, first in Chengdu and then a return to Luzhou to say a few final farewells. 
              I was truly taken back when I walked through our quiet campus, still absent of all student life, to find a new 7-story dormitory had gone up in just 7 weeks.  Luzhou Vocational and Technical College was in great need of more housing for students so this is really a blessing.          
             The office spaces of 2 years ago that were being used for dormitory rooms last year were likewise under renovation.  The workers were creating walls and making smaller rooms while I was there. 
              In the English departmental office, everyone was busy at work getting ready for the new arrivals on the 20th.  I heard 130 spaces were open for our English major freshmen but 200 had been accepted.  In these small colleges, no one is turned away as more students mean more tuition money.  Our poor English teachers will be once again overwhelmed and have overloaded schedules.  There will be no foreign teacher to help them out, either. 
               Recruiting for small schools in non-capital city areas is always a problem.  Whether Chinese or foreigner, no one wants to go due to low pay and "out there" locations.  I’ve been trying to help them out for possible foreign teachers by announcing in EFL professional websites but still no takers, I’m afraid. 
              The music department, through the gossip grapevine, has greater woes.  Last year, 30 music students were enrolled but this year, only 4.  The administrators are now scrambling to figure out what to do with them.  Most likely, there will be some mergers between departments to take care of the 4 who are here. 
              While in Luzhou, I enjoyed swimming in our park’s outdoor pool and meeting new employees I’d never met before.  Despite the hot and muggy weather, when August hits, the number of swimmers always decreases.  I noticed this happens in America as well.  The kids start to think about school and the desire to do recreational activities starts to diminish. However,  I did have a small following of children at the pool who wanted to learn how to swim. 
              For 4 days, after I finished my own work-out, I joined them in the shallow end where we had some time together.  As I instructed the boys and girls how to breath and properly use their arms, their moms walked alongside the pool and shouted instructions.
            "Listen to the foreign teacher!"
            "Do like she says.  Don’t turn your head so much!"
            "Stretch out your arms!  Watch Teacher!"
            How very familiar was that experience.  I still remember years ago, when teaching swimming in my hometown pool, how the parents were likewise encouraging their own kids from alongside the pool in a similar manner. 
            It must be some kind of universal.
            Little Flower and I arrived back in Chengdu on Friday and she will be sent off to her babysitter’s home this evening.  I’ll then go to Guangxi on my own to settle into my flat, have my working visa processed and explore the town. 
          The Amity Nanjing conference, from Aug. 23 – 26,  is my next trip from Guangxi.  After that, I’ll return to pick up LF in Chengdu for our journey via plane to my new placement.
           I’m hoping to eventually have Internet hook-up in my new home but it might be awhile. 
           For now, I wish you all a great weekend.  I know mine will certainly be a special one.  New school.  New friends.  New surroundings. 
          Now that’s definitely the start of an exciting adventure in China!
   
         Here’s Ping An (peace) coming your way, as always.
 
  
Posted in Return to China | Leave a comment

The Summer Visit Ends

Posted on August 5, 2009 by connieinasia
 

                It was a great 3 weeks back in my hometown, visiting with friends, family and settling Lao-lao into his new home with my parents.

               I especially enjoy summertime in my small town due to the summer band concerts on Friday evening and the many gorgeous yards that are so painstakingly cared for by our loving gardeners.  This also includes my mother, whose old-fashioned array of tall grasses, carefully placed flowers and forever-blooming specialties keep the back yard looking spry and chipper all the way into fall.

            Her only sore spot (and the sore spot of others as well) are the Japanese beetles, who tend to attack with a vengeance.  She was out there numerous times each day, flicking the little metallic-colored winged beasties into empty yogurt cups filled with water.  

            Every gardener has his or her own way of dealing with these invaders from Japan.  Drowning is one but another might work just as well. 

            Years ago, inspired by my fascination of Gypsies, I came up with a beetle curse.  Circling the yard in the early spring and throughout the summer, my mother and I were once known to chant away our sing-song warning in the hopes of hexing those  who dared stray into our midst.  Now, it’s my mom who takes on this task. 

            Does it work? 

           Well, each time it’s used, my mom swears there aren’t as many beetles around as the year before.

            For those who wish to try it, be my guest!  (It’s a bit graphic and violent for PG viewing.  You might want to steer clear of more youthful ears when you use it.)

 

The Japanese Beetle Curse

By Connie Wieck

 

Curses, curses, beetle hoards.
Suppress your sex drives,

Sin no more!
Caste your lust looks hither, yon

On neighbors’ roses and beyond.

 

Curses, curses.  Heed my cry.

 Pass by this garden, lest you die!

Armed with hoses, rakes and sprays

We’ll win this battle and end your days.

 

Curses, curses, beetle bands.

Watch your backs for vengeful hands.

This warning comes from very near

With one clear message:

Don’t appear.

 

 

            From China, here’s wishing you a lovely August, full of cool breezes and less beetle chewings. 

            Be looking for news from my new placement in Guangxi, Little Flower adventures and updates about Lao-lao’s adjustments to family life without me.

 

            Ping An (Peace), everyone!

              

 

              

 

Posted in Visit To The States | Leave a comment