johndeere

My Friend, Hope

As readers probably have noticed, I haven't been writing much of anything, lately. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because, I have been busy teaching some classes, lately. Maybe it's lack of interest on my part or just being lazy. Or maybe it just comes down to spending too much time on Facebook. Or it could just be because of my more sedate life style that I just don't have much to write about. Maybe I should just do something more exciting than teaching boring accounting and English communication classes. 

With that being said, I think that I will revert back to writing about my experiences in China, which I still think about often. I have been able to keep in contact with some of my former students, some of which have become good friends. I still get some requests to help them write essays or personal statements for visa applications, etc., which I try to help them with.

I recently received an email from Yang qi (her English name is Hope) Hope is an English/Politics double major, and is a junior this year. She is very tall for a Chinese girl,(about my height), and a little self concious about it. She recently served as a volunteer guide in the National Games in Jinan, which was a major sporting event (like a mini-olympics) in China. Following are some remarks that she sent and some photos of herself:  

  Dear Mr.JUDD,
   I just finished my work as the volunteer in the National Games.I work as the guide to  guide the athletes of one association in the opening ceremony~ In my delegacy , most of them are technologists who design the airplane for the country.So you can see that "Aero Association" is printed on board.The tall man in the fifth picture is the famous basketball player Zhu Fangyu .The tall boys in the last two pictures are the basketball players in ShanDong delegacy.I like to take pictures with tall boys ,haha~ Just introduce briefly,it's near midnight~ We all miss you and care about your life in recent days . Remeber bring us happy news soon,looking forward for your letters~
  Best wishes to you and your family~
 
Yours,
   Hope

     

Missing China

I have been back home from China for quite some time now, and I often think about my former students, and the great experiences that I had with them. I have become good friends with many of them and try my best to stay in contact with them. When I left, there were many sad goodbyes said, tears shed, along with hugs and handshakes. Some of them wrote some very emotional letters to me, which I will always treasure. I will, in future blog entries, include some of these letters. Following is a letter from Frank (Wang Yon song), who was in one of my sophomore Oral English classes.  He was a very good student and a good friend. This is what he wrote (in his words): 

"What have I learnt from Oral English Course?

    The final exam is coming and our oral English course will end. In todays journal, I think it is necessary to summarize what I have learnt from our oral English course. 

     Our oral English teacher is an American gentleman. At the beginning of every class, he will write the idiom and the quote on the blackboard. I like these sentences very much, because I have learnt of life, such as, "wealth, fame, power, beauty ? No, it's character, and loving service that matter most". and "the decisions we make will determine the course of our lives and the makeup of our character." Mr Judd told us how we should live and how we could live better, and I'm happy; I got it.

      There are two things that Mr Judd impressed me most. The first thing is that this term before class we had to go to the school office for a meeting. Almost every time I was late, but Mr Judd never criticized me and always smiled when I entered the classroom. Though it is a little thing, I have learnt how to treat others. Now when I'm writing down the journal, I feel moved. I want to say "Thank you, Mr Judd!"  

     The second thing is a communication between Mr Judd and me. One day, I asked Mr Judd "have you ever heard of the Nan king massacre?" Mr Judd said "yes, I have heard about it and I agree with you that it was, indeed, a massacre."  When I heard the answer, frankly speaking, I felt a little surprised. I didn't think an American would know about this fact, but Mr Judd changed my mind by his answer. In my opinion, it is a support for Chinese and we should let more foreign friends know the facts about what happened in China 70 years ago. 

     I like Mr Judd, a friendly American, a former Air Force soldier, and our oral English teacher. 

     This term, I not only improved my oral English, but also I have learnt more important things."  

I think I might have made a small difference in his life. I know that he and others like him made a big  difference in my life. That is why I am missing not just China, but friends like Frank. 

            

Grand Teton National Park

We also had the opportunity to spend some time in Grand Teton National Park last summer. I think it is one of my favorite National Parks in terms of sheer scenic beauty, particularly the Teton mountains, Jenny and Jackson Lakes, the Snake River and the forests. I was putting my new camera to the test here on the shore of Jenny Lake.

 
     

 

    
 
 

Yellowstone Park

         We had the opportunity to spend some time in Yellowstone National Park recently. Yellowstone has always been one of my favorite National Parks, right up there with Grand Teton, Glacier, and Yosemite. Each of these parks have their own individual unique characteristics. I especially like Yellowstone for Old Faithful, the many hot springs, waterfalls, rivers and rugged scenic beauty.        

My Friend, Pomelo

One day I was walking on the Shadnong U campus, and this student approached me, and started asking me questions. She asked me if I was a teacher, where I was from and a few other questions. This is not unusual. Many students would approach us westeners just for a chance to speak English to someone. She told me that her English  name was Pomelo (a fruit similar to a grapefruit that grows in China). She became quite  excited when I told her that I was a retired accountant, because that was her major. We kept in touch, and following is a recent email that I recieved from her. She won't mind if I share it with others. I thought it was interesting, because she  portrays some of the challenges and ordeals that the average university student in China has to deal with.  I sent her some photos, which she comments about. I like her comment; "Life is a mix of hope, success and difficulties."   She wants to study abroad in America, but as she says, that's out of the question, at least for now. Anyway, this is what she wrote:

Hi Duane!

I am so sorry to write you so late since these days I have been through a lot. I have moved to another campus. The dorm is so bad that I can't get access to the Internet. So I have to send you an email during my working time. Yeah, last month I went to my finance class and had an exam. This month, I am doing my internship. Now I am working at a company selling and producing auto-control system. It is a second- industry company, i.e.we don't consume the products in our daily life but it is widely used in some plants and factories. Last week, I had finished a program about sewage treatment works.I do learn a lot from this job. But a little tired. I have to get up at 6:30 am and crowd into a bus. I have spend nearly 12 hours in the job. When I get off from work, I am totally worn out. …It is the first time that I do a job. I know American guys start working at an early age. The feelings when working are complicated. Sometimes I feel tired but sometimes I have a sense of achievement. Life is a mix of hope, success and difficulties. I love challenges!~

Your granddaughter is so lovely. From the name of photos I guess your granddaughter's family name is Ou Yang. It is a "double family name" in China and special. My Chinese family name is You, only one word. Haha. Ou Yang is like a "Swordsman" 's name. So I think your granddaughter will have a strong will.

From the pictures I think it is not so hot as Jinan. The sky is so blue and I smell  a kind of nature flavor from the photos. I love living in the suburb or countryside. Your family must have a wonderful life in your hometown. Your grandchildren are so adorable. If they like, they can email to me if they are interest in China.I think my cousins would like to make friends with them too!

One month later, I am going to Taiwan for one sem. I am afraid that I can't go to America next year. Because the program fee is so high that no matter how hard I work I can't save enough. So I decide to give up. I think there will be more oportunities to go to U.S. But we will sure meet each other sooner or later.

Best wishes to your families, your grandchildrens and you!~

Pomelo

Stanley Idaho

I recently purchased a Nikon D40 camera, in hopes of improving my photography skills. I put it to work on a recent trip to Stanley and the surrounding area. I haven't gotten past using the "automatic" mode yet, because I'm just concentrating on composing what I hope are a few good photos. These photos aren't as good as I had hoped they would be, but after some editing, they turned out not too bad. I was just trying to capture the scenic beauty of Redfish Lake, The Sawtooth Mountains, and the Salmon River.   

Happy Graduates

  Along about the first part of June we observed hundreds of graduates in their caps and gowns, wandering about the Shandong University campus. They were in their class groups and all looked happy and proud. They were usually just hanging out and taking lots of photos of each other. Sometimes they would hand us a camera and ask us to take their photos. and occasionally would ask us to be in the photos. In Chinese universities, they typically don't have any graduation exercises or convocations. They just rent their caps and gowns for a few days for purposes of recognition and to take photos.  

Here are some photos of Tina and her classmates. I taught Business English to this class of business  majors.They were very bright students; considered the best of the best. Still, some of them were very worried about finding jobs in the difficult Chinese job market. Others were concerned about passing the exams for graduate study. The last I heard, only 3 or 4 of them had found jobs. But they were mostly optimistic about their futures.

   

Some Insights of Life

This is a journal entry written by one of my students. She is very intelligent and one who I would consider a deep thinker. She wrote this very thought provoking and philosophical article about the essence of life and religion, etc. She is also an excellent writer; pretty impressive for a 21 year old university student written in a second language. Here is her (unedited) story:

     "Sometimes I like to spend hours and hours thinking about the essence of life. Actually, I don't always get the answer. Maybe it is just my mind wandering around, giving me a short break from my busy life. Though there is no clear answer after my hard thinking, I still enjoy it a lot. 

      Here I want to share some of my reflection on the essence of life with my dear teacher Judd.

      Why are we here? Do we serve a greater purpose beyond the pleasure and satisfaction we get from our daily activities? Maybe from internal perspective, it is the satisfaction and happiness we gain from our activities that justify life. From an external interpretation perspective, perhaps there is a calm to which life leads after death. Our life on earth is evaluated by a supernatural being some call God, who will assign to us some reward or punishment after death. After death, the meaning of our life, its purpose and justification, is to fulfill the expectations of God, and then te receive our final reward.

      They are so complex, so controversial, so distinct with each other. We live in a world of various beliefs and values. Therefore we tend to be disoriented and confused about our choices in life. 

     In fact, I haven't a belief in any religion up to now. I cannot promise that I won't practice in my later life, for nothing is impossible and life is full of unexpected things. 

     But what I conclude is that for me, life is just a train journey. There are many stations along the trip. Parents, friends are just like the passengers who get off and get on the train frequently. They are your companions during your travel. So be kind and show your love and respect to them. Treasure and cherish everyone in your life. 

      Secondly, life is just like an adventure. It is full of things that are unpredictable. Challenges happen to everyone, anytime, and everywhere. So we should be prepared alert and apt to be fully prepared for our life. 

     Thirdly, during the trip of life, it is common for us to encounter ups and downs. So we should be brave, optimistic enough to conquer all of our difficulties and finally arrive in the end of life. We should always have hopes and wishes when we are in hard times. As long as there is a life, there is a hope. 

     Finally, it is not our choice to be born on the planet. But to be or not to be, that's a question. So after our parents give birth to us, we should try our best to live a meaningful life. 

     The above is the life principles that I'm willing to adhere to in my life. I believe some will be eliminated someday, while some more will be added."   

Although her grammar is a little rough, the messages are clear. I so much wanted to share some of my religious beliefs and thoughts with her, but, of course I couldn't because it is against the law in China to do any form of proselytizing. She is typical of most students that I knew. They are somewhat agnostic; they think there is a god, but not knowing for sure whether God really exists. I think most of them have an inherent spiritual quality that leads them to want to be good people, do good things. and serve other people.                        

 

A Sad Love Story

I've found that Chinese young men have many of the the same old problems that Americans have. This is a journal written by one of my students. His name is Winter (I'm not sure how he came up with this name, but it sounds rather "cold" in my opinion).  He was a very bright student, and in fact had been to the U.S. and studied at UCLA during summer school this past year. I got to know him quite well. He liked to reveal to me some of the troubles and problems that he was encountering. He usually did this through his journal writing, which I assigned to my students. When I read this entry a few days after he wrote it, I was more than a little concerned about him. It goes like this:

     "This is my first time to write my diary. I really want to write something to make me happy, or something interesting, but I can't. I'm in low spirits, even now. I don't know how to do, actually I don't know what to do. There is nobody that can help me get out of this situation. It has almost driven me crazy.

     Maybe the problem is not that a big deal to me. I feel like all the things around me have lost their colors, everything has turned to black. I feel like my heart is bleeding. I feel like I'm going to be torn apart. 

     I know that as a man, I can't cry. I can't. I'm a loser, a big loser. 

     Times change, people change. I don't know why. I can't fall asleep at night. I'm hungry, but I don't want to eat anything. 

     I don't know what to do. 

     She told me that I should trust her. But the last time I trusted her, what did I get? Nothing but heartache. I told her "I trust you", but I can't trust anybody now.

     What should I do? I really don't know. I don't want to lose her. she has been my girlfriend for above three years. This December 19th will be our third anniversary. We've been together for a long time. To me, she has already become part of me, part of my family. I used to believe that we would have a happy ending. 

     I'm sorry, I can't write any more. I feel so cold from the bottom of my heart." 

When I read his journal, I thought, wow, this guy is really despondent, even desperate. What can I do to help him? Realizing that it had been a few days since he wrote this, I immediately  got on the phone to him. I said to him "Winter, I just read your journal and I am really concerned about you. Are you OK? There was a pause on his end, and then he said: "I'm OK now, Mr Judd, don't worry' about me."  I chatted with him for awhile and was convinced that he was completely over his "love sick" ordeal, and had moved on. I thought to myself, Is this really part of the job of teaching here in China? I think it is, although I sometimes have a tendency to get  a little too emotionally involved with my students.                     

    

          

An Honest Story

Following is a story one of my students wrote about her experience with her friend. It was a good example of honesty and good storytelling. I gave her a good grade on it. These are basically her own words. It goes like this: 

(quote)

      Yesterday afternoon, my friend and I went back to our dormitory after dinner. It was a nice afternoon and we sauntered on the way. It was Saturday and there wasn't many people in the school.

      Suddenly, we noticed that there was a bunch of keys on the road. It must have been some careless person who left it there. My friend said "perhaps the owner willl come back to find them, and he will be very worried if he can't find them." I said "other people will pick them up."

     My friend looked around and found a piece of chalk. She drew a circle which surrounded the keys and wrote on the ground "don't pick up the keys - leave them for the owner" in it. 

     I didn't believe it was useful. My friend said "how about standing aside and observing what will happen now."  I agreed with her, so we chatted and noticed at the same time.

     At that time, a student riding a bicycle came. Obviously, he noticed the keys and slowed down but didn't pick them up. Finally, he accelerated and went away. Then, here came a pedestrian. He just glanced at the keys and didn't slow down. An old man with work-gnarled hands came to our sight a few minutes later. He observed the keys and bent over to pick them up. Uneasiness seized me. Just then, the man noticed the words on the ground. The keys were dropped down with a clang.

    Who would have thought of such a thing that nobody picked up the keys. Suddenly, a man ran hurriedly out of breath towards us. It seemed that he was looking for something, anxiously. When he saw the keys, he smiled and picked them up. Certainly, he saw the words and found the piece of chalk. He wrote a few words and disappeared in the dark.

     The lamps twinkled in the gathering dusk. We walked to the circle and saw that there were two words on the ground - Thank You!      (unquote)

   

I'm not sure whether this story really happened, or if it is fiction, but either way, I thought it was a good story and a good example of honesty.