On this, my last week in China, I cling to the things I love most about Xi’an. Sipping a beer at the park between the wall and the mote on a beautiful day such as this. Watching street chefs rolling out dumplings, noodles, and rolls. Ancient muslim women steaming sweet rice treats. Today’s “boss” of the best corner handing out sticky candied fruits! Folks tying outsized bundles of styrofoam or cardboard to their bikes to sell for recycling. Death defying old men bicycling bails of hay clockwise around rush hour traffic circles. Eighteen kids with hands reaching skyward shouting “Teacher me! Teacher me! Teacher me!”
Christian is my good friend, pictured here with me just before going into a phone booth and turning into Starbucks Man. Like Christian, many young Chinese people are eager to practice their English with native speakers. They all study English in school up through college, usually taught by Chinese teachers. Often their English reading and writing skills are excellent, but they need practice speaking.
I, in return, get a few freebies at Starbucks, which is no small deal. You can buy three or four meals for the cost of one cup of Starbucks coffee. I go there during my two-hour breaks from school and buy a cup of tea. You can get a mug of tea with a bag big enough for three cups. The employees are used to my getting refills of hot water. The chairs are the only comfortable ones I’ve seen in this city and the atmosphere is usually relaxing. However, often my lesson planning is interupted by someone who wants to talk to a foreigner. I must say that I’ve made some lasting friendships this way, though.
Leroy is a C9 student that I have become particularly fond of. He spends every break asking me questions about America and various points of language, or discussing movies. He poses here with his friend Lin Yua. They are both artists and gave Rick and me beautiful water colors to take home. Leroy’s work included flowing caligraphy which he also painted on five large fans for me to give friends in America as presents.
When asked what he wanted from America, he first said nothing, then said he’d like an American watch. So Rick brought him an Armitron “All American” watch, which was probably made in China. We also gave him a UNC T-shirt, which immediately Leroy recognized as Michael Jordan’s university.
Leroy had dinner with me, Rick, Ann, and Ven when they were visiting, a rare occurrence, Leroy’s and my free time ususally doesn’t coincide. I teach on weekends, and he’s in school during the week. Spring Festival gave us both time off to spend more than 10 minutes talking. He was eager to tell us all about Chinese culture, art, and caligraphy.
In this picture, Leroy has just told me about the shopping center in the background, whose name sounds like “Roman.” Apparently, westerners think that it means “romance” and that the shopping center must be a very romantic place. In fact, Leroy took great delight in telling me that it means “mule market.”
Yesterday Leroy and I met at Starbucks, where we exchanged videos. I gave him the video that I took of him and Lin Yua telling stories about the mule market and Chinese New Year. He gave me some videos he took in a village where Chinese New Year is celebrated the old way with long dragons parading in the streets with fireworks popping and flashing all around. The dancers inside the dragon wear yellow, which along with white, brings good luck for the new year.
Leroy also told me some of the customs surrounding Chinese weddings. The groom gives the bride’s family money to prove that he has sufficient means to support their daughter. The groom must already have a house for them to move into. The bride’s family also gives the groom’s family money. The groom’s family pays for the wedding. Before the wedding, the bride makes a terrible tasting dumpling, which the groom must eat to show that he can withstand the bad times that all marriages face. As part of the ceremony, the couple jumps over a fire to show that they can overcome obstacles together. Another part of the ceremony involves the children stomping and bursting balloons before the newlyweds—not sure what the symbolism here is. The bride, at some point, changes from an elaborate western-style wedding gown into a traditional Chinese dress.
Leroy also told me about the offerings the Chinese people burn for their dead relatives. They burn replicas of objects that their late relatives might need in the underworld, such as money, cars, food, and cell phones. People who lived good lives are treated well in the underworld, but others are punnished with less than comfortable conditions and even beatings by the spirits of the afterlife.
