We are still here, but busy. Our supervisors from the BYU China Teachers program were here this week. (Kirk and Midge Evans)
The foreign teachers office put on a "spinner dinner" on their behalf and we enjoyed the Cantonese food. Gifts were
exchanged and pictures were taken. It is a gruelling two months for the Evans' visiting the teachers, all over China. Midge came to one of my classes, and luckily it was the class that is the most responsive and fun. An oral class where no one talks is not very impressive. They spontaneously gave Midge a welcome applause, and I could have hugged them all.
Last night with the Evans's was not as impressive. As a matter of fact, we looked like the "Three Stooges." All six BYU teachers, plus Kirk and Midge, walked to the Metro station en route to a dinner downtown. First, someone forgot their metro pass. Then, as we were entering the subway car, 3 of us couldn't get on the car. The crowds were amazing! I was left standing on the platform with Kirk and Midge. Since I didn't really didn't know where we were going, and I do not use a cell phone, we were in a dilemma. Should we wait or should we go somewhere, anywhere? (Don and I have an arrangement that if we get separated each will find our own way home.) We had to continue since Kirk was paying for the dinner and we were meeting other BYU teachers coming from another university in Guangzhou. I vaguely remembered someone saying the word "Chingang Pagoda," and so we went to that stop. Absolutely every square inch of space was taken in the subway car. Luckily, some of our group were waiting for us there while Don and Paul were backtracking to find us. To make a long story short, it took 2 hours to reach our goal. We overshot one metro stop, lost free spirited Brad when he went ahead at one stop, and we could hardly get a taxi to take us home after it was all done. Kirk did say that it looked as though the Guangzhou group gets along very well. And we do.
Let me boast about Ann Baines, since she would never boast about herself. Kirk Evans told me that when she and Bob were BYU Teachers in Nanjing, a few years ago, she won the best teacher award for her province. Belated Congratulations to Ann.
Here is a random picture for you to enjoy.
Mom/ Grandma/ Kathy/ Kathleen
2 comments:
is it always so crazy getting around? wow! what a story!
Thanks for your support Kathy. However I must make a correction. The award wasn't for the whole province but rather for the Nanjing University Foreign Teachers. It reads as follows:
The Committee of International Faculty Performance Appraisal of Nanjing University having evaluated the performance of all the international faculty for the academic year of 2008-2009 this day confers on Mrs. Anne Baines a Merit Award for Excellent Teaching
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