Ambassadors from the Past

I am lucky enough keep in touch with a lot of people from my childhood, among them family friends Sharon and Chuck Little.  We belonged to the same church, spent time as families together, and later was coached on the volleyball team under Sharon.  So we go back.  

About a year ago, Chuck and Sharon both wrote me saying that they were looking into coming out to China on a trip.  Then, months later, they had booked a trip and wrote me saying that they hoped to meet up.  I wrote the date on the calendar and went back to my life, the possibility of meeting up months away from thought.  Suddenly, months had passed and Sharon and Chuck were leaving for China.  My COS was the same weekend that they would be in Chengdu, so we shared contact info and hopes of meeting up with each other.  

I wasn't even sure if I would have time to see my family friends, but the morning after the COS conference and with the help from Paul in getting directions, a said goodbye to my friends and lugged my bag and my heavy heart into the cab.

I sat in the restaurant waiting for the Littles, not even really thinking about the meeting, my head swimming with the emotions of the end of my Peace Corps experience.  Then I heard a group of people approaching and looked up to see Chuck and Sharon.  Suddenly my heart was overflowing, my eyes accompanying it, unprepared for the feelings that were suddenly stirred up at seeing people from my past.  We all ran to each other.  Hugging them, I felt as if they were my Mom and Dad's ambassadors, people that had seen me throughout my life and been nothing but concerned, interested, supportive, and loving.  I cried, thinking how lucky I felt to have them there.  

We talked, laughed, and shared stories, them just coming from Tibet and full of ideas and feelings, me being able to listen and totally understand.  They introduced me to the other travelers in their cozy group and asked me to talk to them all for a bit and tell them about my life as a volunteer teacher in China.  Since we were meeting over lunch just before the Littles had to leave to catch their flight back to America, I asked if I could join them on their bus, not wanting the visit to be over.  

At the airport, we hugged for the last time, bring a fresh stream of tears to my eyes and spilling down my cheeks.  Sharon hugged me once more, saying how proud she was of me, that she had known I would be something way back when. I watched them as they walked towards and through the gates, waving each time Sharon looked back.

The visit was over before I knew it, but was more meaningful than I had even thought possible.

Arranging the Center

After all of my classes, I headed to the center with Windex, Endust, and rags. As soon as I got there, I unloaded my bags and got to work on cleaning everything off from all of the dust that coated the new furniture. With every wipe, I became more and more excited as the vision of a completed center filled my mind.

Before long, Vicki, Sara, Chimi, and Rebecca, all former students, had arrived. (I had called them earlier in the day, asking them for their help.) As soon as they all walked through the doorway, their eyes went wide and ah's escaped from their lips. We quickly went to work moving the furniture around, coordinating the layout in my head with the actual space. While we carried and then adjusted each piece of furniture, the girls continued to look at everything that the English Department had purchased, saying, "I can't believe they bought this all for us," time and time again.

Once everything was finally in it's place, I invited them to sit down with me. We looked over the room, trying to decide if everything was where it should be. With their keen eyes, they made some suggestions, and together we made a few more moves. With all of us feeling like everything was finally perfect, we sat down once again while continuing to look over the room. There were sofas and chairs to foster discussions and relaxation, shelves waiting to be filled, tables and chairs for being leaned over while working on homework or for holding a game of Connect Four, and four listening stations. We all sat in silence briefly, all of us in a quiet awe of what was to be.

My former students, now friends, started discussing the center. All of them continued to be amazed at the fact that the department was creating such a place for it's students. They said that it not only would be the best place on campus for the students, but that it would encourage interest and improvement in English majors that are discouraged, not to mention non-English majors. By having the center, the girls said, they they felt like the department and university really cared about them.


Since I and everyone else seemd to be having such a great time, I invited them all out for shao kao (bbq). With the exchange of glances, everyone shook their head in agreement. Before I headed out the door, I took one last look. After a year, my dream for the students was finally coming true.

A Soon-To-Be Center

It's after midnight and I should be going to bed. I can even hear my students' caring voices saying, "Amanda, you have been sick. You need your rest," but I'm too excited to rest!

Last year when Steve (my former sitemate) was here in Panzhihua, an idea for an English Center formed and stuck after seeing pictures of friends' Anna and Jacob's office. Panda (Panzhihua University's nickname) supplied us a great office, but after seeing what could be created, my head started spinning with the endless possibilities of what opportunity having such a place at my university would create, not only for my students, but for any students or teachers interested in English. After introducing the idea to my two deans in the English department, they said that it was a good plan and that they would see what they could do.

These things do take time, as permission has to be granted for a space and money found to support such a proposal. Time went by and I checked in every so often to hear about the process of the plans.

During the first week back at school in March, I was promptly informed two things: a new dean would be working with me to set up the center and a space had been choosen. Mr. Wang, my new partner, and I agreed to meet a day later at the center to check out the space. When Mr. Wang opened the door and went, my eyes were in disbelief. It was such a wonderful space. Light streamed in from large windows and there was space galore for students to spread out and talk, play games with one another, or read. It was perfect!


A few days after seeing the room for the center, I meet Mr. Wang again. This time we discussed more thoroughly ideas for the center, and most importantly, what was needed to make the room a center that would encourage students to spend time there. We talked about comfortable sofas and shelves, things that would entice and make people want to linger, encouraging conversations. Together we drew up a list of detailed items of everything we thought the center should have. What was even more exciting than the coming together of the center, was working with Mr. Wang. He seemed to be just as excited as I was, saying, "Let's make it the best it possibly can be for the students!" It was so enthrawling for me to hear and work with someone else who saw just how wonderful it really could be.

This evening, and about a month later, I gave a lecture on university life in America. Before the lecture started, Mr. Wang came into the classroom, and told me that the center was getting on it's way. There was furniture and could I come and see it. I smiled and said sure, thinking it was just a few pieces here and there.

My lecture went smoothly, a little faster than I thought it would, but as always, finished off with interesting questions from curious students, mostly non-English majors. This was my second lecture of the new semester, which will hopefully be followed by two more. (I want to give one a month.) I really enjoy speaking to the students, as I feel more available to students that otherwise may not have a chance to talk with me.

Once the lecture was over, Mr. Wang led me and two of my former students, Hanker and Frank, to the center. We were then joined by two other teachers, and before I knew it, the door was open, the lights flickered on, and I was staring out in amazement. It was AWESOME! All of the furniture that I had asked for, and extra, was there, and more had yet to arrive. I was so excited that I did a little jump, a little to intimidated to do a full on jig. I walked from place to place, checking everything out carefully as if it might disappear before my eyes.There were four sofas, two more than I had asked for (and by no means a small thing to double up on), end chairs, tables of various sizes, a fantasically huge t.v., shelves for more books than we have, and even magazine racks. I was so wonderfully bewildered that I didn't even notice the wood floor that had been newly laid over the cement. I just couldn't believe it! There was really going to be a center for the students!

I fished out my camera and started snapping shots, small lightbulbs flashing in the room as I captured everything. I asked Mr. Wang to join me in a picture, feeling so honored and lucky to be working with a man that had such a vision.


Througout all of my smiles, lit-up eyes, and a few more little hopping sessions, I looked at Hanker and Frank, asking them repeatedly, "Isn't this fantastic?!" I then realized that these two former students of mine, students that I've laughed with and talked with ever since I first came to Panzhihua, students that have even meet and talked with my parents when they were here, were sharing this wonderful moment with me. They were the first students to be in the new center, and I was suddenly more grateful then before. This, afterall, was for them. Hanker and Frank asked for a picture of the three of us, one that I am glad that they asked for. I'd want to remember this.

Before the lights went out and the door closed behind us, I took one last look, envisioning how it would all come together to create what was once only a possibility of a dream.

More Than Your Average Check-Up - A Weekend In Chengdu

A week passed after my check-up in Panzhihua and I still wasn't better, so Joanne, the Peace Corps doc, said I should come in for a physical and more tests.  I went to the office right away and then meet Paul for lunch, my Chengdu bud and contact whenever I'm in town.  We hung out for hours talking outside, enjoying the beautiful weather.


The next morning, Paul and I went back to the office to get the results of my tests.  In Joanne's office and once seated, she looked at me and told me I had walking pneumonia and seemed to be on the tail end of it.  Huh?  What exactly is the difference between the regular and walking kind anyway?  I was given the prescription of eating good, resuming coffee drinking to help me through the feelings of utter exhaustion when needed, and rest, rest, rest.

Paul and I ate out once again, our conversation running the gamete that I always thoroughly enjoy.  

Feeling restless, the two of us wandered a bit, stumbling across the Olympics countdown sign in the city and helmets that whispered, "Rodger that."




Yup, that's a bogey.

Celebrating A Birthday With Jiaozi and Cake

When Jiujiu (my meimei) was visiting me down here in Panzhihua, one day when we went for fried noodles, we met and started talking to Vicki and her mother.  Vicki and her mom were instantly friendly, both of them talking to be me and Jiujiu.  I immediately liked Vicki, her smile and eyes exuding a kindness that you don't often see from someone you just met.  By the end of our meal, she said she would like to be friends and I gave her my telephone number and e-mail address.  During the past few months we had been e-mailing back and forth, and finally met up when one of my former students brought her to my office hours.  I was so happy to see her.  Since then, we've been friends, me feeling like I had added one more sister to my ever-growing extended family.  

When Vicki invited me to celebrate her birthday with her and her family, I just couldn't say no.  I was delighted!  She picked me up at 11 o'clock in her parents car, the first student I've known that I've seen drive since being here in China.  (Most students and many other people don't have cars, as getting a license and a car are prohibitively expensive, not to forget the fact that there aren't many parking lots around.) 

Up the stairs and in her parents home, we sat on the couch and talked.  Shortly after Chimi came, my former student now a junior and Vicki's English tutor.  It was great having them both there.  Before long, Vicki's mom brought in the makings for jiaozi, dumplings.  I started stuffing the little wrappers, surprising all at my ability, thanks to my terrific host family having taught me when I was living with them in Chengdu.  Then I started rolling the dough out, and more eyes widened.  It was great sitting there with such fantastic people as we prepared part of Vicki's birthday meal.  

When the jiaozi was ready, Vicki's parents boiled the finished dumplings. We then cleaned up and sat down to some of Vicki's favorite dishes that her father had prepared for her.  The meal was scrumptious, the jiaozi as tasty as ever.  

After dinner, Vicki's mom brought in the cake.  We all sang "Happy Birthday," first in Chinese, then English.  Vicki then tried to mark me with frosting, a tradition that I am still not quite sure where it comes from and seems not to be complete without. Being the guest, however, I think I was dubbed the honorary target.  I avoided it with grace and we all dug into the cake.  

A few hours later we were all full and tired, another birthday successfully rung in.

Easter - My Last Waiguoren Holiday in China

On Friday, all of the volunteers headed over to Brian and Lindsey's to celebrate Easter. I was excited about the get together, but for me it was bittersweet from the start, as I kept thinking that this would be the last holiday that I would celebrate with my Panzhihua family. The afternoon was a whirlwind of activities, insuring that good times would be had by all.

We rolled out, cut, then frosted cookies with pastels, creating edible artwork.

Lindsey and Brian cutting out the cookies.






After a yummy dinner we all dyed eggs, doing our best to be creative.


Nick, Brian, and Gregory show off their eggs.




Lindsey and I proudly display our eggs.


Meanwhile, back in Woodstock, Illinois, my parents and grandmother were having a special visitor of there own, adding excitement to their own holiday festivities. Chen Lan, otherwise known as Sara, worked for the Waiban (Foreign Affairs) when I first arrived in Panzhihua. During my first year we became great friends. Last fall she was excepted by Hanban to volunteer in America, and so has been teaching Chinese for almost a year now in a suburb of Denver. When Chen Lan first left, I reminded her to visit Chicago and that my parents would love to have her. A few months ago plans were finally put in order and before everyone new it, Chen Lan was with my family in America. Together my family and Chen Lan had adventures, experiencing Chicago and Easter.

Chen Lan and Dad in front of the "Bean" at Millennium Park in Chicago.


Grandma Meyer looking on while Chen Lan dyed eggs for the first time.


Sunday morning, everyone went to Grace for the Easter service. On Easter, a large cross (seen in the background) is filled with Easter lilies, the fragrance filling the narthex. Flowers seem to be everywhere and butterflies hang down from the ceiling, providing for a beautiful service on one of my most favorite holidays. I am so glad Chen Lan had the opportunity to be there with my family.


Back at home, everyone sat around the dining room table over the Easter feast made by Mom with help from Chen Lan. From left: Dad, cousin Tammy, Chen Lan, Grandma Meyer, and Mom.


When I spoke to Mom about Chen Lan's visit, she went on and on about Chen Lan, how she had felt like she had a daughter in her midst once again (of which I thought was completely wonderful), and how lucky I am to have her as a friend. We were both so amused over the fact that here I was in Panzhihua, volunteering in Chen Lan's home country, while she was in America volunteering. Talk about an amazing crossing of culture, friendship, traditions, and family.

About Time

After years of traveling and with my service as a Peace Corps volunteer coming to a close, I am finally getting a blog up and running. Yippee! Besides sharing future stories, I will also be posting past mass e-mails for anyone that wants to take a look. Enjoy!

My First Hospital Visit

Two in a half weeks ago, I came down with one of the worst colds I've had in a long time, possibly ever.  A few days later, the worst over, I was still tired.  When a week and then another passed, I began to get worried about my total lack of energy, and called up the office in Chengdu for help and advice.

Today, Jenny (Chen Ling) accompanied me to the hospital to have a full blood work-up done.  The hospital, a large building that combined doctors offices with emergency care, was full of people walking to and from various places, slips in hand while trying to discover where to go for what they needed.

We first had to wait for my test slips before any exams of any sort could be done.  Even though Jenny stood there and had been the third person in line at the table, due to more and more elderly people coming over, out of respect, they were helped first.  It seemed like such a long wait that I sat down, bemused at the unwritten rules that were being followed without frustrations or complaints.

Once Jenny had the slips, we made our way downstairs to the testing and lab area.  People were everywhere, either standing in line, cutting, or on their way to a different line.

For the liver function test a full vial of blood was needed.  As I got into line, I noticed that this would be my grand performance of the day - the door to the patients room was left open for all to see, turning everyone into a two-minute performer.  At first the idea of everyone watching to see how the laowai (foreigner) took to a needle started to make me nervous.  Then I realized how interesting it actually was that no one really cared.

The cue moved slow, but the time went by faster than I had expected with the interactions between myself and a toddler that was being held by her mom.  I made faces and tickled her toes, which prompted squirrely movements and little shrieks of laughter.  Soon our amusement was making others smile, some of them trying to get her to call me 'ayi' (auntie).  

As the line dwindled and I became next, I dug out my camera and asked Jenny to take some pictures.  This was, after all, my first hospital visit in China, and a totally unique one at that.

I worried, once the rubber was around my upper arm and the nurse motioned for me to ball my fingers up into a fist, about being stuck.  I never used to fear needles, but went through a roue with a needle (and a nurse who couldn't find my vein) several years ago, leaving my arm bruised for a week.  To my surprise, while Jenny was snapping pictures and I watched my arm, I didn't even notice the entry.  I had to look to even see if she had done anything, she was that smooth.  I was so impressed that I asked Jenny to tell the nurse that she was the best practitioner to ever give me a poke.  

With my tests done, Jenny and I sat down for twenty minutes while we waited for some of the results.   While sitting there we talked about how we hate it when people cut in line and giggled at a man that came back to his wife after having his finger pricked, complaining how hard they had stuck him amidst moans, the two of us looking at each other and trying not to laugh.