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.