October Happenings
Sunday, October 22nd, 2006A short time after university began, we were all invited to the Teacher’s Welcome Dinner. The only catch, I had to make a speech on behalf of the foreign teachers. I focused on the upcoming holidays (October’s National Holiday and Mid-Autumn Festival) which went over very well with the school President and staff. Whew!
The following week signaled the beginning of October, and the aforementioned holidays. I decided not to travel anywhere major this time, and to instead focus on Hanghzou and its surrounds. A bunch of us went to Song Dynasty Town, a reproduction of an ancient village depicting life in China many thousands of years ago. Photo ops abounded! We took pictures of stonemasons, Chinese opera singers, Chinese calligraphers, etc. We also had great fun trying to make ourselves LOOK like Chinese royalty (see photos).
Oh, by the way, I am now a celebrity. I appeared on HTV-2 in Hangzhou during the holiday. A friend of mine told me the tv station was looking for a foreigner to interview, so I said yes. They showed up at the university, cameras and microphones in hand, to see me in action with my students around campus, and then interviewed me in my apartment. The really sad part is that they made me SING ON TELEVISION! I don’t do that for anyone – believe me, when I say my singing is really bad! But, for some reason, the Chinese people love to sing, no matter how bad it is. Then we headed to a downtown hotel where I met up with the show’s host and we participated in a ‘celebrity cooking show’ of sorts. We both learned how to make the Mid-Autumn Festival Mooncakes which are considered the ‘fruitcake of the West’. Actually, it was all great fun! They were kind enough to let me know in advance when the show would air, so our head teacher invited all the English teachers to view it together in a restaurant one night, over copious bottles of cheap Chinese beer – A wonderful time was had by all! Many of my students either saw the clip, or heard about it, so I am now a very famous English teacher here in China!
Do you know what a TIDAL BORE is? According to definition, it is an abnormally high tide. There are only 5 or 6 such tide locations in the world, and the Qiantang River here in Hangzhou has one of the best annual tides. I was invited by some Chinese teachers to witness this phenomenon one day in early October. It was all quite exciting. After a lengthy drive, followed by a steep entrance fee to a special observation area located next to the river, we sat down and waited. There was a shout – there it was – one wave (that’s right, one) stretching across the span of the water, making its way up-river. Everyone was silent, eyes directed toward this marvel in wonder. It snaked past us, perhaps 4-5 feet high and continued along its way. This magical event took, maybe 5 seconds. Then, the silence was broken, and everyone was on their feet, gathering up their things for the return trip home. It was the shortest event I have ever witnessed, next to the Polar Bear Swim in Vancouver! Thankfully, lunch and shopping afterwards, made it all worthwhile!
carolh452003