Summer of Service

I guess the reality of being home really hit me today when instead of Leslie or Rory, it was my own Mother who said, "You know, you really need to write on the blog." Thanks Mom.

Some things just became habit this summer. Whether it was Leslie and Rory asking, "When's the last time you wrote on the blog?", eating Mama Tao's weekly dinners with our students, writing grammar points and new vocabulary on the blackboard, Ashley politely telling the boys to clean up their mess in the girls' apartment, group feelings talks, MSG filled lunches at hole-in-the-wall restaurants, sleeping side-by-side with Lisa in our double bed, or rewearing the same 3 outfits to class every week, there are some memories from the summer that seem both incredibly distant and inescapably permanent. Jishou now seems to linger in the realm of my mind between dream and reality. I know that it happened but even the memories, the pictures, and suveniers I brought home aren't adequate representations of the past two months.

During the past week, the things that I have continued to look to for some sense of what we have accomplished are the letters and emails that my students have given me. There are a few from the beginning of the summer (my favorite is a detailed description that my student, Baby, wrote on how to play badminton... complete with illustrations,) but I think the most eye-opening and thoughtful letters are the ones our students gave to us on the last day of class.

Daniel, a 16 year old high school student, wrote, "You teached me a lot. When I joined this program, I was much happier than before. We had fun in class and out of class. We laughed together. You're very funny. I love people who are very funny! So I love you! When I was in trouble, you always helped me at the frist time. For example, when I lost the game, you said to me, 'Daniel, come on!' When I was too tired to listen to the classes, you asked us to do exercises so I would wake up and listen to the classes carefully! When I was not confident, you said to me, 'you can do it!'"

Another student, Sherry, adorned all of her homeworks with a distinct, little smiley face. She wrote, "Do you remember, one day I asked you 'Why do you come to Jishou?' And you said you wanted to teach. I want to tell you, you are a great teacher. Sometimes, I feel you are really like my teacher who working in my school. Because you have the prestige. Are you surprised? My point is, sometimes, when I speak Chinese, (Sorry! I know that it is my fault. I feel so ashamed that I can't keep my word. Please believe me, I will study English very hard in the future. Then I will speak English all the time) you will get serious and say to me: 'Don't speak Chinese!' I will remember it forever!"

One of the most unforgettable, smiling faces I have ever seen belongs to a student named Jim. (Say it in a high pitched voice and add an exclamation point at the end... Jim!) His English was not phenominal but he improved a lot. In his letter, he wrote, "Betty, when I can like you speak English this time, you can leave me, oh man, I'm very hope you can all together and I. Because I already feel you and I like my sister. Certainly, when you back American, Don't forget in China you have a brother in Jishou wish you. Don't forget letter for me. I can't forget you. I love you!"

One of the sweetest and brightest students in the Dragon class was Baby, who wrote, "Do you remember our dragon team play basketball. You always encourage me to play it. Finally, our team got a success. I also got a medal. I'll keep the medal forever because I got it with your help. the next day, I was burned on my hand. You always greet me, 'It's ok...' You ever ask me to you apartment to apply medicine. I'm so moved. Although we are from different country but you like my sister."

A quiet middle schooler named Cecily wrote, "Betty, do you know? I were formerly think a teacher just a teacher, I never thought they are our friends. You should know they are very strict. But when I join 'Princeton in Jishou' Program, I was very happy to know you and Rory. I think you are my best friend, even though you are my teacher. In classes, you often made a relax ambience, so I can listen many laughter, I can studied happy."

All of the letters my students wrote are filled with these sweet sentiments and recollections of fond memories, often tiny moments that had almost escaped my mind. It seems almost self-gratifying to read and reread these letters but they remind me of my favorite part of Jishou, the students. They remind me of the 150 faces we left as we drove off in the bus to the train station and they remind me of the wonderful people on the other side of the world who have touched me, touched the other teachers, and, I hope, have touched everyone who has been reading this blog.

What will I remember most? Maybe it will be the first day of teaching, when I looked out at my classroom to see 25 blank, Chinese faces and Leslie and Rory sitting in the back row, watching my every move. (Needless to say, I felt defeated after those first 2 hours of lecture.) Maybe I will remember our daily rituals- the MSG lunches, feelings talks, and Mama Tao dinners. But maybe I will forget all those things. Maybe they will vanish like smoke in the wind. The things that I will truly never forget are the people. The ten other teachers who became my rommates, teammates, and friends, Leslie (Le-Le), who supported us through everything, the administrators of the Jishou Teacher's College, the Wolverine, Logan Li, all the friends we made along the way, (including Claire, Andy, Yamki, Evan, Ben, the list goes on), and, of course, the 28 students who wrote me those incredible letters.

I feel honored to have been a part of this Summer of Service program. It was an experience unlike any other and it is one that I'm sure will remain with me for the rest of my life. My hope is that this program, and others like it, will continue to flourish for many years to come. While it has truly touched me, the important thing is that it touched our many students. It is a ripple effect, one that began with an ambitious dream of taking 12 Princeton students to a remote University in Jishou. And this is just the beginning.

Thanks and Love,
Betty