I met with me Chinese tutor last week for the first time in a while. She's moving to the new campus along with the school leaders and science faculty and will be finally moved in next year. It's sort of a letdown being on the campus during its transition period and not really experiencing what it's supposed to be like. I can't imagine though what it must have been like for the Peace Corps couple here before me when construction was just beginning. I certainly have it better than them.
Tonight's the foreign language drama competition and I've been asked to sing a song. There are three plays followed by a break in which I play a song followed by another set of three songs. I was originally asked to be a judge, but was bumped last week for some unknown reason. I do enjoy singing songs and it's so easy to wow the Chinese audience. I'm going to be playing Long Train Running by The Doobie Brothers. It's not a great song, not even particularly good really, but the sound and rhythm are catchy and I can easily fit my sax in the breaks.
There's a new Peace Corps volunteer apparently coming to my school next year, and I'm admittedly torn regarding his or her arrival. For the past year I've been the only foreigner on the new campus, and much of my experience so far has reminded me of being in Talagante and only once every month or so seeing another American. It'll be nice though to get some help with executing certain projects and getting things done.
I've got to go and practice the song a few more times and memorize what I'll be saying when I'm on stage (in Chinese). My tutor gave me some great lines to use when I go out. I promise I'll post tomorrow with pictures/recap.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
'bout time for an update
Being a volunteer here is a strange thing. I'm affiliated with a organization well known for its grassroots development work around the world. In China though, especially in Nanchong, development has already taken place. People don't live in huts; they live in cities. Nanchong people don't live in a small village far removed from any form of central communication; they live in a thriving, modern city with consistent access to internet, phone lines, multiple post offices, supermarkets, and fast food restaurants. So it seems odd that the same three goals of the Peace Corps apply to the volunteers in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as the volunteer situated in Nanchong, China.
What are my goals really? I'm not even sure I could tell you. I could give you their rhetoric, their ideas, but it seems quite meaningless once you've arrived here. Here I am, supposed to improve the community, create programs, and change the views of the impressionable youth. But how much change can you take on by yourself? I'm a member of a number of communities: the city of Nanchong, the faculty at the school, the students (in the sense that I often socialize and associate myself with them) etc.. But these communities are enormous. They include hundreds, thousands, and even millions of people. As a single person I can change parts of these communities, but the depth and breadth of those changes are relatively minuscule.
I look at the other teachers and faculty members at this university. Great people. Most of them are friendly and sociable, but they are teachers and they're not here for development. They're not volunteers from organizations with three goals and a history of humanitarian work. I'm here by myself trying to make changes by myself in a society and education system that I undoubtedly don't completely understand yet. They don't have office hours or run student newspapers. (Side note: It's really a shame for the students because those without a foreign teacher miss out on personal interactions with staff that in my opinion were the best part of my college education.)
Anyway, I reiterate, the school and the teachers are great, but they're not here for the same reason that I am. If I want to start a program, I have to design it, do the legwork, organize the meetings, ensure that everyone comes, and see wholly to its success. This is where the Peace Corps differs from a standard development organization, and partly why being a volunteer is more difficult that most think. Whereas in a development organization you have a team of people working to create and implement different strategies and various methods of implementation, here in the Peace Corps for the vast majority of the time, you're by yourself. The exception being if you live in a large city with a great number of volunteers where you can collaborate frequently. Here in Nanchong, however, I'm the only one at my school and as rewarding, meaningful, and useful the experience has been, it is at times frustrating and discouraging.
A girl posted a story on the website that frankly shocked me when I first read it. (xihuaonline.com - it's the one entitled "My College Life") The girl is a fantastic writer; one of the best in my class. She's on the quiet side though, and slightly apprehensive about speaking up during class time. The first time I read the article I didn't know what to say. It read like a desperate cry for someone or something and it caught me off guard. Most of the other students' writing is about the mundane countryside of his or her hometown or his or her mother's wonderful cooking. I wrote her back a long letter to the girl and posted a comment on the site, but it's an awkward position I'm in. How concerned should I be?
Next week is a drama competition in which students will be performing short skits or acts from plays in English. I've asked to be a judge and sing a song. At least this time I have more than a week to prepare. Last time I sang a song it was a hit (I believe, at least). I wore similar garb from the Blues Brothers and played my saxophone and sang to Wild Cherry's Play That Funky Music White Boy. It'll be hard to top it, but I've got some ideas already floating around. We'll see what happens.
What are my goals really? I'm not even sure I could tell you. I could give you their rhetoric, their ideas, but it seems quite meaningless once you've arrived here. Here I am, supposed to improve the community, create programs, and change the views of the impressionable youth. But how much change can you take on by yourself? I'm a member of a number of communities: the city of Nanchong, the faculty at the school, the students (in the sense that I often socialize and associate myself with them) etc.. But these communities are enormous. They include hundreds, thousands, and even millions of people. As a single person I can change parts of these communities, but the depth and breadth of those changes are relatively minuscule.
I look at the other teachers and faculty members at this university. Great people. Most of them are friendly and sociable, but they are teachers and they're not here for development. They're not volunteers from organizations with three goals and a history of humanitarian work. I'm here by myself trying to make changes by myself in a society and education system that I undoubtedly don't completely understand yet. They don't have office hours or run student newspapers. (Side note: It's really a shame for the students because those without a foreign teacher miss out on personal interactions with staff that in my opinion were the best part of my college education.)
Anyway, I reiterate, the school and the teachers are great, but they're not here for the same reason that I am. If I want to start a program, I have to design it, do the legwork, organize the meetings, ensure that everyone comes, and see wholly to its success. This is where the Peace Corps differs from a standard development organization, and partly why being a volunteer is more difficult that most think. Whereas in a development organization you have a team of people working to create and implement different strategies and various methods of implementation, here in the Peace Corps for the vast majority of the time, you're by yourself. The exception being if you live in a large city with a great number of volunteers where you can collaborate frequently. Here in Nanchong, however, I'm the only one at my school and as rewarding, meaningful, and useful the experience has been, it is at times frustrating and discouraging.
A girl posted a story on the website that frankly shocked me when I first read it. (xihuaonline.com - it's the one entitled "My College Life") The girl is a fantastic writer; one of the best in my class. She's on the quiet side though, and slightly apprehensive about speaking up during class time. The first time I read the article I didn't know what to say. It read like a desperate cry for someone or something and it caught me off guard. Most of the other students' writing is about the mundane countryside of his or her hometown or his or her mother's wonderful cooking. I wrote her back a long letter to the girl and posted a comment on the site, but it's an awkward position I'm in. How concerned should I be?
Next week is a drama competition in which students will be performing short skits or acts from plays in English. I've asked to be a judge and sing a song. At least this time I have more than a week to prepare. Last time I sang a song it was a hit (I believe, at least). I wore similar garb from the Blues Brothers and played my saxophone and sang to Wild Cherry's Play That Funky Music White Boy. It'll be hard to top it, but I've got some ideas already floating around. We'll see what happens.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)