Rachel have been working with them for awhile now)
Yesterday morning (day 1 actually in Iowa after a few hour long flights and waiting in the airport) Rachel, Brian and grabbed a couple cups of coffee-milk-sugar (yes, people I drank coffee maybe 3rd time in my life, we had had 4 hours of sleep the night before and it was 6am Central time, 7am Eastern), and drove Brian to work, then headed to Rachel's old elementary school in Davenport. We had to pick Maggie up first, so we drove to her apartment building. As we parked, I caught my first glimpse of a black squirrel. I couldn't believe it.
So then, we had realization 1 of the day. It was early, we were tired, our Milk/sugar with a splash of coffee mix wasn't cutting it.
We tried calling Maggie, her phone was off. Then we saw her son, Kevin, standing outside waiting on us. He walked forward with the staid Chinese blank face on, fully looking us up and down. Rachel leaned over to ask him a question through the window and when he didn't get it I spoke to him in Chinese. His eyes bugged out and he excitedly climbed in the car when his parent showed up. He forgot his backpack so his dad had to drive back and grab it. The three of them piled into the back of the suburban, and we went to the school.
We met the most stunningly beautiful ESL teacher, Kevin's teacher, assistant, Principal and we all sat down to discuss the meeting. After the requisite seating process, we settled down, a very rollypolly 4 year old Alex squashed between his mums legs and their bright and slightly worried faces smiling at the group of people assembled. Immediately I kicked into gear like I was interpreting for a high powered society meeting instead of one little culture-shocked boys family and a small town in Iowa's teachers. Despite being home for 9 months, the Chinese came so quickly to me, the set phrases and flavor you want to portray at such a meeting.
I assuaged their fears about his performance and behaviors, and helped the staff understand where he was coming from. So many of their problems reflected the same issues we have at Clemson Elementary. Running in the halls, lack of control to sit still, standing up in the bus, wanting to be the helper to the teacher. All of these things have unique Chinese cultural and personality driven characteristics and to the unassuming teacher, very annoying qualities that bring group dynamics down.
As we sat there, the teachers asked some excellent questions, where he was from in China, which restaurant, what language they speak, if there is a difference between Traditional characters and simplified they had been using, etc. As I explained and realization dawned on them, I found that I LOVE this job. Being that culturally literate in both cultures, and sharing that with two parties that need the knowledge, makes me truly happy.
Pictures for today!
No comments:
Post a Comment