Be Flexible. . . Or Go Crazy.

Be Flexible . . . Or Go Crazy.

It’s a Friday morning here at 10:15. As usual, the morning before class always goes too fast. I was feeling this way earlier this morning, but was resigned to the fact that there will never be enough hours in the day. As I was briskly walking to class with my team-mate Amber, four spirited students approached me and asked if I was the teacher for Class 3. Yes—I said that I was. They explained that many of the students would not be in class today because they were greeting the new freshman students. Okay—no problem I thought—we could just meet with the students that were in class. But the leader of the students said that perhaps we could make-up class next Friday afternoon. That would mean that this class of students would have 2 classes with me on the following Friday. I was not sure how productive 2 speaking classes in one day with the same group of students would be. In the end, we decided on a different time next week to make up class for today. So, I waltzed home thankful for the extra time to have this Friday morning and looking forward to meeting with this delightful group of students next week.

This experience describes a majority of my experiences here in China. Nothing is as it seems, and what I think I know may change rapidly under my nose. It’s a complex system of negotiations, relationships, and circumlocution. I have a lot to learn. But today, I am thankful to reap the benefits of this ambiguity and enjoy the extra time of rest and relaxation.