[00:00.00]My family’s reaction
[00:02.07]when I told them about
[00:03.16]my plans was as I expected.
[00:06.11]Although they sanctioned my idea
[00:08.41]and supported me in the endeavour,
[00:10.93]they were sad to think that
[00:13.11]I would be half way
[00:14.76] across the world for
[00:16.07]such a long time.
[00:17.49]The frown on my grandson’s face
[00:20.99]told me that the situation
[00:23.07]would be especially difficult
[00:24.82]for him and that
[00:26.68]he might feel neglected by me.
[00:28.32]Although I could scarcely
[00:31.28]argue with the comments
[00:33.91]of my family about their feelings,
[00:35.22]for their sake I talked about
[00:37.62] the time away from home
[00:39.38]as if it was
[00:40.80]just a few short days.
[00:42.00]I would be back home
[00:44.08]before they knew it.
[00:45.50]They suggested that I come back
[00:48.57]after one year for the summer
[00:51.19] and then return for the second year.
[00:52.72]I agreed to this plan.
[00:54.80]Five years ago, would I
[00:58.85] have thought that this was
[01:00.82]in the realm of possibility?
[01:02.90]I doubt that I would have.
[01:05.19]But here I am in China,
[01:07.28]in my second year of living
[01:09.13]in this amazingly progressive civilization,
[01:11.87]and I can honestly say that
[01:13.84]I have never once regretted
[01:16.57]my decision to teach in China.
[01:18.98]I must also admit that
[01:21.71]I have learned far more
[01:24.23]from my students than
[01:25.44]they have learned from me.
[01:27.30] I admire their thirst
[01:29.15]for knowledge and they see
[01:31.01] to thrive on challenges.
[01:32.99] They never seem tempted
[01:35.06] to take a short cut,
[01:36.70]always working hard and
[01:38.67]giving a supreme effort.
[01:41.30]Their tolerance for their English teacher’s
[01:44.36]lack of familiarity with
[01:45.68]Chinese customs has been appreciated.
[01:49.83]They always are positive
[01:51.91] in their attitudes toward me
[01:53.99]and have helped me whenever they could.
[01:56.94]At times they have insisted on
[01:59.68]doing things for me that
[02:01.65]I was capable of doing myself.
[02:03.18]It has become a habit to
[02:06.46]surrender to their wishes to assist.
[02:10.07]One student in particular
[02:11.93]always takes on the job
[02:13.57]of carrying my packages,
[02:15.00]saying that it is
[02:17.19]his pleasure to be my porter |