The Twelve Days of Christmas – Christmas with Sam and Penny

Of course this is not really fair because, by this time we are closer to New Year than to Christmas.

Christmas with Sam and Penny.

I bought Sam and Penny a countertop grill, the same one I had given Gary for Christmas. He was always admiring my grill and I thought it would be an appropriate gift for them. Originally I told Sam I wanted to give him a gift but had to bring it to his home because it would be too big for him to carry on the bus.

He thought I was giving him something approximately the size of a refrigerator. I told him that it wasn’t quite that big. I just didn’t want him to have to struggle on the bus with his laptop bag AND a bulky shopping bag containing his gift.

Our celebration actually took place closer to New Year, both because of his schedule and mine. Of course my schedule involved two days when I didn’t get out of my jammies. The first day, Wednesday, I spent doing nothing more strenuous than watching movies. On Thursday I got motivated: did 4 loads of laundry and cleaned the house up some, all things I had not had time to do since the previous Friday when Tony and Joanna joined me in celebration.

Sam and I met on Friday. Originally we planned to meet at Guang Gu, the large shopping mall at Optics Valley. That morning I hadn’t yet gotten confirmation from Sam about the day’s doings. In a way hoped that he had forgotten that we were going to meet. I was still not ready to face the world. But, rather than be blindsided I decided to send him a text message. That is how I found out that he was on our campus, just wrapping up his teaching commitments at our school for the year. He came over and couldn’t wait to tear into his gift, inadvertently robbing Penny of the joy of finding out what was under all that paper and tape.

Our plans included me guest lecturing at the university where he teaches part-time and that day marked his last class there as well. Afterward we went to his house to try out his new grill. They loved it… but didn’t know how to use it. I got to instruct them in the fine art of grilling at home.

I stayed at their house till long past time the buses stopped running. I had to take a cab home.

The Twelve Days of Christmas – Christmas with Vanessa and Carol

After class on Monday I fell out. witless, brain dead and lacking in energy I roamed around the house, finally putting myself to be at 8PM and sleeping the clock ‘round. Not only was I exhausted from all the celebration, I now nursed a pretty severe cold. Stuffy head, sore throat, achy muscles, clogged lungs and a nose that flowed like Niagara. I was still looking for a chance to take a shot of Nyquil and sleep till I could sleep no more. I was hoping Monday night would be that night but… no such chance.

On Tuesday I leapt out of bed again and headed to the internet café. The sleep I had gotten the night before did not do enough to renew my energy. I think I will need several days to recoup from this Holiday Extravaganza. But Gabriel is waiting and I have emails to respond to. Off I go.

While at the internet café Vanessa called me. She was at my house. I had forgotten that I told her yesterday we would meet. She had a gift to give me. There she was, waiting. As with Susan I had a hard time coming up with conversational gambits, even though I knew Vanessa better. If she noticed my deficit she did not comment on it. But she seemed to have things to say so she did not make any signs to leave. We ended up talking for three hours.

I’m glad we did. I got to know this precious child on a much deeper level than during the two semesters she sat in my class. She had professed her love for me unabashedly in the past, and did so again today. After hearing some of her life’s events – raised by grandparents after her mother moved to Shanghai for work, and her father leaving the family altogether. No connection to her estranged mother even though she loves her deeply made it easy for her to connect with me.

Such a precious child! I have always admired this rare and beautiful girl but had no idea what baggage she carried. She didn’t have the language skills to convey all that she was feeling: abandonment, disconnection, loneliness… all things that I understood as subtext to her actual words.

Vanessa is one reason why I am so glad to not only be a teacher but a mentor and mother figure to these kids.

Before we got into this soul baring, healing revelation session Vanessa helped me unwrap her gift to me: a framed butterfly. Her name meaning ‘butterfly’, she thought it would serve as a permanent reminder of her… as though I needed one! It now adorns the left side of my coffee table, balancing out the framed picture of my son on the right. I gave her one of my generic presents – a mug full of candy.

I’m really grateful for those generic gifts. They were originally intended for some of the teachers but they are working so much better in this capacity, don’t you think?

Just as I was getting ready to curl up with my book and wait for nightfall, there came Carol and Sophie. Carol had lent me an extension cord for the Christmas lights decorating my living room. She sent me a text message saying she needed it back. As I had it since the party on December 16^th, her request was reasonable. I swallowed my fatigue once more and opened my door.

Carol, Sophie and I talked for two hours. About what I could not tell you. A lot of it had to do with Carol’s uncertainty of her future. Sophie joined in, confessing her shyness as a reason she does not feel confident about her future.

I hope these girls uncover their potential. They are both gifted intellects and Carol shows strong signs of leadership. I hope my little bits of encouragement give them both the incentive to carry on and search for their dreams.

The girls left just before 5PM. I’m not even hungry. I am sick. all I want to do is sleep and recover.

I force myself to eat something. I do not even remember what it is.

Another text message. Could Zhanny and Dash come over tomorrow?

No. I am declining all further invitations and taking myself off the grid. I simply have to rest.

I spent Wednesday in my jammies, doing nothing more strenuous than changing movies in the DVD player. I snacked rather than eating meals that would require preparation.

On Thursday I felt recovered, to an extent. I mustered the strength to do my dishes, finally washing the dirty plates leftover from Tony and Joanna’s visit last Friday night, along with the rest of my kitchenware I had used during those 6 days but had no time to clean.

On Friday busy-ness would start again. How nice it was to just relax for two days!

The Twelve Days of Christmas – the Freshman Celebrations

Victor and I had discussed Christmas in advance. Both of us agree that hosting Christmas parties at our houses is not a good idea. Neither one of us like our homes to be invaded, no matter how sweet and cute and adorable the kids are.

Because this year’s sophomores were last year’s freshmen they were expecting a party, so I hosted parties for them. This year’s freshmen know nothing about last year’s parties so I saw this as a way of breaking the tradition before it became an actual tradition. Instead of inviting them to my home for a full scale party I offered refreshments in class. It just so happened their last class was December 26^th. That was the day they were to have their final exam. My plan was to serve them snacks that I bought yesterday with Susan while they took their final exam.

Getting everything to class would prove to be a challenge. My classes are back to back with only 20 minutes between them. No time to run back to my house between classes. Carrying only what I needed to serve one group was out of the question. The two large tins of cookies and 8 two-liter bottles of beverage all fit in my largest shopping bag but toting it would require more strength than I felt I had at that point. I was running on fumes after all the celebration I’ve already enjoyed and by now desperately longed for a day off.

I loaded the bag onto my laptop rollaround case and wheeled it to class. Perfect solution!

These kids are always so grateful for any little thing beyond teaching. They eagerly snatched their share of snacks from the large tin of cookies I had bought and enjoyed milk or juice while answering the question: What are your thoughts on your university experience so far? That was their final exam.

Note that I did not go to the internet café this morning because I had to be in class. However, I did have to make amends for not answering the text messages, many of which came from these kids. I told them that my phone battery died, and then I went to the show last night. We talked about that for a few minutes because many of them actually performed last night.

The Twelve Days of Christmas – Christmas Day

A phone full of messages.

On Christmas Day I woke up to a phone full of text messages wishing me a merry Christmas. From friends, teachers, students… just about everyone who has my phone number sent me a message. I even got a message from Olaf, who is now in Germany! Throughout the day my phone would chime with the sentiment of another thoughtful well-wisher. I did not have time (or energy) to answer them all. In fact, my phone battery died before I could get to any of them.

I did receive one phone call while I was at the internet café that morning. Susan, a lovely girl I was coaching on my Monday night Oral English sessions wanted to meet with me. She has a gift for me…

I could barely bring myself to meet with her.

I was pretty close to being Christmas’ed out. And not just Christmas’ed out. I was completely exhausted in general. I seriously needed some downtime but I had a ways to go yet. One of those ways would take me across campus to buy snacks for the freshman classes I was to hold the next day. I decided to compromise, meeting Susan on the way to the store.

Susan gifted me a and knitted scarf and a pair of earrings, along with an apple in a lovely, plaid-pattern gift box. She confessed she wasn’t sure what to get me but was determined to give me something because I was such a huge help to her with her spoken English. Although I am seriously ready for some quiet time (can’t say that enough!) I asked her to accompany me to the store. We were only gone for an hour and, looking back I am glad I spent this time with her even though I was so brain dead I struggled to come up with conversation.

I made it home in time to rest up for that evening’s party.

The School Christmas Party.

On Sunday night the students regaled a packed house with a variety show: singing, dancing, skits and poems. None were really Christmas-themed and indeed they called it the End of Year Party, but it happened on Christmas Day.

No matter how many of these shows I attend (or take part in) I am perpetually amazed at how talented these kids are! Carrie and Vanessa sang the duet that they intoned acapella at my house a few nights before (See Old Fashioned Christmas entry). Besides them, a boy with the vocal range of an angel and the mastery of a professional singer rocked the house. But one girl, dressed in traditional costume and singing of her love for the Tibetan Plateau stole the show. She had a team of backup vocalists who danced and emoted throughout the song, making it that much more real.

You should note that no adult coordinates these shows. The kids do it all themselves: soundman, show planning, even the auditions are all conducted by students. The only thing the teachers do is attend the show, front row. We get honored at the beginning, treated to snacks and warm tea throughout the performance and take the stage at the end of the show, posing for pictures. The kids are the stars of the show but we’re the ones who get treated like prima donnas.

The show was over at 9:30. I have to get to bed because I’ve got class at 8AM tomorrow morning.

The Twelve Days of Christmas – Christmas Eve

Bear in mind that, throughout this Holiday Season I was leaping out of bed to run to the internet café. I had to stay in touch with friends and family in the States. I have a time limit on my computer usage at the café: each session is 3 hours. During that time I not only chat with family but also catch emails and try to keep up with the world’s doings. And, because it is winter I want to look at what our weather is going to be like.

So, amidst all the revelry I’m spending the first 3 hours of every morning at the internet café. While it is a great pleasure to connect with everyone Stateside it drains me to get up early every day, no matter what time I go to bed. I am just not an early riser!

On to Christmas Eve, and the day’s doings.

Christmas with Gary and Mask.

My good friends were due over sometime around 3PM, so I had plenty of time to go to the internet bar and talk with everyone Stateside. After that I had to make a mad dash across the campus and up The Street to buy wrapping paper for Gary and Mask’s gifts. While there I treated myself to another breakfast sandwich, which I brought home and enjoyed with sesame crackers. I wasn’t worried about breaking a tooth off this time, so heartily I bit into the sandwich, only to hear Gary hailing me from outside my balcony. It seems he had been trying to call me all day but I had left my phone at home when I went to the internet café. That, coupled with the fact that I get only sketchy reception at my house made Gary’s calls in vain. He had no choice but to interrupt my breakfast sandwich rapture. Dang it: I’m never going to get to enjoy a breakfast sandwich again! I abandoned my lunch in favor of a walk around campus and a beverage at a nearby tea house with my friends. That’s when I learned I was born in 1942 -more on that later!

Before leaving the house Gary offered up his standard gift: earrings. Gold ones this time and, as always, beautifully suited to my face. He really has an eye for jewelry! Mask shyly offered up a pashmina adorned with roses on a brown background with a black border. Again, the colors are so suited to my complexion. How do these guys do it?

At the tea house Mask exclaimed that they had teapot warmers, exactly like the one I have. After seeing mine the last time they were at my house he had confided in Gary that he wanted one, so that is what I got him for Christmas. In the meantime he had been all over town looking for just such a warmer for himself.

Little did he know that he would be the proud owner of a tea warmer. It, and a 100-count bag of tealights was already at my house, just waiting for a sheet of giftwrap. For Gary a countertop grill lay in wait. The time he had dined at my house I had grilled steaks and he declared right then and there that he had to have just such an appliance for his kitchen.

After wending our way back from the tea house I disappeared into my bedroom, ostensibly to get ready for dinner at Aloha’s but in reality to wrap their gifts. In short order I reappeared, dumped their gifts unceremoniously in their laps and disappeared into my room again. The closed door muted the sounds of ripping paper but their shouts of surprise and joy came through loud and clear. One more appearance into the living room to collect my hugs and take pictures and then I started to get ready in earnest. Tony was on his way over and we were all going to enjoy a traditional American Christmas feast at Aloha’s.

Christmas at Aloha’s.

To be perfectly fair, Gary, Mask and Aloha’s happened on the same day but the Aloha portion of the day was remarkable in itself. The restaurant had overbooked its reservations and ran out of chairs and stools and anything else for people to sit on. They also ran out of room.

All the arrangements Carrie Ann had so painstakingly made were shot down. My gang had gotten to the restaurant first so we had seats at the table but Carrie Ann got there last. She, who coordinated everything ended up sitting at the bar, alone. She was not happy and I could not blame her. I offered her my seat at the table but she declined. She didn’t want to sit between Gary and Tony. After all my best attempts to ensure her enjoyment of the holiday were rejected I sat back down and enjoyed the company I came with. We all felt the waves of anger and resentment from the bar and decided to cut our night short. On the way home we sang Christmas carols, proving that we are still quite the merry bunch.

I do have to mention that Carrie Ann did come armed and ready for Christmas. I had given her her Christmas gifts on Thanksgiving because originally I was not planning on attending the Aloha bash. Being as I changed my mind and she and I did in fact meet, she remembered to bring my gifts to the restaurant: a foot warmer and assorted chocolates.

Two more noteworthy, funny things.

Yesterday while Tony was visiting he informed me that I had been immortalized on a placard mounted near the basketball court. I wanted to see it for myself so, as Gary, Mask and I strolled around campus I took them by those billboards. That was when I discovered the misprint: the placard announced my birth month and day correctly but predated my earthly arrival by 20 years! According the the printed biography I was born in 1942 instead of ’62!

Sam is always saying how young I look. It is no wonder the students marvel at my youthful appearance, seeing as, according to that billboard I am nearing 70 years old!

When I told Sam about the billboard he proudly announced that he had a hand in writing that biography.

Imagine his surprise when I started throwing things at him! Only when I told him about the incorrect birth date did he understand why he was being pelted with whatever I could get my hands on.

The other funny thing:

Upon returning to the house from our walk around campus Mask and Gary said something about redoing my makeup. I asked them – threateningly – whether I currently look bad. They were quick to assure me I am still beautiful. It is just that they know all women like to touch up their makeup…

Yeah, sure!!!

The Twelve Days of Christmas – What Happened Next

Christmas with Summer.

Summer, one of my sophomore students and a good friend besides, was not able to make it to the party I held for her class but she swore to make it up to me. That day came on December 23^rd , when she gifted me a lovely fleece-lined sweater her mother and father had shopped extensively for. Because I’m so big it is difficult to find anything to fit me so I was particularly touched to hear that her parents ran from store to store and outlet to outlet, resorting to searching online to find suitable winter garb in my size. Even her father joined in the hunt!

Summer and her family have pretty well adopted me. When she invited me over for Christmas I had to decline – too much to do, but I told her I would make it up to her by inviting her over for a home-cooked meal. Much to her surprise I served up traditional Chinese dishes… and they were good! After that we went for a walk, and that’s when I found a new way to the main road without traversing campus. That might come in handy!

As a compromise to her parents not being able to make it over, I packed the leftover meatballs in a plastic bowl that her mother had sent me home with on a previous dining occasion at their house. Now Summer’s parents get to sample my cooking.

I hope that, one day soon I will be able to enjoy the entire family over. It will be my pleasure to cook for all of them.

I had barely cleaned the kitchen from lunching with Summer when Tony manifested himself. He sent a text message at 5:30PM asking if I had time to meet with him. I always have time for Tony, who I consider my Chinese son.

Christmas with Tony and Joanna.

You all know who Tony is; Joanna is his girlfriend. A true beauty and quite the brainiac, we spent Christmas Eve together. After warning me of their impending visit, they showed up with cake and gifts. I gifted Tony his favorite chocolate and gave Joanna a generic gift.

I think everyone keeps generic gifts on hand for those unexpected well wishers that just show up. In my case, I had bought several little glass mugs and filled them with saltwater taffy I had bought in Memphis. Wrap them in Saran wrap, tie them up with a red bow, attach an ornament and voila! Instant Christmas gift!

Tony, Joanna and I spent the next five hours meandering through conversation, as good friends always do. At one point we were talking about movies and Tony went through my movie collection. We decided we should have a ‘movie night’, where they come over and we watch movies together. That promises to be great fun!

Only when I pointed out that it was 10:45PM did they take their leave. Otherwise they would have gotten locked out of their dorm.

And now for Christmas Eve…

The Twelve Days of Christmas – What Has Already Happened

Originally I was going to write one entry titled the Post Christmas Analysis but as I went on describing my Christmas doings the entry grew to over 2,000 words – about 500 more words than I allow my standard entries to be. And I still had events to relay. Had I continued with that entry it would have grown to short story length. I resolved to break things down into several short entries. You can read as many as you want in one sitting without having to roll your eyes at my long-windedness.

Here’s an extra challenge: with each Christmas entry I will post a picture of all my Christmas loot. See if you can pick out the individual gifts as I describe them!

Now, the introduction to that one, monster entry:

“The Holidays are hurtling toward us” commented Marjorie in an email. She could not have put it more succinctly. I felt steamrollered by the events of the season; everything going on has kept me away from the keyboard.

In my defense, I aver that Christmas has to happen before I can write about it. However, nothing stopped me from writing a short little blurb to wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I didn’t do that and I ask your forgiveness. I ask you to consider the verb ‘to hurtle’: to move at great speed, typically in a wild and uncontrolled manner. I felt steamrollered by the holiday. You’ll soon find out why.

1. Thirty Little Piggies: that was an entry all by itself and that party kicked off for me what was a nearly two week celebration. This party was held on Friday the 16^th of December. You already read about that.

2. The Old Fashioned Christmas: the party we held by candlelight. This was the second of the only two parties I intended to host. You’re already privy to this story, too. It was held on Sunday the 18^th of December. After that I would be done with my major Christmas efforts. From then out I would only give out gifts and attend events.

3. Christmas around the school. Me? Give out gifts? What was I thinking? I received more gifts than I gave out, mostly gift-wrapped apples. It is traditional here to give apples as a symbol of health and happiness. And now I own an orchard, or at least the harvest of an orchard. Every time I traversed campus somebody proffered me a gift-wrapped apple.

Beyond the students’ well-wishes were the ones proffered by the school’s administrators. It seems I was not the only busy one this time of year. Last year, and traditionally the school officials host a luncheon and shower the foreign teachers with gifts but they were all inundated by inspectors and government officials trying to decide how much money to fund new school projects with. As late as December 22^nd Dean Tu was hosting delegates, including entertaining them late into the night. He gave Sam a wad of money to buy gifts with, and then told Sam to deliver them, along with his apologies, to my apartment in time for Christmas with the disclaimer that it would not be proper for him to call on me himself.

And so we have Sam, carrying a gift set of Great Wall wine and a monster box of Dove Chocolates, making an appearance at my apartment the Thursday before Christmas. He extended Dean Tu’s apologies (and told me that whole ‘it wouldn’t be proper’ conversation. I found that rather charming and old fashioned, don’t you?)

Sam and I dined at the new Teacher’s Cafeteria that evening. We saw Dean Tu, surrounded by a large party of dignitaries come down the stairs from the formal dining rooms on the second floor. He smiled and waved at us but didn’t dare leave his guests to come over. If I needed any convincing about his being busy that would have done it.

One last twist to this bag of pretzels: Victor.

While I was chatting with my family at the internet café Friday morning Victor called to wish me Merry Christmas and to tell me he had to beg off from the luncheon we were supposed to have that day. As it was 11:30 already – time for lunch, and I had not been summoned to the table I wondered what he was talking about. Sam had told me earlier in the week that no lunch was possible because everyone was too busy. Sam had forgotten to tell Victor the lunch was canceled.

We’ve covered from December 16^th to the 23^rd. Let’s go see what happens next!