Spring's Quarterly Report

Spring time on campus

At eight weeks into the term and with just eight weeks left in the academic year, I feel it is time to purge myself of some thoughts and anecdotes related to my teaching experiences.

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General Class Management:

I am now showing one video out of this ongoing series to each class each week. They love it. I am amazed at how Jessica has corralled her manic personality traits into flawless Chinese mannerisms. Her affect is dead-on though, somehow, more than a little offputting.

Also, I recently discovered that her Chinese name (白姐, baijie, "white sister") is also the title of a popular Chinese pornography novel.

Thanks to DNyks for bringing this series to my attention. Thank you to my students for being well-read on Chinese pornography. (In China, porn is called "yellow" material; perverts, "黄.")

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As class began one brisk day in March, I found myself lassoing one student's attention: "Sousa, can you please put your nunchuks away?"

One week later, I walked into the same class while Michael Jackson's "Beat It" was playing. My students started clapping [mostly] to the rhythm and shouting: "Dance! Dance! Dance!"

Confertzel: The Pesach Edition

Being as Pesach (Passover) is a celebration of freedom (beyond the metaphorical appreciation of The Exodus) in all forms, I have been thinking a lot about what "freedom" means to the average Chinese person. My reflections have coincided with some interesting China-related current events: Mike Daisey taking "freedoms" with his reporting on the Foxconn factories that supposedly oppressed workers; Bo XiLai's ousting over, in one way or another, acting too freely with his power; and the recent and brief shut-down of China's version of Twitter because of false rumors about a coup in Beijing. (That last link also has a good discussion about what foreigners can expect career-wise in China.)

So thin...Eat! Eat!

When I ask my students about "freedom," many say they believe they are as free as anyone should be--that they are free to do and say as they like. This is an obvious delusion or a "Polly-want-a-cracker" trained response--interpretations will vary based on cynicism and views of an Orwellian China. But my students seem to be vaguely aware of their limits because of the way they blanch whenever the following topics arise: politics, religion, and criticism of the Chinese government.

Despite what people say about the inherent power of Chinese democracy, this is still a country essentially run by ten chairmen. They govern based on the infantilizing policy that they know what is best for the Chinese people. Average citizens have little sway over the voice of these chairmen. These chairmen will oust a popular Party member if he (or she) doesn't tow the line enough; and these chairmen will sever Internet communication over even preposterous rumors.

My students go even further, though, to accuse The U.S. of being a falsely free country. My students cite: economic disparity, the death penalty, gang activity, and the drinking age. Some of these examples encourage debate, but I find their ability to observe lacking freedom elsewhere versus domestically (in China) a curious contradiction.

With those thoughts in mind, I am thankful to be in a position to take advantage of the freedoms of being a modern Jewish American living in China.

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The "Confertzel Cookbook" should serve as documentation of one Jew-in-China's attempts to make "soul food" using what is available at local Chinese wet markets and corner stores. I intend to keep the recipes fairly low budget and to use methods that most people in China (or with limited resources and kitchen facilities) could accommodate. If I offend anyone with how heinously I drift from traditional recipes, let me apologize preemptively. Specifically, I apologize to my Jewish grandmother.