Reasons to Dance 05/02/2011
 "Yay! Somebody died!"  Flash mob pillow fights are always a good idea. After watching a vocal minority of my fellow Americans dancing in front of the White House after the death of Osama Bin Laden, I can’t help but feel more than a little flabbergasted. Surely, these individuals, in their superior grasp of the situation, note the similarity between their actions and the enraging footage of Palestinians dancing in the streets on 9/11. How could anybody in possession of their full faculties wish to show the world such an image of “American goodwill?” Likely as not, these fine individuals are suffering from some confusion over why we should celebrate. Let's help them. Listed below are some of the more exemplary reasons to celebrate. Feel free to add your own in the comments section. Forgiveness: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrie_ten_Boom Water guns: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songkran Hope: http://www.project-exodus.org/ Really, really good beer: http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/article/About+the+Oktoberfest/About+the+Oktoberfest/Dates+and+General+FAQs/751/ Add Comment Thoughts on Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling and also Xavier Beauvois’ film, Of Gods and Men: 04/28/2011
 Thoughts on Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling and also Xavier Beauvois’ film, Of Gods and Men: Kierkegaard concludes his investigation of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac by saying, “Faith is the highest passion in a human being. Many in every generation may not come that far, but none comes further.” In the philosopher’s understanding of time, each generation may build upon, destroy, contest, or defend the historical legacy of the past. Similarly, in matters of science or even social science we would be blind without our past tutors. In this way we enjoy continuity between distant generations. However, in the realm of passion each generation ventures upon untried ground. We must forge our own trail, make our own mistakes, and fall in love for ourselves. These ideas echoed in my head as I watched the characters in Of Gods and Men struggle to decide how they will maintain their devotion to God and their love for others in the face of blind brutality. While the film is not yet a year old and the story material dates from the mid 1990s, its subject material is timeless. Amidst a complicated historical backdrop, the monks of Tibhirine, Algeria concentrated on the simple teachings of scripture to love the Lord their God and love others as themselves. I will not delve further into the plot and ruin its conclusion, but I highly suggest you watch it for yourself and see how these monks, by reaching for nothing beyond faith, attained something more than the majority of us will ever realize. I’ll finish with one more quote from Fear and Trembling: But anyone who comes to faith (whether he be greatly talented or simple-minded makes no difference) won’t remain at a standstill there. Indeed he would be shocked if anyone said this to him. Just as the lover would be indignant if someone said he had come to a standstill in his love, for he would reply, ‘I’m by no means standing still in my love, for I have my life in it.’ New Family 04/25/2011
 Hello friends! Tonight I have urgent and wonderful news to share with you--news that testifies to the beauty of life. For years I've considered it important to follow hunches--those small nudges that may appear unexceptional yet somehow feel important. Often times these turn out to be nothings, like stopping to talk with a stranger or driving one route rather than another. However, such inklings can also transform lives--such was the case only 25 minutes ago. Our story begins several months back on a quite afternoon in October. Recently, Caleb and I had returned from Mongolia and I had been experiencing the restlessness that accompanies a return to routine after adventures. This bounciness prompted me to explore our campus and, before I knew it, I found myself chatting with a Chinese professor who also believed in The Way (China code--hopefully not too difficult to figure out.) Brief as our conversation was, we agreed to meet again in 45 minutes so I could accompany her to a "special meeting." (China code is everywhere!) Concerned about my lack of Mandarin, I asked a student to join us and help translate--we'll call her "K" for anonymity's sake. Suffice it to say that my student gained a lot more from the evening than I did. While I found the "meeting" to be a tad cheesy, K couldn't hold back her tears as we sat and listened. Obviously, the night was for her and not me. Periodically, K and I would speak about the Bread of Life and His message. Yet, another hunch told me that I was not to be the one to guide her on such a journey--it was not my place. So instead I encouraged her to seek out fellow Chinese followers that could explain things in her native tongue. After the semester finished K and I rarely saw one another and I had no idea what had become of her musings--that is, until tonight. As I sat watching the BBC's "Sherlock" and unwinding after a long day, a sudden urge to take a walk seized me. The night being pleasant, I made my way down to the student dorms to stroll around and say hello. Suddenly, I heard a voice call "Pike!" and I looked around to see K standing with a huge smile on her face. With broken English and lots of hugs she told me how yesterday she became a follower of The Way and, as she explained, "water got put on my head." Quickly, she thrust an apple in my hand--the Chinese give apples when celebrating special occasions--and told me she must hurry to a party that some Chinese followers were throwing in her honor. With swirling emotions of joy and confusion, I made my way back home to write this blog and share the good news with you. If we can learn anything from this, it's that events are never in our control. Rather, we live and move under the guidance of One who holds a much better vantage point on life... follow your hunches! On the Far Side of the Stage 03/10/2011
 While I think everyone can benefit from a dose of perspective, I dedicate this blog post especially to my friends facing a not-so-distant future as they prepare to walk across the stage of alumni field, shake AKB’s hand, and graduate from Pepperdine. For the past seven months my feet have not touched US soil, my lungs have not expanded with the sweet air of the Santa Monica Mountains, nor have my eyes drank in the welcome sight of you, my dear friends. In short, life changed dramatically for me after graduation. What’s more, another similar deadline is fast approaching that will alter my daily routine just as forcefully. With mingled anticipation and apprehension I daily contemplate what I will do once I return to my home country this summer. At times, the prospects fill me with angst and I feel as though a constricting weight lay heavily upon my chest. Yet, just as often the unknown horizon fills me with renewed passion and joy to explore and savor my numbered days. Naturally, I assume you may be riding the same rollercoaster. Therefore, I wanted to share a brief scene that flashed upon my inward eye the other day. I hope it helps you as much as it did me. Consternation clouded my thoughts on Tuesday morning as I marched to my classroom full of less-than-eager English students. The sudden bought of confusion began with my alarm that morning. I had found myself asking, “What am I even doing here?, is it worthwhile?, and what will next year bring?” while I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. As the morning progressed, that final question of “What’s the next step?” refused to leave me alone, and it wholly occupied my thoughts while I prepared for my lesson. That is, until I suddenly burst out laughing. Perhaps my Chinese colleagues thought me crazy—then again, they always have—but I received such a tremendous word picture that I could not help but to laugh. I pictured my seven-year-old self, lying on my stomach, upon the hard wood floors of our old Mukilteo, Washington home. Before me stood a glorious Christmas tree. But, what truly occupied my attention were the gift-wrapped packages placed beneath its branches. I realized that just as I once looked with longing upon those Christmas presents from boyhood, so I now spend a good deal too much time fantasizing about the future. In reality I may relax contentedly knowing that my Heavenly Father knows both myself and the world around me better than I could ever hope for. Not only that, but he also plans on guiding me in a fitting direction. As long as I am responsible and pursue the hunches he gives me, then there’s no use attempting to discover what he means to be kept hidden until the proper time. Then, just as the anticipation of Christmas morning made it all the more enjoyable, I will discover with glee what he had planned all along. May you enjoy the final month of Pepperdine knowing that the true adventure begins on the far side of the graduation stage. Oh, and fyi, those robes are really fun. I'll buy you a l if you dress like Harry Potter. 11 Pipers Piping 12/24/2010
 圣诞节快乐 Merry Christmas Hello my Dear Friends, Already it is the end of 2010 and the Eve of Christmas—where did all our time go? Before I begin today’s entry, I wanted to announce the winners of my Christmas contest. Even though I received so many thoughtful and fun ideas for celebrating the holiday with my students, (except Debby Stein’s entry. She’s just weird,) I decided on the top three: Sam Morrow, Ashley Perez, and Juliane McCorkle. Get me your addresses asap! Anyway, as I considered my Christmas post, I got a little gun shy. How often do you actually read something worth reading about Christmas anyway? Rather than throwing just another touching story upon the mound of fluff already piled before us this time of year, I will share with you my favorite quotes from Dickens’ Christmas Carol. It’s my personal tradition to read the tale every year, and these excerpts are the ones that inevitably find their way into the pages of my journal with each review. These words are gold and it is my sincere hope that they bring you even more light on this most jovial of holidays. “Business!” cried the ghost, wringing its hands again. “The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!” --The Ghost of Jacob Marley The misery with them all was, clearly, that they sought to interfere, for good, in human matters, and had lost the power forever. --In reference to the agony of the ghosts wandering London’s streets “He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ‘em up: what then? The happiness he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.” --Young Scrooge’s description of Fezziwig In short I should have liked, I do confess, to have had the lightest license of a child, and yet to have been man enough to know its value. --Narrator Some people laughed to see the alteration in Scrooge, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset. --Narrator as he describes Scrooge’s changed life  Mouth Attack By Eagle 12/01/2010
Often, I begin class with a warm up designed to slowly reacquaint students with English. For today, I asked my freshman to finish a short story. As soon as the bell rang—and they settled down—I showed them a picture of the Rocky Mountains and wrote the beginning of a story on the board. For the next ten minutes they eagerly expanded on the given scenario, crafting tales that both reflected their unique personalities and the Chinese quirks I’ve grown to love. I so enjoyed some of their concoctions that I want to share them with you. Hopefully, you will not only find them as odd and funny as I did, but also catch a small glimpse of the wonderful people I get to interact with everyday.  The strange man stumbled into the clearing. Then he stood up, but he smell strange because he trample the doggy poo. He want to wash so he ran quickly, he stumbled again. --Anonymous The strange man stumbled into the clearing and when the man woke up, he found himself were in a beautiful room. The room was made up of ice. Until he is thinking, “What had happened,” a beautiful girl push the door and walked in. “Hello, Mr are you ok?” the girl said. “Yes, did you save me? What had happened?” “You lay on the ground when I found you. I’m afraid you would be dangerous so I bring you to my house. “You saved me, thank you very much.” “You’re welcome, and I want to thank you too.” “Why?” “Because, you’ll be the most delicious meal on my table…” --Anonymous  Jack looked up at the sky and said, “why not no money fall down?” Suddenly, a lot of coin from sky fall down. Jack was bruised. The story tell us the money from sky isn’t good. --Kay Jack looked up at the sky and said, “how beautiful the sky is. The mountains like huge men. The land like a yellow blanket.” All of that make Jack comfortable. He close his blue eyes, breath the fresh air. But an eagle towards to him when he open his eyes. “Oh, my God! Ok, if you attack me by your mouth, I will attack you by my mouth.” Suddenly, the eagle fall down. --Merry I Need Your Help 11/21/2010
Hello everyone! The Christmas season has sprung upon us at last and, even though China chooses not to celebrate, I plan on on thoroughly enjoying the festivities. One of the ways I will be "spreading the cheer" is in my classroom. I want to create a fun and interactive lesson that will allow my students to participate in the holiday. This is how you can help me: post a favorite tradition, story, activity, or whatnot that could be used in my class. I have a few ideas of my own, but would love to invite you to participate in what I am doing over here. I'll take suggestions for the next two weeks, then decide on the best ones. If I use your idea in class I'll send you some cool China loot. Thanks and bah humbug, Sam Whit's Flop 11/21/2010
A string of expletives struggled for control of my mind and mouth as I gazed over my class. Based on the blank stares and sounds of “Wahh?” that occasionally escaped from their mouth-breathing lips, my lesson far exceeded the students’ abilities. To make matters worse, the school had chosen this of all mornings to perform an audit that would determine if I received an end of the semester bonus. I could feel traveling money getting yanked out of my hands with every gasp of my dying lesson. Internally, a voice called for me to give in and tell the class “screw it, we’re watching a movie.” However, I resisted the temptation, apologized to the class for our assignment’s difficulty, and limped my kiddos across the finish line. As I exited the classroom in search of lunch, all anxiety, which had previously vied for emotional dominance, vanished. Rather, I could only think of an old Adventures in Odyssey episode I listened to in childhood. The radio drama, called “Whit’s Flop,” once again found Mr. Whitaker encouraging a kid who had recently dealt with personal disappointment. Rather than telling him it would all be “ok” and slipping him an ice cream cone, he took the hands on approach. After leading him back to his famous workshop that had spawned so many imaginative machines, he unveiled an elaborate gadget. After the boy recovered from his visual awe, he asked Whit the inevitable question, “What does it do?” “That’s the thing,” Mr. Whitaker replied, “It does nothing. I could never get it to work.” Amazed by Whit’s flop, the boy spent the rest of the day further tweaking the contraption, eventually finding a good use for it. Despite the cheesy, feel-good message of “Whit’s Flop,” its memory encouraged and invigorated me to rework my lesson over lunch. So, rather than meeting colleagues, I quickly ordered my meal da bao—to go—and headed back to my computer. The lesson in question sought to inform students about American politics and culminated in a small group activity that asked them to imagine they possessed American citizenship and could join a political party. Which would they join? You should know that I loved creating this lesson, it was no mere throw away talk. For, it eased me back into the current of history and reacquainted me with all that I found so intriguing to study in college. However, the very reason I adored it—complex ideas—also prevented my students from joining in the fun. In my eagerness to present the full meaning of each party, I focused too much on concepts or political ideology. These kids needed concrete facts or examples that they could interact with. After a few chopsticks full of curry beef and potatoes, I realized the solution: put them in charge. In the next few minutes I threw together a lesson that put the class at the helm of their own nation. First, they chose three things: its name, what it specialized in, and its top five values. Next, the newly minted citizens decided on their form of government. Finally, before I exceeded their attention span, they dealt with one major problem. Confident in this new strategy, I scooped the remaining curry into my mouth, threw my notes in a bag, and bolted for class. The next two hours flew by. I couldn’t believe how excitedly my students interacted with their assignment, as well as how little I had to labor to get my point across. By the end, I felt as though every minute of class witnessed an effective use of time and that my students actually began to think for themselves—a rare event as you can see from my last post. What had begun as a day of classroom defeat transformed into one of my brightest lessons thus far. I will certainly use this idea again, and also look forward to approaching future classes with a more can-do attitude.  The two countries: Paradise and Narnia. Paradise decided on anarchy because they thought their perfect environment would keep the peace, while Narnia submitted to royalty. Oh my. Two Elevens+Food in 4D! 11/11/2010
 Pucker Up Let me divulge to you one of the greatest difficulties of teaching in China: inheriting a batch of students preconditioned to thinking inside the box. It’s heinous what these kids’ imaginations go through at such an early age. Rather than allowing creativity to take root in childhood, the educational system subjects their little minds to an endless road of memorization. This approach leaves them little time for else besides school, eating, and sleeping. As satisfying as it would be to continue this post with further rants, what good would it enact? Will my indignation bring me any closer to a solution? No. In fact, the swift current of disdain would only further alienate me from their aid. So, instead I would like to share with you a story of a personal cultural frustration that bloomed into understanding. On the first day of the semester I asked my students to tell me about themselves—hobbies, dreams, heroes, etc… In the beginning I listened enthusiastically. However, by mid-afternoon, I began to dread their responses. It seemed as though every girl loved to sleep, eat “dericious foods,” and shop, while the boys enjoyed sleeping, playing basketball, video games, and also eating “dericious foods.” More than once, the thought struck me that I now faced a year stranded amongst the most unimaginative people in the world. This nagging thought pecked at my mind for weeks, and, while I constantly aspired to offer opportunities for creative expression in class, I slowly gave into pessimism. Yet, I’ve recently enjoyed a change of perspective. While reading the book, “In Defense of Food” by ____, I came across a passage that observed, “The sheer abundance of food in America has bred a vague indifference to food, manifested in a tendency to eat and run, rather than to dine and savor.” Almost instantly, my mind flashed to the 175 times I heard “I lurv to eat dericious foods,” and my hypocrisy slapped me in the face. For weeks I had been fuming over how my students wasted their free time, but this passage stripped my indignation of its foundations. I realized they had actually mentioned at least one worthwhile and creative pastime—eating. If I view their enjoyment of a good meal through American cultural lenses, then it is in fact a lame excuse of a hobby. They lead me to wrongly assume that since eating is a common occurrence it is also a common pursuit devoid of creativity. How could lunch even qualify as a pastime? However, the Chinese people view food from a vastly different perspective. They see it as a means of connection. Through consuming various dishes they tangibly interact with their family, national identity, mythology, and physical location. For example, nearly every city in the country is famous for one dish or another, and often these associations go back for hundreds of years. Granted, this mini-epiphany does not negate the fact that my students are still in dire need of a mental shot in the arm—imagination’s subjugation remains an unfortunate reality. Yet, it gives me a foothold. Now, whenever I receive the stock answer of sleeping, shopping, basketball, and “eating dericious foods,” I latch upon their eating habits and question them further. These conversations allow me to discover a surprising amount of information on how they view themselves and their heritage. Matthew 7:3 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Wednesday Nights in Hangzhou 11/09/2010
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