Chinese Poetry Reading!

Again- not totally sure how this happend. I'd simply walked into the International Office to pick up some mail when one of the workers approached me to ask if I'd like to read a poem- very useful in my quest to learn Chinese.


Then, yesterday, I found myself in a room with five other foreigners, practicing reading a Chinese poem while two Korean girls performed a tea ceremony. This Sunday (cough- TOMORROW) I will be reading my poem to an audience while donning a traditional Chinese tunic in Hangzhou. This really has made the whole living in China experience even more surreal. This thing in Hangzhou is only "practice" (?) though, because in two weeks I need to have my Chinese poem memorized for the real competition. Its very exciting to have such a challenge like this just sitting on my plate. I guess after its done all the foreigners that participate get an expense paid tour around Zhejiang Province. As much as I don't really like the idea of parading around with a hoard of foreigners, this competition should be really fun. My poem is something about a certain kind of tea- and some mountains- and hopefully I'll get someone who speaks Chinese to translate more of it to me today.


Yesterday was very productive. One of my students invited me to climb this mountain behind the univeristy. I guess I didn't realize that the university really was on the very edge of town- because we were immediately in the country. I suddenly felt like I was in a place that smarted of home- it was...... quiet. Wheat hand-gathered into little shucks. Rice paddies (ok- maybe ot quite like home). Beautiful mountain. So great to know something like that is so close! The weather here is about what I would expect in September or October in Wisconsin- the leaves are really changing now!




(view half-way up the mountain- internet isn't letting me upload more photos!!)

Then I went with Morten to see one of his students perform in a talent competition. I'd met her before- she was always very hyper and bouncing. Little did I know that she was also a very talented traditional Chinese opera singer. The Chinese really don't tend to half-ass things when it comes to any sort of public presentation- maybe its all about saving face- whatever it is, its very impressive.

Again, I hope more photos will follow soon! (or at least a link to the album on facebook)