Teaching Teachers In India

I bet teachers in India are as skeptical of professional development as teachers in the US. That was at the for-front of my mind as Les and I greeted the staff of KV national public school as they slowly and sporadically trickled into the one of the less technology compromised classrooms on the top floor of the building. Thomas our host teacher had asked us to deliver a presentation to staff related to how we use technology in our classrooms for instruction and assessment purposes. I was most excited by the prospect of using this opportunity to not only show off some of these new tools but encourage teachers to have some fun and learn by doing as well. You see, although teaching and learning in India is revered and fairly rigorous, active learning appears to taper off after primary school. This is fairly common worldwide. It also seems strongly correlated with student engagement as captured by student perception data. 

When teachers entered I kindly asked them to take out their phones and log into quizlet.live and enter the code on the screen. Les played some music in the background as staff got situated and KV quickly felt a little more familiar to my own classroom. The game began. As I explained to the staff that they would need to reorganize themselves into groups, I knew that we had won them over out of shear curiosity alone. Now in their assigned animal groupings the game began, requiring teachers to work together as a team to correctly answer the 30 questions some teacher who knows where in the world previously created related to assessing people’s understanding of the USA. 

By the initial struggle to answer any of the questions nor teachers understanding that only one member in their group had the correct answer and they actually had to collaborate and work together to select the right answer, I thought we were in for a long and uncomfortable debrief. In hindsight I wasn’t surprised as most of the classrooms require students to work independently and share their individual thoughts as opposed to discussing their answers with classmates or working together to solve a problem. Thankfully, after several minutes of scoreless inactivity, teams started to answer questions together and the experience became quite thrilling with teachers screaming with delight just like my students do while racking up points which the Black Rhinos moved closer to victory. 

Les facilitated the next piece by handing our pieces of printed paper, each containing Plickers, wingding looking doodles looking something in between Pac-Man ghosts and Rawshack Test ink blots. These odd pieces of paper that he generated out using Thomas’ printer that he was convinced was smoking or at the very least spraying dust particles are used to collect student or it this case teacher data. Les proceeded to ask teachers a bunch of questions about their comfort with technology and content questions related to the lessons we cotaught with their colleagues thus far. After each question Les asked for a response using the cards we provided and then proceeded to pan the classroom with his cell phone to record the answers.  

Teachers lit up with clarifying questions first asking how much these services cost to use, making me feel like some sort of infomercial pitchman when I responded, wait for it, “zero US dollars, zero rupees!” Students in India are not allowed to have phones in India and unlike NYC, lovely enough, comply with this rule almost unanimously by not bringing them to school. Given this and the lack of other devices in the classroom were somewhat less enthusiastic about being able to infuse quizlet into their classroom although some were excited by the prospect of using it in conjunction to the computer lab or assigning it to support students outside of school. Thomas’ determination to make quizlet live happen one way or another added an additional boost of positivity to the session. Plickers on the other hand had almost universal excitement in regards to adoption, especially when Les gave away the printed card we used to the most eager adopter.  The most important aspect of the session was the general enthusiasm and open-mindedness of the staff combined with the joyful and playful nature of the session. At the very least I hope we helped staff at KV realize they have so much to share and learn from one another and that professional development can be teacher facilitated and fun!

The Principal’s Bachelor Pad

As we pulled up to the house’s gate after our first full day of teaching dressed in our most formal, least worn clothing, we noticed the plaque outside the building “Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya (aka National Public School of Malappuram, Kerala, India).” Our morning interactions with the head school leader so far were cordial but formal and intimidating to say the least. Allowing two random Americans from a foreign educational system free rein to address your school community, teach your students classes, train your staff and generally roam, free rein in your school, requires a lot of trust on the part of school leadership. Our first morning at school, Principal Shri. V. Santosh or SV as he would later log into quizlet live during our professional development session as, seems to have indirectly insisted on a bit of a feeling out period, which included us spending a large part of the morning together, chatting off and on as staff, parents and new students shuffled in and out of his office. Being in the Principal’s Office as an adult is often uncomfortable as it is for students.  I can only image what it must have felt like to add two white foreign dignitaries who just addressed the school and welcomed with drums and celebration to the equation, sitting comfortably on the Principals fainting couch, not standing at attention like the others, trying their best not to stare but incredibly inquisitive about every interaction and exchange taking place.

But, for now, the school day had long ended and we were just breaching his outdoor gate as we were invited to celebrate our first day at school with a dinner at his private residence. Bending down, crouching near the front steps awkwardly removing our shoes the front door opened. Glaring at us from above with a big smile underneath his prominent mustache stood the same man, this time in his Doti, a traditional Keralan man skirt and an unimposing t-shirt. Once entering his home we were introduced to his mother who didn’t speak much in any language, but pantomimed her love and affection for us through her body language and through aggressive sticking cookies and other assorted snacks in the palms of our hands. SV’s position as a national school leader just as it requires most teachers to live a life in perpetual transition and relocate to the state and city the government requires your service. His wife’s career in Hyderabad didn’t allow her to join him in Kerala unlike our host’s wife who takes less lucrative private school jobs in the city he is assigned. Perhaps that’s why the name of the former KV Principal remains on the placard next to the gate. 

As it so happened, we didn’t end up eating a formal meal, let alone dinner, at SV’s self proclaimed bachelor pad as we initially presumed. SV maintained that if his wife was here, we would be treated to a feast. I secretly predict in some respects he preferred this instead. We proceeded to make do as bachelor's do, dining on assorted snacks, hanging out all night, chilling on the couch, me next to his mom oddly enough, bantering back and forth about politics and life in general. SV flipped between two local news stations, the Indian equivalent of CNN/MSNBC (Congress Party) and Fox News (BJP). Modi of the BJP was just re-elected as prime minister to a margin of defeat of the opposition initial viewed as impossible prior to election week in India. The political arena in the US and India are strikingly similar, but as it goes these days similarities carry suit throughout the rest of the world. As the Burning Question segment played out with its doom and gloom talk, little lizards ran back and forth on the wall adjacent to the flat screen tv, stalking and devouring any and all nearby insects. 

When we departed, SV took great pride in showing off his jackfruit collection which was produced solely from the plentiful jackfruit trees growing on his property. As he bounced from tree to tree tapping and probing the enormous spiky melons, I couldn’t help but imagine the teachers at the school many who I was told live in the surrounded houses, also provided free of charge, in-kind, by the national government, peaking over the residential walls and bare witness to the sight of their leader demonstrating jackfruit cultivation with such joy and whimsy.  Next day at school Principal Shri. V. was once again all business as if the previous night was some sort of surreal dream or fair-tale. Being a school leader whether it be in the US or India requires you to wear many hats and faces. I am just fortunate and greatly appreciate to have seen and experienced them all.

Teaching Students In India

Les and I did a fair deal of teaching at KV often riffing off the immediate needs of students and staff during the week at KV. I taught and cotaught in an array of classrooms, facilitated Q&A sessions with teachers and staff, even performed Don’t Worry, Sandoosham (Happy in Malalum) in front of the whole school. You can watch it below. 

Equipped with odd appreciation for difficult and uncomfortable social situations and armed with a slew of materials related to school and my classroom in NYC such as two school yearbooks, Regents Exams for all subject areas and a bunch of activities pertaining to my economics and government classroom, I thought I would prepared for any situation or topic thrown at me. None of this however prepared me mentally or logistically for the high stakes, all eyes on you, Vishram! Salhan! Vishram! militaristic, standing at attention, student body lead morning assemblies at KV. 

Morning Assembly

Assembly is a countrywide phenomenon and something all US educators should behold in absolute bewilderment whether it’s in person or in video. Watch an Indian  morning assembly in action. The first assembly was most extravagant as it involved student drummers who led us via procession up the school steps and out to the courtyard where we were presented with the entire school community. Every morning students gather outside to stand at attention, meditate, pray and chant in unison, listen to the daily news, sing the national anthem with accompanying instruments with every student’s hand raised in salute, and as an added bonus, on this and every other day this past week listen to words of wisdom bestowed upon them by Les and myself. I love talking and I’d like to think large audiences don’t scare me, but after a display of respect and discipline that is morning assembly in India, my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest and probably would have Temple of Doom style if it wasn’t also for the equally as sedating effects of the chanting and prayers to help ease my nerves.  For my first address, I thanked students and staff for welcoming us into their school, introduced myself and shared a short story I read and prepared the night before about Steve Jobs who was inspired at an early age to promote workforce collaboration through design when his elementary school teacher demonstrated how rough unpolished rocks turn into beautiful polished gemstones when given 24 hours to bump into each other inside a tin can when you add a little water to the mix. With the first assembly in the bag and feeling invigorated, coteaching was as much if not more enjoyable.

Accounting Class

If my mind serves me correct, my first class was accounting. Having studied accounting for only several weeks in college before dropping the class I expected in add little to the conversation, but the teachers conciseness helped me to quickly grasp the content and ask the class some high level application based  questions related to how intellectual property or future purchase orders are accounted for in accounting. I was glad that these questions were relevant to students studies and pushed their thinking as these topics would be elaborated on in greater detail in weeks to come.

American Poetry in English Language Class

Ms. Sajina T’s 12th grade class was writing op-Ed’s related to the days morning assembly when we first dropped in. Later on they hosted Les and I as students presented and discussed two poems, A roadside Stand” by Robert Frost and Zitkalaza’s “First day in the land of apples” which discusses American India forced acculturation at the Carlyle Indian School. Having read the poems the night before and having a personal attachment to Frost as I first shared with students how my 10th grade English teacher once berated me in front of the whole class after reading The Path Not Taken exclaiming “I use to like this poem before you read it!” I asked students to share their thoughts on the concept if “good walls make good neighbors,” before connecting the concept to recent happenings in US immigration policy and answering students questions about Trump by sharing that I thought his approach to diplomacy was narrow minded and emphasized peanuts in the form of trivial givebacks as opposed to relationship building and lasting peace and world stability.

Damn Dams Are Interesting In Social Science

I also facilitated the second half of a social science lesson in which students were discussing the characteristics and consequences of the government building dams on tribal lands. I was encouraged to take over and used the opportunity to model inpromptu debate and student to student conversation asking students to discuss the pros and cons in small groups before sharing out their claim and argument on the issue. I also asked students to call on each other and required students to repeat back the points their classmate’s made before adding on their own thoughts on the topic to encourage student to student dialogue. At the end of class I asked students to conceptualize the values of the affirmative and negative and tied the issue of individualism vs collectivism back to Trump’s wall and how individualism in the form of respecting property rights will almost definitely win out over eminent domain and building a physical wall for “national security.”

 Teaching The Great Recession With Thomas

I believe Thomas and I were well paired for this experience, both because we love and teach economics but also because perhaps we have similar teaching styles. After a short mini lesson on creating credit through the money multiplier effect, Thomas did what he said his students love the most and shared real life examples or “stories.” He discussed how Lehman Brothers went bankrupt in 2008 and I asked students to think why the government let Lehman fail while they bailed out the other big banks with US tax dollars, if the government should bail out banks in danger of failing, too what extent individuals receive similar treatment and why they think crooked bankers don’t serve jail time like drug dealers. 

Adjectives, Nouns & Ninos!

We also cotaught some primary source classes including a 4th grade English class in which students were first working on writing nouns of items seen around in the classroom and then using “describing words” or adjectives to describe the items and then themselves and their teachers, including us :) I tried to push everyone’s thinking my asking students to use the model “I am .... because....” in which students needed an adjective to describe themselves and a specific example or piece of evidence to defend their choice of noun.

US Revolution - French Revolution - Indian Independence

I was asked to prepare a lesson on the US and French Revolution and decided to combine both into one lesson and also tie India into the mix as well. Students were surprised to learn that the US Revolution predated the French Revolution, Thomas Paine stirred the pot for both and that the desired effects of the French Revolution includes identical language that is found on in the Preamble to the Indian Constitution in the first page of their textbook. Students were also delighted by the striking similarities in language between the American Constitution and India’s.

Here are two exit slips from students produced at the end of this class when I asked them to reflect on the content, process and premise of my lesson and how it compares to their previous instruction.

The Whirlwind School Tour!

Towards the end of our stay it was nice to see that more and more teachers were inviting us to their classrooms and asking us to address their students. Les and I visited many other classroom to share about our school and discuss our students. I used my school’s yearbook as a picture book to discuss our focus on dentistry and pharmacy technology while Les shared videos of his school’s music and drama performances and creatively used Padlet to share student created introductions from his students and created similar video responses with some of the kids in our classrooms in KV. t is our hope to use tools like this to help foster relationships and collaboration between students at our schools.I also left a copy a USA school yearbook in the library in the hopes that students will continue to develop observations, inferences and questions about my school. 

Japan, Growth & Tea

An experience that left a strong impression on me as an educator was an educational visit to Japan during which I had the opportunity to visit schools and corporations, and also engage in a homestay experience. At the end of The Keizai Koho Center Teacher Fellowship, I spoke at a symposium and publicly shared best practices from my school relating to my reflections with the teachers we visited throughout our time in the program. What resonated with me the most was the culture’s emphasis on improvement. This was visible in multiple areas. For example, I visited Toyota factories that integrated assembly line protocols to encourage feedback and revision of bullet train managers’ reviewing videotape of cleaning crews to identify time-saving procedures. I also attended High Schools that prioritize teacher to teacher feedback and improvement science through teacher led lesson study sessions.

During trips to schools, as I visited classrooms, sat in on department meetings and spoke with parents, teachers, administrators and students, I noticed that Japanese schools prioritize collaboration by ensuring teachers have time to identify problems of practice and work together with other educators to reflect on various pedagogical strategies. In this way, all teachers, novice and experienced alike, are perpetually learning and increasing their capacity to serve students. I learned that the process of observation and feedback in Japan is inverted, as the majority of feedback for teachers comes from their colleagues as opposed to just from administration. And the amount of feedback greatly exceeds the frequency received by educators across America. In speaking to Japanese teachers, I also learned they work a full calendar year, using time over the summer to collaborate and refine lessons for the following school term.

Since visiting Japan, I have helped implement teacher led professional learning that is grounded in the premise of growth mindset and the processes of collaboration, inter-visitation, and reflection. Currently, as the lead teacher of the Social Studies department, I have worked closely with my colleagues to improve student engagement through inter-visitation and reflective debrief. Every Wednesday, we meet as a team to identify a period that we will visit a fellow teacher’s classroom. During the visit, we sit with students and observe their learning, and we take low inference notes that we share with the facilitating teacher(s). We develop patterns and trends across the classroom, look at student work to identify understandings and misunderstandings related to student learning and encourage the facilitating teacher to identify their instructional next steps.

Additionally, my participation helped inspire students to form The Academy For Software Engineering Tea Club. Tea Club came out of the need for students to have a safe space to hang out and congregate before school started. The school is part of a campus school with limited space and is co-located with 8 other schools that share the same cafeteria. Since the school draws students from all over the city, and all 5 boroughs, students often get to school significantly early and lack before school supervision and engagement. Students would often wander the halls looking for classrooms to hang out in and often get into arguments with students from other schools.

When some of my sophomores came into my room and saw me drinking some tea before first period we got into a conversation about the benefits of drinking tea, how tea has played an essential role throughout world history and then asked if I could pour them a cup. It was a greatly appreciated gesture, which led to more students coming the next morning, which then ultimately manifested into more students coming to my classroom before school for tea, which ultimately manifested into tea club. Students now have their own mugs and "tea shirts" and have roles and responsibilities within tea club. The first rule of Tea Club is that it is a safe space and whatever is discussed in Tea Club stays in Tea Club or is discussed with the other person privately. 


Tea Club has served the purpose of a before school advisory in which students share their frustrations and accomplishments in a manner that they facilitate largely by themselves. This simple morning ritual has inspired other teachers in the school to think about the socio emotional support we provide to students and to reorganize our advisory program to correspond to clubs and specific interests. It is hard to group a bunch of students into a classroom heterogeneously and then demand that they bond and collaborate. AFSE is now working to combine advisory like support with clubs in which students have choice and ownership over the focus, activities and conversations. 
Tea Club has also influenced instruction in my classroom as students are reading the book The History Of The World In Six Glasses. I  brought home an authentic tea set, which will be used to practice the tea ceremony to formally induct students into tea club. I am also trying to get students a formal invitation to the tea and coffee festival, which is held every year in New York City. 

Transatlantic Partnerships & Acts Of Resistance in Deutschland

Prior to our departure to Germany, we gathered at the Goethe Centre in Washington, DC to drink beer, eat pretzels and play some goofy German games amongst the faces of Germany’s newest residents, immigrants from civic conflicts in which the US government played a leading role. Then came the lecture. A formal, bulleted list projected via PowerPoint laying out German cultural norms, such as waiting to be invited into social activities such as conversation, snacking and to be acutely aware of both your physical and auditory presence, especially on public transportation. As compared to the earlier, sillier activities, these lessons on German culture and etiquette were delivered with striking seriousness. Almost as contradictory to let’s say a city where it's common place to see subway riders yelling, playing music and occasionally swinging from the poles doing "showtime!"

You could probably imagine my surprise when I found myself sitting a train to Leipzig with a loud, rowdy and intoxicated group travelers that would rival any NYC Subway car. I learned from my red faced inebriated neighbors that they were completing a train travel laden high school reunion of sorts. They drank, sang and socialized audible to their hearts content. As our trip leader walked the aisle the look of puzzlement on her face as we made eye contact seemed to imply I must have somehow orchestrated all of this. As the conductor appeared from the back of the car to check tickets, my new friends became even louder and more boisterous. They egged me on to sing, humming New York, NY with their cups in the air, they were definitely looking for a little bit of permission and a sense of social confirmation.

It was moments like this that helped me to see that even Germans, on occasion believe rules are made to be broken. Perhaps even reveling in doing the wrong thing. The systemic and culture differences between Germany and NYC are real, overt and well documented, yet but what struck me the most after visiting Germany this summer were the acts of deviance, rebellion and personal freedom that are originally went unnoticed during previous visits and conversations. Germans, in the past and present, can subvert the status quo and push the limits of individual freedom in unique and surprising ways.

Our fellowships first stop was Kaufburen, a small city outside of Munich in which we visited a school and stayed with a family for two nights. Kaufberun is home to a large refugee population which we met at school. Outside a community center known as the tea house in which German citizens are encouraged to socialize with refugees and new residents, stood a monument to the Holocaust designed by students at the school who formed a group called, in English, the ones who pour salt on the wounds. Inside the tea house, I met individuals from Afghanistan and Syria who were in Germany largely due to Article 1 of the German Constitution. Better known as the German Dignity Clause, Germany in an attempt to right the wrongs of its past has one of the most open refugee admittance policies in the world. Yet, as I listen to these individuals stories, this issue of dignity becomes more complicated. The vast majority are prevented from working, even if their are employers that would like to hire them.

I thought a lot about my Grandfather who immigrated from Poland before the war, my cousin Shelia who survived Auschwitz and passed away a few months before our trip and also my wife’s family, all refugees in their own respect from Iran, all assets to any place they would call home, all assets to an country. Leipzig was also when I started to become more disillusioned with my group. I expected that the bond between educators would outweigh potential geographic, political and cultural barriers. As the trip progressed I noticed a thickening of the air between myself and certain fellows, and started to question my initial mindset of connection and comradery. It wasn’t until I was told that “some of us on this trip are actually German” over dinner that I fully grasped that my presence on the trip posed a challenge to certain fellows to feel pride and celebrate their German heritage.

I used this event as inspiration to surround myself with individuals that would appreciate my presence, including an impromptu visit to a synagogue for Shabbat services and lunch. For the same reason it took me forever to find the place, was the same reason this synagogue survived the war. The shul was connected to a large residential building complex. With gentile tenants living below, the kristelnacht rioters weren’t able to torch the place. Signs of resistance and renewed Jewish life were found in the most delightful and surprising of places

In Wurzburg, I had the opportunity to visit a the Jakob Stoll School. To my surprise Jakob Stoll was named for a German Jewish Educator who was sent to Buchenwald, only to escape to NYC and establish a prominent synagogue on the upper west side. Side note, always read the placard. I spent the afternoon with Silas, a student that delivered a presentation to our group and who I befriended when we were outside and students were semi engaged in an overly orchestrated lesson that was more for us than their students. Once I returned to NYC, Silas visited me and my school during summer session.

This was Silas' first time in NYC and I was curious to learn more about his impressions and attitudes about life in NYC. Walking down 2nd Avenue to the Bowery, Silas drew my attention to the adults playing basketball in the park. "In Germany, you wouldn't see this. Everyone is much more likely to be spending time with their families at their own homes, not together in a park. This I really like. If I lived here, I would hang out on my firm escape or on a stoop and interact with everyone!" Silas holding his Chinatown ice cream cup elbowed me and with a grin asked if he could toss his garbage into a pile that had collected in proximity to what was once a garbage can. "Do what you need to do," I answered to Silas who had a grin on his face from ear to ear.

Our TOP trip ended in Berlin. I believe I witnessed what Silas was talking about to a degree unimaginable in the US. At night, dozens of teenagers gather in parks my the waterfront to drink, smoke, dance and generally cause low level chaos, all amongst homeless, families with small children and without parental or police intervention. Berlin was free spirited, anything goes, in a way I did not expect or experience during my post college excursion through Europe. The street art, the cityscape, the people on the street, Berlin is alive.

On my last day in Germany, I spent the day quietly contemplating my experiences in the courtyard of the The Neue Synagoge. During Kristallnacht the Neue Synagoge was broken into, the Torah scrolls desecrated, furniture smashed and other combustible furnishings piled up and set on fire, yet the building survived. Lieutenant Otto Bellgardt, the police officer of the local police precinct on duty that night, arrived on the scene in the early morning of 10 November and ordered the Nazi mob to disperse. He said the building was a protected historical landmark and drew his pistol, declaring that he would uphold the law requiring its protection. This allowed the fire brigade access to extinguish the fire before it could spread to the actual building, and the synagogue was saved from destruction.

Hong Kong Phooey

After 19 days of mainland China, today was the day I packed up my suitcase and haul it through the Hong Kong double border again. I was excited to get a chance to really see Hong Kong. At noon, with 2 hours delay we finally set off and taxied to the Huang Gang border, the same one I fell asleep upon first entering the city. Taking a bus from there we got to see the Hong Kong harbor, a enormous and impressive industrial complex among the skyscrapers and green mountains. Hong Kong is a western city. It reminds me a lot of a combination of NYC's Chinatown and the glitzy glamorous stores of 5th avenue. Our accommodations were even sparse for NYC. In a busy Indian/African shopping mall we booked rooms the size of my closet in Brooklyn. Before arriving at the hotel, our elevator broke down and we had to wait 30 minutes for them to fix it. Interesting enough, during that time we saw a lot of people carrying out bricks and other demolished stuff from the other elevator. Dan was set on spending the night drinking at an Irish pub near the hotel. With one more night I china I had other plans. Hong Kong is dense and walk-able like NYC.

Desi and I took a tram to an observation point above HK which was disappointingly overly touristy although was fun to watch the Chinese tourists push people from other countries while trying to secure a seat. HK also has a wax museum which I despise. I hate wax museums. Walking around temple street during the night market was the most enjoyable part of the night. That and the intermittent luxury mall pit stops we occasionally made for air conditioning. I've never sweat so much in my life. Killing time in the cool, conditioned air we began to compile this list, it's a work in progress, So, things Chinese people like: spitting, surgical masks, paying for sex, squatting, sparkly lights, taking pictures, tissues, shrink wrap, splashing, saying nigga which means uh, staring at westerners, long male fingernails, standing on lines, racket sports, K TV, pushing, sliding doors, western culture, glasses without lenses, being polite, dogs, the term 3g which they put on everything, yelling on microphones at customers to buy things. Things Chinese people dislike: swimming, dancing, dairy products, temperature change, bird flu, speaking their mind, acting their age, copy writes and trademarks, hard alcohol, drying machines, refrigerating food.

llness and Injury go back to school

I still felt a bit sick after waking up this morning. However, it was one my last days in China and one of two days that I get to spend in Xia men, so I set out to go to Starbucks with the others. On the sidewalk in front of Starbucks a monk gave me a little red and gold ticket. He then pursued Desi and me to sign a little book and make a donation. I was ready to do so thinking I would be doing a good deed, but Desi told the monk bu yao which means no I don't want in Chinese. Apparently most of the monks are not actual monks but instead are con artists trying to part you with your money. I was told that if they were real Buddhist monks, they would not be asking for money. Desi's birthday is today, so Lisa she got a cheesecake, something that seems to be rather popular in China. Afterwards we bought food items at a nearby bakery. They have interesting things there, for example pork floss or green tea muffins. After acquiring what seemed like the most harmless and western baked goods we has to wait and search for a taxi. The driver wouldn't take all of us so we had to take two cars. Our first stop was the Nanputuo temple. This is a famous Buddhist temple that was originally built over a millennium ago, but had been destroyed repeatedly so that the actual temple I saw is just about one hundred years old. This is still old in my eyes, but in relation to how long the Chinese history dates back it is not old at all. We saw the lily pond and and a gate with the Buddhist symbol Hitler abused and turned around into the Swastika. Up to that point my new German friend Desi and I had been talking a lot about the Holocaust and since she shares my love for history those have been very interesting. We took a picture together in front of the gate with the symbols on each gate clearly on display.

It seemed like because a couple Westerners were taking pictures a lot of Chinese thought it might be a good spot to take a picture. Out of curiosity we, the Westerners, asked our Chinese travel companions if they knew why we, a Jew and a German, were taking pictures in front of the gate. It took a little explaining. During our time at the temple it started to rain heavily and we had to either find shelter or make use o our umbrellas. This gave me an opportunity to utilize my totes golf umbrella which drew the attention of Ivy and a stranger that asked me to try opening and closing it. All the umbrellas sold in china are garbage and given the lack of wind speed they actually work much better then in NYC. In the rain we walked up a pathway that led us to two shrines. The shrines resembled a treasure chamber, but at the same time it looked like somebody just put a bunch o stuff in storage and forgot about it. A lot of the figurines missed bits and pieces. They are mostly made of porcelain which of course is very fragile.  It was ridiculously hot and humid do after finishing up at the temple we asked a taxi driver to take us to a coffee shop. We ended up at this cute teddy bear laden cozy spot where we drank tea, ate some interesting western style spaghetti and meat dish and a rice  bowl that tasted something like polenta.

After mealing we walked around Xiamen University, which is a major attraction for visitors. The campus is beautiful and mimics elements of the elements of ivy league schools that are so desired by Chinese students.

Actually that reminds me, at a bank next to the school I spotted a Chinese looking guy wearing a Michigan fraternity shirt. Turns out he was born in Ann arbor and is a senior at Michigan. Very odd. We all traveled back to Shenzhen via plane in 45 minutes time. None of us were able to stomach another sleeper bus. In the airport Ivy wanted to discuss an article she read about Jewish mothers doing math during pregnancy to enhance their child's math skills. She also asked if the guy sitting in front of us was Jewish because his short brimmed army style hat looked like mine. I explained the concept of the yarmulke to her but reinforced that army hats from H&M have no connection to Judaism. The Chinese love to discuss religion as the topic is completely foreign to them. 

A Chinese miracle in Fuijian

Our sleeper bus arrived in Xiamen at 4am in the morning. After another sleepless night, my energy level remained high during our hotel search which consisted of walking a couple blocks and entering an expensive government run hotel which recommended a cheaper hotel down the street. Xiamen is made up of several islands and is a popular tourist destination for the Chinese. Just a few days ago Dan's girlfriend flew here with a friend for a few days of vacationing. She wrote down a few suggestions on a piece of paper that we carried around with us. These destination spots receive little to no attention in American travel guides.

The first thing Christy suggested was to take a ferry to Gulong yu, a smaller island within Xiamen. We grabbed some street food for breakfast, a churro like stick of fried dough, and steamed rice buns with black sugar and some with meat. We also bought some odd looking fruit that looked like a pink dreidel. The ferry ride was very scenic and provided great photo opportunities. I also offered some of the fruit to a family and their cute daughter with my phrase of the day "ne awe ma" to receive several polite "bu yao's" no thank yous. The island was beautiful, quaint like streets reminiscent of Jerusalem. We went for a quick swim and had all the water to ourselves as the Chinese wear bathing suits but rarely venture into the water. It was to our advantage that we didn't sleep the previous night because come afternoon the island became packed with Chinese tourists and lost much of its original appeal and resembled a Chinese Key West of sorts.

Lunch was a real highlight. Ivy suggested a meal of ocean food which Dan politely explained in called seafood. I prefer ocean food or shells. Nonetheless I had the opportunity to personally select each critter we mealed on. The fu wu yuan scooped them out of pales and offered preparation techniques for each delicacy. The humidity combined with the near constant lack of sleep had gotten to and we attempted to make a quick exit off the island that was easier said them done. Fortunately the crew of the ferry remarkably found Desi's wallet which she somehow managed to drop on the side of the boat. She ecstatically received it upon our return. It was a Chinese miracle.

Sleeper Bus to Xiamen

Today we rode a sleeper bus to Xia men. A sleeper bus looks like army barracks on wheels. We fit into our compartment slots quite nicely but Mike intelligently made the correct decision to sit this trip out. These buses are made for the Chinese in mind and there is no way that an average American would fit into there bed space. Before leaving at 8 pm we spent some time preparing for our voyage which meant buying simple foods are are difficult to find in china. Bread products need to be bought at western style store called bread talk. Dan wanted to get a cooler for his necessary travel beer but oddly enough certain items including coolers are highly expensive. Instead Dan maneuvered a lunch box and plastic bag to house a beer stash. Ivy, a friend of Lisa brought along a single individually wrapped and vacuum sealed chickens foot and a package of stinky tofu parts. You see this stuff all over China but I never saw anyone ever purchase or eat it, similar to the slim Jim's at the counter of 711. Anyway, nothing changed, turns out Ivy didn't eat them either, she didn't even like the stuff, rational enough. What didn't make sense is that she couldn't explain why she had these things.

Chased by a Chinese snorg

Today we visited Dafen, the arts and crafts neighborhood of Shenzhen. Most of the artists in the community do reproduction work, meaning you can buy a hand painted replica of a Mona Lisa or Napoleon for dirt cheap. Portraits are also very common. Only a few of the studios created or sold contained creative pieces. When I bought the painting that is above my couch on eBay I am pretty sure it came from a neighborhood just like this. All the art is dirt cheap and it becomes very tempting to buy stuff that you don't even have space for. I ended up purchasing two small oil paintings on canvas of Hong Kong for 30 kuai, 4 bucks an took a picture with the daughter of the owner who spoke English.

After shopping, Desi and I decided that we wanted to visit our friend Chris at his apartment complex on the coast in Shenzhen. I heard alot about Chris' residence which is supposed to be one of the most luxurious in all of Shenzhen. Because he was still at work, he is a English tutor like a lot of foreigners in China are, we decided to go to Dongmen first and catch up with him later. It was my third time to go to Dongmen, my second time to go shopping there. It's amazing how many little stores basically carry the same items. In Dongmen we went looking for swimming attire.  I decided that if I was gonna buy a bathing suits I was gonna get the real Chinese bathing suit, a tight little spandex number that fits only 90% of your ass. The first suit I liked was black, red and yellow, the colors of the German flag which I thought Desi would appreciate, especially since I was pushing for her to buy the USA bikini. Bur being a self hating German, she suggested the suit says LAchueng on it and has a pocket in which I could fit my ID card in so in case of my sudden death my corpse could be identified easily. I was convinced and opted for the second. We arrived at Chris' apartment and the guards just opened the door as Desi mouthed a small "ni hao", yet another sign of how loosely enforced the security is in this country. The apartment offers many amenities such as three swimming pools, ping pong and pool tables, tennis courts, a park, a library, a supermarket, ball pits for kids and various other things. Basically it looks like an American resort like the Ritz Carlton.

We took the elevator to the 20th floor where I got to see Shenzhen from above, however that was by far not the best view, because once I turned around I got to see Hong Kong from afar. It looked like stacks of dominoes surrounded by radiant green mountains. I also saw what I was told was the friendship bridge which connects Hong Kong with Shekou, an area that is very popular among Westerners. I got to see where we walked a couple of days ago. Chris shares the apartment he lives in with two roommates And his girlfriend. The cost is about the same as my apartment in New York. Lisa came over to take a shower before going to the usual Thursday night hangout, Ladies night at Coco Park. She lives farther away and has spent the day running around getting our bus tickets for the following day. We all went downstairs together and parted ways at a koi pond. We purchased our swimming pool tickets and after changing into our newly acquired Chinese bathing costumes went to one of the pools. The locker room showers have bells as shower heads which I thought was rather cool. Swimming was a lot of fun and I do like the tight Chinese swimming suits after all. After going swimming we went back to the Muslim restaurant for a dinner meal and walked around the marketplace.  There was an odd looking variation of a Boston Terrier that I was following around before it and it's owner entered a shoe store. I walked in and took a picture of it laying in the floor. It wasn't until I had put my camera away and turned around that it flipped out and started chasing me around the store :) Chinese Snorgs are cuter and more aggressive then their NYC brethren.

Drifting

Drifting is the phrase the Chinese use to refer to the rafting like activity Desi and I had planned for the day. I had anticipated some sort of debacle this morning, my pessimism seemed to be at a high after the uncomfortably long wait for the taxi this morning. In the cab I thought the driver was taking us back to the travel agency instead of the rafting site. Turns out, I worry for no reason. Didn't need to go to China to learn that,but nevertheless we ended up where we needed to be and at the correct time. At the site we took a bus up the side of a mountain and giggled with the largely high school aged group when we hit bumps that caused the bus to jump in the air. At the top of the river we put on life jackets and army style helmets. Some how Desi and I managed to find the only green pair of helmets and we stuck out like Western enemies of the orange Chinese naval force.  It is yet another sign of how people in china want to be the same, nobody wants to stick out. Westerners however want to be seen as individuals, want to be perceived as individuals. Waiting in line I talked to a Chinese high schooler in English. He was scared about the drifting which made me feel oddly brave given my aversion for the majority of adventitious activities. When entered our raft we were pushed down what looked like a natural water slide. These initial drops and rapids were the most severe. It seems feasible that you could fall out of our raft in the initial decent and if my sandals weren't tied to the sides of the boat they would have surely gone overboard. Then the water gets calm and people begin to splash each other with pales and other assorted containers. Many Chinese, no matter what age, shoot water guns at each other.

This is a great activity to partake in with Chinese that you can't verbally communicate with. I really enjoyed sneaking up on a boat and drenching an unexpected Chinese girl with a bottle of water down their back. With the drifting complete we obtained two laminated souvenir photos, a female Chinese bathing suit all of which resemble a more modest and classy circa the 1950s. Desi doesn't like the Chinese bathing suits, i however think they're like little outfits. We were both rather hungry after having partaken in such a sportive activity and therefore we ended up eating at a canteen-like restaurant on the premises. Our meal included steamed corn, meatballs, beef noodles and tofu. The waitresses laughed at me when I began to bus my own table. Customers don't throw out their own trash in China. Not even at fast-food restaurants. After getting help from a couple locals we took a taxi to the bus station and grabbed the bus back to Shenzhen, our home away from home.