Reflections
On December 5, 2019 by Keturah HaferkampSeveral things I really find enriching about my teaching schedule despite how much busier it is compared to my typical schedule in the states:
1. The commute. I have long loved commuting. It is nice to have a commute again. Commuting by shuttle bus from the University Town Island to North Campus takes from 30-60 minutes. I have favorite parts of the commute where I relish the scenery especially during specific times of the day. We cross several bridges and drive through several tunnels to get from campus to campus. One marvelous bridge over the Pearl River has this magnificent view of the sun just as it’s rising over the city each morning. The other riders spend the time dozing or listening to podcasts or something. I’ve seen only 2 other people enjoy this sight as I do.
One is a little boy who rides to Wushan with his grandfather every day. He mashes his face into the window pane restless and ready for the day. And the other is a new professor from Ethiopia–he is a tall and quiet, thoughtful man. Everyone else is engrossed, lost in a screen or asleep. They miss this scene every day. But what a thing to see the sun actually rise over the waters—to creep above the towers and perch itself in the sky!
And then on Fridays only because the return commute happens to be at 6pm do I get the equal joy of watching the sun set this time on the opposite side of the river, just a little south of Canton Tower. More people stay awake for the sunset, though I think this has more to do with Friday night traffic jams and an anxious desire to get home.
2. The second thing I enjoy about commuting is the unhurried nature of being a passenger. There is nothing I can do or not do to help my journey go faster, slower. I participate by merely being present and that is enough. It is enriching to be still, to read a book or think or pray and ponder. I’ve read several books since we’ve been here in Guangzhou. Reading has always been and still remains my favorite pastime. But the pace of life back home fails to allow for much reading. Friends retort that I should listen to more audio books but I.just.cannot. I am not an auditory/visual learner and as such do not prefer film or audio for myself. The mental concentration it takes to digest written language is such a pleasure to me. Commuting is like a buffer for the work day–nice little bookends to demarcate the line between here and there. I’m very grateful for the time.
3. The long break between my classes lets me sit and consider my classes, choices I have made or must reconsider, methods of addressing student matters, how better to engage or deliver a lecture….It is a time for reflection.
I don’t know how its possible, but my schedule is more full and despite having an abbreviated semester and I feel that I have more time. Life here feels much more expansive as though there is space to breathe, learn from my mistakes and try.
The perpetual sunshine is pretty great too.
4. On Mondays and Tuesdays my husband and children come up to Wushan for Mandarin lessons in the mornings. When I am finished with teaching they are just finishing their lessons and so we have lunch together and then commute home together.
Working in China has been a welcome and refreshing change of pace. There have been lots of adventures and some challenging realities that accompany them. I never know what the day will bring, but I’m so glad we made the choice to come here and have this experience. I hope it will be a good memory for our family for years to come.