Day 15 in Yan Tai

So its day 15. So far I have taught about twenty classes. My class today was the first non-law related class I have taught. I doubted whether the other classes are really legal, but discovered through personal insight that they must be. The class today was just a class to get students comfortable with speaking english. I spent like 90 % of the class talking about America, mostly through personal experience. It was not hard, but my personal life is not something I do a lot of reflecting on: I am a man of action, reaction, but not thought. So, talking about myself so much was a new experience for me. I remember being cut off by my friends and family when talking about myself back home, and in a different setting. That was not the case today.

So the students asked me about my college experience. Whoah! Uhm, well it was pretty difficult to put the "learning experiences" in perspective, and maintain some self respect. I partied pretty hard in college. I also studied hard too. I studied real hard. Or should I say really hard. Anyways, I think that the difference between conversational english and formal english is really starting to light up in my mind. On one hand being formal is not very firendly or funb. On the other hand formal english is easier to comprehend the meaning of. So there is always that!

I hope they think of Americans like the movies portray. My life can be pretty boring sometimes, and although I like my life, I would not expect anyone to find any intrigue in it. It's really pretty straight forward. However, dreams are as important to me as the very sunlight of day. I want to know that my dreams are still possible, despite whether I really live them or not. I mean that I want to be successful at my dreams. I want to make a living at success. What is success. For me now, it is teaching these kids about America. The good the bad and the ugly, but also the tale of America: the dreams of Americans, and the possibilities that we all have because of America.

Law school taught me alot. I learned the inns and outs of American legal philosophy. What makes right and what makes wrong. What I can do and what I cannot. When I can get sued and when I can sue. I didn't learn what its like to actually do something in school. I learned what I have learned in the three years I spent working as an engineer, and in the jobs I had while in school. This job is a new horizon for me. I am not the kind to expect anything from it, other than what is on paper: a salary, a duty, and a responsibility. Somehow, I know there is more to it. I know that teaching these students will make me a better man. It will teach me about myself. I have already seen in one class how I view the life I have been living. I knew about that before, but never in such stark reality. I mean people are counting on me to teach them something useful and meaningful. I don't know how my college life will do that. I don't know how my history or background will do that. My experience has always been that doing leads to knowing and that sitting in a chair and listening to someone talk only teaches one to listen, and know what it means to listen. I guess that is something valuable to know. I know it is; to be sure.

So what have I to teach? I have a lot of knowledge in the ten gallon head. I know how to program. I know the law. I know about the laws of physics. I know how to read and write. I know how to play guitar. I think the law, engineering, and reading and writing english are three of the most important things to know. I also think there is more to life: maybe something more personal. For me that is what I do at home: sing, read, write, program about myself.

For me: I am most important. That is all I have to say. I know a lot of people that mean a great deal to me. They can offer me things that I could not have alone. I value them. I value their assets, their skills, their ideas, and their minds. How does that all fit together? It just does.

I always thought I would be a good teacher. I am. I have so much to learn, and I have so much more to teach. But what does China hold for me? Something.

China is this ancient land, with people who all speak this ancient language, and operate on ancient principles. yet, China, and more specifically Chinese have something more to offer me. They have a different insight and a different view. They see the world through chinese colored glasses. In my apartment building and all over China, the people hang posters of chinese writings on their doors, projecting what they want in life. I think I'll put some uber ambitious successful goal on mine. Like: world owner, and conqueror of the great sea of knowledge. I am 31, and by the time I am 40 I won't be speaking in just chinese and english: I think I'll add french and dutch.

Language can open up over 1 billion opportunities to me here. Think of the possibilities elsewhere. I just hope my life is not a movie script: you never see someone learning that much unless they are going to die tragically (in movies). I don't want to die tragically unless that is a cool way to go. At least most movies portray hard drugs or psychosis as the tragedy most protagonists endure. I don't do hard drugs, and I think stress is my only psychosis.

What do youngsters want to know about these days: music, movies, laws, jobs, professions, school, dating, eating, cars, books, politics, and much more.

I think I can teach these students about my life in America. I hope that the ones who have something else in mind can learn from it too.