The Curtain Call

 So, this is my final post (at least for this semester, anyway).  Today, I met Joe at Union Grounds at approximately 1:30 pm.  While I would like to say we had the most entertaining conversation ever, we mostly just made small talk and filled each other in on our lives.

            This was my seventh time meeting with a conversation partner, and my fourth time meeting with Joe.  Although I do not think that asking students to meet with their conversation partners eight times is unreasonable, I found that Joe and I ran out of things to talk about.  I noticed that we talked about some of the same things we had discussed in previous conversations.  For instance, we talked about the weather, basketball, schoolwork, and food.  We also talked about our summer plans-he is staying here, and so am I- and how we are both more than ready for finals week to be over with.

            Unlike our other conversations, however, I had my computer with me this time (I was working on homework while I was waiting for him to arrive at Union Grounds).  The reason I think this is important is because I was able to give Joe visual aids in regards to subjects we were talking about.  For example, I told him about the event that is going on in the Commons today, Frog Stock.  I told him to check it out because there will be music, food, and other activities there.  He inquired further about Frog Stock, and I pulled up the event information on Facebook.  I also showed him images of Woodstock from 1969 so he could see what the event is based on.  Furthermore, at this Frog Stock, people are going to be tie-dying shirts.  Joe did not know the meaning of “tie-dye”, so I showed him images of tie-dyed T-shirts, too.  He said that tie-dying is, “Cool.”

            In addition, I was able to use my laptop to show Joe images of popsicles.  There was a fiesta celebration in Market Square earlier today, and the staff was giving out popsicles to students.  Because Joe met me right after he had eaten lunch there, I asked him if he had eaten a popsicle.  He did not know what a popsicle was, so, once again, I opened my laptop to show him images of popsicles.

            As a result, I would definitely recommend encouraging students to use their laptops during their conversations.  They are wonderful tools, and I think they will help the conversation partners to better visualize and understand certain things that are unfamiliar to them.

            All in all, this was a great time to reflect upon my experiences with two ESL students, Keith and Joe.  I learned many things about China that I did not know beforehand, such as their lack of a drinking age, social norms in regards to dating, and the typical Chinese diet.  Most importantly, I was able to get an inside look into the experience of an international student.  Not only did it make me appreciate all of the opportunities that I have here, but it also made me grateful for all of the places I have yet to explore.  And of course, I used what I have learned in this class, as we were able to laugh together.

           

I Cannot Believe that Just Happened…

Earlier this morning, I witnessed one of the most dramatic events at TCU.  It involved a girl, her water bottle, and a campus recreation center.

I was stretching my leg along the railing at the rec center whilst enjoying the breathtaking view of gym equipment and sweaty people. As I moved my leg to regain my footing, I accidentally nudged my precious Frogs First water bottle, which was perched atop this wretched railing. I reached out to save it from a doomed fate of toppling to the first floor, but alas, I was too late. I painfully watched my purple chunk of plastic fall to its death when, by the grace of God, it hit a cushioned chair, thus breaking its fall. Although my water bottle was projected another 10 feet from the chair, I had faith in its ability to still be able to quench my thirst. I ran down the stairs, picked up my beloved water bottle, and rejoiced.

Now, after reading this, many of you may think it is not funny at all; you’re saying to yourself, “Mackie is so weird,” but let me explain.  One of the reasons that I found this event to be so comical is because of its application to the Relief Theory.  This past week, I have been stressed out of my mind, and I have felt as if I am carrying the weight of the world.  Furthermore, I have been nitpicking every little detail that goes wrong in my life rather than just letting them go.  However, when my water bottle plummeted to the to the first floor, I could not help but to laugh.  It was something so insignificant and so silly, but it made me laugh because I had so many pent up emotions inside myself.  I needed to laugh to calm down and to recollect thoughts.  This moment provided me a quick break from reality; it was like a ten-second vacation.

Furthermore, in relation to humor possessing a social function, I agree with the humorists that think something is only funny when it is experienced by a group (but only in this specific situation).  While I laughed out of relief and partly out of embarrassment, I think the entire situation would have been funnier if there were witnesses to this event and if they had laughed, too.

When it comes down to it, though, I have a bizarre sense of humor.  Moreover, it is important to note that I think virtually everything is funny, so it does not take much to make me to laugh.  This relates to one of the main lessons I learned in class: humor is relative.  Each person has his/her own perspective; what may be funny to one person may be highly offensive to another.  While I realize that not all humorous stories, jokes, or cartoons hold the same meaning for everyone, I also acknowledge that humor makes the world a happier place.  After all, who doesn’t like to laugh (that’s a rhetorical question)?

Marky Mark and the Funky Quotes

           The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain, edited by Alex Ayres, is unlike any book I have ever read, unless you count the dictionary (but I don’t!).  Before I opened the book, I thought it would be a biography about Mark Twain, incorporating pieces of his work here and there.  However, the book is actually a dictionary of quotes, starting with “Adam” and ending at “Youth”.

            The style of the book reminded me of The Tales of Juha, so I assumed that the content would be much similar.  Yet again, I was wrong.

            I was excited to read this book, but I honestly am not too fond of it.  I think, as I mentioned in other posts regarding various texts we have read in this class, some of the content is hard for me to relate to because Twain lived nearly one hundred years before my time.  While I will concede to humor in many of his jokes, such as, “I would rather have my ignorance than another man’s knowledge, because I have got so much more of it,” (p. 113), I find myself somewhat bored while reading.  It is as if I have become immune to cognitive shifts.

            My boredom may come from the book being quite long or the fact that I am stressed beyond all get out, but I have yet to lose myself in this book.  In addition, I think that I had incredibly high expectations for this text, and because they were not met, I read it with a little aversion. 

            Nevertheless, the importance of this post is to relate this book to what I have learned and continue to learn about in class.  As I have wrote in nearly every single one of my posts, cognitive shifts are widespread throughout the text.  I think he is going to finish the quotation with one thing, but then he finishes it with another.  For example, he writes, “both marriage and death ought to be welcome: the one promises happiness, doubtless the other assures it,” (p. 147).  This quote definitely made me laugh.  It also reveals social commentary that Twain displays throughout his works.  Furthermore, you can apply any of the theories, like the Incongruity Theory, the Relief Theory, or the Superiority, to an array of quotations.

            I will admit, though, that I feel like I know what kind of person Mark Twain was through reading his work.  He sounds like a fascinating person (which may be another reason why I was upset that this is not a biography), and I think he brings a lot of value and humor to what he speaks and writes about.

            Lastly, I want to point out that this is not a bad book; I have just been in a bad mood.  I am tired, stressed, and drained.  On a more positive note, I bet Twain will have some advice for me.

A Classic

As I have been reading The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain, edited by Alex Ayres, I found a variety of surprising yet intriguing quotes by this great American author.  In fact, I found myself reading the text in an old Southern accent in my head (but that might be irrelevant).  Regardless, I feel like I have a better understanding of the type of person Samuel Clemens was with each page I turn.  

Thus far in the book, one of my favorite quotes has been, "A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read," (p. 43).  This quote comes from Twain's 1900 speech,"The Disappearance of Literature".

One reason that I like this quote so much is because I find it to be completely accurate.  While I have enjoyed reading some of the classics, there are many that I did not find joy in and utterly despised - to be blunt.  Furthermore, saying that you have read classics makes you - in my opinion - appear more educated.  I think this is due in part to the fact that the classics are not the easiest books to read; it takes effort.

In addition, I like how Twain can make fun of something that is part of his profession; he is a writer, after all.  Moreover, though he did not know it at the time, he wrote classics.  It makes me wonder if he would still agree with his own statement today.

Haircuts, How I Met Your Mother, Las Vegas, and Alarms

             Today was my third time meeting Joe.  I met him at the tables in front of 1873, just as we did the first time.  We were both happy to see each other again, but – I’m not going to lie – I was feeling a little stressed and exhausted (which was fitting, considered my professor talked about burnout in one of my classes this morning).  I started off by asking him how he had been.  In response, he told me that I asked that question a lot, and he did not understand exactly what I meant when I used the word.  He elucidated by grabbing his bangs, and said (in an accent), “Ben.”  Oh, I get it now.  I then corrected him, and told him that the word I was using was actually, “been”, which he pronounces as “bin”.  It’s all a little confusing, right?

            His mentioning of bangs, though, provoked me to ask him if he had his haircut recently, which – to my relief – he said he did.  He continued by asking for my recommendations of hair salons.   Before I did so, I warned him that I usually get my haircut at home, so my advice might not be all that helpful.  However, I started naming some places that I knew of.  I told him about Sports Clips off University (for males…to my dismay), Great Clips off Hulen, and the salon in University Park Plaza (at least I think there is a salon there…).  He knows where all of those places are, and he told me that he needed to find a new salon because he normally gets his haircut in Dallas.  Yes, Dallas.  Holy cow! No wonder he wanted to find a new hair salon!  Furthermore, he likes the nice salons (there goes Sports Clips and Great Clips).  I proceeded to tell him that I might not be the best person to ask; I told him to try seeking the advice of a male, a male who gets his hair cut at nice salons.

            We continued to discuss more topics (i.e. plans for this weekend), when Joe started talking about the CBS series How I Met Your Mother (which I will abbreviate as HIMYM).  Now, I do not exactly remember what led up to this moment, but I WAS SO EXCITED WHEN HE MENTIONED IT (side note: being a busy college student, I rarely have time to watch TV.  In fact, I do not even have a TV in my room.  However, I WILL make time to watch this show!)!  We both agreed that the sitcom is hysterical, and the anticipation of finding out the identity of the “mother” is absolutely killing us!  I asked him if the show helps him learn English, and he told me that it does.  He says that it is a useful tool, and he can watch the same episode multiple times and still laugh.  I agree that every time I watch a show, it is still funny.  Even though most of the cognitive shifts are eliminated upon the second viewing, I think knowing that something funny is about to happen is what makes us – or at least me - laugh.  Also, he told me that this week’s episode of HIMYM is Legen-WAIT FOR IT-Dary (this is a show reference, so I apologize to any readers that are confused)!

            As the conversation progressed, Joe and I started talking about traveling.  We both agreed that it is important for him (and any international student) to explore the United States as much as they can.  He proceeded to tell me of his plans to go to Las Vegas over Thanksgiving break with one of his friends.  He wants to go during this time because virtually no one will be on campus and because his friend will be 21.  I told him that Las Vegas is an absolute blast, and the culture there is quite different from that of Texas.  His mentioning of him and his friend both being 21 and able to drink in Las Vegas prompted me to ask him what the drinking age is in China.  To my surprise, he told me that there is no drinking age; I couldn’t believe it!  I thought it might be younger than in the United States, like 16 or 18, but I was so wrong!  This truly baffled me, and I asked him if it was difficult for his friend to come to the U.S. and to not be able to drink (Joe is already 21, so the law does not affect him as much).  He told me that it is weird for his friend, especially since he was able to drink at home.  Joe cautioned me, though, that his friend does not have a fake ID because he does not want to get in trouble – thank goodness.

            As we were nearing the end of our conversation, Joe and I were talking about our plans for the rest of the day.  We both had work to do (how shocking…).  I told him that I needed to take a nap, so he told me to set an alarm.  However, Joe had difficulty in pronouncing this word.  He had to use other words to explain what he was trying to say.  At first, I thought he said “airplane,” but –trust me – he did not.  When he started talking about a clock, I understood what he meant.  We then sat at the table for a few minutes, and I had him practice saying, “alarm.”  He told me that pronunciation is difficult because one pronounces things here differently than he/she would in China.  He was getting better with his pronunciation, though, and I continued to encourage him.

            In summation, I think my third meeting with Joe went well.  I learned some things about him and about Chinese culture, and he learned some things about me and about English – a fair trade in my book.  While Keith was an excellent conversation partner, I think Joe is getting more out of our conversations, which make me happy.  As we said goodbye, Joe told me that I am a great conversation partner (how kind!), and I told him that he is, too!

Baptism, Cake, Jesus, and Ariel

Brittany with her baptismal cake!

            This past Sunday was my friend’s baptism.  Brittany (my friend) is an incredible human being and a Godly woman.  I am honored that I was able to witness her baptism at Christ Chapel last Sunday.  Now, I know what you’re thinking: How on Earth is a baptism funny?  Just trust me on this one.

            To understand why I thought Brittany’s baptism were funny I think it’s important to know a little bit about Brittany.  Brittany is a junior Fashion Design and Merchandising major with a Spanish minor from Cornado, California.  I first met Brittany when she was an Orientation Student Assistant the summer going into my freshmen year.  Since then, Brittany and I have become extremely close, especially since we are both resident assistants in Colby Hall.  Furthermore, Brittany has a fantastic sense of humor.  That girl can find the humor in anything, and she always does.

            To bring you up to current speed, though, the reason that I thought her baptism was funny was because of her baptismal cake.  First and foremost, I did not know that people celebrated baptisms with cake – talk about a cognitive shift!  However, it was what was on the cake that really made me laugh.

            Perched upon a square vanilla cake with white icing were a doll of Jesus (that’s fitting) and a doll of Ariel (from The Little Mermaid).  And, if that is not a cognitive shift, then I seriously don’t know what is!  I’d like to disclose that Brittany loves mermaids, and she loves Ariel.  This is in part due to her vibrant red hair and her love of the ocean.  In fact, she wears jewelry with starfish and seashells to make her appear more like a mermaid, but that’s beside the point.

            I think the placement of Jesus and Ariel is a great example of the Incongruity Theory. Let’s be honest; that’s not something that you would normally expect on cake…at church...for a baptism....  On the left side of the cake, you have this holy and worldly figure, but as you glance over to your right, you see a famous Disney princess.  Nevertheless, upon seeing this extraordinary cake, I laughed (and I took a picture…I could not miss out on that opportunity!).

            Another aspect of this situation that facilitated humor was that the laughter was social and collective.  I was able to experience this with a lot of friends.  Their laughter, in turn, made me laugh even more.  I will admit, however, that I still would have laughed at this image even if I was by myself.

            Moreover, I think the cake also demonstrates part of the Relief Theory.  A baptism – for most – is quite a serious thing.  Hearing her testimony, singing worship songs, and then actually witnessing the baptism were all powerful and touching.  By having a Jesus and Ariel cake to top it all off (pun intended), it put more people at ease, and we were able to celebrate, which – of course – was fun!

            All in all, witnessing Brittany get baptized was a great experience.  I know this is an event that she will never forget, and neither will I.  The best part about it was how real and true to Brittany the entire process was.  The Jesus and Ariel cake made the atmosphere more humorous and light-hearted.  Not to mention, most everyone there got quite a few laughs in.  Well done, Brittany (and Jesus and Ariel), well done.

A Pleasant Surprise

On Friday afternoon, at around 1:00 pm, I strolled into Market Square to eat lunch.  I looked around hopefully to see if any of my friends where there, but – sadly – there were not.  I admitted defeat, and as I turned to walk outside to the balcony (to eat by myself), my conversation partner, Joe, called my name.

We said hello to each other, and then he asked me how I was doing.  I was happy I got to see him, and then he surprised me by asking me to join him and his friends for lunch.  What a kind gesture! Of course, I said yes!  I put my stuff down and made my way to the salad bar to finally eat some food (I was pretty hungry at this point in the day).

Once I sat down, we started talking about the differences in our meal selection: Joe was eating a burger and spaghetti with meatballs, and I was eating a small bowl of salad.   He gave me the strangest look (because he knows I like food), so then I explained to him that I was not feeling very well (hence the small amount of food).  This answer satisfied him, and as I was barely finishing my tiny salad, he stood up to get more spaghetti.

When he got back from his second round, our conversation took an interesting turn.  He asked me what I was doing this weekend, and I told him that I was going to San Antonio for my boyfriend’s fraternity’s formal – that’s a mouthful.  This evolved into us talking about dating and the differences between the U.S. and China.  Although he was surprised that this is my first boyfriend, he explained himself by saying that many people start dating one another in high school (like in the U.S.), and this kind of dating is “practice” for “real” relationships.  He said that at that age, people are not truly in love.  While I think there are people who fall in love in high school, I do agree that most people do not end up marrying their high school sweethearts because people change.

He used one of his friends, a former TCU student, as an example.  He told me that she is returning to China because her parents are worried about her.  His friend is 26, and she has yet to date someone.  Joe said that if she had already been in a relationship, her parents would not be as concerned.  However, most people in China get married at this age.  In the friend’s case, she still needs to find someone, date him, and then marry him.  This, in turn, could take a long time.

As Joe was telling me this, I felt sorry for his friend.  Nevertheless, I realized how similar the culture in China is to that of the U.S.  Society frowns upon not dating someone in high school, and people will especially think someone is strange if he/she has not dated another by the age of 26.  After all, women’s biological clocks are ticking, and they only have so much time to find a man, get married, and have children (with other circumstances pending, of course).

This prompted me to ask Joe about his past relationships.  He said that he dated a girl in high school for a couple of years, but they are no longer together.  I think she still lives in China.  He also told me that they talk to each other, but only occasionally.

Joe and I talked about a few more random things (to be honest, I do not remember all of them at the moment), and I am so glad we did.  I had a wonderful time talking to him, and thank goodness he noticed me in the BLUU!  As we parted ways, Joe told me that he enjoyed our conversation and that he hoped we could meet up again sometime soon.  I gave him the only possible answer: I would love to!