You know that since I've come here, I've begun to identify with Paddington Bear, a furry creature who is perpetually dependent on the good will of strangers. Recently, my good friend Marie Cope sent me a miniature Paddington Bear, about 7" tall, complete with boots and red coat. Very cute.
Thing is about living here-- daily tasks are so complex and daunting, you don't feel in control.It's in my classroom that I'm most sure I know what I'm doing. The system is very unfamiliar. For example, the Communist Party has many offices around campus, whose goal is the promotion of "ideological purity" among the students. There's one in the department where I teach.
In this unfamiliar place, I feel more dependent on God than ever before. Joe teases me about the corny hymns I listen to such as "One More Step" by Sydney Carter. Joe claims it sounds like something out of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.
Mostly I agree. This music is extremely corny And the house church I attend is crawling with fundamentalists. Oddly, I find both church and the corny music sustaining. Joe comments, "When you're hungry enough, you'll eat anything." I'm away from Cherokee Church, and I guess I'm famished. Above: the office of the Communist Party, a few doors down from the room where I
teach. Below: Joe poses in front of a red sculpture symbolizing a battle ship in the Chinese navy.
teach. Below: Joe poses in front of a red sculpture symbolizing a battle ship in the Chinese navy.
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