Crazy Day - Terrifying Taxi Ride!‏

Boy, oh boy - what a day... Rog had school at 8 a.m. and I started at 9;30 a.m. The first thing that happened, I got to my class building, climbed 4 flights of steps, and went to the designated classroom and the door was locked - but across the hall were some of my Sophomores, and they thought that I was to teach them. I was SURE that I taught in room number 411, so I walked back down to the first floor and the office with Mr. Chen. I showed him my paper stating that I was to teach in room number 411, and he grinned sheepishly and said, "Halladay, you teach in other building today because of the holiday break next week". So, I walked back up the 4 flights of steps, grabbed my little suitcase, walked back down the 4 flights and outside to the next building. It was the medical students building and I climbed the 4 flights, found room number 411 and walked in the room. There were 40 smiling, happy faces to greet me and my whole day changed for the better!!!! They were every teachers dream come true! I fell in LOVE.... I told Rog, when I saw him after class, that I had "fallen in love". I get emotional thinking about them - they are exceptional Chinese.
By the way - there are a couple of things that I keep forgetting to tell you.
First, I have this really homely girl in one of my classes. The majority of the Chinese are very nice looking, it is very rare that you see one that is very different. I took notice of her when she came into the class and when it was her turn to ask me a question about myself, she was so concerned about my family, but the other students kinda ignored her. That was on the first day I taught her class. I taught her class again yesterday and I had each student in the class fill out an information sheet about themselves. I have them tell me something about themselves and her reply was: " I don't have a lovely face, but a lovely heart". When I read that, I cried for her. How very touching it was.
Second, you would all have a real culture shock if you could see the Chinese university girls. Terry Miller, one of the male BYU teachers, was very shocked to see the girls walking to class holding hands.. You should see them - they all walk along in twos or threes holding hands. I know, you would all be in awe...
After class today we all had to go to the Police Station for our annual Visa's for China teachers. We all loaded on a very decrepit bus that looked to be on the verge of the dump yard. We waited for about an hour and finally handed in our passports to them ( yes, we are all very frightened to do that!) and were on our way. But...... Rog and I had to go with our Chinese helper "Leon" to the Chinese Post Office Customs Office to get the package they have "kept". The package was sent to us in August from SUU and it contains many things about SUU as well as some shirts for our students, compliments of SUU. Our friend, Trudy Smith, was so helpful in facilitating the package and we have waited and waited for its arrival. To make a long story short, the Chinese have kept the package because they think that there may be something in the package they want. They took us to the back of the building in a dingy little office and there were 4-5 workers and they chattered to Leon and then they sent him to another office for more paperwork. We stayed in the dingy office. When he returned, they brought the package forth and started to open it to look inside. They removed the entire contents of the package, which was 13 t-shirts and some printed papers about SUU. Leon and the Customs Offical talked for several minutes and he turned to us and said - "they need to see your original passport to release the package". We had just given our original passports to the Police and the Customs people would not even look at the photocopys we had of the passports - they had to see original passports!!! So - we had to return to the University... But, the dingy bus had taken all the others to the University while we were at the Customs office, therefore we had to catch a cab....
The cab ride home was a ride to remember.... the driver went 80 kph, darting in and out of traffic and crossing over lanes. At one point, we were across the yellow line, going against traffice, going the opposite way, passing 4 cars that had stopped at the intersection, and we made a immediate right turn in front of the 4 cars.- with the driver honking his horn, as we went by the cars.
It was the ride of a lifetime. No seatbelts! I will never again fail to fasten my seatbelt at home. I promise. I looked over at Rog and made him promise not to EVER drive like that at home. I started to laugh and could not stop. He raced around curves and corners at record speeds and I am surprised that we didn't get whiplash. I was never so happy as when we stopped and I was on solid ground.
What a day....
Tomorrow us girls will go back to Jimo and get our skirts the little cock-eyed tailor made for us. I am sure it will be a day of adventure . Can hardly wait. We will travel by bus, luckily.
Until tomorrow..
Love you,
mom