Teacher's Day

Sept. 10 - I was walking back to my apartment after lunch with a couple of teachers when we passed a blackboard with an announcement written on it.

"There's an assembly this afternoon," one of the teachers translated for me. "I think you will have to shang tai." Be on the stage.

"No one even told me about the assembly," I said, but I already knew my fate was written. I would end up on stage in front of thousands of students at some point that day.

I had two afternoon classes and then walked with my students out to the playground. Students carried their stools from the classroom and were lining up facing the outdoor stage.

I spotted Peter, an oral English teacher.

"You should be up there," he said.

I knew that. I was just trying to avoid the inevitable. Instead, I said, "No one said anything to me," as if that might get me out of it.

"Mr. Pan [my school liaison] has not told you?"

"No," I said, just as my cell phone rang. It was Mr. Pan. He wanted me to report to the stage.

My name, in English, was on a placard on a table on-stage. I sat next to head masters, department directors and other important people who I had not seen before. The important-looking men made speeches. For the most part, I understood nothing. They spoke with a thick Hunanese accent or possibly a dialect. I couldn't tell the difference. I zoned out. I tried to look alert in front of all those staring eyes and tried not to think about having to pee.

Each teacher at the school received 800 RMB for Teacher's Day. They are expected to donate some of that back to the students. I had not received my money yet, so Mr. Pan gave me 400 RMB from his wallet and told me to give it to the students. I would get my remaining 400 RMB the next day.

After the speeches, each person on stage brought their envelope of money to a man sitting next to a box on the stage. The man announced the amount each donated and then we dropped the envelope in the box. Considering most teachers gave 100 or 200 RMB, my "donation" looked very generous.

Despite my dread of having to be up front and center, things could have been much worse. I have heard that some foreign teachers are expected to give speeches at such events. I even heard of one teacher at another site having to sing -- in Chinese.