What have I been up to? My last update involved a sound bite from hanging out with the North Koreans. I greatly appreciate this opportunity I had to get to know five spirited lively North Koreans. They were my class and each student filled different roles, of course we had the class clown that used humor to avoid speaking English, the top female and male students, the shy guy, and the quieter female who surprised me with her improvement. I was the teacher but also their advocate in the office when there was a problem, their tour guide in Kunming, and finally their friend. I have left this job feeling that I established real bonds of respect and I believe the feeling was mutual. When I thought it was my last day after the first three weeks were up, (I was then hired to stay on for another two weeks) I received emails from each of the students. Here is one email I received entitled "my heart":

I will miss you badly.
Thank from the bottom of my heart for your help and kindness since you have teached us
We will have a party.
I will think you in my heart
I hope we meet again.

After the five weeks ended, Juliet, Logan, Stew and I took the group of five North Koreans and the old group of five that just completed their year of agro-forestry research in China out to dinner. Now picture four Americans and ten North Koreans singing songs and sharing laughs over the course of a three hour dinner. Pretty special eh?

(Some highlights- discovering that the males think Hillary Clinton is very attractive and learning that every Saturday night in Pyongyang they play Chinese films and every Sunday night is Russian movie night.)

My address

I have an official home in Kunming until the end of May. I live with a friend from Oberlin Juliet, her boyfriend Stew, and a wonderful Chinese woman Alyssa. Email me if you're in the mood for some old fashioned letter writing and I can send you my address.

Xmas, New Years, and My Birthday

I know it's been a while since I've been able to unload my thoughts. A lot has passed since I last wrote. It was Christmas, New Years, and then my birthday. Here are some pictures to fill in the blanks. I will go into more detail soon.

Our very own Santa: Adam, an fellow Obie alum

New Years day, camping in a rock climbing cave outside of Kunming:

My friend Becca from Oberlin, from Beijing pics, though now she has moved to Chengdu, Sichuan, came to Kunming to spend New Years with Juliet and I. (We had a gathering of four Oberlin alum including Adam)

This is me being asked if I want to rock climb. (Actually I really do, but it was a freezing day and even the professionals were struggling)
My birthday cake, made by Stewart Motta: