Award...WHY?!?

UPDATE: New videos!

Chinese Rap?

 

AND

Dramatic Chinese Singer doing Cartwheels?

AND

The Chinese Magician (Sorry about the poor quality)

Where'd all the doves come from???

So, I was sitting in our bedroom when Lars came home from school. He was talking on the phone but suddenly handed it to me. I said "Hi" hesitantly...and the voice on the other end asked, "Do you want to accept an award?" I thought it was a joke so I say sure:) The voice (our good friend Jonathan) said okay and to meet him on Monday at such and such a time and to bring a passport photo. Weird.

So due to the lack of details I figured this wasn't a big deal and didn't worry too much about it. But when we got "there" that's when the fun began. We weren't receiving the "award" that day but just registering to receive the award...

I'm in this room with two Chinese guys and Jonathan and they are all talking Chinese. And the big head hauncho Chinese guy is always trying to talk to me. Don't you get it? I no speak chinese. They're asking what my chinese name is and what characters they are....? And that this IS a big deal. The mayor of Nanjing will be there and cameras and news reporters. Oh, and they want you to give a speech...in Chinese. (!)

I'm sure you're thinking what I thought: What kind of award would Spring deserve? 

Supposedly it is a Service Award. A group of Flagship participants go to an elementary school every Wednesday to teach english for 45 minutes. I usually go and do the easy stuff like holding up a pen and saying, "Pen." That's it. Because the kids we teach are in 3rd grade and don't know very much english yet they need lots of Chinese to help them along. Not my forte.

So what am I left to think except that they don't really care about the service rendered as long as they can show-off a foreigner. (Stupid blond hair.) 

Oh well, so we went:

The MC's

Dance #1

This guy seriously read straight from a packet of papers for 20 minutes, in Chinese. 

Singer

Bet you can't pick out the foreigners...

Haha, I thought this pic looked cool all old-like.

and you can see my speech in my hand...

even though I didn't have to give it:)

Listen to the music in the background...

... It's SO Chinese:)

The award up close.

Other awards distributed that night...

I'm just glad we got the smallest ones:) How the heck would I get a flag back to America?

This guy was awesome! So serious:)

Dance #4, you may wonder what happened to dances 2 and 3...until we figure out if we want to pay to be able to load more photos on this blog you'll just have to imagine them - Oh and the magician!!! Hehehe:)

Overall it was a very enjoyable experience.

(Then there was the cold dead fish handshake I received with my award...ugh:)

-Spring