My Life as a Celebrity

As you all figured, having foreigners in Fuxin is not very common. Except for the student teachers that come here for a few months once a year, I don't think that the locals get much real-life exposure to non-Chinese. I am an even bigger rarity. They have never seen an Indian person. Although when asked, I always introduce myself as an American. Then I get a puzzling look and here the word, "Indu" as if they disagree. I nod my head in agreement, but continue to call myself an "American." If they speak English, I explain that while I am Indian, I live in America and they go, "ooohhh." Anyway, that's a little off topic for my blog this week.

Since I am so different, I get stares every where I go. The Chinese love my big eyes and can't seem to get enough of them. I walk through the hallways and playground of the school and the students all say, "Hello" as I pass them by. The first few weeks, I was bombarded with papers and pens, the students all wanting my signature. An air of mystery, wonder, and excitement follows me wherever I go. Whenever I walk into the classroom, the students get so happy. I get little gifts from them such as pictures, toys, and letters saying, "I love you."

I was on the Fuxin Local News. The reporters came to our school one day. The teachers and students all knew because the teachers were all in their matching suits and all the students were in the uniforms. I of course, did not know until I got to school that day. Fortunately, I was wearing my nice shirt and black pants that day. We went into the fancy conference room and the reporters taped the other English Teachers and I talking about my classroom reward chart. How bizarre! I don't know what actually showed up on TV because I haven't seen it, but the candy lady told me (thanks to the translation services of one of my students) that she saw me on TV!

I'm going to be on TV again for a Mother's Day Program. A few students and I are going to be reading an English poem as a part of the school's program, and it will be broadcast on TV. I was told I will get a copy of that. I hope I do.

All that is crazy, but there is one instance of my stardom that tops everything. Maggie (the woman I wrote about as the teacher I admire the most) told me that she wanted me to visit a friend, Autumn's school. It was another Power English School branch, and I agreed. Maggie had never been there before, so Autumn's husband picked us up. As we were driving, I saw this huge crowd of people around the corner and I said to Maggie, "I wonder what's going on over there." She asked Autumn's husband and he said, "They are waiting for you!" Surely enough, there was a crowd of about 150 students and their parents waiting for me to come. OMG! I see Autumn and her other teachers, who have on a headsets microphone and matching hoodies. It reminds me of pep rallies where people promote products. Autumn puts one on me and asks me to introduce myself to this huge crowd. It was crazy. Maggie looks as me as if to say, "I didn't know about this..."I play some games with the students and hand out prizes. It was so much fun! 

If my stardom hadn't been justified yet, I had students asking me for my "autograph" on their hands!

I feel like a star. It's great sometimes, but for the majority of the time, its overwhelming. I'd like to shop or take the bus home without being stared at. I've had a little taste what it feels like to be a celebrity, and I never want to be one for real!