Take Sean for example, the number of female freshmen students that have pretty obvious crushes on him is getting out of hand. They send him emails, they follow him around after class, they watch him run on the track, they wave, giggle and call hello whenever they seem him, they request frequent photo shoots and they bring him gifts. Don't ever let a guy try and tell you that it's tough being an English teacher in China. It's actually like being a rock star.
This phenomenon is not a new thing; many other previous male teachers had similar experiences at our school and the other guys that I work with at Web are also enjoying the benefits of being both male and American. Being a female foreign teacher, however, you do not get nearly as much attention, unless of course you count the numerous times a day that Chinese people point, whisper and stare at your chest if you are even a hair over a B-cup.
Students at English Corner love to talk about Sean and about love/relationships in general. It's like an obsession or current fascination right now and somehow our conversation always finds its way back. Just the other week I had a student of Sean tell me a quick story from her life. She said she had always wanted to marry a foreign man but her parents didn't want her to and refused to even consider such a crazy idea. Sean's student secretly took a picture of him during class and brought the picture home to show her mother. Her mother said that she could marry a foreign man but only if it was this specific man in the picture because he was so handsome. The student was literally grinning with delight in front of me as she told this story. I hear these stories a lot and it's getting a little old and then I have to remind Sean that if we ever work in South America, the tables might turn.
However, since the students often bring Sean gifts, I do benefit from these not-so-secret crushes in some ways. Consider the following email from one of Sean's devoted fans:
Hello! Sean:
How are you doing these days? I just came back to
school from home. As you know, today is Chinese traditional
Dragon Boat Festival and I brought some rice dumplings to
share with my roommates. I also brought some for you to try
. I know they are easy to come by in supermarkets
recently but I really hope you can try some home-made rice
dumplings. And I want to give them to you ASAP because the
earlier you eat them,the yummier they are tasted. Plus, I
have a new clue about a healthy dieting recipe, which is
different from what you've learnt, what you guys are told.
In a word, please respond to me as soon as you see
the e-mail. I don't know where your department is, what your
phone number is so it's hard for me to give them to you
now.
PS: please don't refuse my kindness because I'm not
gonna take NO for an answer and in return, I promise you
that they're really really delicious. Good Night!
A big thank you to Sean's student - they were delicious and we enjoyed them immensely!
hahahah!! my husband always jokes that any man can take me out to dinner as long as I bring the leftovers home for him to eat.
Nothin' like having an entire country of women after your man...!
Hey, Sarah. My girlfriend Anna and I are moving to Zhengzhou, China, in August to teach English, and have started a blog about it. We both love your blog, and it was a major source of inspiration for our decision to move to China for a year. I feel so much more informed about what we are getting ourselves into because people like you have taken the time to share your perspectives on life in China. Best of luck to you and Sean, and thanks for the entertainment!