images

jinzhou students

class of 1998

Chinese universities classify students by the year they enter university rather than the American system of their expected year of graduation. So these students graduated in 2002.

Class 98

Some of the students from Class 98 pose outside their dorm.

That Laowai in the middle is Teacher Donna who returned there this year for her third term. There's something about Jinzhou students (not the school) that keeps bringing us back.

Students in Northeast China are much more fun-loving than those in Southeast China. Take Michelle (Xu Na) - Class 98 - for example.

(Fall, 1998).

Students from Jinzhou Class 98 their freshman year (December, 1998).

Laurie is in the top left photo.

That's my favorite student, , top right photo, as a freshman in 1998. She was a quiet, sullen girl in the first class (see rge picture). She had no English name. She had a slight reddish-tint to her hair, so I named her Renée after my lively, red-headed cousin from Chicago. She blossomed into one of the nest and most livliest students I have had in China. 

See below for proof (pictures from 2001). Go here to see her in 2002 when she came to visit me in Hangzhou and met her literary hero, Jin Yong.

(L to R) Michelle and Christina (Class of 98), and Martha (Class of 97). For a "glamour" shot of Martha, go here.

(2000)

Tree Huggers!

Here's Christina again
doing some environmental protection work.
Save the Trees!

(2000)

Many of the students of Class 98 opted to spend their junior year (and lots of money) studying at better universities.

In May, 2001 they returned to Jinzhou for a small reunion. So, of course, I invited my old students out for dinner.

You can see how they've matured: That's Michelle front-left, Renée center, and Laurie front-right.

(2001)

Maggie and Renée vote on their favorite teacher at the 2001 reunion. Maggie voted me # 1 and Renée voted me # 2.

Ni Qu Si Ba, Renée!

Here, Renee has demoted me to # 4.

Or is that #2 with rabbit ears? I'm not sure.

After the 2001 Reunion of Class 98, it was time for Renée to return to her studies at Beijing #2 Foreign Language School in Beijing. So I "saw her off" at the Jinzhou Train Station to repay the debt I owed her for "seeing me off" to Hangzhou last summer.

So she changed her vote. As witnessed by this picture, taken at the Jinzhou Train Station, I am now her # 1 favorite teacher.

I think.

Skye (Class 98) wasn't one of my original freshman students.

But she was in my British Lit and American History classes in 2000 and was among the brightest points of light in those classes.

Photo Copyright © Skye, Lü Hui, 2000

A Cold Day in Hell

Tessa (Class 98) - Skye's classmate for awhile. Then she made the mistake of entering a special program Jinzhou Teachers' College set up called the Sino-Canada Institute, to earn extra money. They charged students double tuition and promised them 10 new Canadian teachers. Of course (This is China) it was all a lie. Only three Canadians ever made it here and the whole program was a flop.

Tessa has now returned to the regular Foreign Language College. Whether she gets a tuition refund for the "fraud" perpetrated is still up in the air. (Interestingly, the word "fraud" has no direct translation into Chinese. As if, they want us to believe that it doesn't exist! Ha! Living and learning in China!). Anyway, here's Tessa spending another cold Day in Sino-Canada hell.

Photo Copyright © Tessa, 2000