404 Not Found

Elizabeth Saltos   Harker Exchange teacher WFLMS Shanghai March 26th- April 10th 2010

I arrived tired, disoriented and disheveled at Pudong Airport where I failed to see my contact: Osmond. I wandered around lost and was rescued by a Chinese angel who not only called Osmond several times for me but refused to leave me until we located him. We walked together, pushing my luggage on a rolling cart, between floors and down hallways searching for this unknown face until there he was: a bright, smiling face came out of the crowd unmistakable as Osmond!

I continue all through this experience to be impressed by Osmond, he is outgoing, has great humor and intuitively knows how to handle many things that come up. He is thoughtful and very cordial. He also may have ESP (extra sensory perception) because he seems to be able to predict when I may need something!

Shanghai: first impression: YIKES! Daunting, skyscrapers growing in clusters like a wild garden connected by swirling tendrils of twisting elevated roadways. This is the largest city in the world, correct? As a sculptor, I see this architecture as fantastical forms juxtaposed against each other, jutting at angles into the sky like geometric shapes arguing about who should be whose space. The buildings have humor, a Disney sort of light-heartedness with each top unique and almost playful. In many ways the architecture reminds me of gigantic dimensional Chinese calligraphy constructions.

WFLMS: is very impressive. It is no wonder this school is a sister school to Harker. The programs seem parallel in academic quality and rigor. All the teachers I have met are informed, kind and helpful. I have found colleagues in the Art department with Michael and Denvah, Bryony and Gary and David and Warren. They have invited me to dinner and treated me with generous hospitality and professionalism.

 One of my most memorable teacher experiences has to be the morning I spent with Mr. Li, the Chinese art teacher. He is a seeker, an artist after my own heart. He asked me the most important question anyone can ask an artist: “What is the thought behind your work?” I have to say in the U.S. most people would not take the time or thought to ask this question.

Many people at WFLMS have taken time with me such as Clark taking me to the tomb sweeping festival with his family. That was a very special privilege and a day of being in the country-side of Wan Xiang and seeing the Luchao Port. I was also taken to Zhujiajiao with Osmond and his parents. This day was wonderful, not only for the scenery but also to see the warmth of the family relationship Osmond has. The Chinese family is very strong and happy.

My impression of the people is colored in mystery: on one hand when you make eye contact everyone responds with “ni hao” and a nod; on the other hand, whoever is driving that big red bus by my apartment keeps going through the red lights on my corner and I have to run to get out of his way! The traffic is a test for survival of the fittest. Yet no one seems to get killed! In fact, the Chinese people laugh- this is very funny to me. You folks have a different sense of humor, a Chinese sense of humor which I never knew. Yes, I will leave with much undiscovered about this amazing city and culture but I have been well received, taken care of, respected and I have  had my picture taken with many unknown people in parks all over Shanghai!