National Day

Today is China’s National Day. October 1 was set aside as the country’s national holiday 62 years ago by the PRC’s founding committee. Because of this, our theme this week in class was patriotism.

I shared with my students my patriotism and how Americans show their love for their country. Then we analyzed “My Country” by Dorothea MacKellar about her love of Australia. After that it was their turn to share with everyone why they love their country.

Here are some of their thoughts that they put in poems. I want you to focus on why they love China not on their poor grammar, so I have proofread them for you.

I love my country

By: Han Si Wen

I love my country for one thousand reasons,

She has a long history and has a variety of cultures.

I love my country for ten thousand reasons,

The people are warm-hearted and love peace.

I love my country for one million reasons,

She with warm heart welcomes people from all over the world.

China

By: Spark and his group

China, you give life to me,

You bring me up with colorful culture and long history.

To me you are a beautiful and noble lady,

Every night in my dreams I see you, I feel you.

You make me learned and mature.

In the future I want to be a man like you,

Strong and modest.

China, it’s hard to say that I don’t love you.

A Little Poem To My Motherland

By: Sophia Huang

Welcome to my home,

The birthplace of eastern culture, literature, picture and architecture,

Ancestor’s blood flowing inside my body,

The bird witnessed my deep love.

Please let me call you: China, my dear mum!

   China

By: Serena and her group

I fall in love with an old woman

for she has a long story to tell.

I fall in love with a young lady

for she is beautiful, energetic and kind.

I fall in love with a baby girl

for she owns a sweet dream

that one day she will be bright and shining .

My dear China, we love you forever and ever.

This is one of their biggest holidays of the year. There are two golden weeks and this is one, so the holiday lasts an entire week. Most businesses decorate big for this and other holidays. For this one there are elaborate flower arrangements at many big buildings, schools and government offices. And of course there are red lanterns all around and big red, blow-up arches.

This is one of the holidays when everybody goes home. This means traffic, buses, trains are all completely over-burdened and ready to burst at the seams. This afternoon I will join this mass migration and go on a few adventures. I probably won’t share those adventures until I get back to Hefei, so expect lots of pictures and more in about a week.