Jackie Chan and Honest Abe
I had my second kung-fu lesson, taught by the famous "Arabic instructor" (Manabued form of "aerobics instructor"), last Thursday morning. I was standing on the platform that overlooks the university athletic fields, where 5,000 students line up in formation every morning, at 6:30, for morning exercise and political lessons pumped through the creaking PA system.
As I thrust fists and balanced on one leg and practiced deep breathing, a boy stood about ten feet from me, also on the platform, reciting the Gettysburg Address. From memory. In English.
All was right with the world. On the platform which normally supports fat Party leaders, dressing down the thousands of obsequious peons gathered on the fields below, there we were instead. Him learning a speech that makes me proud to be an American. I learning (disgracing!)an ancient art that makes him proud to be Chinese. As the sun rose. Aw yeah.
