Christina and I went to our first Chinese party today--the Spanish Club kickoff party. We were escorted there by three of our Spanish students to make sure we found it. We showed up to find that we were some of the "guests of honor" which meant front row seats, an orange, and apple, and a bottle of water for each of us, and being recognized individually at the beginning of the show. Because in China "party" doesn't mean party, it means MC'd show.
Leonardo and another girl MC'd the show (in Chinese of course!). Leonardo is the cutest thing ever, and it was fun to see his more expansive side as he spoke his own language. They followed their carefully constructed script, and got a lot of applause and laughter, which we sat and enjoyed although we couldn't understand anything.
The acts included: a video of a flamenco dance, a guy playing guitar, singing, and dancing, another girl singing a German song, a guy singing a Russian (?) song, a girl doing an awkwardly sexual dance, six girls doing a choreographed sign language routine to a song another guy played, and Christina and I singing Juanes and Nelly Furtado's duet "Fotografia." While performing, it is customary for people to honor the performer by rushing to the front and giving the performer things--a balloon to hold, a garland to wear around the neck, an orange, etc. Gives everyone a lot of face. Of course we got showered with all these things while we sang (fortunately we weren't the first act and thus knew to expect this) and kept on merrily singing and doing the choreographed motions we'd practiced. They even applauded our encore song. It's nice to know if you're singing you just can't go wrong.
Everything was amazing, from the decorations, to the ritual, to the students most especially. My Spanish students just light up my life here in China, and it was great to see them having so much fun (in a very structured Chinese way, but still having fun) and get to participate in that fun with them.
So if you ever get to go to a Chinese party, come prepared with an act, and enjoy the fun!!!
