Two months ago I suddenly lost more than half my non-contractual, lucrative income because, when induced with boredom, Chinese people often make quick, inexplicable choices without ever considering the repercussions of their decision.
In a panic, I met with the director of a school preparing students to move to the United States for extended periods of time to study both high school and university. I was asked to provide for him my schedule and he assured me he would fill it up immediately.
By the way, can you teach American History?
I kept a smile on my face backed up by a look of confidence and said, “Of course I can, I’m American“.
On the inside, all I could think about was my deep-rooted, unappreciative hatred for history. Any kind of history. During the twelve years of my quality education at Nodaway Valley, I all but slept with my eyes open during history lessons. In all those years I only remember learning about the mummification process in ancient Egypt in the 6th grade because they stick a hook up the noses of the dead people to then suck their brain out of their head. I thought that was pretty cool.
Of course I can teach History!
Good, you start tomorrow.
In the last two months, I’ve not only learned the details of American History but I’ve begun to appreciate where I come from. Traveling around the world has inadvertently made me ashamed, often concealing my passport and not openly offering the details of my nationality immediately to everyone I meet while abroad.
People around the world either love us or hate us, and I don’t want to be a part of it. Get to know me for me.
Back to the history class. Upon accepting the position, I was handed the most dull, uninformative history book I’ve ever read. Two weeks later, they changed the textbooks and gave me a new one. All shiny and new, still wrapped in plastic, I was excited. This book had both Chinese and English for each chapter to help the students fully understand what they were expected to master.
Good God, give me back the other book. This new book provided one paragraph each to the first Ten Amendments of the Bill of Rights, the journeys of Lewis & Clarke through the newly purchased, unexplored lands of the United States, and Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railway. Even I know these events merit more than a side comment in the history of the United States.
The universe was on my side when it brought Terra to me from California. She has a teaching degree in history and was a high school teacher before coming to China. She quickly swooped me up and guided me through the basics. The best thing she could have ever suggested for me was a mini-series created by the History channel entitled America: The Story of Us.
It’s interesting. Really interesting. So interesting that I’m going to suggest you watch it. I look forward to watching it. When my class finishes in two weeks, at home, in my spare time, I’m going to watch the remaining episodes we didn’t have time for during class.
After teaching this class and especially after watching this mini-series, I’m proud to be American. I now understand why we are the way we are, where we came from, how our country developed, who was a part of this development, and why our country is such a big deal. I now fully understand what our founding fathers endured in the early days before we were the country we are today. Even more impressive, I’m astounded at what the settlers who first arrived in the Midwestern states endured and toughed out just to experience freedom in their lives.
No wonder we’re hardworking, determined, and often regarded as some of the friendliest people in the US.
I’m proud to be American. I’m proud to be from the Midwest. I’m grateful that I come from a town of 1,982 people in the middle of a cornfield.
I’m grateful that I lost my jobs, more than half my income, and was asked to teach an American History class.
Do you know the history of where you come from?
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