The bowling part of the event was not all that exciting at all but it is always interesting to see the people that your organization is benefitting. Bowling was extremely chaotic with many of the bakers running around and bowling in each other’s lane. Nobody bothered to keep score. The most striking thing about meeting the bakers was how normal they all looked. If I was not part of SYB I would have never guessed they were orphans, this observation made me question the bias I had. After all, how is an orphan supposed to look like? Real orphans probably do not look like Oliver Twist.
Highlight: Learning how bad somebody could be at bowling
From left to right: Cindy, Baker(forgot name), Stephanie
More bowling pictures
What was the highlight of that Sunday was the lunch after the bowling event. Luckily, I sat with the only Cantonese speaker in the program, which was a great relief because even though the bakers were receiving English lessons, none of them actually knew enough to hold a conversation. At bowling, I asked one of them what his name was in English and he could not even understand the question, which gives you an idea about the level of English that the bakers are at.
From talking to Luo Zhen I got an idea what the program was like for these young bakers. Luo Zhen is twenty three years old and comes from a province that I cannot recall , but which is very close to Guangdong, hence why she is able to speak Cantonese. She told me that every one of the bakers feel overworked, but they realize they must tough it out and finish the program. The way she described the program it sounded like she was suffering but when I pointed that out she quickly refuted me and said basically said that the benefits outweigh the costs. Suddenly, the complaints I had about school seemed extremely petty.
When I asked her about what she was going to do after the program, she told me she was not sure but that she would definitely go home first. I was surprised by this and I asked her if she was going to pursue a career in baking. Once again, I was met with a noncommittal answer emphasizing that it depends on what opportunities there are at home. Later, at another SYB meeting I was told that many graduates do not utilize their training after the program. What a shame, I wonder how that could be fixed.
The most surprising thing about talking to Luo Zhen was the fact that she had all these international friends, especially from Hong Kong. For whatever reason, a large number of tourists passed through her hometown and she exchanged emails with them. Some of those tourists have been corresponding with her for over a year. Once again, my perception of what an orphan is was challenged.
The lunch ended on a somber note as the students got lectured by the homeroom teacher. This is the teacher who takes care of the whole class, a woman who resonates tough love. From the quick translation I got from Cindy, I learned that the teacher was berating the bakers for giving attitude at their internships. Through the harsh words, I could tell that the woman cared for the bakers and deeply wanted to see them succeed.
I left that lunch feeling more committed to SYB than ever before.
-muffinman
