Tricks and Treats

Today was Halloween and I decided to treat my students with a day-trip to West Lake. Incredibly, neither of them had been on a bus in China, even having lived here for well over a year now. We chilled out in a Starbucks for a while. They really needed to get out of the apartment. They are normally not allowed outside, apart from going back and forth to school, which is only just across the street. Even then they must be accompanied either by their guardian, by Ayi, or by me.

But Tina's mother and grandmother left this morning after a five-day visit to go back to Korea and their guardian doesn't come back until tomorrow. So, I've sneaked them out for a little fun. Harmless, I should think. These poor girls. Imagine having to keep something so innocent a secret from their parents. They aren't allowed to do anything except study, but they work so hard and, as far as I’m concerned, they really need a break. "All fun and no play makes Jack a very dull boy." I'm just trying to avoid a Stephen-King outcome. I don't want them to get cabin fever and come through my door with an axe.

Reena, my younger student, being on a slightly looser leash than Tina, took me over to her school last night for a little Halloween party. We were both bored by the childish activities, but it was nice to spend time with her. She is an incredibly smart girl and very mature for only 14. I am proud of her.

We felt bad for Tina. Her mother wouldn’t let her go to such a simple affair across the street to eat candy and have her face painted. Instead, Tina’s mother went out to dinner in Hangzhou with Tina's grandmother while Reena and I were gone, leaving Tina in the apartment all alone and feeling left out. It wasn’t much, but Reena and I decided to stop at the store on the way back home and buy some candy for Tina.

Slowly, I am introducing them to the idea of what it is like to balance their rigorous studying with some good clean fun. I’m sure their parents, if they knew what I was doing, would consider me a terribly bad influence and fire me immediately. But it is well worth the risk to give these girls a taste of fun, instead of eventually sending them off to college, knowing that a consequence of ‘study until you pass out’ (not an exaggeration) could result in their going wild once they get there, and perhaps doing something stupid and even dangerous. I don’t believe I am overstepping the line too far. But, are good intentions justification enough? After all, even though I believe I am acting in their best interests, I am not their mother.