K: Stereotypical

We had our third (weekly) Ping Pong Club meeting today. Yup, that's right. Ping Pong Club rocks! About four weeks ago, one of N's senior students approached him and asked if N and I would be interested in joining a Ping Pong Club meeting every Saturday from 3-5 at the school gym. Doing something active on a day off? Regular time with students? Where do we sign up? I must say though that I did hestitate for just a moment. I mean, while I know the rules to ping pong and I've won a game or two in my life, I do live in China. Isn't it required to be good at ping pong to be Chinese? Whatever. Activity? Time with students? I'm there.

Like I said, Ping Pong Club rocks. There are eight of us. Four Chinese. Four Americans. Four Guys. Four Gals. We play rounds, doubles, and single tournaments and as our program says, the objectives are to get to be friends, have some fun, and be prepared for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. We're meeting at least two of those objectives and I can edit the third one to be gaining an appreciation for the ping pong players who actually will compete in the '08 Olympics.

I realized after the first week that I'm supposed to be the massive underdog because I'm a.) American and b.) female. Let it be known that they underestimated me. A moment to toot my own horn - I have learned to play holding my paddle upside down (Chinese style) and I find that I have much more control over the ball. I'm even getting a little tricky and can play an evenly matched game with my hubby... who's good by the way. He still usually wins, but I make him work for it and I beat him from time to time. I think realizing that I was pegged for the underdog made me a stereotypical American. "I'll show you underdog!" It fuels rather than discourages.

All of that to say, today was a stereotypical Saturday here in Yinchuan. We went to fellowship this morning, ate autumn colored food at the themed potluck after fellowship (we took shepherd's pie), and met the Ping Pong Club. We like Saturdays.