Fun with Stereotypes Part Deux!

So if Black people can dance, what is the other thing we do well..... Play basketball. DUH!! Again, I wish I had pictures. (For Myself, just not for this silly blog.)

Today was probably one of my funnest days here at Jhongli Elementary School. I came into school like any other day. It's Wednesday so I'm prepared to teach my two English classes about weather and having a brief conversation about the weather. About 5 minutes into it an annoucement is made. (of course it was in Chinese) In Short, it was about classes coming out to watch the student basketball team play some faculty members. And of course the students want to go. I knock out a few vocab words and we're off to the playground. I come out after the kids and get a lot of Teacher Darryl! Teacher Darryl! arms waving wildly. "Come sit with us!" A group of my 6th grad boys are calling me over. So how cool is that!? Well of course I go sit with them.

After the first quarter, Ken one of the nicest guys in Taiwan and works at the school for his military service, invites me into the game. I'm like "no way?!" The kids are "Way!" (but in Chinese) I know the stereotype and this one is impossible to live up to. Unless of course the goal is only 8 feet high.

My first shot. A 3 pointer. NOTHING BUT THE BOTTOM OF THE NET! I'm thinking not bad given I haven't played in over a year and I'm not wearing my glasses. I played so-so by U.S. standards, and let us not forget we playing against 6th graders. The Principal even gets in on the act.

After the first half. Will gets invited into the games. He is the Star of the Show. He was super laid back, but the kids LOVE Will. And then my boy Will sets me up perfectly. I am hanging back at the other end, he get the rebound, passes to me, SLAM DUNK!!! Hang on the rim!!! And the crowd goes wild!!!!!! Say it with me, AWESOME!! I found out after that everytime I got the ball the kids were cheering Dunk, Dunk, Dunk! But it was in Chinese, so I had no clue. So when it happened they were already pumped up.

This was again a time to just live in the moment. Screw the stereotypes and the potential ramifications. No one was hurt, everybody had a good times, especially me. My stock went up about 1000 % with the kids. Those are all good things. I wish there were pictures. A good time was had by all and that's special, especially when it happens at school.

Peace