Eastern Mennonite University - Shenandoah Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

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Exchanging Cultures While students sign up to go to England, Latin America, and China, Professor Yin Mingqing has found his cross-cultural ex- perience at a small church college in America—EMC. “Before coming to America,” he says, “l remember reading in Time magazine that all West- erners are enslaved by animal instincts, but that is not true!” Mr. Yin’s first-hand experience with Western college students came when he joined the EMC faculty for the second semester to teach Chinese Language and Chinese Culture. As an English teacher at Si- chaun Foreign Languages Insti- tute in Beijing, China, Mr. Yin was chosen along with nine Stephen F. Dintaman Assistant Professor of Bible M. June Drescher Word Processing Sherman D. Eberly Assistant Professor of Physical Education John W. Eby Professor of Business Omar E. Eb Professor of Englis Diana M. Enedy Learning Skills Center James R. Engle Assistant Professor of Bible Fern |. Erb Business Affairs LuAnn B. Fahndrich Admissions Office John W. Fast Assistant Professor of Music Donald P. Foth Controller Linda Gaddis Secretary, Physical Education 20 Faculty other teachers to spend a year in the States under the China Education Exchange program. His year abroad began at Fres- no Pacific College in California, and he’s visited other American towns and some major cities. As Mr. Yin observes Ameri- cans, he recognizes, as one traveling in another culture does, that some of his pre- conceived ideas were wrong, especially of American young people. “Not all young people dance to rock’n roll, smoke, and drink,” he notes. In fact, he doesn’t see too many dif- ferences between his American dnd his Chinese students. The greatest difference be- tween the two cultures is the element of devotion to the col- lective good, an aspect of his culture which he misses. “The Chinese people enjoy less privacy than Americans; how- ever, we need that feeling of togetherness. Especially the old people need to be among the young people,” he explains. Mr. Yin is anxious to return to his wife, who also teaches English, and to his 18-year old daughter at the first of June. Nevertheless, if EMC would of- fer him a position teaching Chi- nese for a few years and his family could join him, he admits he’d take the job. “That would be great!” Ann Landis

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YEA A Betty S. Byler Associate in Serials- Library Jesse T. Byler Professor of Education (on leave) » Kevin A. Carey Accountant, Business Office Paul E. Coffman Postman Ross D. Collingwood Director of Admissions Lila B. Collins Secretarial Services Deborah A. Denlinger Student Activities John H. Denlinger Student Activities David A. Detrow Records Office Richard C. Detweiler President Caroline C. Detwiler Clerk, Library Faculty 19

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Left! PROFESSOR YIN CELEBRATES Chinese New Year at China Inn with Professors Jim and Doris Bomberger and students. Below: DRILLING HIS LANGUAGE CLASS on their Chinese characters, Professor Yin prepares students for survival when travelling to China. Lisa M. Gallagher Admissions Office Valda S. Garber-Weider Assistant Professor of Nursing Margaret M. Gehman Professor of Art Orval J. Gingerich Instructor of Physical Education Ray C. Gingerich Associate Professor of Bible James R. Glanzer Assistant Professor of Nursing P. David Glanzer Associate Professor of Psychology Mary K. Heatwole Business Office Mary L. Hershberger Instructor of History Valerie J. Hershberger Residence Director Betty J. Hertzler Post Office Supervisor M. Clair Hochstetler Admissions Office Faculty 21