Coach Chen and Massage
By: Coach Bastian ~ Friday, September 2, 2011
Another eventful day in China- the day ended up being spent with Qi Yan and Coach Chen, who is Chen Ying Yi’s father. He drove from Tianjin to Beijing to see me. We had a lunch of Peking Duck with Coach Chen out close to Zhou Yu’s house. It was the first time on this trip that a Chinese person wanted me to drink with them, so I drank Pijiu- which is beer. I told him no Baijiu because it was 12:30 and too early, so I drank Pijiu and plum juice with him and we talked and discussed many things in life: softball, what he is doing in Tianjin. He asked me to come visit him and help him coach, but I declined politely because of my schedule being busy. He is a wonderfully nice man and is excited about Chen Ying Yi coming to America and wanted to learn more about that. Chen Ying Yi right now is training with the Chinese National Softball Team in Nanjing, China, and we confirmed that she will be coming to the USA at the completion of the Asian Games in Chinese Taipei, so our next CSF student-athlete will arrive in America on or around October 1st. She will be going to Highland Community College in Highland, Kansas, and Coach Jordan and the Scotties softball team are very excited- so that was good news.
After we finished lunch, Qi Yan had to leave. I thought I was going back to the apartment, but Coach Chen had different plans. He ended up taking me to a massage, and I had one of the most interesting days of my Chinese life. I proceeded to get a foot massage like none I’ve had before, which included a deep tissue of the plantar fasciitis area (bottom of the foot) which made me holler and cry, which the little girls laughed at, and then they decided to beat me and pound me with hammers. Also, I’m laying there and watched them get out the glass cups, fire and fuel for the fire (alcohol) and they started cupping Coach Chen, and I realized they were planning and preparing to cup me! So I took as much video and pictures of Coach Chen being cupped as I could, and then, for the first time, I had my back cupped for the first time in traditional Chinese cupping style. That was one crazy and amazing day at the spa. The two Chinese spa therapists were 20-22 years old, and they were funny- wanted to speak English and know where I was from and talk to me. It was another fun and cultural experience.
After we got done with the massage, Coach Chen took me to a market and wanted to buy me a bunch of food- basically, this is his way in the Chinese culture of saying “thank you” for what I have done. I am honored to help him and his daughter- they have worked hard. I want to say “thank you” to Coach Chen and his family.
After that I came home tired and sore and watched the English movies that I bought earlier.
Another eventful day in China- the day ended up being spent with Qi Yan and Coach Chen, who is Chen Ying Yi’s father. He drove from Tianjin to Beijing to see me. We had a lunch of Peking Duck with Coach Chen out close to Zhou Yu’s house. It was the first time on this trip that a Chinese person wanted me to drink with them, so I drank Pijiu- which is beer. I told him no Baijiu because it was 12:30 and too early, so I drank Pijiu and plum juice with him and we talked and discussed many things in life: softball, what he is doing in Tianjin. He asked me to come visit him and help him coach, but I declined politely because of my schedule being busy. He is a wonderfully nice man and is excited about Chen Ying Yi coming to America and wanted to learn more about that. Chen Ying Yi right now is training with the Chinese National Softball Team in Nanjing, China, and we confirmed that she will be coming to the USA at the completion of the Asian Games in Chinese Taipei, so our next CSF student-athlete will arrive in America on or around October 1st. She will be going to Highland Community College in Highland, Kansas, and Coach Jordan and the Scotties softball team are very excited- so that was good news.
After we finished lunch, Qi Yan had to leave. I thought I was going back to the apartment, but Coach Chen had different plans. He ended up taking me to a massage, and I had one of the most interesting days of my Chinese life. I proceeded to get a foot massage like none I’ve had before, which included a deep tissue of the plantar fasciitis area (bottom of the foot) which made me holler and cry, which the little girls laughed at, and then they decided to beat me and pound me with hammers. Also, I’m laying there and watched them get out the glass cups, fire and fuel for the fire (alcohol) and they started cupping Coach Chen, and I realized they were planning and preparing to cup me! So I took as much video and pictures of Coach Chen being cupped as I could, and then, for the first time, I had my back cupped for the first time in traditional Chinese cupping style. That was one crazy and amazing day at the spa. The two Chinese spa therapists were 20-22 years old, and they were funny- wanted to speak English and know where I was from and talk to me. It was another fun and cultural experience.
After we got done with the massage, Coach Chen took me to a market and wanted to buy me a bunch of food- basically, this is his way in the Chinese culture of saying “thank you” for what I have done. I am honored to help him and his daughter- they have worked hard. I want to say “thank you” to Coach Chen and his family.
After that I came home tired and sore and watched the English movies that I bought earlier.
Comments