Happy New Year came early in my hovel. Have a month to scramble. Here's a Monday write-up for the Saipan Tribune. Mature wine uncorked:a retirement monologue It was midweek in our pentateuchal reflection on Madiba’s eventfulcompletion of a vivaciously celebrated life, and while writing of what Ithought it must be to embody in one’s being the challenge of the times toeffect radical change on the question of what it means to be human, the lawoffice of Shenyang Aerospace University's International Education College droppeda bomb we had anticipated but did not think it was going to come so soon and sosuddenly. I am now in the middle of a very radical and rapid change. One of the teachers from New York who spent half of hisadult life in Hawaii is fond of saying, “as long as Jaime is here, I am safe”. Liaoning province in China who owns and runsour University, has an existing rule in the books not to employ any foreignerover 65. They had been ignoring that forthe last three years in our case, but this year, as the reform ethos around thewhole country gets pushed, public entities are urged to operate strictly by thebook. My colleague is a year my junior;I chimed 68 last August. I am, ironically, a casualty of a policy that Isupport. Implementing existing rules,published or unfamiliar, is not one of China’s forte, and it would be nice forthat to change. There are many goodrules and statutes in the books that we wish were implemented even if it isjust the highly publicized ones like the one that forbids honking of motor vehiclehorns in campus, or minding once vehicular speed when driving around schoolroadways. In a country where the retirement age of 55 for women and 60for men qualifies for superannuation, it finds the age of 65 a rather matureone. The rule not to hire above 65 haseven got tighter. It is now down tow 60,the same as the locals. The rule is thereto enable elders to spend more time with grandchildren, and voluntaryinterests. “We took your case all the way up to the ProvincialCommittee, with even the College Dean making an appearance and impassioned appealon your behalf,” the attorney ruefully intoned, “to no favorable consequence,for the Foreign Affairs is adamant that a rule is a rule, and unless it isamended or changed, it must be applied universally across the board.” This came about while the school was applying for my workingvisa, after the school and I already signed next year’s contract, after thefaculty liaison officer already bought and let me utilize a round-trip air ticketI normally use during the Spring break at the end of my contract year but I usedto visit my mother in the hospital in October, and after the financial officeralready designated and set aside my salary for the next contract year. Also, I do not feel, think, or act retired, and given theillusory youth of my Asian physique, I do not even look retire-able. But formallyretiring is what I ended up doing, not only to save “face” from the appearanceof being refused employment but also to keep the school from looking like theyignored a rule and is now compelled to enforce it! It is the season when the authentically possible isincarnate and birthed (my Christmas story), so the question I need to answeris, what does the situation require, and do I have a role still to play in it? By the attorney’s account, the schoolofficials who went up to bat for me did so on the gathered information thatstudents were pleased with our classroom management and are learning from ourpedagogy. Unfortunately, that does notcount when faced with the power of bureaucratic resolve. Individual cases do not merit exceptions to arule, a principle I do not normally disagree with, but have been known toignore in practice. Now, is this worth writing about, and is the faithful readers’patience worth taxing? Probablynot. For what we write out loud would berelevant were my issue with retirement be like those of my fellow elders in theCommonwealth who had recently been impinged upon on their bank balances by lessthan 25 percent of normal. Ours issimply recognizing that, perhaps, it is time to cease wading our brittle bonesthrough the winter snow to get to a classroom. The SVES principal at the time I left PSS to deal with my cervicalpain suggested that I consider medical retirement. I looked into it (thanks Kinai). The CNMI was already in default in its shareto my retirement credit so I took my contributions to pay for medicalattention, and also let PSS call my withdrawal from service. I did apply to return but a colleague at HRwas candid enough to blurt out: "Jaime, in our tight situation, we canhire two and a half entry levels for what we have to pay you." Right now, I hang on to my father’s words. “Retirement,” he once wisely said, “is simplyreplacing the old tires with new ones.” So we are technically retiring from the employed rolls of teachers atthe University, but we are gearing up with new tires ready to bolt into theproductive frame! Given the state of our health (still good!), we willendeavor to face the question: what is required in the world of effectivepedagogy, and do I still have anything to contribute into it? When I have an answer, I will let you know. Jaime Vergara wangzhimu2031@aol.com yesterday, appreciate; tomorrow, anticipate; today. participate. In all, celebrate!