Baotou Day 4

Another busy day, the usual.  We started at 8:30 with a Cultural Activity - a demonstation of Tai Chi and Martial Arts.  Again, inappropriate shoes and body so an hour of learning taichi with cameras flashing was less fun than it should have been.  I did like it though, I may try to find a Rec Centre version of TaiChi for the weak of body and will back in Victoria. 

Side note, this event made the local paper.  I didn't get a copy but I saw the front page with a couple of the guys doing some moves.  We are famous!  Apparently, I only took a picture of the teacher, not any of us. We are in the mirror if you really need proof we were there.

After that, we got another Cultural Activity, a cooking class.  I can't remember the name of the little rice packets we made but the cultural lesson we got at the same time was about how they are served during dragon boat festivals.  Story goes: Some guy threw himself in a river for some reason and the people loved him so much that they made these rice packets to throw in the river from their dragon boats so the fish would eat those instead of his body.  Yum!

Dead guy or not, we weren't very good at making the rice & fig  stay in the leaf wrappers.  And then after all that, I didn't even like them that much, not like our glutonous balls from last time.  But we had fun making them and, dark subject aside, I liked the history behind the food.

I found a wiki page with the name, Zongzi, and story if you are interested.

Michael tasting the inedible leaf wrapping

They had to boil for 40 minutes.  

Lunch.  I think this was the day that Lily made me lunch.  Scrambled eggs with tomatoes.  And a nap!  Glorious day, time for a 20 minute nap!!

Next stop, Classroom visit from 3-5.

I should mention the kids we were meeting and observing and teaching while we were there.  That weird day with the autobot kids on Xuzhou was not the norm.  Every other classroom was full of normal college kids (18-20 years) learning English, some better than others but always spontaneous and curious and respectful.  These times were some of my favourite in China, just interacting with students.  Students in China may have quirks different than Canadian students' quirks, but students are students and they were awesome. 

That day,  I was in with Cuma and Dahlia.  No power point presentation this time.  Even if we had wanted to, there was no computer or screen for us. 

We each gave a little talk on what we do and a bit about ourselves and then we just opened up the class to questions and discussion.  Lots of questions about what college is like in Canada.  I think we hurt their Chinese-student brains talking about flexibility in schedules and course choices and course load and working while a student and living off campus and freedom to choose courses and majors and attendance...  BOOM!!!!

One girl asked if she could sing us a song and another did a dance for us.  This just does not happen in a Canadian classroom past grade 4!   We loved it!  Did I mention that if you go to China, prepare a song, they are going to want you to sing. 

Student dancing traditional Mongolian dance for us, you know, the usual.

Us with our class, all girls (and Cuma)

That evening we planned to meet as a group for a dinner away from our official functions.  Niya booked us at a Mongolian restaurant in a yurt!.

She asked if we wanted the 'traditional Mongolian singers and dancers' for an extra fee.  We all said yes.  But then when we got there, we discovered that if we just sat in the common area to start, we would get the same show for free.  So we ordered beer and watched the show before dinner.  Only downside, they had a huge tv screen behind the performers which took away from their performances somewhat, especially when the news and then cartoons came on. 

Sit here for free show

These are a traditional Mongolian stringed instrument called a morin khuur  .  I liked the music. 

Just keep singing there guy, we won't notice the news on behind you.

After the show, we went to our yurt.  We got to chose our own menu.  We barely ordered anything.  Some lamb skewers, a mutton leg, some bread, and some veggies.  We are very cheap dates when left to our own devices. 

Welcome to your yurt.

Our dinner table in our yurt.

Jon and Ghengis

Niya orders dinner

Trevor finishes up the mutton leg.  

Then, our host families picked us up at the restaurant and took us home.  The end of another long and exciting day.  

Baotou Day 3

I am switching back to Blogspot.  Not a fan of alternet, I have to say.  I may try to import the posts from there to here but not quite yet.

By the way, I am home now but will finish this if only to have a place to put my photos.

Anyway, back to Baotou.

We started the day early at 8am for a Faculty/Staff exchange. Michael and I met with Mr. Sun, the Director of Student Affairs.  He gave us a 24 point list of all of his responsibilities. The first three had to do with teaching students about 'the party' and identifying the best students to join the Student League (communist party junior) and identifying the best League members to join 'the party'.  BTW, Mr. Sun is a member of the party. I didn't quite know how to build off of that but fortunately, Michael is way better at asking questions. 

We toured the student counselling department. It was very similar to the one in Xuzhou, right down to the sand boxes with little toys and the 'relaxation chairs' which Mr. Sun called hypnosis chairs.  It was kind of weird to see the state's hand so clearly involved.  These are two very different Post Secondary institutions (university vs Technical College) in different provinces with different students but with exactly the same services. 

Relaxation room, just like in Xuzhou

More grads wandering around campus.  

We also visited the dormitories but we didn't get to go into a room.  Six students to a room.  Yikes!. The list of rules and expectations took up half a wall in the lobby.

Dorm room occupants (in 6 packs)

The rules

Men's dorms (complete with cop shop on the ground floor - these students
are so well behaved, I don't even want to hazard a guess what they do there)

At 10am, we were booked for a group discussion.  Knowing from the last time we had a group discussion, this was time for just the group to meet and discuss what we had learned.  All we wanted at this point was some coffee.  Coffee as we know it in North America just isn't common in China.  And some of us really wanted some coffee, unsweetened, no powdered milk, coffee.  So Niya, sweet sweet Niya, organized a bus so we could have our meeting at Starbucks!  At the mall!!  Where we discussed intensely what we had learned (we learned that Starbucks is the only place in China with decent coffee and we discuss that - intensely). 

Starbucks China has way better looking snacks.  Alas, I was too full to try any. 

Then we had our lunch break in the mall (or if you were the guys, outside of the mall).  A quick spin around the stores, including a place where I bought a t-shirt and didn't buy the million coffee mugs I wanted.  Then Niya and I went to find some lunch.  I broke down and ordered a pizza, I just wanted something familiar.   cut to a picture of my 'familiar' pizza, with raisins on top. 

Durian pizza, just awful!

Turns out, they brought me the wrong pizza.  No worries, I don't care, I will eat it anyway. I took one bite.  Durian!!! A durian pizza.  That is wrong on so many levels, I barely know where to start.  For those of you who haven't enjoyed the far east, Durian is a fruit that smells like decaying flesh.  Yum.  They tell me it tastes better than it smells but I can say for sure, that that pizza was disgusting.  or at least the one bite I managed to gag down. 

Back on the bus at 2:10 for our 3pm Perspectives in Learning, Visit to Early Learning Centre, Kindergarten and Children's Palace. 

This wasn't like a kindergarten in Canada.  This is a private school where kids can go, for a fee, for after school and weekend classes. They may have all day school too but that was unclear.  Basically, little kids can take extra classes at the Children's Palace.  Sally was taking her English classes there. We started in the bookstore.  It was like a college bookstore.  downstairs is a grocery store so busy parents can shop while their kids are in class!  Kids don't have down time.  They take classes at school and then more classes after school and sometimes on weekends.  Sally is in dance, English, music.   She is probably getting off light compared to some kids.

The 'kindergarten' bookstore.  I bought some postcards while we were waiting.

The Children's Palace was unreal.  For older kids (up to 14) there were classrooms for 3D printing, aeronautics, electronics, robotics.

I just loved this.  they are building robots but they spelled it Roberts.  Still kids,

Aeronautics lab

Examples of 3D printing (on a cool wall)

For the little kids (5-7?), they had experience rooms where kids could try out different jobs.  I have a million pictures.  They could learn to be cooks, police, fire fighters, tea services, doctors, lawyers, clothing designers, craftspeople, etc.  I can tell you a bunch of 5 year olds playing 'court' is about the cutest thing you will see, as long as you don't think about it too much. 

Niya and Lynette learning how to be newscasters.  They even had tiny suits in the room. 

Tiny police officers learning how to salute

Tiny tea service

Tiny fashion designers
(no, they are not just playing with dolls, don't be ridiculous)

Tiny court

Tiny drummers

This reminds me of the several conversations we had with faculty, families and students about how students chose their majors.  Majority seem to have it chosen for them by the parents.  I sense that may be changing and maybe this type of early exposure to jobs will help future high school grads make their own decisions.  I can't say that Canadian students have a prefect track record of choosing the best program right out of HS either.  Anyway, pictures:

Our kindergarten hosts.  

After touring the 'kindergarten' and meeting with the faculty for some questions and tea, our host families picked us up directly from there.  My host family had a special dinner planned.  As we were just pulling into the complex, Lily got a phone call.  John was missing!   General panic from the hosts.  We lost a Canadian!  Apparently, one of the other families had agreed to pick him up but forgot (?) and nobody else knew that, and John had wandered off to find a bathroom.  When he came out, we had all left.  So there he was, far from anywhere, with no ride.  He got to make the only adult decision any of us got to make that whole week, he waited a bit then called a cab and went home. 

We did get to ask "Where's John?  Is John missing or just in the bathroom?' every 5 minutes for the rest of the trip though, so that amused us greatly. 

Once the great John mystery/crisis had been solved/resolved, we were off to dinner.  Chi Pei came with and so did another family whose names were never offered.  They also had a little girl, aged 4. 
Chi Pei had asked me if I like white wine.  Yes, I said.  So he brought white wine.  or what they call white wine but is actually Baijiu.  A whole wine glass of baijiu, and enough toasts to finish it off!

They took me to a restaurant that specializes in Beijing food.  They ordered a Beijing Duck.  These are not cheap.  They spent so much money on me, I still feel guilty.  There was the duck, a whole fish, mutton (of course), pork, veggies, salad, peanuts, and more.  They were stacking places on top of plates in some sort of gluttonous pyramid just to fit it all on the table.  All washed down with Baijiu. 

Baijiu/white wine

unnamed 4 year old in a cool t-shirt, eating ice cream for dinner instead of duck

This was before the duck had even arrived.

Then we went home and finally exchanged gifts.  I had brought each of them a t-shirt from Camosun and a bottle of ice wine and some smoked salmon.  they meh'd at the wine and salmon and loved the t-shirts. 

Chi Pei, Sally and Lily in their Camosun Swag!

Last minuting it, as usual (actually worse than usual if I am honest)

Less than 12 hours to go.  It has been a crazy last few days.  I was on conference Sunday to Tuesday with events on Sunday and Tuesday evening.  Then a full day work on Wednesday (today).  I head to the airport at 6:30am tomorrow morning. 

We had our final pre-departure meeting on Tuesday (between morning seminars and evening galas).  I got my Myers-Briggs assessment.  ISTP.  I have linked to Wikipedia if you want to assess my assessment.  I'm not so sure it is too accurate but here is a few gems from ISTP wiki that seem to hit the mark.

ISTPs may sometimes seem to act without regard for procedures, directions, protocol, or even their own safety.

ISTPs enjoy self-sufficiency

ISTPs are often capable of humorously insightful observations about the world around them

We also got some more info on our schedule. A few more gift giving situations.  Luzia gave us all some Camosun shirts and I bought a few more at the bookstore because they were on sale for $5. 

Nothing too surprising in the schedule until we got to 'give a 30 minute presentation'.  We each get to visit a high school classroom and give a presentation.  Ok, I can handle talking for 30 minutes.  Then we got to the next page visit a university class and 'give a 90 minute presentation'.  By ourselves!  Ok, that is too much.  and less than two days before we leave!  Jiminy Cricket!  

Well, lemons and lemonade and all that.  I brought my spiffy new camera to work today and wandered around and took pictures of the campus.  Then, I went to Lansdowne and did the same.  So, at least as I am telling them about Canada and Camosun, I will have some pictures to show them.  Here's a picture of me pretending to work.

I love my new camera.  I wanted a better camera because when I want to take a picture of a bird, said bird is usually in a tree and there are branches in the foreground.  And then stupid autofocus picks up the leaves and blurs the bird.  But not my new camera.  Check this out!  

 

End of the workday, finished up the last of my emails, threw on my out-of-office, washed my coffee cup and adiosed out of there.  I had a few errands to run before getting home to packing.  While taking my pictures, my battery was draining faster than I liked.  So, back to Lens and Shutter for a 2nd battery.  One does not want to visit the Great Wall of China and not have enough battery.  I also bought a new camera case.  Plus, my crappy old SD cards that I literally bought at Zellers (so you know they ain't fresh) are too slow for the lightning speed of the new camera. Who knew SD cards have speed.  Stop at London Drugs for that.  Whip into Superstore for kitty litter.  

Speaking of kitty.  She needs another vet visit while I am away so I had to organize that today too (nobody do the math on how much work I did today - I cleared my emails and phones so let's agree that I was 'efficient').   Paul is on the job.  Cat team: Dottie, Chris, Alisma and Paul.  This cat won't know what to do with all of the attention.  

Ok, time to pack.  But first, I cleaned up the house a bit.  And picked some rhubarb from Chris's yard and cut it up and put it in the freezer.  Amy and I are going to make rhubarb cider when I get back!  Priorities, people.  Charged my computer, phone, both batteries for my camera.  Added some podcasts to my IPod.  Picked a novel to take (Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood).

I finally started packing around 9:30.  I think I am done.  Maybe I am done.  I'll check if I am done in the morning.  Really, what is done but a state of mind.  

Remember, once I am in China I probably can't use this blog.  Here is the link to Blog #2

http://joannecumberland13a.altervista.org/

Money, Visa, Homestay hosts, Gifts and my lawn.

So, less than a week to go.  Acck, less than a week to go!  OH MY GOD, LESS THAN A WEEK TO GO!!!!!

I have 45 minutes to my next social event. I have way over extended myself this month and I have to at least pack. I am not packing, I am writing my blog.

I am sitting in my living room, drinking coffee, watching my lawn grow.  It has been more than three weeks since I mowed it because I have been out of town for three weekends in a row. Three weeks of beautiful, sunny weather.  Now, it is raining.  Not that I have time to mow my lawn anyway but the rain just adds insult to injury.  Why am I focusing on my lawn when I have so many other things to worry about?  Maybe it is my brain's defense mechanism to avoid blowing up from having to think about everything that needs to be done.  Or maybe that is really the only thing that needs to be done.  We'll find out in 5 days.

Here is my lovely, lush, long grass.

I have managed to do a few things in between work and social life.  I ordered  some Chinese Wuan.  Yikes.  I just had to google how to spell Yuan and found out that isn't even the real name of Chinese money.  Thanks Wikipedia!  The renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China. The yuan (Chinese: 元; pinyin: yuán) is the basic unit of the renminbi, but is also used to refer to the Chinese currency generally, especially in international contexts where "Chinese yuan" is widely used to refer to the renminbi. 

Anyway, I bought my foreign currency, whatever it is called, from a money exchange place instead of the bank for the first time.  RBC was not forthright with their exchange info and I had heard that the exchange places give better rates.

So, I used FX Connectors on Wharf St.  I had to go before work because I wasn't going to be able to go at any other time. They are in a hole in a very old, historical building that I have never even glanced at before (always taking my beautiful old city for granted). Once I finally figured out how to get to their office, it wasn't the drop in counter situation I was expecting.  I was ushered into an office for a sit down transaction. They were very nice and I have yuan now so that task is done.

This photo was taken from street level.

FX Connectors 1208 Wharf St. 
Follow the little white signs to that door on the bottom left
 (if you can figure out how to get to the staircase)

I finally got my Chinese Visa yesterday.  Single entry 30 days.  I know that one of the other people going got a five year, multi-entry visa so I am pretty sure China is dubious about my visit but one entry is all I need to convince them of my awesomeness (except for not knowing what their money is).

I emailed my host (female) to introduce myself.  She wrote back.  Here name is Lily and she has a husband and a 7 year old daughter.  She sent a photo of the family and they are beautiful.  It is the kind of family photo where they look so lovely and happy, it makes you happy to see them.  I will post it once I get up the nerve to ask for permission.

Lily says we will be visiting her husband's family for dinner once or twice as well as eating at their place.  Which brings me to gifts.  I think I mentioned that Geoff suggested smoked salmon and ice wine were favourite host gifts (not maple syrup which is what I thought would be good).  I cornered Niya once I knew that I also had a child to meet.  Niya, who is from China and will be accompanying us for one week of the field school, suggested an English picture dictionary.  Great idea.  I found one with a Canada theme.  Niya also reminded me that I should plan for an extra gift or two.

Final gift haul:  smoked salmon in a fancy box, ice wine in a not fancy box, C is for Canada book, a BC photo book and a box of empress squares from Rogers Chocolate (courtesy of my friends Chris and Cathy) in a semi-fancy box.  (I am making some wild assumptions about fancy box desirability).

Next day - since I left off about about four paragraphs ago (Saturday 9:30am-ish), I have been to a movie, lunch, bought my new camera and been to a wedding receptions (Amy and Fletcher = Flamey!).  As I said, I have overextended myself.  But now it is Sunday 9am and I don't have to be at my conference until noon so I am eyeing up the weather.  I think I can get the front yard done.  Neighbours who want to sleep in on a Sunday be damned!

Twelve hours later - I got the lawn done.  It was a wet messy hatchet job but I don't care.  Then the rest of the day at conference with lots of new people to meet and food to eat.  A good day, but I'm still not packed. 

A few quick notes on other things on my mind as I try to get myself organized: 

The cat is sick.  Why do they always get sick right before I go away.  Two trips to the vet, third and hopefully last one tomorrow.

here she is looking tiny and frail.  Recuperation nap.

My new camera.  I guess I will figure out how to use it on the plane. 

Who is going to take me to the airport and pick me up: Alisma and Valerie respectively (I have good friends).

I took the Myers-Briggs personality test last week.  We get the results on Tuesday.  I already know what my result will be.  Personality:  TBRQ - too busy to read the questions.  It said it would take 20-25 minutes.  I think I did it in 5-7 minutes. 

I'm going to bed so I guess it's time to hit 'post' on this thing. 

Funding, Air Canada, Cultural Competencies, probably some other 'but I digress' stuff

Funding:
I have two potential sources of funding available through work.  My Staff Development fund (general education) and an International Global Grant (only for this experience).  Plus, self funding but that is the absolute last resort so let's pretend I never said those words. 

The costs of the Field School have been finalized and I have paid my $1500.  I have applied for SD funding for that. I can access up to $2000 year.  But I want to keep a bit back for a course I would like to take in Summer (Dot, yelling won't stop me).

So, I am hoping the Global Grant will fund the airfare and some additional costs, such as taxis, some meals not included, immunization (Dukoral!), passport photos etc.  I did up a budget of all travel, meals, incidentals that are not included in the cost of the field school.  I wrote up a lovely, detailed letter outlining my needs and basically asked for another $1000.  This, of course, does not cover any side trips (The Wall!) and my two extra days in Shanghai and Beijing, those are on my dime.

So far, I have only been approved for the $500 deposit from SD but a fairly firm verbal A-Ok about the other $1000.  It's the Global Grant that is the unknown. I'll keep you posted. 

Air Canada:
I got another one of those dreaded 'schedule change alert' emails from Air Canada.  Oh, how I dread the schedule change (see Ecuador & Vietnam).  I opened the email and couldn't even figure out what the change was.  Turns out it is something like a 10 minute change for an earlier departure time.  Yes, please.  Finally a good one!.  Or at least a mostly neutral one.

Cultural Competencies: 
We had another meeting about the field school to go over some cultural competencies.  We mostly covered general stuff about how not to be a racist jerk, even if unintentional.  But I was really keen to hear about the 'side notes' like where to sit at a round dinner table (answer, wait and someone will put you in an appropriate spot based on your social rank - I may be in the kitchen).   I need more of that stuff.

Apparently how you hand over a business card or gift is important.  Two hands!

We are all going to take the Myers Briggs personality assessment to see what type of person/traveler we are.  We are going to spend a lot of time together and we all are basically strangers so this should be interesting (or my worst nightmare).  We meet again about that right before we go.

But I digress: Homestay
Oh, update on homestay.  We aren't going to be staying with families for the first week in Xuzhou.  We are in a hotel.  But we are good to go for week two in Baotou.  As you know, the homestay was what sold me on the field school in the first place.  So, this isn't the greatest news but I'm glad we still get the opportunity for some of the time.

Luzia sent me the name of my homestay person and some detailed biographical info.  Here it is in it's entirety:  (female).  Well, I barely need to find out anymore!  We should get along like gangbusters based on both having lady parts!  Luzia wants us to contact our homestay and introduce ourselves.  I don't even know which is her first name and last name. I have her full name but if memory serves me, names are reversed.  To Google!

I found this informative website  http://www.protocolprofessionals.com/articles_china_print.htm. (I hope it is culturally competent and not just stereotyping, I live in fear - I have only ever humiliated myself on trips before, I have never represented my employer).   So, last name first, first name last.  Plus title.  I don't have a title, not even a Ms or Miss or Mrs.  I'll keep you posted.

More random thoughts: 
I am busy downloading some apps on my phone.  WeChat, the messaging system people use in China.  Can't use Google translate so I downloaded Baitu (?). And XE Exchange.

I went through International Ed's online course/field school resources.  Lots more to read on cultural stuff.

I went over to Chris's and basically stole a wheelie bag from her.  Wheelie bag travel.  Look how grown up I am!

Here are two BBC articles on the two cities I will be visiting.  Umm, can you spot the differences? If the names of the articles doesn't tip you off, the pictures & descriptions sure will.  (Granted the one on Xuzhou is a fluffy travel piece and the one on Baotou is about industry and the West's insatiable demands for newer and shinier electronics.)

Xuzhou:  The Land of Water

Baotou:  The Worst Place on Earth

Fortunately, Bautou is where I have my homestay (female) so she can show me around the city and hopefully,  focus on the nice parts.  I have been assured it isn't as bad as this article makes it seem.  Plus, we have had a longer relationship with the Baotou school so we can be a bit more comfortable with them.  Our connections to Xuzhou are newer so more formal interactions are to be expected.

Visa

I received an email from International Ed on Friday, very politely asking me if I had any questions about the Visa Application.  Oh Oh!.  I searched back through my emails and found the one with the Chinese visa application and the 'please fill out, we would like to have them in by Friday'. That was from two weeks before!.  Never don't add an alert!.

I still have that unused passport photo from the Cambodia visa application process/almost disaster, and of course, I had my  passport.  But they were at home.  Fortunately, I had a meeting at the other campus so I was going to be driving in that direction anyway so I figured I could do it and no one would be the wiser.  Until I looked at the visa application.  There were so many questions I had no idea what the answer might be.  I had to fess up and email Luzia for some info (dates, locations, what kind of worker am I - turns out I am not 'company employee', I am 'other', who knew - Luzia knew!).

I don't think I was fooling anyone with my 'responsible, prepared traveler' shtick anyway.  Luzia, who is the nicest person in the world (not just my opinion btw) sent me the info and I dutifully cut and pasted it into my visa application.  Drove by my house to pick up the passport and photo and headed over to Lansdowne for my meeting and to give everything to Luzia.  Except when I got to Lansdowne, I discovered Luzia was at Interurban until noon.  So much for the meeting.

Back in my car, back to Interurban and managed to get the everything into Luzia's hands before she left.  That's when she said, 'oh, not to worry, some of the other participants won't have theirs in until Monday'.  Emotion 1:  Baaahhh!!!.  Emotion 2:  Thank god I'm not the only one.

Update (next day) on my visa application.  Luzia emailed to let me know that China has rejected my photo.  Apparently China is quite particular about the photo for their Visa.  My Vietnam/Cambodia photo was too big. Plus, I was wearing jewelry.  No earrings, no necklace. It seems they are very particular about your photo. (No Tilting, No Crying!) 

So, back to London Drugs on my lunch break (have I whined about how busy I am at work that I don't even have time to do my travel planning!  Feel free to pity me).  They took my picture so many times.  Total shout out to London Drugs Tillicum photo centre.  They did not want me and my mug rejected again.  First the light was wrong, then my tooth was showing (twice - I have been looking at myself for 50 years and it took this to make me realize my tooth sticks out a bit when I blank-face-smile 😐).  Then my ears were showing!  Even with my short hair, ears have to be completely visible.  Anyway, eventually I got my photo and handed it into Luzia in International. 

But wait...  (I am now still writing this five days after I started it, buuuuuuuussssssssssssy). 

Now, China wants my last, cancelled passport.  Why?  I don't know.  China wants it, China gets it.  They are pretty much holding all of the cards.  Plus I don't really care and they seem to, so they win.  I am starting to worry they might say I can't come in.  It is hard to say what they may or may like about my ears and/or past travel.   Cross your fingers. 

I reject your rejection!

I was going to write about funding and other fun stuff but ... (fill in usual refrain about length of post and general winery about busyness). Instead I will search google images for something to spice this post up. 

All's good.  The goal is to meet some great people, see some amazing places and learn some cool stuff.  This is nothing but a minor blip to keep me alert.

Forbidden City, Beijing

The Great Wall

Shanghai