China Service Program Blog

Friday May 22, 2009

2009-05-22T23:30:00.002+07:00

Thought for the day: “A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway”

Friday morning – our last breakfast together as a team. We chat about our day before - Thursday. Julia invited the 7 of us who taught at the Bio/Med Tech College back to her home for a “Dumpling Party”. She had everything ready for us. We took our shot at “stuffing” the dumplings, and then they were cooked for us. We spent over 2 hours eating dumplings and vegetables, talking, and even sipped a bit of “Great Wall” wine. After we all had our fill, we stayed a bit longer so as to not “Eat and Run”. More photos and sharing, and for me – a bit more Great Wall wine. If it was up to Julia, we would have stayed all afternoon.

After breakfast we all left for our last day in class. A lot of sad goodbyes and a few tears and as always, many “thank yous” and “Please come back soons”.

In the afternoon we had our “Team Farewell Party”. Members from all 4 work sites came to the hotel. Students from the La La Shou School and the Bio/Med Tech College also joined us.

Bao Li began by thanking all of us – volunteers and worksite reps – for our hard work. The microphone was then passed around and we all took turns doing the same. I told my students and teachers that I had a wonderful time and would be back in the Fall.

Then it was “Showtime”
John and Ken sang songs and danced with their students from the La La Shou School. It was touching to see the students follow John and Ken. They concluded with a song I believe is called “Have a grateful heart & never give up” and as the song began, the students from the Bio/Med Tech College joined them “on stage” and stood behind them, lending support. Not a dry eye in the house.

The Bio/Med students then sang for us, followed by a beautiful solo by Jenny – only 16 but with the voice of an angel. Helen, a teacher at the Bio/Med School who nicknamed me “Naughty Boy” the first day she met me, performed a harmonica solo. Yes, harmonica.

Then it was our turn to “shine”. Our team danced a Hula, and then sang songs selected for their reference to some of the states we were from. All great fun, and fortunately NOT YET on YouTube.

The teachers and students from the Bio/Med College then sang for us and we concluded the performance by singing “Auld Lang Zine” together. We took more photos, and said our goodbyes, and the party ended.

That evening, Hu Di – the China country manager - arrived to join us for our last dinner together as a team. We took MORE photos, and said our goodbyes.

After dinner, Ken, John, Joanne, Lucy and I joined Leigh and two of her friends on a last visit to the “Big Wild Goose Pagoda” and park. Seemed simple enough – jump in a few taxis and meet there. Except each taxi dropped us off in a different location. Add a million Chinese, and of course we could not find each other. After over an hour of some of us finding each other, then losing each other, then finding each other again, we met for a final drink and chat and photo opportunity. Then back to the hotel to pack.

Leo

Thursday May 21, 2009

2009-05-21T23:24:00.001+07:00

Thought for the day: “Make the most of yourself, that is all there is of you.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

What is development work, really? And what are we here to help China, a civilization and a people group many thousands of years old, develop into exactly? These are questions that have been running through my mind throughout my time here. In addition, who are we, as outsiders, to think that we have something of value to offer here?

I am often struck by the stares I receive on the street. I cannot tell how most people feel about my presence here. The reality is that most people probably do not give my presence a lot of thought, but still I wonder: “Do they think I am just another foreigner coming in, trying to impose my foreign ways upon the? And am I? I appreciate the philosophy of Global Volunteers, that we only go where we are invited and only stay as long as we are needed.

In my time here, I have seen that child protection laws in China are not nearly as extensive as they are in the states. This has caused me to wonder how culture affects the development of and expression of universal human values. When I get to know Chinese people, though, I feel that the differences between us are only superficial, and at a deep level, we are all the same.

Chinese people understand as well as anyone that it is good to protect the small and weak members of society, and the protection of the weakest members is something with which all societies struggle. If there were not a human tendency for the strong to overrun the weak, then there would be no need for child protection laws in any country. I wonder at what point without societal development laws protecting weaker members tend to emerge. Does a society have to be at a comfortable place in its own economic development in order for the government to take on the cause of all of its weakest members? Many children certainly fall through the cracks in the U.S. system, as well. Whatever the problem is, it is one of degree and not one of a kind, because it exists in all societies.

Can we ever overcome our selfish inclinations to look out only for ourselves: Probably not, but maybe there is still something good that can come out of development work. In the grand scheme, of course we hope that development work benefits those whom we come to serve, yet I cannot help but be struck by how greatly I find myself changed and benefited by the work. Perhaps this feeling of personal change and growth is part of what we are seeking in an experience such as this one. It’s not entirely altruistic, but no human endeavor ever really is. And maybe that’s not such a bad thing, after all.

Leigh

Wednesday May 20, 2009

2009-05-20T23:17:00.001+07:00

Thought for the day:
Confucius say: Equitable apportionment of lazy Susan only derived by astute planning

A few impressions of my days teaching at Biomedical Technical College:

Being the only male student in the class is difficult enough but after all the girls described their names a “sweet flower”, “beautiful girl”, and “lovely lotus”, when asked to define his Chinese name it was apparent that no definition was forthcoming. And so he became known as William. After several girls had introduced themselves with information about their villages, etc I gave William a smile and a nod. After much hesitation he arose. In quite good English, he spoke a sentence. The teacher who was assisting me whispered to me, “Those are first English words I have ever heard him speak”. She was his regular English teacher and William was one of 62 students. For me this was a heart warming moment and I imagine William must have had his own unique feelings as well. Just about that time the teacher figured out what the translation of William’s Chinese name is ”King Dragon” and thus William became King Dragon – a well deserved name. I await my next meeting with King Dragon this morning.

My cultural learning continued at dinner tonight as Baoli announced that she rather enjoys a good plate of fried scorpions. I suggested perhaps I join her for such a delicacy. I was quite relieved to learn the scorpions are not a menu item in Xi’an. Millipedes and cockroaches from the Beijing market, anyone? Some even more exotic delicacies we’ve discovered on the hotels’ Chinese menu, by Leo of course, eliciting surprises from the men and exclamations of shock by the women. My interests were solely as biology major. What better way to have discovered some of the culinary specialties of China than during our evening meal together.

More than anything else, I will remember my experience here in Xi’an as “one big smile”.

Gail

Tuesday May 19, 2009

2009-05-19T23:15:00.001+07:00

Thought for the day: “When a ruler’s personal conduct is correct, he will be obeyed without the issuing of orders. If his personal conduct is not correct, he may issue orders but they will not be followed.”
- Chinese Proverb

When I get home I will have to give my sheep and chickens extra rations as payment for all the material they’ve provided me. My students are enchanted by my hens that lay colored eggs, my cat who speaks three words, and my black sheep. Without my animals I would be sunk. My team mates all have such special and unique skills.

Karen has totally swept the students and teachers off their feet with her expertise with Hawaiian music and the hula. What a wonderful gift to the students.

Sandy shines as our prestigious professor. His eye-catching ties will keep his students awake if his lectures do not.

As far as the younger crowd, Leigh has stepped up to the plate in all challenging jobs, as have Ken and John. They have shown us oldsters a thing or two about grace under pressure and serving without complaint.

Other Bob’s infectious laugh lifts our spirits as we sometimes drift into fatigue.

We have a resident artist in our midst in the person of Gail, who talented as she is, is able to bring out artistry in our students.

Lucy’s enthusiasm is matched only by the wealth of tools and ideas with which she tirelessly delights her students.

Stalworth Bob’s entertaining formats and keen observations give us a fresh perspective in looking at things.

Last but certainly not least is our ring leader Leo. He is our heartbeat. What would we do without him – what will he do without us?

Not surprisingly under our outstanding team, Baoli’s subtle guidance we have evolved into a team that I feel without a doubt has left its mark on this little corner of the world in China.

Joanne

Monday May 18, 2009

2009-05-18T23:12:00.002+07:00

Thought for the day: “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read” - Groucho Marx

I’m a fan of old Marx Brothers movies from the 1930’s. This past week at LaLa Shou, I’ve often felt like a straight man in one of those films, swept up by the schools frenetic energy. Like silent Harpo, I communicate by pantomime. And because of the language barrier, I feel as though I’m experiencing the school in black and white, much as these children must live their lives.

But the teachers at LaLaShou, through humor and patience and unflagging energy, are determined to give the kids lives that are rich in color. I work with three teachers in a class of 10 students. One teacher is 22, the other two are 25. They are caregivers, wrestlers, therapists. The room is filled with twitches and shouts, with hopping and stomping and moans. They never lose their temper. The teachers will correct kids – they will be firm. This morning, a boy I’ve taken to calling “Sleeves”, because he likes to lift your sleeves up to your shoulders, punched the boy sitting next to him in the back. And then he did it again – despite being corrected. After a third shot, a teacher smacked his hand, not hard, but enough to get his attention. And then she said something that sounded to me like “Not so much fun when it happens to you, huh.” And then she kissed him.

LaLaShou is not a sad place – The students are usually smiling, the teachers seem always to laugh. The affection they have for the kids is obvious: the way they cup a hand around a child’s cheek, the way they giggle when a child says something cute. In fact, my biggest regret is that I’m missing out on so much of the comedy, though I find myself laughing too.

I don’t think I’m helping much here. The language barriers are too great. I often feel like the 11th student. But I think the teachers like having me around. I’m an English-speaking novelty; a break from their exhausting routine. So I smile, more than I ever have before, and I do whatever I can to ease their load rather than add to it. I consider it a privilege to know these strong, spirited women, who help these children to experience life outside of the dog, away from the dark.

Ken

Sunday May 17, 2009

2009-05-17T23:10:00.000+07:00

Thought for the day: To experience difference is to know oneself. – unknown

Reflections:
I still get up very early in the morning – tired and annoyed at myself and this jet lag that just won’t go away. But then, this is quiet time and a chance to reflect on all that has happened. I have experienced much, gained much and I think, accomplished something. And we’re only one week into our two week commitment. This is quite a team that GV has assembled. I do feel fortunate to be a part of this collection of committed, caring individuals, very different from myself and yet, very much alike. The sense of discomfort and unease that I initially felt – being a part of this group of strangers and being in a place where I was unable to speak the language, unable to understand gestures and behavior – was difficult and disorienting. But after a week, my perceptions and reactions have changed. The stares in the elevator still get to me and I am still embarrassed when someone walks up to me and starts speaking to me in Chinese. But now I see past the unfamiliar. I see more of the humanity that I share with the Chinese people. It is the smiles and warmth that lifts my spirits and it is the rich traditions and history of this great land that awes me. When I observe something I do not understand, I realize it’s because we are different and that difference is what enriches this experience. And in the end I do think China and I are slowly becoming friends.

Team Journal:
It is Sunday, another free day, and all of us looked forward to further exploring Xi’an city and Shaanxi Province. Lucy, Leigh, Karen, Bob and I headed to the Shaanxi country side on Tour #3 to see a part of Chinese life that is in sharp contrast to life in Zi’an city. We were greeted in the hotel lobby by our guide Ellen. And left on a 90 minute drive to a small village south (?) of Xi’an in the HuXian County. Upon arrival we were greeted by Mr. Zhang Qingyi, a local wheat farmer and renowned water color and wood burning artist. He informed us that the village had a population of about 670 and that the farmers grew mostly wheat and corn- he himself works 8 acres of farmland. He quickly escorted us to his family home and gallery where villagers were awaiting our arrival. There we were treated to a dragon dance (which Lucy, Leigh and Bob later participated in) and to the rhythms of a drum and cymbal played by four village men.

After that warm welcome, Mr. Zhang took us on a walking tour of his farming village where we met local villagers,, toured an older home, walked by wheat fields and kiwi growers and visited the villages, Pureland Buddhist temple.

For lunch we returned to his home for a wonderful meal of hot and cold local dishes prepared by his wife and daughter-in-law. After we proceeded upstairs to his main art gallery and studio where he demonstrated his water color and wood burning techniques.

We were then given time to browse and to purchase some of his art works (which we did).
In ending the visit, Mr. Zhang took us to the village’s primary school. There we met some teachers and walked through a classroom. School was not in session.

Rural life appeared to be a very difficult one. As Mr. Zhang said, while villagers do not have a lot of material goods, their spirits are strong.

In leaving, I think we were all in agreement that this was an invaluable tour – personal, different, real – and that we’d highly recommend it to future Global Volunteers.

Bob

Saturday May 16, 2009

2009-05-16T23:07:00.000+07:00

Thought for the day: “I know of no more encouraging fact then the unquestioned ability of a man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor:” -- Henry David Thoreau

“John?” The teacher approached me. “Yes”. “You help write” She gestured toward the west room of the small concrete-floored apartment. The room had a large window overlooking the building’s court yard. I was familiar with the writing exercise. I was to help the students practice writing his numerals.
The student held his arm out politely allowing me to enter the room first. Then he got two chairs from the corner and slid them up to the table at the window. It was raining outside and cool fresh air poured across the tabletop from the open window. I sat down with the student and opened the practice book to the first uncompleted page.

“Oh, seven today”. I looked down at the sheet. The teacher had drawn a grid – six rows, nine columns. In the left-hand column wee six neatly drawn sevens. The student was to copy the example into each of the boxes of the grid.

“Right here”, I said, and tapped my finger on the first blank box to try to draw his attention there. “Bah”. He half shouted and thrust his hand up to point to something outside the window. He turned his fourteen year old face to me – mouth and eyes smiling broadly. I tapped my finger a few more times and looked down at the sheet. He reached for his pencil box opened one side pulled out one of the pencils and examined the tip. A few more finger taps.

He looked down at the page, held the paper flat with his left hand and drew a seven with the right. He drew a second. He began a third but apparently dissatisfied with the first stroke, he reached for his pencil box and retrieved his eraser from a small compartment on the end with a magnetic clasp. He closed the box and paused to look at one of the stickers on it. I tapped my finger a few more times. He turned to look out the window. I put my hand on has and moved it toward the paper. He looked down, seemed to recall his dissatisfaction with the pencil stroke and reached for his eraser. He smeared away the pencil mark and started again. Better. Hew moved on to the fourth box, then the fifth. By the sixth his seven was looking more like a one.

I stopped his momentum and pointed for him to re-examine it. He reached for his eraser and re-drew it. Still a one. I put my hand over his and guided his hand and pencil to make a seven.

Then I helped him with another. He pushed my hand away and finished the final entry in the row himself. He moved his pencil to the beginning of the 2nd row. A sound came from the other room- one of the other students. He spun his head around to look, then looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back then looked down at the page and tapped my finger. He looked down and drew a neat seven next to the example the teacher had done. He reached for the pencil box again and got out another pencil and attempted to write, no mark. The pencil needed sharpening. Back to the pencil box to get out the sharpener. He pressed a button and small door flipped open and he pulled the sharpener out of its slot. He put the pencil in and started turning. Crack. The tip broke off. I handed him the original pencil. “Maaa”, he cried. I helped him sharpen the pencil with the broken tip and he returned to the paper. He drew another seven then turned his head to look out the window. I tapped my finger. He looked down and drew another seven. Not as good as the previous one but still acceptable. He paused, then flipped forward to the next page in the practice book. Another page of sevens was waiting. He flipped again. More sevens. He flipped again. There were the eights. He paused and stared. I turned the pages back to where we’d left off. He looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back.

John

Friday May 15, 2009

2009-05-15T22:29:00.001+07:00

Thought for the day: “Talking about Art is like dancing about architecture” - Steve Martin

The act of teaching is an art. Your intuition will tell you – if you listen – when to push, and when to slacken – when to praise, when to be silent – when to diverge, and when to stay on task.
At 9:09 as we walked thru the dark corridors of the school towards our classrooms, Robert asked me, “Are you feeling better?”

I’d told him in the bus I’d woken at 1:30 and how tired I was. Still heavy with fatigue I told him, No. I’m still really tired”, and I wondered if my tiredness would effect my teaching.

But did anyone ever devise a more wonderful way to begin your work day! Seventeen girls sitting in a small u-shape turned toward me as I came into the room; they smiled and clapped their hands and said/ Welcome-Welcome!” and for three hours I forgot my fatigue completely.

I smiled and thanked them and walked to the table by the window and took about a minute to set out my supplies. I went to the table in front of the room and said, “Good morning, class”. They stood and in unison replied Good Morning”. They sat down and we began our day.

I introduced myself. I asked them each to stand and say their names. I wrote one sentence at a time on the board and then read it aloud. If it was a long sentence we broke it into parts. We practiced the more difficult words. If the meaning of a word was unclear I pantomimed the word or drew quick simple sketches. Sometimes I asked Fisher the teacher to say the word in Chinese to save us time – in order that we didn’t lose momentum. I signed into California and U.S.A with maps and photos. I asked them to tell me their town. We did sentences “(name) lives in (town) which they recited aloud. All the time I kept in mind my wonderful French teacher Mrs. Chavdarian and all the various ways she conducted the drills and how she helped us all – brave and timid alike- to try.

She would call on me to recite and say with a radiant smaile “Vous ete un bon studiante, Robert”., and I would blush and be seated. Never once did she leave French and lapse into English.

Drills with pictures of Chinatown evolved easily into pictures of my daughters and their artwork – and photos of my cats. I asked them to guess Amber’s age from her photo and they were all amazed when I wrote her age on the board.

I wrote “I have two cats” on the board and asked “What is a cat?”. One girl went “mew-mew”. I pretended to not see her. I cupped my hand to my ear and said “I hear a cat,” and I looked down at their feet. When I came to the girl who’d mewed I feigned surprise. * My situation here is perfect. I cannot lapse into Chinese. “You! I said, “you are the cat!”. And for a few seconds l7 cats mewed. Only then did I show the pictures of my cats.

About half-way through the morning, we went to the workbook. I moved my stool into the top of the U so I sat within 6 to 8 feet of all of them. I made eye contact and smiled and moved quickly, trying not to act rushed. I remembered Mrs. Chavdarian and heaped praise on each person.

We first went over vocabulary and then read the dialogues and the paragraphs. Frequently I went to the board to write or sketch a diagram. I asked Fisher to explain what “good” meant because I said it after every response and I could tell they were pleased to know I was praising them

At the end of the morning we had 8 minutes. Fisher said, “They would like for you to teach them a song”. I said I couldn’t think of one but I would teach them a tongue-twister. “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. How many peppers did Peter Piper pick? A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many peppers did Peter Piper pick?” We did one line at a time in unison. Then I had them do it all and of course it collapsed into bedlam- as it is supposed to do – with laughter and applause.

I ended by thanking them for being such good students, said “Xie-Xie”, and “bye-bye” and thus ended on of my most gratifying teaching days.

Bob

Thursday May 14, 2009

2009-05-14T22:22:00.002+07:00

Thought for the day: “May every creature abound in well-being and peace.” Buddhist tradition

I woke about 5 a.m. to heavy rain again. We’ve had only brief sun, but hope for more at the weekend. So we prepared to take umbrellas, rain jackets, and some warm cover as it promises to be cold as well.

Today we teach for just three hours. Unfortunately, the rain wreaked havoc with the traffic and we were about half an hour late – so I raced off to class. I had a junior dental technology class and I believe that their English was less advanced than any previous class I’ve had. They were energetic and willing (with two exceptions) but it was quickly obvious that they understood very little, at least initially. I let my English teacher help only when absolutely necessary as I feel that they need to try and listen to my talking, my speech. They followed words I wrote on the board about myself, my interests and my family, particularly since I told them that I wanted them to share similar information with me later. We looked at photographs and pictures and they repeated words after me. But it took an extra bit of energy to try to make them understand.

After lunch, thanks to Joann’s suggestion about spending the rainy afternoon in the Shaanxi History Museum, five of us took taxis there – just over $2.00 each taxi. The museum is fairly small (almost more gift shops than art) but very well laid out with decent signage. Since I know something about Chinese dynasties, I found the Han, Sue, Tang and Ming dynasties exhibits fascinating – We learned about the early Han explorers who walked to the west (taking silk and iron) He is regarded by the Chinese much the way Marco Polo is regarded by the West – only over l,000 years earlier. When we left the museum at l: 50 the rain had stopped (Hallelujah) and we got a taxi immediately for about $2.00 (13.5 Yuan) I gave him 15 yuan. Oh yes, I bought a cinnabar covered bowl (got it for “half price”) from the Friendship House at the museum.

We returned for a fascinating lecture about Chinese names as well as the Chinese Family Policy given by Baoli (very well done) just before dinner – Another rewarding day!

Karen

Wednesday May 13, 2009

2009-05-13T21:53:00.001+07:00

Thought of the day: The earliest we can begin any project is now, and if not now, when? Anonymous

On the third day of our work in Xi’an, it seems as if the volunteers have found a philosophy, a routine and a way of working with the gaps between our expectations and the reality of our missions here. As for those gaps, speaking only for myself as a volunteer assigned to the Technical College, I have been impressed both by the positives and the negatives. I have been overcome by the warmth of the welcome given us by the staff and the students, as well as by the affection expressed by the students inside and outside of the classroom. At the same time, I have been disappointed by the low level of knowledge of English and the reluctance of many to make the effort necessary to achieve even a basic proficiency. I know we were warned, but I was not quite prepared for the reality.

The day began in the usual way with breakfast, the reading of yesterday’s journal, and the ride to the campus. When we reached the campus, the students were again waiting for us, and greeted us by standing and applauding. I began my class by introducing myself and then giving the students five minutes to write answers to simple questions about their family structure, their hobbies, and their goals for life after college. I taught them the friend song (Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other, gold.) We then talked about the United States a bit with the aid of a US map, and a look at the soft plastic world model the school possesses. We made some comparisons between the U.S. and China. We sang the “small world song, and the students remarked that it was much like a song sung at the Olympics. I then tossed the globe to one of the boys, and after he recovered from his surprise, asked him to read the information about himself he had written. He then threw the globe to one of his classmates, who followed suit, and we proceeded until the whole group had performed. It seemed easier to do this and more fun than to go systematically all around the class. I made some corrections of pronunciation, and got most of them to improve (followed by much praise). I drew a stick figure on the board, and labeled most of the body parts in English. We then played a rousing game of Simon Says, using the body part vocabulary. We took a break, during which about six girls decided it was time to teach me Chinese. So we had an impromptu lesson much enjoyed by all, as it provided some comic relief.

After the break I made the mistake of turning to a unit in the text but working on a paragraph instead of a dialogue, through my misunderstanding of instructions. It became clear that the students were not prepared to read even a few words aloud, much less understand their meaning in context. After about 20 agonizing minutes, which included heavy contribution by the assistant and much role playing, I gave up. We then looked at some photos of Lucy’s lifestyle, each with short captions which the students were able to read. This took us to lunch. Lunch was much like yesterday, except that we substituted hilarious finger and shadow play for the singing of national anthems. Though the menu included some mystery foods such as ancient eggs and some delicious but sinister looking eggplant, once again Julia had found delicious food and we had a great time.

The afternoon class was the high point of the day. The students were more advanced and more ready to participate than the morning contingent. We skipped introductions and did some songs and some games, with work on pronunciation and developing some vocabulary. During the break, one of the girls asked if she could sing a Chinese song. She sang a long selection from a Chinese opera, after which she explained the plot in Chinese to the assistant, who then translated. The child has a velvet voice like an angel. It was an unbelievable experience. After the break we played Simon Says and then learned another song: “This Land is Your Land" We discussed love of country and the meaning of the song. One of the girls later confided that she loves her country and thinks it is pretty. It was then four o’clock. Both the assistant and I thought that was the end of the session. Before we left the classroom, the group burst into song: “You are my sunshine? When we found that we had 30 minutes to go, we found a vacant office, and after a few false starts where I tried to get conversations going, I decided to tell them a story. Speaking very slowly, and with some translation, I told them about Goldilocks and the three bears. When we got to Goldilocks trying out Poppa Bear’s bed, the bell rang and we left everyone in suspense including the assistant. I promised to finish next week, and will probably go on to the 3 pigs. We drove home, ate dinner, had an inconclusive discussion of tour choices, and realized we had reached the end of another day.

Lucy

Tuesday May 12, 2009

2009-05-12T21:50:00.000+07:00

Thought for the day: “The best way to learn something is to teach it.” Anonymous

I, too, feel like a superstar – from the moment I wake up in my lovely hotel room, eat a sumptuous breakfast in the company of good friends and greeted with applause by my adoring, yes, adoring students. Who wouldn’t feel like a rock star?

But I am here to learn and to teach and our morning meeting included a health alert by Baoli. She advised us to be extra vigilant – wash hands, cover mouth after sneezing avoid touching eyes, drink lots of water. She also gave us a very interesting cultural lesson on Chinese names and their different characteristics that the family name comes first, another woman keeps her formal family name and the children take the mother’s name as part of theirs. It is also important to incorporate the 5 elements; metal, earth, fire, wood, water – determined by the minute and hour the child was born.

At school we were officially welcomed by a group of faculty and administrators, including the president Mr. Liu.

Morning class went well with much laughter from both students and teacher. And I could not do my job without the help of my teaching assistant, Della, tho I’m sure she is starting to tire of my well used introduction and stories about my chickens and sleep. Today to liven things up for them I selected Del to be one of my sheep and I chased her around the room trying to lasso her before catching Del and throwing her (symbolically) on the ground for shearing. That led to a discussion on washing the wool, spinning, knitting hats and mittens, etc. I find that one thing often leads to another. I think the students are able to keep up.

Julia and some of the readers took us out to lunch at a restaurant just a couple of blocks from school. We all enjoyed a convivial meal singing national anthems and other songs. After lunch we strolled through a small park and Julia took many photos of us. We returned to school just in time to join a commemorative moment of silence for the earthquake victims.

My afternoon session was fun – I’ve found if I can get the students to laugh without making too big of a fool of myself it breaks the ice. The sheep lassoing trick usually does it but I sometimes add in a little Chinese lesson. I usually go around and ask how old they are. They tell me in English and I say it in Chinese. After about the tenth time they see how much I have improved and I tell them that’s how it works – they will too. Drive back to the hotel with the usual game of tag with pedestrians, bikes, trucks and this time one with a train thrown in. Lucy commented that she thought she saw one driver with his eyes shut.

Dinner and probably an early night of it for most of us as this was our first full day of teaching.

Joanne

Monday May 11, 2009

2009-05-11T21:44:00.000+07:00

The facilities at Xi’an Pei Hua University are drab. The halls are poorly lit and the offices are crowded. What a contrast with the students, who are exuberant, alert, and vitally interested in learning English. I was the fortunate recipient of all of this energy, greeted with thunderous applause as I entered the classroom – a superstar on my first day of teaching on behalf of Global Volunteers. I covered two classes under the direction of Cynthia, a superb English teacher with barely an office in the University.

This was Monday, so the initial activity was the presentation of two plays in English written by and acted in by the students. The students even memorized their parts. In general, they were clever and fun. Three of the four performances were adaptations of Chinese romantic plays, their version of Romeo and Juliet, cast into a modern version. One of them was a play about the relationship between children and their parents, the parents depicted as an apple tree. The play demonstrated that the children need the support of their parents even as they grow older. This gave me a great opportunity to introduce the idiom: “The apple does not fall far from the tree”.

After the presentations, I introduced myself, observing the intense level of interest on the part of the students. They applauded when I told them that I had a doctor’s degree in engineering. Then I showed them pictures of my family. They were enthralled with my grandchildren and my younger son’s cat, Po. This was followed by photos of my neighborhood and the interior of my house. They were interested in the difference between the living room and the family room, a question I had some difficulty answering.

Then I showed a map of the U.S. describing the various regions and discussing some of the most important states, including Illinois where I was born. They asked about the climate, and I gave some rough estimates of the temperature extremes. I had planned to follow this with presentations by the students describing their home provinces. We only got as far as Shaanxi Province, when the bell announcing the end of the first period rang. I will see this class again next week, and they made me promise that I would make time for presentations by students from other provinces.

During the following period, I presented pictures from Washington, DC and New York City after showing them my family and neighborhood. They were excited to see Barack Obama’s White House, and pictures of the cherry trees around the tidal basin. They explained that there are also cherry trees donated by the Japanese in Xi’an. The highlight of the New York City photos was Chinatown, pictures I had taken three weeks ago while visiting my son in NYC. Of particular interest to the students was the diversity of New Yorkers, demonstrated by pictures of African Americans and Asians sitting together on park benches in Central Park. This was followed by images of Chinatown, an unexpected treat.

I listed a number of topics on the blackboard for discussion, each with opportunities for the presentation of US and Chinese perspectives. They were asked to select their particular copies of interest, and they chose “pastimes.” I presented some of the favorite pastimes of Americans, and several of them got up to discuss music, hiking, and sporting activities in China. One of the gals sang a song written by one of her favorite popular music contemporaries she could easily qualify for American Idol. Then one of the few boys in the class came up to the front of the class and declared that he had a dream, just like Martin Luther King. When I asked him what it was, he explained that it was to embrace me. So we embraced. I realized that this would only be appropriate for one of the boys.

I brought with me a map of the world and told the class that my wife and I had done a lot of traveling. They asked where we had been and I pointed out several of the countries we had visited. They were particularly interested in Africa, and wondered about economic conditions in South Africa.

Before the class ended, one of the students stood up and reminded that I had spoken several times about my wife, Gail. She asked whether we had a “romantic relationship.” I assured her that this was the case.

I enjoyed being a superstar for a day, and hope that I was able to enrich the English learning experience for a few of the students.

Sunday May 10, 2009

2009-05-10T21:33:00.000+07:00

Thought of the day: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men (& women) do nothing.”

The formation of Team 173 began Saturday evening with our welcoming dinner hosted by Mrs. Wang Bao Li. We all met in our private dining room and introduced ourselves.

The 12 of us sat down around a huge round table with the largest glass lazy Susan we had ever seen. We broke the ice with the “name game” helped in part by our brand new Global Volunteers name tags which included our American name and a Chinese name selected by Bao Li. She has not told me what my Chinese name means. I have worked with Bao Li before and I am not sure I want to know what she calls me in Chinese.

We all spoke and gave the who, what, when, where and whys we were in Xi’an. Then the food began to arrive and just kept on coming until finally the watermelon and cherry tomato platter arrived and ended the food fest.

Then I remembered why Bao Li feds us so much on Saturday evening. She was getting us ready for our marathon 12 hour Sunday workday. That’s right, Mr. IRS Taxman – if you are reading this we worked 12 hours on Sunday.

Sunday began promptly at 7:20 am with our breakfast meeting. Then we were whisked to the 4th floor conference room where Bao Li told us about Xi’an, the history of G.V. in China, and our training to become a team began, interrupted occasionally by fireworks outside our window – a wedding! We discussed our goals, the characteristics of a good team, how to stay alive and not get robbed in Xi’an, and the policies and guidelines of G.V. 4 ½ grueling hours later, surviving only on tea and hard candy, we broke for lunch and an afternoon break.

At 3pm, representatives from the 4 schools where we would be teaching arrived, told us about their schools, and they proceeded to thank us for 2 hours. We met teachers and students from the Biomed/Tech College, and their excitement and enthusiasm at the opportunity to work with us was overwhelming. We are needed here, and we are appreciated here 24/7. This is always the case on all 5 of my Global Volunteers trips.

Our day ended with a dinner meeting and at 7:20pm I returned to my room, Tsing Tao in hand, to begin to prepare for my 3, yes 3 weeks ahead.

Leo

Kunming-A Place for a Cool Summer and a Warm Heart

2009-04-28T16:51:00.006+07:00

(with pictures from the summer programs in 2008)

This is going to be Global Volunteers’s 5th summer in the City of Eternal Spring (Chinese nickname for Kunming). Our hosts are getting excited and prepared to welcome three teams of our volunteers in June,July and August, Team 174, 175 and 176.

Team 174 (starting on June 20th) and Team 175 (starting on July 11th) will work with Kunming Teachers College to help with the Teachers’ Training Program provided by Teachers’ Training Center at the college. As all the teachers are required to take 10-credit training course during the summer to maintain their qualification as government-sponsored teachers, the school campus is always busy with classes filled with teachers. Our program offers the local English teachers an incredibly valuable opportunity to improve their English speaking and listening skills with the help of native English speakers.

The volunteers are paired up to teach a group of 10-12 teachers in small classes in the morning and rotate to hold afternoons sessions with other volunteer team members. While the mornings are focused on English pronunciation, idioms and slangs and speaking skills, the afternoon sessions cater to the teachers’ interest to learn English songs and games, western cultures and western education system, etc. On some afternoons, volunteers and teachers will join a field trip together to Flying Tigers Memorial, a local free market or a city park.

This is truly a program of friendship. During 2-week and 3-week period of time, the volunteers have the same English teaches as their students. They make friends in the classrooms, in the field trips and in friendship activities. The volunteers are often invited by the teachers to their home for tea, dinner, or making dumplings.

Team 175 (starting on August 1st) will have the honor to join a summer camp at Jinyuan (Golden Resource) Century School. The school is located in the biggest and most beautiful apartment complex of Kunming. The school has over 4,000 students enrolled from K to senior high school.

Our volunteers will teach conversational English to children of 12-17 years old. Each of the volunteers will have about 10 students for two-three weeks. The volunteers will teach in the morning for averagely three hours a day. In the afternoons, the volunteers will rotate to teach. Once a week, there will be a field trip planned to generate a more relaxing English learning atmosphere outside of classroom.

This school is directly administrated under Yunnan Provincial Education Bureau, which grants it more autonomous management abilities. After the school extended their invitation to Global Volunteers last summer, we piloted one-week program. It was a wonderful and successful experience for both the school and Global Volunteers.

Please consider joining us in Kunming this summer. Here you will find a cool summer and a warm heart!

TEAM 170, XI'AN - AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE WITH GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS

2009-03-14T08:12:00.008+06:00

United Nations Millennium Goals Addressed by our Team: (Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.) Three of the volunteers on the team provided 60 hours of conversational English language instruction to 358 college students.

Sunday March 8th, 2009

Message of the day: Whatever we do attitude makes all the difference.

Today after breakfast Baoli introduced us to global volunteers. This included a self introduction of each of us and a discussion with description of the Xi’an and La La Shou sites. As well as Anshang, Kumming and Haikou programs. We learned about the Global Volunteers’ philosophy, policies, and guidelines. Part of this meeting addressed health and safety issues, team building activities and a Chinese language lesson and discussing our teaching assignments. Baoli asked us to start thinking about what we could do to be part of a final celebration of the school on Friday. She also helped us to decide what site seeing adventures would be appropriate on a few of our free afternoons. Later in the afternoon Ashley and Emily Davis and I with Baoli and Hu Di and the representatives of the Xi’an Experimental Primary School and the Xi’an Number Two Middle School and the Xi’an Biomedical Technical College. We were warmly welcomed by them and some of the students from the number two middle school danced, sang, and played musical instruments to express their appreciation for our visit to Xi’an. After this visit Baoli ordered a delicious dinner for us and we returned early looking forward to tomorrow’s challenge at the college!

Monday March 9th, 2009

Message of the day: Peace-It’s in style!

Today was our first day of teaching. It was very exciting. I was nervous before school but my nerves quickly faded when Emily and I did an old cheer for the girls. Although things didn’t go as originally planned, I think we all had fun and learned a lot about each other. Julia and her husband are so hospitable and the students were so kind hearted. They even bought us treats for the car ride home. The teachers and students say they are privileged to have us in their schools and city, I think it’s the other way around, I am the one that’s privileged. After school we saw the terra cotta warriors which were amazing. I can’t believe people actually made all of those! Em, Nance, and I almost felt sorry for the men who made them. All of that hard work was destroyed! It must take some serious talent to put those soldiers back together. Then we had dinner with Baoli and she gave us some more information on the soldiers. I also learned more about the schooling in China. Such hard workers these kids are! I can’t wait to meet another group of students tomorrow!

Tuesday March 10th, 2009

Message of the day: Go with the flow.

Today after breakfast Sunshine picked us up for our second day of teaching. Each of us taught different classes today. I was nervous about having my first class by myself but it turned out to be fine. Today both of my classes were a lot shyer than our first class. They surprisingly didn’t have a lot of questions. Men with cameras wanted to tape me, Ash and Nance teaching the kids to dance and sing, so we did the bunny hop. Julia, Sunshine, and Viviane took us to lunch at a Muslim Chinese restaurant. The food was different but good. My second class went better, they asked more questions and I felt more comfortable teaching. On our way home Sunshine had tracked down a poster with a quote from the Bible on it. We went to a Christian book store to pick it up. I still can’t believe the hospitality of our teachers, students, and even our driver. Everyone makes us feel so welcome and comfortable. One thing that we’ve learned on this trip is everything doesn’t always go as planned, sometimes you just gotta go with the flow.

Wednesday March 11, 2009

Message of the day: Never underestimate the difference your support can make in a person’s life.

Wednesday we started with our buffet breakfast and then as usual Baoli saw us off to the Biomedical and Technical College with our friendly driver and a teacher as a interpreter and guide. We taught one class in the morning. Emily received gifts from the students. Ashley and Emily did cheers for the girls with our three classes during break time. And we also gave many students English names at their request. Julia and a few teachers took us to lunch in the school cafeteria and afterwards we were entertained by several students who sang and danced for us. We were amazed at their talent. After this we were guided to a room, and when the doors were thrown open. There were about eighty young adults who sang a beautiful song about believing in yourself. These singers were soon to be scattered around China to do recruiting for the college. Ashley and Emily decided on a massage as a treat for their volunteer efforts. All in all today was another exciting and fun filled day of meeting new friends and sharing our lives with them. Thanks Global Volunteers for this fabulous opportunity to build bridges.

Thursday March 12th, 2009

Message of the day: We are many parts, we are all one body. And the gifts we have we are given to share. May the spirit of love make us one.

School today was so much fun. I had a few students who were very talkative and active in class which makes things more exciting. The students and I talked a lot about how our lives were different and alike. I barely had time to get the lesson done. It was the first time that I felt I needed more time. After class we had the dumpling party at Julia’s. The food was delicious and the company even better. I don’t think I have met nicer people. Robinson came for a little while and talked with us about world peace. He was so honest and sincere that it moved me to tears. We now call him “Uncle Robinson”. For dinner Em, Nance, Baoli, and I met two other couples at a restaurant near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It was a nice dinner and it was fun getting to meet new people.

Friday March 13th, 2009

Message of the day: Live like you were dying.

Today as always we had breakfast with Baoli at seven. After breakfast Baoli escorted us to our last day of teaching at the Biomedical Technical College. Teaching today went well. The students had a lot of questions to ask. As always at break time, Nancye brought her class upstairs and Ashley and I put on a show followed by volunteers who wanted to perform. When class ended some teachers and students took us to the “wisdom forest” where we all had our own tree. We then had our closing ceremony there. We took lost of pictures and said our goodbye’s. It was hard to say goodbye, these people had become like family. With their welcoming arms and loving hearts we formed a relationship that will never be forgotten. Today after school we decided to go to the Muslim Market where we found all of our gifts. Nance, Ash, and I had fun bargaining on prices, it’s funny how in the end we always got our way. We had an excellent last dinner with Baoli, I even tried duck! This has honestly been the best experience of my life. I’ve learned so much, met new people, and formed new friendships. None of this would have been possible without Global Volunteers. Thanks so much!

I hold out my arms in welcome to you, anytime you want to come again...

2009-03-10T06:44:00.015+06:00

At the final celebration for China Team 169 in Haikou, a Chinese teacher participant made the following speech:

What a pleasure it turned out to be becoming close friends, but what a let down now that the departure is at hand. What a pleasure it turned out to be becoming close friends, but what a let down now that the departure is at hand.

I may be singing a lyrical and nostalgical song, every line of which I am sure reflects how much our studymates are feeling now. The ceremony is not only a time meaning by itself good luck, good health and cheerio, and also a celebration as a harvest moon that makes difference in my English because of your arrival.

I want to start by saying that I have been deeply moved these days by many things. Not a few of my days turned upon something that makes me so happy, the happiest I’ve been, and I am priding myself on seeing that. In this short time we’ve been together, --30 hrs over 14 days, -- we’ve grown so much. In fact, I don’t want to let you go.

Surely, it’s an opportunity to see the progress that has been achieved, to see the mutual respects we have developed, the close friendship we have built and the original thoughts we have shared. Most of all, we appreciate the selfless offerings our American guests, across the big ocean from out there, have presented: grown in an atmosphere that is characterized by “a melting pot”, “a nation on wheels”, “doing by yourself”, etc. Our guests, also our teachers make us feel close, friendly, honest, easy-going participants in a united group instead of piecemeal, you concentrated on well-scheduled tasks, and you always tried to double your all-out-efforts in helping us to complete our learning tasks. That’s much like an old saying, “Do not pray for task equal to powers, pray for powers equal to tasks.” You never waste time and never waste words. The essence just stands on three words “Do it now.”

I could not make it up to you, but I want everyone know how much the highlights of your work mean to me. Thank god for letting me meet you and may the miles not separate us. May the joy linger in your hearts, ever green like a x’mas tree.

I need no reminders, cross my heart, I want to do something simple to say I would continuously blow you a “hello kiss” and I wish everyone feels as good out there as I do, when looking into your direction. And every piece of happiness you’ve brought to me will be carefully treasured up and wrapped in my memory. I hold out my arms in welcome to you, anytime you want to come again. My heart is full of expectations, wishes and prayers for you all, always and forever. A bon voyage.

Report from Hainan - Team 169

2009-03-10T02:15:00.002+06:00

United Nations Millennium Goals Addressed by our Team: (Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.) During Feb 21- Mar. 7, 2009, 17 volunteers on the team provided 613 hours of conversational English language instruction to 69 local English teachers and about 3100 students.

First Week:

Welcome to the 17 members of the 5th team on Hainan Island.

Our first school day was better than I expected. We started this morning with our ample delicious breakfast, some words of encouragement from Bao Li and into a bus headed for school.

We were welcomed by school officials in an auditorium filled with the smiling, anxious faces of our soon to be students. What a treat they turned out to be.

On the bus ride back to the hotel, we were all chatting about our experiences and, after lunch, one of each pair of volunteers reported on how things went and what new ideas we could try to enrich the lesson plans for future days.

At 6 pm we climbed back into the bus heading for a dinner as guests of our hosts in China. We again fed on exotic foods, only this time, the wine flowed and the conversation in both Chinese and English consisted of toasting one another to friendship between individuals and between our nations.

On Tuesday, after breakfast, Baoli shared Chinese cultural customs with us, such as traditions surrounding marriage and toasting one another.

It appears many of us are getting serious about teaching because, as time goes by, more and more baggage with school supplies and equipment is being loaded onto the bus each morning! I believe this is an exceptional team, in that, there is so much friendliness, helpfulness and openness among the members. We continue to share helpful hints to compliment our class projects.

After lunch, Baoli and the team started working on and putting together the assignments for Haikou High School and the Experimental Foreign Languages School. This effort was finalized after dinner.

Another full and fulfilling day.

Wednesday morning, Baoli gave us a talk about China's one-child per family system at breakfast meeting. The day’s activities included teaching at the English Academy in the morning and at Haikou Sr. HS in the afternoon.

Carole and Don's students/teachers turned a simple discussion on prepositions into a full period creative imagination adventure, which concluded with singing "Mairzy Doats". Cindie and Kim introduced their students to the advantages of catalog shopping. Eleanor worked 1 on 1 with a student who wanted to study Chimpanzee control in Stamford, CT.

The afternoon gave us in intro to China's future movers and shakers. The Haikou School is private, boarding and K - 12, supported entirely by tuition. Students are from affluent families all over Hainan. The buildings are large and impressive.

Donald lectured on the US educational system and Dick on the Chinese immigration experience in the US. After the lectures to teachers we broke into teams of two for conversation with classes of 22-25 students at the high school level. Five classes remained in the auditorium. It was noisy. At times the decibel level was so high that five Global Volun

teers were simply unable to continue interacting with their students. For most of the two hours we volunteers only had real contact with about half of the students present.

At 5:30 Haikou School hosted us to a fabulous meal at the One on One Dumpling Plaza.They serve the best dumplings in Hainan, as we learned by sampling all three varieties: fried, boiled and steamed.

Thursday was another sunny day. All classes convened in Room 701 to watch “Mr. Holland’s Opus”, an interesting, moving story about a musician thrust into a high school as a music teacher, and his subsequent experiences over 30 years, starting in the 60’s. The individual classes then reconvened for the last half hour in their own classrooms and discussed the movie and some of the unfamiliar words and phrases used in the movie. In line with the musical theme of the movie, Don (Maher) played a fast paced, old time American tune and a Mexican love song on his harmonica in his and Carole’s class.

In the afternoon, Bao Li accompanied 12 volunteers who taught at the Haizhinan Experimental Foreign Language School which includes grades K through 7. Each class was scheduled to have about 40 students. The school staff invited the volunteers to dinner.

At the invitation of some of Marilyn’s last year’s students, four other GV’s went out to Wanshee, a small village outside Haikou. Because of heavy traffic, the one hour trip took almost two hours. They visited one of the former student teacher’s home, which is modern and comfortable. They also visited the local village school. There, the volunteers were surrounded by over 200 excited, clamoring kids who apparently had never before seen non-Asian foreigners, especially from America. While there, they made a very interesting visit down an old, unpaved alley to a temple to celebrate the birth of one of the Buddhist gods, GongQi , and had their fortunes told.

Friday: Carol and Baoli presented our weekend options; one being, a one day ecological tour of Hainan, and the other an overnight trip to a village and a beach.

In the Academy. Several teams discussed the final celebration, as well as the movie “Mr. Holland’s Opus”. Some special things that GVs did in class were:

Glenda & Phil took a field trip to a public primary school where one of their student’s teaches and Glenda lead the class in “Head shoulders, knees and toes”.

Ed & Phyllis had their class tell about their own personal Mr. Holland. Then Phyllis talked about personal hygiene and the benefits of hand washing.

Gail & Nancye’s class played 20 questions about the movie characters and then about their classmates. They also did a listening exercise with follow-up questions. Then they split their class and half discussed what they saw in magazines and the other discussed the Academy Awards.

Judy & Eleanor gave each of their students a word and asked them to make a sentence out of it. They also discussed a Chinese Opera about a girl, who dressed up as a boy to go to school. It was titled Liang and Zhu.

Don & Carole used flip charts with character, setting, and plot choices to have their students to create stories.

Donald took his students to the University of Haikou Park and sampled Dim Sum and listened to some traditional Chinese music.

Thelma & Dick’s class sang songs, did word bingo and some oral reading.

Roy & Marilyn discussed marriage relationships with their students, as well as wedding planning in China.

Cindie & Kim also planned the lesson around relationships. They discussed all types, including grand-parents and grand-children and a woman’s many roles as a wife, mother, daughter-in-law, & sister-in-law often under the same roof in China.

Lunch was back at the hotel. Afterwards, Carole told the group about the wonderful school presentation we witnessed Thursday. Including 3 different dance/martial arts performances and a moving traditional song with gestures done by the children. Marilyn informed us about her group’s trip to a former student’s home and village. I am not sure which group had the better experience.

In the afternoon a few GVs worked with some of the hotel staff on English appropriate for their positions. They thanked them by inviting them to the hotel bar for karaoke later that night.

Baoli lead our troupe on a pleasant 20 minute walk to a lovely dinner at a “hot-pot” restaurant. Carol and I saw some cloth napkins on a lower shelf on a coffee table, so we thought we would help ourselves. They turned out to be stapled together in their fan or duck shapes and were just for decoration. As usual, we just got tissues for napkins. It was another delightful cultural dining experience.

Ahh, the weekend is here.

Second Week:

We started the second week of teaching in Haikou greeted by cooler weather.

In Gail and Nancye's class there was a discussion about what everyone did over the weekend. Since one of the students went to a wedding that led to a discussion of Chinese and American wedding customs. The class also worked in groups planning trips and presenting them to the class. The trips planned were to Sanya, Tibet, Beijing, and Egypt. In Phyllis and Ed's class students made dried flower cards. In Don's class students wrote stories and read them aloud. Eleanor and Judy went out with their class to Haikou Golden Blue Ridge Zoo. They went to the Pearl Plaza and ate lunch at a Chinese fast food restaurant. The students then took them to a supermarket and showed them food not found in the US. and bought them chrysanthemum tea and dragon fruit.

In the afternoon Cindy, Kim, Carole and Gail took "the taxi to nowhere". Arriving at the Hainan Museum, they found it closed. They had to go out on the street and hail a taxi back to the hotel. Thank goodness for those name tags with the name of the hotel written in Chinese. Marilyn and Roy went to the spa where they had their hair washed and Marilyn had a facial and reflexology.

At dinner we were treated to macadamia nut chocolates by Phyllis, California dark chocolate almonds by Don, and dragon fruit by the students of Eleanor and Judy. After a spirited discussion of what songs to sing at the closing program, it was decided to go with "America the Beautiful", It's a Small World", and "Make New Friends and Keep the Old".

Tuesday started with the usual buffet and the reading of the journal. The bus took us to the school where our enthusiastic students waited. Phil and Glenda went out to breakfast with their students followed by a tour of Hainan University. And, Kim and Cindie did American holidays and Phyllis and Ed took a walk through old Haikou. At the request of my students, Dick gave a very informative talk on the construction and history of the Christian Bible. I followed his talk with idioms and general discussion of magazine articles. Nancy and Gail toured Hainan University and shopped with the students. Eleanor and Judy did a vocabulary lesson and Roy and Marilyn went shopping with their students. Donald and Carole also took an extensive city walk.

In the afternoon, five of us went to Hainan Middle School and visited with a large group of English students who were full of questions about life in American and what we thought of China. Following the visit, the teachers treated us to a dinner at a local restaurant.

On Wednesday, our small class of 5, consisting of 1 man 27 years old and 4 women, the oldest being 40 years old, decided on 3/3/09 they wanted to take Eleanor and Judy to a strawberry farm. They were to leave at 8:30 am for the farm this morning to pick strawberries. However, Judy didn’t feel well so they decided to take us to the 40 year old teacher’s school and watch her teach 4th graders. Her name means Muong Sunflower, Kei Huan. She was very dynamic, I thought that did a good job, even though she is a match teacher.

At 4 pm, we boarded a brand new bus that was A/C and had comfortable seats. The bus belongs to the Hainan Overseas Chinese School. We each spoke to a calss with a class of 66-68 students. We spoke to them and they spoke to us very little for 15 minutes. Roy and Eleanor had a class in the 8th grade. They split the class in half, Roy had half and Eleanor had the other half. While we waited for the bus to take us to dinner, many girls and one boy asked us to write my name on their uniform.

Then the volunteers were taken along with teachers in the fancy bus to a

restaurant at the Hainan Yacht Club. The food was abundant and more than anyone could eat. The variety was so much and so good. The seafood was special and so were the meats, lamb, beef, pork, chicken, etc. barbecued. We left the club and beautiful beach about 6:40 pm and headed back to Hainan Overseas Chinese School. The students were waiting anxiously for us seated in chairs they carried from the classroom to the sports area. They had been waiting about an hour for us. They were the brightest selected by their teachers; spoke English well. I had 13 boys and girls. The girls were very aggressive and asked many questions. We sang a couple of songs and they sang one for me and presented me with 3 gifts. They wanted me to stay longer and told me they would miss me, wanted me to come back, etc. They waved continually until the bus pulled away; they boarded the bus and gave me an Orion Pie plus other students gave others on the bus gifts.

Thursday day began splendidly! I was greeted by the biggest, orange disk in the sky! The sun was brilliant and looked stunning over the buildings and harbor! What a way to begin second to last day teaching our students with Global Volunteers.

We boarded the bus, each eager to see our ‘now friends’, our students, and what the morning would bring. In our class, we began by rehearsing the program our students planned to perform at the closing ceremony on Friday. Following the rehearsal, we divided our students in 2 groups and took them out on the street to shop. We went to a large supermarket, with escalators, and while on the 2nd floor, ran into Roy and his students. The students explained all the different foods to us, which was interesting. It was apparent, that the program for Friday was practiced in all the classrooms.

Each set of teachers was asked to sign certificates for the students.

Don and Carol talked about floor plans in homes in the

states and had photos of living rooms, kitchens, etc. Glenda and Phil used Carol’s I-Pod and speakers and had their class sing and read Oklahoma to the music playing on the I-Pod.

Ed and Phyllis divided up their class into ‘tour guides’ and ‘tourists’ – I gather a lively session took place.

In the afternoon, we went to Haikou Middle School #4. Teams were sent to various rooms for questions and answers. I had 200 students view my PowerPoint presentation on Global Volunteers and our travels through China over the past four years. Once we worked out the initial glitch of connecting my computer to their equipment, the presentation went well and questions and answers followed. After a harrowing taxi ride, we arrived back to our hotel, safely –

After another delicious dinner, we briefly went over our program for Fri. closing ceremony – ‘AMERICA THE BEATIFUL’, ‘ITS A SMALL WORLD’ & closing with ‘MAKE NEW FRIENDS, BUT KEEP THE OLD’, many adjourned to their rooms to pack. Several stayed behind to view my PowerPoint presentation, which I felt honored to give.

A very good day indeed! Tomorrow, last teaching day with G.V.

Friday, the last active day

of team 169 commenced with breakfast at 7 am on a rainy-foggy day. At 8:30, teaching in small classes, were interrupted by gifts from our students, English teachers, & exchanging farewells. The remainder of the morning

was a grand closing celebration. There were speeches by the Academy’s leaders. Then the English teachers’ put on a terrific show with songs, dancing & costumes. Each of the 8 classes were very competitive. We all ended, sadly, as the program came to an end.

Our students, class 5, treated us to a sumptuous luncheon at Qiong Gai Wang restaurant. They ordered oysters, shrimp, calamari, Hainan noodles, just to name of few of the delicious foods.

The afternoon was used to prepare departure, after many went & got massages, facials, hair treatments, etc!!!!!!

The grand finale was a dinner hosted by the Academy and all the officials of the school attended. It was a delicious meal, while we were entertained by traditional Chinese dancing & music.

So ended a great two week experience for team 169.

We are One Family in Love---La La Shou New Year Party

2009-01-19T06:21:00.031+06:00

On Jan. 16, all the La La Shou children, teachers, office staff, parents celebrated the start of the Year of Ox together. The theme is “We are One Family in Love”.

Together, they presented us a perfectly imperfect performance show. Not every moment was completely in order. Not every performance went as planned. Not every sound was articulated clearly and correctly. Not every applaud happened when it was supposed. I could count tens of places for improvements, but none of them mattered because:

“Every life deserves respect and love. Some even more…Nothing in the world is difficult if you set your mind to it… There are some moments when we doubted the value of our child, but there are also others when we feel we can never love them enough…We can not forget the support we have received from local and overseas organizations either. And all the volunteers, Chinese and American, are the dearest to us….” (Quoted from La La Shou New Year Party)

To all the Global Volunteers who have worked at La La Shou, we want to thank you again for having helped the children, teachers and parents in so many ways, teaching, assisting, playing, feeding and loving. I hope the pictures will help me to share with you the happy moments and pass you the lasting gratitude from La La Shou. They miss you and hope you will come back.

1. Five boys reciting Tang Dynasty Poetry

2. A basketball player acted by Du Jialin

3. Cheerleaders: Gao Xing and his teacher

4. A Xinjiang Ethinic Dance by teachers

Wish you a Happy New Year!!!

A Chinese English Teachers's Thank-you Speech

2009-01-14T17:05:00.005+06:00

It’s my great honor to stand here and make this thank-you speech.

First of all, I would like to take this chance to express our heart-felt appreciation to all of you, members of Global Volunteers. Thank you for your hard work, thank you for what you have brought us from far end of the ocean.

We especially want to express our thankfulness to the instructors of our class. There are 12 members in our class. Before we met here, none of us knew each other. With your help, we’ve made great improvement in our English level, especially in listening and speaking. With your patience, carefulness and kindness, you quickly built and created for us a free and enjoyable language learning atmosphere. You noticed each of our problems and provided the necessary help. You could see the doubts in our minds from our blank eyes and confused expressions, and then you gave us a full explanation. Eventually, with you hard work, we overcame our fears and gradually began comfortable telling our own ideas. That was a great step forward for us.

Also, we learned so much information which we cannot get from newspapers, magazines or TV. Now we know more about your society and culture.

Most importantly, all of us felt your friendliness, warmth and politeness. We have become more like a big family. Maybe we won’t meet again, but I think if we are willing, we always have other ways to keep in touch. For I am sure there is no distance between our hearts.

This has been a wonderful English learning and cultural exchange experience. I will keep it in my heart forever.

- Wu Haiyan, Chinese English teacher

Report from Hainan - Team 168

2009-01-10T14:56:00.002+06:00

United Nations Millennium Goals Addressed by this Team: (Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.) Seven volunteers provided 227 hours of conversational English language instruction to 46 teachers and 475 primary and secondary school students.

Reflections On Week One:
The fourth Global Volunteers group to come to Hainan Island, a.k.a. “The Hawaii of China” officially coalesced as a team during breakfast on Sunday. We are a small group but hope to leave a big impression on the local teachers.

At 8 a.m. on Monday, we were driven to the Haikou Educational Research and Training Academy where we attended an opening ceremony with a welcome address by Ms. Lin Jue, the president. Afterwards, we started teaching our first class with our assigned groups.

This is work. But it seems like everyone is enjoying the challenge, is effectively teaching, and is happy to be here. We began the day working at breakfast. During the teaching morning the dynamic duo – Leo and Jim – had their students answer various questions they put in “the hat”. The questions must have been powerful since the activity seemed to keep the students interested most of the morning. Victoria’s themes of dating and winter solstice with singing and story reading engaged her students. Albert and Cathy used a number system to keep things rolling and get students talking. Jim and Carolyn’s students wrote and told stories from pictures, watched home movies about Thanksgiving, and played bingo.

Thursday was a very special day. After teaching for the first half of the morning everyone assembled in the main lecture hall for a holiday celebration. We had the students make and hang paper chains and snow flakes. The program began with Leo as the M.C. He told students about a typical family Christmas at his parent’s house – a combination of Polish, Italian, and German traditions. He also told about Posadas, a typical holiday tradition celebrated by many Latinos in the USA. We then sang some Christmas songs, followed by Victoria’s students who shone as they sang several rounds of “Deck the Halls”. The celebration cumulated with a conga line to the beat of Gloria Estafan’s “Conga” which Albert had downloaded. Afterwards the students each received a gift bag with a miniature Santa and candy.Then everyone was treated by their students to lunch at a local restaurant. I am sure that this was a Christmas day that none of us will ever forget.

Friday morning Drill Sergeant Wang Bao Li had reviewed with us our team goals and the characteristics of an effective team. Most of us gave ourselves a 4.8 out of 5 for meeting our team goals.

We have listed 16 team characteristics. But as with any team, on any given day none of us will ever have all 16 characteristics. That is why the team as a whole is so important to our success here in Haikou, and to the Global Volunteers programs. Every day and night each of us will be either be less flexible, less friendly, less respectful, less punctual and so one down the list.

Each day/night some of us will feel less motivated, and so the rest of the team must become more motivated. Each day/night some of us will feel less creative, that’s why we share our ideas and teaching methods.

Over the past week we have transformed from complete strangers to a well oiled teaching machine. A team. And at the end of each day as we lay down upon our cotton wrapped plywood mattress, we know that we as a team have reached our goals together. For sure there will be bumps in the road again next week, but week two will be just as successful.

Reflections On Week Two:
We are in the swing of it now. We can teach just about any level of conversational English for a short period of time at any given moment. The mornings were filled teaching our classes at the teacher’s Academy.

Qiongshan No. 2 Middle School invited us to meet with 8th graders and 9th graders in the afternoon on Monday. We were given a warmly welcome by Principle Fu, staff and students, who presented us with Chinese Calligraphy by the teachers and crafts by the students. Then we chatted with the students who were very curious about life in the U.S. and asked many questions. We were treated like celebrities, with students asking for autographs, photos, emails, etc.
Principle Fu hosted an appreciation dinner for us at the “Best” seafood restaurant in town. A highlight of the evening was Leo’s rendition of a Tony Bennett song.

Tuesday was a good day too. In the afternoon, we taught grade 2 high school students at No. 1 Haikou Middle School. Each of us had 10-20 very bright, articulate English speaking high school students. After one hour of teaching, answering questions, and enjoying the students, we had an evening meal in the school cafeteria.

Wednesday was the last day of class and the last day of 2008, and we finished both with a flourish. In the closing ceremonies, we had warm speeches by the academy, Bao Li, and each of the volunteers followed by some of the students. Then Albert and Cathy’s group performed the rabbit dance and sang “The more we get together”. Jim and Carolyn’s group sang a beautiful rendition of “Edelweiss” and Victoria’s group sang “If I had a hammer” and recited Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening” Leo’s group recited the lyrics of “Fragile” by Sting and sang “That’s life” by Frank Sinatra. We finished by singing “Auld Lang Syne” together. It was a touching and moving experience with tears flowing all around.

On the last two days of the program, we worked with about 30 hotel staff from various departments of the hotel. They work at the Front Desk, Sales, H-R, House-keeping and other departments. The groups were small and intimate.

BaoLi surprised us on Thursday with our own copies of the daily local newspaper which had printed our photo and story. We also received 2 DVDs of our activities at the Teaching Academy. Famous at last!!!

Team 168 was indeed a great success!

Host Partner Plea for 2009

2008-12-17T04:00:00.003+06:00

On behalf of all the teachers and students in Xi'an Biomedical Technical College, we wish to express both our sincere appreciation for Global Volunteers' generous contributions and sincere wish for volunteers' continuous service to our college in the future.

When we heard the bad economy may affect future numbers of volunteers, we feel sad, disappointed. We want to shout loud to the other side of the world “please help us”, but we know our voice can not reach that far. Would you please help to tell all the volunteers we need them here?

We can still remember how excited the students and the teachers were when the news came that Global Volunteers would come back to teach again. Till now, we both have spent some time with volunteers. We know the real reason why there are so many unforgettable stories about them. For many students, their coming has become their first time to talk to teachers from the other side of the Pacific Ocean, who have different colored skin, eyes and hair. Before they came, it was common that many students feared English, because for them, the study of English meant endless and tedious vocabularies, grammar and tests.

However, the volunteer teachers are like a fresh spring stream, giving the students enthusiasm to learn English well. Not merely because of their fresh appearance and their interactive way of teaching. Their patience, patience and encouragement also gave the students courage, which is likely to influence not only their English learning but even their whole life. Moreover, their sincerity, respect, frankness, honesty, dedication and good sense of humor are all life lessons for us.

The most valuable gaining for both the volunteers and us is the same... the love. The seed of love has been sowed by volunteers here, and also been brought back to the U.S. It’s hard for me to make a long list to measure how much the volunteers warm our hearts. It is also love to make us sad when farewell time comes. I cried bitterly when Jim, a nice teacher who has been remembered by many people, left. It's love that binds us and makes us want to see each other again. We cannot imagine how we can get through the next year without volunteers coming to help! Sincerely,
-Sunshine (English teacher) and Julia Dong (Director of Foreign Affairs Office)

Report from Kunming - Team 162

2008-10-05T19:48:00.008+07:00

United Nations Millennium Goals Addressed by this Team: (Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.) Eight volunteers provided 210 hours of conversational English language instruction to 45 teachers and 72 secondary school students.

Reflections On Week One:
The teachers whom we are teaching begin gestures of respect and friendship. Several stop us in the hallways or stairways to thank us for our comments in Tuesday’s afternoon’s lecture. Others ask if we could go get a bowl of noodles with them for lunch. Still others invite us to come to their home villages. We learn much more of the challenges they face in their packed classrooms, of the disparate salaries and working conditions for the private school teachers Kerri and Natalie talked to on Tuesday afternoon. One asked, “Can you tell me how to get the government to change things?” Across town at Kunming Teacher’s Training College, another wrote to us “How do we change the world?” We stand in awe. We are humbled.

Since we have all been having great English classes, let me share with you some English we have encountered in Kunming thus far…

Hi! Just for You! Do you like it?

No Smoking –for your safety, please do not smoke on the bed

Lanky Nursing (cosmetic product)

I’m a Love - Aholic

Please You Go Out (exit sign)

Be Pleasing Wait for a While in the Pure Field

So Sweet – make yourself at home, cut and come again.

Please help yourself suiting your own taste.

In Case of Emergency, Use Fugitive Route (hotel map)

Shoplifting is a Crime, Cherish Your Future, Don’t Do It
Am I Cute? Please Remember Me (sign in taxi)

Drifting Fragrance Chicken

Passengers: Get on or Get off

Be a Party Hottie

Care Land Slip

These phrases remind each of us how much we have to learn and explore in Kunming and really shows how Chinese culture has evolved and developed. These new experiences remind us to always strive for the extraordinary.

Reflections On Week Two:
At lunch, we discussed the difficulties that China has faced this year and it is important to remember and respect the sacrifices of our hardy host nation. Understanding these tragedies brings me closer to one of my personal goals of being humbled—my troubles at home are almost meaningless when compared to the struggles the people of China have faced this year—to think that I thought I was having a rough year. We must remember that we are part of something called “Project Peace,” and that matters now more than ever. (journal entry by James)

Both Kerri and Natalie take on class assignments single-handed. Rob, Sue, James and Sabrina work in two-person teams, although it falls chiefly to Sabrina to acquaint Chinese students with American music, including that inscrutable product of the Occident—the heavy metal band.

All of us note a change in our classes. Students are more verbal, more assertive, and much more at ease. There is a growing focus on the demands of the upcoming speech festival. Students also want to share what they know about yesterday’s bus bombings. To their credit, both Hu Di and Chris share information readily: this is what happened. This is how it happened. This is the unhappy result. Their candor is the best possible antidote to any anxiety we may feel as strangers in this strange land.

Following morning classes on Wednesday, the volunteer teachers had lunch and spent time with their classes in a friendship activity. Some enjoyed Across the Bridge Noodles, others Dai cuisine. Green Lack was a popular spot for walking, enjoying the views and the lotus blossoms at their peak, even seeing an impromptu concert of traditional folk dance and songs by a group of retired dancers, singers and musicians who meet each Wednesday at the park to make music.

Finally, a night of karaoke that we will never forget. Philip and Hu Di put the westerners to shame with their Chinese songs. None of us will ever forget Sue rocking out to the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Rob and his Blue Suede Shoes, Sabrina and Natalie as Barbie Girls, James trying to sing like a Chinese woman or Kerri playing the tambourine. All in all, fun was had by everyone. As we have spent the past two weeks teaching our students American says and idioms it seems only fitting that I end this journal with an American saying which sums up our karaoke performance ~ “Don’t quit your day jobs!”

I know that we have accomplished a great deal and we should be proud and honored that we all had this opportunity. I cannot wait for yet another new teaching experience on Monday with the “fantastic four” Kerri, Natalie, James and I. I will hesitantly call us that, with Hu Di as the real power behind us all, as we cruise – albeit cautiously- into our third and last week in Kunming! (journal reflection by Sabrina)

Reflections On Week Three:
We all swap tales of naughty primary school students and time-outs in our new teaching assignment, but more importantly, Kerri and Natalie mention that they see real progress in their kids’ English, especially in understanding what we are saying! I find that my kids’ English is very low, but then that allows me to do fun activities with them, such as singing “Old McDonald” and teaching them animal names, and never forget, the old stand-by of doing the hokey pokey.

We all had a fun time wit h our classes and in our discussion it seems we are making progress. What a shame it’s only 1 week! Imagine the development if this program was longer. I have been able to introduce movement and learning away from the tables to my classes and the students like to play games and join in the fun. They are doing so well!

Our last action packed day was a catch-up day, different from our other teaching days, it was very moving, sometimes difficult. Every student, it seems, gave us a huge variety of gifts. It was very touching and we knew how much the students appreciated us through their kind words, beautiful drawings and thoughtful gifts. It was very emotional and sad to say goodbye. I know we have made even the smallest, significant difference. So safe journey, happy hearts and keep in touch as we scatter to the world – But our hearts are in Kunming.

Team 161, Kunming, July 11

2008-07-16T07:39:00.007+07:00

By Brent

Thought for the Day: I have been blessed by God. And if I am blessed, there is one reason and one reason only, and that is to help others. By Akiane (9 years old)

Photos for the day: (1) Asian bear. (2) Panda enjoying breakfast. (3) Brent with Josh, Rachel & cousin Hu Di.

Today is a wonderful day. We went the Yunnan wild animal park this morning. In the zoo, at first we saw three bears. They stood up wanted to be fed, but it's a pity we had no food. Then we took the electrical car because we wanted to get the panda garden as soon as possible. On the way, we saw some deer, giraffes, ostriches and camels.

Our first stop was the Lake of swan. There were a lot of swans and white crane on the lake. I also saw another kind of bird with long legs and a big beak, but I do not know their name. Then we got to the grassland, and the pandas. The first one looks plump and cute, then another panda named DiDi came out .It looks lovely, especially when it grabs a bamboo and eats .When I saw some staff chase pandas onto a platform and make the tourists take a picture with them in order to earn money, I felt a little sad. I think we should give the pandas a free space because they are our friends. After that, we saw other three smaller pandas.They are very active keep rolling and play with each other. We took a lot of pictures of them. It's my first time to be with panda so close. Before, I saw pandas through glass and pandas always sleep on the ground. In my impression, the pandas are lazy bones. But today I saw a different picture of panda. We were happy to be close to these lovely animals.

The last stop was the park of peacocks. In there, we saw all kinds of peacocks. They are all very beautiful. At half past 12 we left for the hotel.
Today is the last day of your staying here. I felt very lucky that I had a chance to spend some time with you. I had learned something from each of you, especially Carole and Josh. I hope you will have a good journey home. I will miss you.

Team 161, Kunming, July 10

2008-07-15T20:55:00.004+07:00

By Dixie

Thought for the day: "If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of a  year, plant trees; if in terms of a hundred years, teach the people." -Confucius

Photos for the day: (1) Example of the certificates received by students completing the 3-weeks of training. (2) The volunteers sing "If I Had a Hammer" at the closing ceremony.

 I believe we are all feeling spent but satisfied, here at the end of the three week program. Two more rides today to school on the bus driven by Mr. Qui: a last morning class, and then the afternoon Celebration Ceremony and Sharing with all 70 of us in the Teacher Training Program.  

Corrine's and my class engaged themselves in "Twenty Questions" and a "Dear Abby" kind of activity. How responsive and lively the students are! Ours brought in orange drinks, longan and lichees, peanuts and sunflower seeds for a mini-party at one of our breaks today. Outside in the Quadrangle we folk danced with another class.  Then we returned to the classroom for a review of "Miss Mary Mack" and "The Noble Duke of York."

For a quiet Finale, Corinne re-read to them a simple and charming book about "what is a friend?"

  Riding the bus in the afternoon, we Global Volunteers practiced singing "If I had a Hammer," and virtually reviewed the pattern of dance steps for "Les Saluts," a French-Canadian fiddle tune. Our hope is that the room that Chris is arranging will be of suitable size for all to take part in dancing.  

At the Ceremony, Chris translated for the Dignitaries. Hu Di did her usual amazing alternation of Chinese and English paragraphs of speech. Each Volunteer briefly expressed his/her appreciation and heartfelt thanks to everyone who organized, sponsored and participated in the program at Kunming Teachers College. Scrolls of fine calligraphy with unique and personalized prose were presented to each Volunteer.

  The seven classes were prepared to share their talents.  Glenda's class (all women), modeled beautiful colorful costumes representing some of the minority peoples of Yunnan. Leon/Kathleen's class told jokes in pairs. John's class sang "I Can Fly," which they  had translated into English from the original Chinese. Josh/Carole's class presented a skit about rascals (Jack and Daniel) who went into a French Restaurant. Roles of other diners, waiters and Restaurant Manager were acted by the other students, with roles for Josh and Hu Di's cousin Brent. Rachel/Margaret's class sang Frere Jacques in French, English and Chinese. Rachel had worked hard to change the students' pronunciation to "vous" from "wu." With a yellow paper prop constructed by Margaret and Rachel, the class sang "Yellow Submarine," too.  Martin's class sang several songs, with members taking turns as Conductor.  Corrine's and my class sang "Blowin' in the Wind," with a harmony part.

  A surprise for the Volunteers was a song about friendship from the students, in Chinese.   Then the Volunteers shared their rendition of “If I had a Hammer."  They led the folkdance, "Les Saluts," inviting everyone to join the dance in three concentric circles.  

We parted from the students warmly and regretfully, as it was time to enjoy a last GV dinner together at an attractive restaurant across from Green Lake Park. Tomorrow and Saturday we bid farewell to each other, but it ain't over yet: Hu Di is kindly taking us on an outing to the "Wild Animal Park" of Kunming! Hello, Pandas!

Team 161, Kunming, July 9

2008-07-15T20:34:00.004+07:00

By Carole

Thought For the Day: After the game, the king and the pawn go back into the same box. Italian Proverb

Photo for the day: The Dumpling Team with their hosts

Only two days of classes left. All good things must come to an end. Still, now it seems our end is coming too abruptly.

What are some of the expected joys I found here in China? First off, I think about our students. In this I can only speak directly of the students of Josh and mine. Our students were enthusiastic, fun, bright, cooperative and fairly proficient in English. It has honestly been fun working with them. It has not been so much a teacher- student situation but more a team approach to the classes. They have been anxious both to share their culture and life stories with us and also to hear about what life is like for an American.

Having lived in big cities in America, I’m afraid I have become cynical. When a stranger approaches me on the street, my first reaction is caution that perhaps they want to beg something from me. I’ve learned to walk down the street, taking everything in but appearing to not look at anyone. To be that way here is a grand mistake. More often than not, we receive smiles and friendly gestures on the streets in China. It’s not unusual for children, adults and old people to approach us for the simple purpose of sharing a brief conversation in English.

Every time I’ve been on a crowded bus here, someone has jumped up to offer me their seat. Such simple courtesies have been a delight.

Another true pleasure has been the Chinese massages. One night we received a pedicure, which in fact, was a foot and leg massage. Lasting for 70 minutes it cost about $10. I thought nothing could be more luxurious, but found that idea contradicted the next day. Josh and I were treated by our students to lunch at a restaurant. You won’t believe it! A massage was included with the meal. For about 15 minutes while we waited for our food, a waitress gave each of us a back massage.

A benefit of this trip has been the cultural talks which Hu Di gives us each day. Today’s theme was politics in China. It went like this.

CPC
The Communist Party of China (CPC) is the founding and ruling party in China and the world’s biggest political party. Its paramount position as the supreme political authority in China is guaranteed by "Constitution of the People's Republic of China" China's constitution and realized through control of all state apparatus. The CPC has both central and local organizations. At the top is the Central Committee and, while when it is not in session, the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee exercise the power of the Central Committee. Both the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee are elected by the plenary session of the Central Committee.

The CPC is a unified entity organized according to its program, constitution and the principle of democratic centralism. The Constitution of the Communist Party of China stipulates that any Chinese worker, farmer, member of the armed forces, intellectual and any advanced element of other social strata who has reached the age of 18 and who accepts the program and constitution of the CPC and is willing to join and work in one of the Party organizations, carry out the Party's decisions and pay membership dues regularly may apply for membership in the CPC. The party's 70 million members constitute 5.5% of the total population of China.

CPPCC
The CPPCC is an organization of the patriotic united front of the Chinese people. It is an important organization of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC.

The organization consists of both Party members and non-Party members, who discuss Chinese communism's principles. The members are chosen by the Communist Party of China, but are from a somewhat broader range of people than normally chosen for government office. It is composed of the CPC, other political parties, mass organizations, different ethnic groups and representative public personages from all walks of life, representatives of compatriots of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao as well as of returned overseas Chinese and other specially invited people.

Other parties: China Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang, China Democratic League, China Democratic National Construction Association, China Association for the Promotion of Democracy, Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party, China Zhi Gong Dang, Jiusan Society, Taiwan Democratic Self-government League, Public personages without party affiliation, Communist League of China, All-China Federation of Trade Unions, All-China Federation of Women, All-China Federation of Youth, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, China Association of Science and Technology, All-China Friendship Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese,

The CPPCC typically holds a yearly meeting at the same time as plenary sessions of the National People's Congress (NCP). Both CPPCC and NPC are often called the Lianghui (Two Meetings), making important national level political decisions. In March, the First Session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, just took place and lasted 11 days.

NPC:
The National People's Congress, abbreviated NPC, is the highest state body and only legislative house in the People's Republic of China. Although the membership of the NPC is still largely determined by the Communist Party of China, since the early 1990s it has moved away from its previous role as a symbolic but powerless rubber-stamp legislature, and has become a forum for mediating policy differences between different parts of the Party and the government. For the NPC to formally defeat a proposal put before them is a rare, but not non-existent event, and the NPC has been quite active in being the forum in which legislation is debated before being put to a vote.

The National People's Congress is held in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China. NCP is held each year along with the People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) whose members are from a broader background.

The day ended with a visit to an administrator’s condominium apartment The apartment itself has about 1600 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a large family room, and two balconies and is beautifully decorated in a modern style. Condominiums go for about $100,000, with a monthly maintenance fee of $20. Because of lack of housing in the city of Kunming, a decision was made to build up a “new” city in the outskirts. In the last 3 years 100,000 apartments have been constructed in buildings of about 20 floors each. There appears to have been much planning since there are also parks, shopping centers, underground parking, schools, playgrounds, flowers, trees, etc.

It was in the apartment where we practiced making dumplings and spring rolls. I learned that the dipping sauce can include vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce, cilantro and garlic. We may not be masters at preparing Chinese food, but we have greatly improved our techniques in the use of chopsticks.

We’re all looking forward to our final day tomorrow where teachers and students will surprise each other with special activities for the closing ceremony.