ANOTHER CHINA EXPERIENCE
Finally. After major health setbacks, it is March and I am in the final preparation for a month of teaching in Beijing. Not a lot of packing to do since I never unpacked from my aborted October plans. It has been a while since I taught high school students, but I have many lessons prepared from my contracts with China Center's Mingda Institute for Leadership.Beijing Royal School has asked me to give an orientation on American Culture for their 23 students. These students wish to attend American universities in a few years.
PEOPLE
I arrived safely in Beijing on Friday, March 20 and will remain until Wednesday, April 22. The initial blog entries will be people, places and things that have come my way in the past week.You can view some photos I have posted on line using this address http://picasaweb.google.com/marywarpeha/CHINA2009
Upon my arrival on the United mid afternoon flight – around 20 hours door to door – I taxied to the home of Wendao Li and Xia Zhao near the Beijing West Railway Station. Wendao was leader of the 2006 Beijing Universities Trainees. This couple has hosted me several times to help reduce jet lag and the initial loneliness of leaving the familiar and entering the unknown. Their warm hospitality, hot shower, and excellent home cooking continue to give me comfort.
Their friendship is a true gift to me. This trip I am staying at their new apartment. It was recently purchased near the West Beijing Railways Station and is 30 minutes from both of their schools and work places. Wendao was a Trainee at the China Center’s Mingda Institute for Leadership Training. As a psychologist he is teaching three classes this semester at a university and working hard to complete his book on the handling of boys and young men in families and schools. Xia is working full time often being loaned out as a project consultant on child development issues. She is in the final month of completion of her Ph.D. on the mental health of elementary teachers. Obviously the three of us have lots to talk about and compare.
I stayed for a few days in my “Beijing Home” and then moved on to the Beijing Royal School. At the school, I was greeted by my contacts Fuli Wang and Xiaoyong Zhang. Fuli is Vice Principal and Xiao is Director of Admissions for the school. Fuli helped me move in and get settled. She ran me through a whirlwind tour of the facility and introduced me to many of the staff. She and Xiaoyong continue to be my lifeline to the inside and outside world. Fuli is relatively new to the school having an education background interspersed with import/export business experience. She has a home in Atlanta which she visits several times a year – not much property selling in Atlanta so she is forced to retain her home until the economy rebounds. Both have excellent English and understanding of American culture which makes my living easier.
My teaching schedule includes 6 class periods Tuesday-Thursday, English corners during lunches and individual discussions with students anticipating entrance into US universities in Fall, 2009. My classroom students number 24 – mostly boys. They are Senior 3 level and 16 years old. Several students have lived for short periods in the US, and they help translate for those with limited English. I had anticipated a higher English language level in my preparations so I have had to alter my style and content to accommodate these young adults with growing English competency. There is also the factor of restless adolescent learners. Need I say more? I love the challenge. Mostly I love being in a middle/high school classroom again. We are studying American history, geography, and lifestyle.
Many of you readers contributed suggestions to my request for important cultural topics. I am incorporating your ideas into daily lessons in a casual informal way. A picture dictionary page showing an American bathroom leads to many cultural insertions.
I am able to do preparatory class work in my apartment or school office – which is a luxury. Both have functioning internet. Internet and classroom projectors make variety of media reasonable. I use CDs and online resources. Wally gave me a heads up that the Chinese government has banned YouTube – which I use extensively. It is true. I cannot access anything on YouTube. I have used a great online/CD resource called Animated Atlas and find it reasonably understandable. Google “Animated Atlas” - you might learn something too. I always do.
In my free time, I have made a point of connecting with former China Center students who are living in Beijing. I have had evenings with Ma Liangwei – leader of the 2005 Training group. Our evening together includes his Beijing Planning Department colleagues. We enjoy sharing our lives and careers – in English. Hard work and lots of laughs for us all. The second evening was with staff who have worked on the early plans for a Northern-style Chinese Garden for Minnesota. We ate at an old style restaurant called Phoenix Garden somewhere in the Xicheng area. Great interior, good food, friendly conversation.
Friday afternoon Yan Ye from Beijing University of Agriculture arranged for a briefing on American higher education with her colleagues in the Information Technology Department of this 7000 student/700 faculty complex on the far reaches of Beijing in Changping. I used a great Woody Guthrie performance illustrated with pictures for a lead-in. Then jumped to using a running Word document screen to give main vocabulary and topic headings during my presentation. I am getting quite good at simultaneous speaking and writing. Everyone in the room was able to read and understand my presentation, but their oral comprehension was challenged. A projected written main-word typing kept everyone in the loop. It is satisfying to me to connect with former students and learn of how much they appreciated their opportunity to study and live in Minnesota. Life-changing experiences for young and old.
Last night 10 of us from the Beijing Fall 2008-09 Training group met. We went around the table offering highlights of their stay. Consistently they commented on the friendliness and open arms of Minnesotans. Many had traveled throughout the US during their 4 months and they all agreed that Minnesotans gave them the most time and experience. They also commented on how the experience had bonded them together as a group and how that has been important as they have returned to their respective jobs and families. Their Beijing families were different upon their return. Children were thrilled to have them back. Spouses were more interested in sharing life together. One baby has been born and one conceived since their return. We laughed a lot.
I had to yell several times that “English is the language of CHOICE here”. More laughing. Most have not spoken English since they returned. It was agreed that meeting me in Beijing on a regular basis would enhance their English learning – no problem.
On the weekend, I hosted Darlene Kunze, a Twin Cities ESL teacher who is working at a university in Xian – through connections with An Wei and Bob Marcotte. She arrived by night train and accompanied me throughout the weekend.
BEIJING ROYAL SCHOOL
Beijing Royal School is located in the Wang Fu Wen Xin Gong Yu neighborhood of Changping in the Northwest part of Greater Beijing. The #3 bus line off the #5 subway line brings me to school/apartment in a very efficient way. It is the newest and a busiest line running north and south. Always crowded. Sometimes get a seat. 1RMB for the bus and 2RMB for the train. 6.70RMB = 1USD. I have mastered the drill and move around quite well.
An introduction to Beijing Royal School goes well here. The school is a private school charging tuition to middle/high school students mostly from Beijing but also other provinces. It is a boarding school with a large shared campus. There is a local K-12 school, a child care facility, a TOEFL testing facility and an AP center all on this one campus. Some teachers live in the school area, but many permanent teachers live outside of the neighborhood.
The school is owned by the Fazheng Group which has connections to the U of MN China Center – my connection for teaching. The Fazheng Group has many other ventures including a state-of-the-art integrative medical facility about a mile from here. The campus is being developed. It really has been built within the past 5 years.
Last week, hundreds of bare root trees arrived in trucks and were hoisted up and braced into place in the plazas and lawns. These trees will dramatically change the look and temperature of the campus. Another day huge trucks arrived with gigantic, gorgeous stones. One was placed in the center of the walkway and others were in the lawn. I am jealous. I love these wonderful pieces of nature. It is a joy to touch each as I pass bye.
I am in a nice two bedroom apartment in the Wang Fu complex. This complex has 6 story walk-up apartments. I am in building 37 – not the last building in the complex! There is a small store on the main floor where I get good fresh vegetables and fruits. I can walk across the plaza to a “Convenient Store” and buy packaged milk, juice, candies, cookies, chips, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, etc. I eat both at the school cafeteria and in my own apartment. I am blessed to have a good kitchen, full bath, washing machine, TV, internet, almost warm bath water. Life is good.
My school office and classroom are about a 10 minute walk through the neighborhood. People are anxious to be outside now that there is promise of spring – mostly promise at this point. Lots of walkers. Moms with toddlers. Young and old with dogs. Cats around. Lots of birds in cages – hardy birds. Every spot of land is claimed for a garden, a vegetable patch, fruit trees, and hedges. You may take the people out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the people. It is fun to watch the buds and leaves grow on trees, see peonies pop from the ground, and spot some peppermint stick its purple head up. Hoes are in action. Rain has been very scarce this spring and everything is dry. Ground is rock hard. Everything is covered with a film of dirt. Good news is that the reforestation and revegetation has taken effect and when the wind blows it is not blowing dirt like I remember in the late 90’s. Cold, dry north winds.
On the weekend Darlene Kunze and I toured the Forbidden City/Imperial Palace, walked Bei Hai and Hu Hai lakes in the sun with thousands of others, toured the Temple of Heaven. Lots of walking. Good food in the Nanluoguxiang hutong district. We became accomplished touring with subway, bus, taxi transport. Wendao has written names and locations in characters for us which made EVERYTHING easier. We collapse periodically for reviving gulps of tea and coffee. Weather here is cold. Nights are -2 C and days are 4-9C. Chilly. Need to keep walking. Cold on Sunday kept down the crowds of locals we had experience on Saturday. Too cold for anyone in their right mind to voluntarily go out.
Every return to China brings realization of the increasing numbers of Chinese tourists seeing the heritage of their own country. Waves of people in these tourist locations. It is fun to watch the innocence of many as they experience these cultural giants like the Summer Palace and Forbidden City for the first time. A good reminder to me of the importance of these relics to their culture and to the world community.
I stop often and look at my fellow tourists. Young toddlers running away from moms, foreigners from all over the world, tiny country women clinging to their men and their children as they enter areas they have heard about for all their lives. The people of China absorbing their rich cultural heritage. Finally.
THINGS
Life is less lonely this trip. I can connect with my family in the Twin Cities through my apartment phone, the internet or the Skype online account Daniel set up for me and Yan Ye helped me activate here in Beijing. Excellent transmission. Wally and I have worked out a schedule so I can decompress and he can keep me tuned to the ongoing renovation of the house.
CARS AND DRIVING
As is reported there is increasing affluence in Beijing – maybe China -. There is fear of the global economic crisis and its impact. Everyone here has felt it already and anticipate that more is to come. Most of the people I am around have work and expectations for a good future. They are conservative in their expenditures and hopeful for future wealth and gain. They work hard. They work differently from my experiences.
View photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/marywarpeha/CHINA2009#
HEALTH AND HEALING
I have been treating for immune system boosting with Dr. Chen Hong in the Roseville Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic for several weeks. She recommended I continue treatment in China. It seemed possible until I realized that my school is waaaaay out of city center. Until one afternoon I asked about the large new hospital nearby. Royal Integrated Medicine Hospital. I learned that it is part of the enterprises of the Fazheng Group with Mr. Wang Guangfu as Chair. (Beijing Royal School where I am teaching is part of their system.)
Wednesday morning I entered the lobby and gave myself 10 minutes to get something going in English or abandon the idea. 9 minutes 50 seconds later young Dr. Wang Hongkun arrives to explain the process of becoming an outpatient. I handed over my two yuan to have my name listed as “Mary” on a plastic card and moved up to their clinic on the 4th floor. Quiet up there.
The hospital opened in fall 2008 and is not seeing many patients. I was offered the VIP treatment or just the regular. For me in China, VIP is the only way to go – especially when my Chinese language hovers around hello and thank you. I was introduced to Director Wang Fan who is the lead acupuncturist and Dr. Suo Qingfang. We discussed my interest in improving general health and gave a verrrrrrry brief oral health history. What had become my “acupuncture team” discussed payment, and I moved onto a bed in the 5 bed clinic.
Dr. Wang Fan was most adept at inserting the needles – much larger than Minnesota needles. I relaxed as I listened to the four other patients discuss important issues in loud detail behind curtains. Not all of them were discussing – the men were snoring. After 20 minutes, a small machine was introduced and with a lot of thoughtful language adjustment it was determined to be an electronic machine that pulsates and enhances the effect of the acupuncture. I agreed to be attached and adjustment of the electrode intensity began. Interesting sensation. Interesting. Electrified evenly on both sides: ankle, calf, belly button, wrist and elbow, behind ear, forehead and top of head. 20 minutes wondering what was really happening to me. They were nonchalant so I assumed this was routine for many people – maybe the VIPs.
It appears that 5 sessions will cost me 100 yuan or around $15. I paid up front and tried to pay again the second time, and they refused. Hard to get this stuff straightened out. Feel everyone is honest with me. Our team had a photo taken and is on Picasa.
Since I was a distance away from home, I decided to look around the commercial strip that has grown around the highway intersections. What’s new? Many real estate offices selling condominiums in the high rise buildings. Small shops with photos of the properties and listing of the size and amenities. Chairs inside and outside. There is lots of real estate for sale now. This is an area of new growth. Many of these 6 story concrete buildings are sitting on land that only 3 years ago grew produce.
Lots of small snack shops. Many people seem to live on small packaged snacks throughout the day. High in salt and sugar – like ours. Found a market with a great fresh cookie section. Am munching now on a salty rice cake that is tasty. It has been 4 weeks since my hair was trimmed so I decided to venture in to a salon. Well, it looked like a salon, but the lady gave me a long, long monologue and then ushered me out of the shop. Went to another one and that lady ushered me out and down the street to a funky shop. Kids hanging out everywhere. Stylists were all young men with multi-colored hair, all duded up with funky clothes and jewelry. Talking, talking, talking - and of course, looking at me. Clients were 35ish women.
I declined the shampoo. They spray foam on your hair while you sit in the chair and then take you somewhere to rinse it. (The time I had a haircut simultaneously with four others in my traveling group in Baoji, we stopped first at the store next door and bought our towels and basins. Nothing supplied at the shop.) Looked like a challenge to me. I declined the shoulder and head massage because of my recent experience with acupuncture. My head and shoulders were not good candidates for another intrusion.
Nice guy came over to trim. I wanted a quick trim in the back of the head. He got the idea and with the translation help of a young woman began – the young woman sort of spoke a language I recognized. We all had a good time. My haircut was what I wanted – well done. The price was right at 10 RMB/$1.50. Time to return to school. Saw a woman at the bus stop who smiled at me. We had taken the same bus together the day before. She began visiting in English telling me she was on her way into Beijing for English tutoring. She works as a travel agent and lives in the townhouses next to my high rise development. It will be interesting to see where this relationship might lead. Never a dull moment.
RIDING THE RAILS ON THE NIGHT TRAIN FROM XIAN AND AN SHANG VILLAGE
I am sitting in a soft sleeper rail car in the Xian station with three young women from Toulouse, France waiting for the night train to leave. They are teasing me with M & M’s. They have promise to be comfortable travel mates on the 11 hour trip back to Beijing. I know it can be a long trip with the three cabin mates are Chinese men staring at me for the duration of the trip.
I am exhausted. I am returning home after days visiting An Shang Village and my friends. The village is 1.5 hours northwest of Xian on the plateau of the loess plain. I returned to Xian today with Darlene Kunze and An Wei. It was my first experience with long distance bus in China. Comfortable.
We began the day today with our farm breakfast of eggs, a stir fry of garlic shoots and pork with a touch of red peppers, rice gruel, fried bread and tea.
A VISIT TO THE AN SHANG VILLAGE TEMPLE
I spotted an older woman sitting in the An home talking. I recognized her as a person I met at the local temple several visits back – An Wei tells me I have visited the village six times. Today she grabbed my arm, and we started off to the temple. I would not have recognized the temple from my memory by was clued by the handmade flags fluttering in the warm spring breeze to signal an event. As we entered we found that the women of the village had assembled to view the new addition of a second large worship space. You can see the temple in my blog.
Our hostess had planned this event as an opportunity for women of the village to see the new addition and come together – as she hoped they would on a regular basis in the future. We had no translator with us so at first we wrestled around trying to communicate. An Wei was summoned, and we began a delightful conversation discussing the potential for women to gather for Buddha worship, share some readings, do handiwork, and talk women talk.
I related my experiences with Book Club, and they were interested. Chinese farm women work very hard. They have heavy responsibility with children and then keep a house and cook with no conveniences. As children age, the women move into the fields. The idea of having a place and time to be together as women was novel and appealing.
THE VILLAGE
This village has about 1200 people and growing. Most homes now have at least two floors and some have three. It is a village similar to others with two groups of people – the elderly and the very young. Grandparents are in the country working and raising grandchildren until they are of school age when hopefully they can move to their parents' homes in the cities. Cute grandpas and grandmas with cute babies. Hard work for grandparents caring for infants alone but a necessity to have a good quality of life for all three generations.
In 2002 the government reversed a policy of taxation of farms and instead give a subsidy to those who remain in the countryside. This has been incentive to stay and has given a little extra money for daily living. They are subsistence farmers growing their own fruits and vegetables and cash crops of corn, winter wheat, apples, plums, pomegranates and more.
APRIL IS RAPE BLOSSOM TIME
April is a month when the yellow rape blossom is in full bud. The rape plant can grow to 4 feet and display this showy yellow blossom. When the seed is mature, it is harvested and pressed into canola oil. In the meantime, it is a haven for bees, a delight to the eye in the green landscape. Winter wheat was being released from its sheath, and its harvest will bring the planting of corn for a later harvest in September. The number of large chicken farms is increasing. Lots of noise from the chickens and the guard dogs chained in front. The chickens here are mostly raised for egg production. This high production has increased the nutrition of the people. Good food with no need for refrigeration. One of my favorite foods is scrambled eggs with tomatoes. In this village, the eggs are really fresh.
THIRD ANNUAL CHOU CHIN FOLK FESTIVAL
I really got ahead of myself. I am visiting An Shang to attend the 3rd Annual Chou Chin Arts and Crafts Festival. After arriving on Friday morning, I was whisked onto the stage and introduced to the attendees of the festival. Many remembered me from my visit during the first festival.
I was asked to speak on the importance of volunteers and taking part in the community to improve the quality of life. I quoted President Barak Obama that, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” I congratulated everyone on the progress which had been made in the village in the past years and encouraged more community-centered thinking and working together.
I seemed to become a close personal friend of nearly everyone. I shook hands with folks for the remainder of my stay. Throughout the day, we visited the ever-improving Folk Art Museum and attended an elementary school presentation of awards to teachers and students. The theme for the cultural month was “Love your parents.” Loving those who have created you is the first step in loving yourself and others. Representatives of teachers and students addressed the audience. Awards were given. Since both Darlene and I were teachers, we were asked to participate. There are photos of the day in the Picasa album. A friend in Minnesota tipped me to the fact that I was on a website of the Shaanxi Translation Society http://www.chsta.org/news_detail.asp?id=228.
ENTERTAINMENT THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Throughout the day there was live entertainment by local trombonists, dancers, singers and writers. Several universities were represented with entertaining groups. An especially rewarding evening for young and old took place as the opening acts on the outdoor stage were college students performed routines that thrilled the hearts of the young kids and the teenagers. People had come from villages near and far to see this lively show and watch real performers shout and do their antics.
I happened to walk home after this performance and was surprised to be walking with a large crowd – really large crowd – that was walking to their village down the road in the pitch black of the night. The remainder of the evening highlighted local Shaanxi opera with all its color, traditional instruments, singing, dancing and drama. These performances were to continue on Saturday night.
Darlene and I walked backstage and caught performers making up and putting on costumes. Fun to be allowed backstage and take close up photos. Actually more fun backstage because the music was not so loud. The shrill sound of the instruments and the traditional singers is challenging to the uninitiated ear.
WALK TO THE WEI RIVER GORGE
Darlene, Shasha (our student guide and volunteer translator) took a 3.5 hour walk out of the village meandering through new and old gravesites and the fields of rape and wheat. We scouted out pomegranate orchards – one of the newest fruits being grown because of its anti-oxidant properties.
Invited ourselves into a local home to check out the front yard and look at a kong. These creations have always intrigued me. A kong is a large cement – or wad and dabble – structure inside the home. It looks like a large bed and is usually covered with quilts. The kong is hollow inside for the purpose of building a fire to heat the concrete and warm the house as well as the sitting/sleeping platform. The corn stocks and wheat shaft are pushed into the inner chamber of the kong from the outside. Smoke also goes outside. Ingenious way of keeping warm, keeping babies and kids warm and giving them a good place to play in the cold weather. Old people often are curled up taking a nap on the kong.
We wandered further to travel down the carved-in-the-loess-hillside road and view cave homes dug into the hillside. Great pictures on Picasa. The man who let us see his house lives in Xian but prefers to live in the cave during the hot summer because of its cool earthiness. There is talk of remodeling some of these ancient dwellings to show their comfort. I was encouraged to invest in one and have it available when I travel. I will need to talk to Wally about that.
Our evenings were spent watching the opera and wandering home in the quiet of the village night. We had most comfortable room in the home of An Te Jiang and his wife, Qing Gui. As always we were welcomed with a hug and excited voice. My friend Mr. Feng Jiedong, had been promoted to village manager and was bustling around making sure that all the festivities were happening in a timely fashion with minimal hitches. A formidable task which he accomplished remarkably well.
Always remembering that China is a third world country trying to act like it is in the first world. This festival was first world quality.
AN WEI AND THE EXTENDED AN FAMILY
I have always been hosted by Mr. An Wei and his family. An Wei became a friend of Wally and me after meeting in 1997 as guide for Margaret Wong’s Breck School tour which we joined. Since that time, we have seen him often in Shaanxi and Minnesota. He was connected tightly with Global Volunteers, President of the Sino-American Society, President of the Shaanxi Translation Society and more.
He was the point person for Project Peace which developed a new elementary school in the village. The project was partially to honor his daughter An Lin who died tragically in a car accident in Michigan 9 years ago.
He was instrumental in nominating me to become an Honorary An Shang Villager in 1996 at the First Annual Chou Chin Folk Art Festival. You can see the plaque proudly displayed in my living room.
A surprise for me was An Wei’s announcement that he was now a grandfather. An Wei and Mary Niu have wanted a grandchild – like many of us – for a long time. It was not going to happen using traditional means involving his children, and so they adopted a little girl, Bebe. Bebe was the second girl child of a farm family who strongly preferred a boy. Mom refused the little girl, but dad kept her alive and found an agency and eventually found An Wei and Mary Niu. Mary has been volunteering at a nursery for abandoned infants and made it known that she would consider a grandchild.
When the call came, they visited the family and left with their new baby. Bebe is darling. We visited on her 66th day of life and found her thriving in her new family. She has a cousin, the daughter of Li Li, who lives nearby and promises to be a close friend and playmate. Right now she has everything a baby could want – loving family, good food, warm house, toys and constant visitors.
In quizzing An Wei about the decision to adopt a grandchild, his counter question was “Why not?’ You know, I did not have a good answer for that. Perhaps if we all asked that question when making decisions, our lives would be better.
My most recent quote-to-live-by is from E. M Forster. We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to be able to live the life awaiting us. I guess this is somewhat in keeping with the An family decision to welcome Bebe.
VISITING LEI AND ROCKY IN CHANGSHA
I took my first plane ride using ctrip.com online reservation service. You book and pay through your credit card. Everything went smoothly. Eliminating the travel agent in a foreign country makes travel more efficient – as long as everything goes as planned.
I arrived midafternoon and was greeted by Rocky (Shi Jie Ying) who was wearing her favorite color – a royal blue – in beautiful Italian leather jacket, ring and earrings. To finish off the outfit, we traveled in her darling little royal blue Peugeot.
It is always interesting to compare driving conditions in different cities. I was accustomed to the more regulated Beijing driving where cars actually stop at lights, sometimes wait for other cars and generally travel in ways similar to home. Of course, that does not extend to the pedestrian or the little person toting a load bigger than his three-wheel bicycle. All of the above must accept responsibility for their own lives – car drivers do not see and/or do not care about anything that will not scratch or dent their vehicle.
I generally cross a street very close to and slightly behind a person in the middle of a pedestrian “swarm”. An Wei taught me years ago to do this and also to make my own judgment as to whether crossing is wise. His second suggestion was to make the decision, set your eyes straight ahead and walk forward. Do not look at cars, trucks, buses, taxis, bicycles, 3-wheelers after that. You either make it or you don’t. I am still here to tell about this strategy so go figure.
Here I am in Changsha considering the differences of driving from my experiences in Beijing. Rocky is an expert driver. I tended to remain silent while she drove because she needed to concentrate on the road and its challenges rather than making her brain work listening to my English and giving comment. She is a “weaver”. Moving in and out of cars, people and all. Seldom uses the horn, but makes accommodation for what is coming at her, in front of her, squeezing her from both sides. Slow, steady, regular and determined. Nobody bullies her on the road.
Another absolutely amazing thing is that she could produce a parking place for this little toy car when there were no spaces to be found. Bingo – rock star parking at a Xiang Ya Medical University when the gate keepers refused car entry – or – rock star parking at the Hunan Provincial Museum because she has been a volunteer for years.
For the three evening meals, we were hosted by various government officials. The Hunan Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, the Changsha Foreign Affairs Office and the Hunan Culture and Arts Office. At all of these the St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman’s delegation was mentioned. People were pleased to meet the group and glad that official channels have been opened again. We had discussions regarding cultural art exchanges, education exchanges, photo shows, possible tours of Changsha and Hunan by interested Minnesotans and more.
Lei Yixin explained our relationship based on the MinnesotaRocks! Project hosted by Public Art St. Paul in 2006. Lei and Rocky are extremely grateful to Jennie Hsiao and others for their recognition and support throughout the long, hot summer. They feel fortunate to have landed the prestigious commission of the Martin Luther King Monument by the MLK Foundation. http://www.mlkmemorial.org/
A visit to Changsha is not complete without seeing Lei’s sculptures in one of the public park areas. Some are drivebys and others are on-sidewalk art in pedestrian areas. Many offered photo ops for families who wanted to connect with the traditional scenes of vendors and families.
In a torrential downpour, we visited Lei’s studio. It is located in an old warehouse area. I knew we had arrived when dragons and beauties started appearing outside of buildings. Not little dragons and beauties – biiiig ones. These were mock ups of final pieces. A graveyard to sculptures after all. Inside the building was an exhibition area showing a variety of his works, old and new.
One of the most recent being a depiction of workers removing debris after the Sichuan earthquake. A touching tribute to the dead, the survivors, the workers, and the families.
The weekend I visited Changsha was the “Tomb sweeping celebration”. The Sichuan authorities opened one of the cities closed due to devastating earthquke damage so that survivors and families could honor their lost family members and friends. People with me had traveled earlier in the week to their ancestral homes to honor ancestors and prepare graves for the season.
In 1998, I visited Changsha and taught for a week at Xiang Ya Medical University. This school has re-established its early 1900s relationship with Yale School of Medicine – with exchanges of students and doctors. Xiang Ya is one of the largest medical facilities in China increasing their campus from one in 1998 to three at the present. We did a quick tour of the old campus under the guidance of Dr. Li Feng Hua, an English speaking dentist I traveled with in 1998. Rocky had a few questions for Dr. Li since her son studying at a university in Boston had a toothache. It was good to see old friends again.
We visited the Hunan Provincial Museum. Of special interest was a 1970’s excavation of Han tombs at Mawangdui. Over 230 pieces of tomb art and burial objects to assist the dead to the otherworld were on display – many in English. The corpse of the woman – hair, garments of silk, cotton and flax – were well preserved due to the high technology used in preparing the ground and structure of the tomb many centuries ago. A wonderful look into Han Dynasty history.
I thoroughly enjoyed my stay with Lei and Rocky. They were perfect hosts and made my short holiday relaxing and very interesting. They live in a luxury condo on the 12th floor. They like the busyness of the central city because of the conveniences. Rocky spends her mornings checking out their investments online and then goes downstairs to a women’s spa to stretch, work out, soak, read and visit with women friends. She is fit and trim eating fruits, vegetables, and very little meat. We had long conversations over breakfast as she ate her apple, juicy fruit, egg, oatmeal, rice gruel, juice, tangerine, nuts and more. Healthy eating habits. They travel annually to the USA working with the MLKing Foundation and staying with their son near this Boston university. It was so good to see them again. I look forward to hosting them again soon in Minnesota.
TRAVELS IN HEBEI AND DEPARTURE FROM CHINA
At this writing, censors in China have made all blogs inaccessible to internet users. I have sent Word documents to many people. If you know of someone who cannot access this blog and would prefer a Word document, let me know.
Early morning on my last Friday in China, Mr. Zhang Zhijun and Ms. Zhang Cuijun came to my Changping apartment door to begin our travels in Hebei Province. Hebei wraps itself around Beijing and Tianjin with varied geography. Our destination today is Chengde – a World Heritage Site of the Summer Resort of the Qing Emperors Khanxi, Qianglong and Jiaqing. These men were very ambitious and yet longed for the tranquility of the countryside. The imperial families and court took advantage of the nearness of Chengde with its cool mountains and natural lakes during the long summer. Architecture resembled the Forbidden City but was much less ornate and lacked flamboyant greeting areas, stairs, etc of Beijing. The imperial entourage would travel for eight days in May to reach the resort and stay until the falling of leaves in October. The temples reflected the Mongolian and Manchurian heritage of the people.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebei
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengde
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/703
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengde_Mountain_Resort
In addition to a very simple summer palace nestled in the hillside, there was a series of 12 temples situated in valleys and on peaks in the larger area. The site is famous for the 72 scenic spots many of which were copied from famous landscape gardens within greater China. The plains area resembled the landscape of the Mongolian grasslands and was used for troop bivouac and training. These were all Buddhist temples and several were exclusively for the use of the royalty.
The largest wooden Buddha was constructed, hollowed out and worshipped. Sometime in its history a building was constructed around the statue encasing it and making viewing nearly impossible. The statue itself is 23 meters or about 70 feet tall. Quite lovely even today. The largest temple we visited was in the mini Potola which was a replica of the Tibetan structure of fame. This was constructed because of Tibetan ancestry of the royalty as well as to make the visiting lamas comfortable.
We climbed stairs to reach all the levels of these temples. The views from the walls were scenic and must have been breathtaking 250-300 years ago when trees and farms dotted the landscape.
Today there is a wall around the grounds of each of these temples encasing significant grounds. Evergreens have been planted inside the wall but the outside is denuded, terraced land lying dormant and open to erosion. A striking difference. In the photos, is a shot of the hillside around the temple. It is included because it shows the distinctive division of the reforested area and the defoliated area. I have traveled in China since 1996 and been increasingly impressed with the care and concern given to planting trees, shrubs, and native grasses to control erosion caused by wind and water. In early travels every area showed bare dirt which is now covered with orchards and trees for purposes of wind rows, lumber, water erosion, shade and beauty. Nearly every non-crop patch of earth has vegetation. The dirt in the air has been significantly reduced. Trees are hosts to large black and white magpies that building nest 2 feet by 3 feet. These are the only significant birds I have seen throughout Beijing and Chengde – with the exception of a few sparrows. There are still pet birds in cages hanging out porches and being aired in the parks. Most of them sit screeching loudly – glad to be hanging out.
We stayed in a very nice hotel arranged by my friend, Sun Maozhang. Comfortable – almost elegant – décor with a good restaurant right in the heart of this small city. Our local hosts were Ms. Fu Run Feng and Ms. Yan Yang of the Foreign Affairs office. Yan Yang has visited Chengde’s sister county – Dakota County in Minnesota. Dakota County representatives hosted lunch for the 2007 Hebei delegation I guided.
CHENGDE CITY
Chengde has about 300,000 residents and is many steps down from the mega cities of Xian, Changsha and Beijing. There is a river running through it. The government has constructed large rubber dams – yes, rubber dams – which increase the water level as the river flows through the city. Along the river are walkways and the beginnings of parks. Chengde is located in a steep valley making flat land scarce. With growth, there is a struggle to in-fill and tendency to move closer to the river. There is a lovely new gray brick 5 story development precariously only steps from the river. Li Li, our guide, said that a 300 square meter condominium in Chengdu sells for 3,000 to 4,000 Yuan or about 430 to 550 USD per square meter. This could be instant riverside property if the rains ever come.
The entire area – Beijing included - is very dry and has been so for years. This was not true judging from the records of 200 and 300 years ago when there was good rainfall, animals to hunt, heavy forest. Hopefully the revegetation will have some impact on moisture. Farmers are heavily reliant on pumped water from the small rivers and the ground. Everyone warns that the underground water table has fallen with the heavy demand.
VILLAGE OF CUILI AND SPRING PEAR BLOSSOMS
After this tour, we boarded our coach to go to the local county offices and join others to travel up the mountain to the village of Cuili. Cars were parked along the roadway – wonder why? This may have been a small village once but on this Saturday it was filled with tourists who drove up to see the old pear trees in bloom in hillside orchards. Some of these trees are known to be over 150 years old. The blooms made for a picturesque landscape. We walked up and up and eventually up into the pear orchards (initially we walked because it was hopeless for our coach to navigate on this narrow road with cars parked all over at odd angles with a death drop on one side). Trees were white with blossoms which would mature into small pears. Not only are pears sold fresh at harvest but also dried whole and in peelings. The farmers have taken advantage of this city traffic and created pick-your-own fruit orchards for apples and pears.
To take advantage of the hungry tourists who have spent hours on the hillside, farm families have rebuilt their homes creating ground level restaurants in which they serve traditional country food. We gathered at two tables – meaning there were about 16 of us altogether. The food was hearty with thick strips of fat bacon, ribs, chicken, corn bread stuffed and unstuffed, squash and several bowls of raw vegetables. In farm style, these all came in small bowls which where layered in circles on the table. In all there must have been 18 different foods. Bean juice was the beverage along with the lethal rice wine and beer. I stayed with my tea, however many of the entourage partook in the Maotai and were not interested in later viewing the blooming pear trees.
Following lunch we walked throughout the village with one of the officials. At the end of the lane was a family operation run by a very capable woman. She was brought out from the heat of the kitchen and introduced to me. We visited as she related living in a small mud brick house until recently when tourists started arriving. They now had a large two story tile home with the first floor used as a restaurant. Tables were full and there was the litter of the typical and charming Chinese afterfeast with bones of consumed critters and peels and all. I used their toilet and on the trek back found the kitchen with young and old family members working hard to serve out the dishes in the dining room. Check out the Picasa album for photos. We were told that this family makes 100,000 Yuan every couple of months from this restaurant. Obviously they work hard for their income. They are considerably more comfortable than they were several years back.
Most of the winding road traffic had left by the time we were on our way. We picked our way through the cars, trucks and buses – but at least we were moving.
ALONG THE ROUTE TO BEIJING
I am writing this section on the return to Beijing. We will spend the night in Beijing before heading back to other parts of Hebei tomorrow. The roadside is remarkable. Clumped in communities along the road are one story brick homes of farmers. China clusters its farmers in villages with the surrounding area used for fields. The brick homes come in all shapes and sizes and give a very picturesque cityscape. Homes have trees and porches, and dogs, and cars and kids and grandkids. Life on Saturday is busy. Spring has arrived and everyone wants to get out and enjoy the weather. Although the fields have been readied for corn, planting has not taken place since the soil is still too cool for seed germination. We are passing now two herds of sheep. Sheep are useful to keep the roadsides clear of grass. We chased a herd for a block earlier today as they were enroute pasture to pasture. They did not like all the tourists invading their eating areas. Big, long legged critters with lots of matted wool.
The people in large cities are fed from the earthen greenhouses covered with plastic which can be seen for miles in every direction. With a bit of heat these green houses produce all year round. Fruits and veggies. Not much industry around here. Mostly what is needed to keep things going locally. Generally a poor area with limited resources and limited moisture. The one crop that really seems to thrive is trees, and they come in every variety imaginable. The typical tree is thin and tall with a bushy growth at the top. They are grown as large as is possible to be managed for transplant by 4-5 strong farmers. Ripped from the ground, stripped of their branches, loaded into trucks and taken to cities to be planted. Amazingly they grow. Such is the basic nature of living things – to survive. Since they lack roots, the big ones need to be propped up with sticks. Four sticks to every tree. Makes it all look cluttered. Someday this will all work. Right now the esthetics are not so pleasing.
MEMOIRIES OF SPRING BLOSSOMS IN MINNESOTA
In my childhood the weather and the landscape always mattered and was all revered for it diversity and richness. I could sit in a field in Minnesota, I can now sit in a field in Hebei or Shaanxi and watch life around me. Comfort of people, place, air, sun, rain, life. You can take this girl out of the country, but you cannot take the country out of this girl. What a treat it was to be bestowed with Honorary Citizen status in the Shaanxi village of An Shang. I feel connected.
LONGQING GORGE
The next morning we left Beijing going north to Longqing Gorge on the Lesser Lijiang River.
http://www.kinabaloo.com/lq.html. Because of its nearness to Beijing, the Gorge is a tourist destination – but with few tourists on this overcast and misty Sunday morning. A nice change from the pushy crowds I have experienced. We spotted a large yellow dragon snaking its way down the mountainside from the dam and reservoir. To my surprise, this was the entrance to the climb uphill to the gorge boat ride on the far side of the dam – supposedly the world’s longest escalator ride at 846 feet in 8 sections. We walked into the mouth of the dragon and stepped onto long, steep escalators to climb the mountain. We emerged out of the tail through a tunnel. It was cold that morning and as we rode along there was ice accumulated outside of the main current of the river. Snow in crevices on the mountain walls. Our stop was at a dock for a climb to a charming local temple. Nestled on ledges were concessions for tightrope bicycle riding and bungee jumping in and over the Gorge – yikes! Quite a contrast to the tranquility of the flowing river.As always hunger overcame us, and we headed back to find a good restaurant. We happened on a small hotel and had a very tasty lunch of traditional duck slices wrapped with sauce and onion silvers in a thin pancake, two very large fish heads coated with sweet and spicy red peppers (good to look at and eat) fried vegetable balls, black fungus with sautéed garlic cloves and cute little vegetable patties that looked like miniature drums. I am told the price was right for that meal also. We were the only diners since a large wedding party had just cleared out. The place was being hastily cleaned after being trashed by the revelers.
BAODING POWER VALLEY JINGJIANG INTERNATIONAL HOTEL - A HUGE SOLAR COLLECTOR
The remainder of the day was spent reaching our hotel in Baoding and settling in. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baoding. We were greeted by Ms. Feng Zhen and Ms. Li Yu of the Foreign Affairs Office who hosted us for a tasty dinner of traditional local hot pot. Our hotel was the most remarkable hotel I have ever visited. I have been in and out of many 5 star hotels during our dental meetings – don’t get me wrong, the meeting is in the 5 star hotel and we stay in a neighborhood Bed and Breakfast. We are not 5 star devotees. However this facility was one of a kind. It was opened in fall of 2008 as a demonstration project by the local power company. The expertise of this area is in alternative energy capture, storage, and distribution. Baoding is making a name for itself in solar and winder energy.
The Power Valley Jingjiang International Hotel is large with a breathtaking lobby with ample area to sit and meet with friends, a nice restaurant and gigantic convention facilities. As always I love art and especially functional art. The hotel had metal sculptures esthetically placed throughout. Two large … hmmmm how do I say it? Leaky bowls? Probably 6 feet tall are surrounded by gold tile with large pools for koi to meander. Stunning. A most remarkable carpet in the main gathering area displayed a montage of butterflies. Awesome! (This alone is worth visiting the Hebei Picasa Album. Also check out http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-hotels-chinese-hotel-powers-itself-with-self-generated-solar-electricity/ ).
The complex generates a portion of its power through 48,500 square feet of solar collectors. The lobby ceiling is designed with a translucent roof allowing sunlight into the interior. The roofs, sides of buildings, parking lots and most surfaces are solar collectors. In my experience most solar paraphernalia is ugly, looks clumsy, takes up space. Well, this did not hold true for this hotel. The collectors are designed into the architecture. My room windows were equipped with a grid of collectors which actually enhanced the interior and exterior appearance. Many of the stop lights, street lights, ground lights of the newer area of the city are energized through their own individual generators. Usually small and unobtrusive. Solar equipment like this would make it on an American market. Baoding companies have exported their concepts and equipment to a large project in Germany.
The afternoon was spent in the Zhili Mansion which was again well preserved and a model of the living and working quarters of those who governed. The capital of Zhili was renamed Baoding. During WWII, the city was the site of headquarters for the Japanese occupation forces. Only in recent history did Shijiazhuang become the government center.
HAN TOMBS OF MANCHENG COUNTY
The next morning we were off to visit the Han Tombs of Mancheng County. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baoding Tombs of Prince Li Sheng and Princess Dou Wan were unearthed in 1968 by soldiers digging artillery bunkers. They date from 100 years BC and have remained unpilfered. There are photos on the Picasa Web Album which show the configuration of the tunnels – being that of a Chinese character. There were remains of 16 horses which pulled the carriages of the royalty. Bowls, tins, grain were all found in perfectly preserved caves. The corpses had decomposed, but the jade tiles tied together with golden thread remained showing the outline of the royalty. Li Sheng was a little short of 6 feet and Dou Wan about 5 feet 5 inches. The tombs took 42 years to complete and were done with primitive tools and rock burning techniques. When the rock was heated it would explode and then could be carried off. Can’t imagine the smoke created with this, but the final cave rooms were very large.
We were famished again and went to a restaurant which had the façade of a cave for lunch. Traditional dishes were chosen: chopped corn cake with bean sprouts and shaved green pepper, pigeon, black fungus with lotus seeds, celery and asparagus, green beans in a sweet bean paste, bitter melon with Japanese mushrooms and shredded chicken, tender pork in a sweet sauce covering a bed of shredded green onions and garlic. My first time for donkey burgers. Tasted like red meat. Poor donkeys live a life of labor and deprivation and end up on a sandwich. Is there no fairness in this world? At the door of this restaurant was a wall of hearts with names of lovers and their wedding reception dates. This was a popular restaurant for parties.
LONGXING TEMPLE
The next morning we headed off to Zhengding City to visit the Big Buddha in Longxing Temple. The temple is one of the earliest and best preserved. It does not have the shiny paint recently applied to structures in Beijing, though it looks amazingly good for a structure of the Sui Dynasty (581AD-618AD). http://www.chinatravel.com/hebei/shijiazhuang/attraction/longxing-temple-in-zhengding-county/
A PLEASURABLE EVENING WITH HEBEI FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICE STAFF
By day’s end we had reached the capital city of Shijiazhuang. Our evening – and this entire itinerary - was hosted by Mr. Yang Quanshe, Director of the Hebei Foreign Affairs Office. I met Mr. Yang and Mr. Sun Maozhang in Minnesota in 2007 when I arranged a six day Minnesota itinerary for their delegation. US - China Peoples Friendship Association of Minnesota was asked to assist these officials by making appointments with business and government organizations. I was able to facilitate visits to Chengde’s sister – Dakota County, The China Center at the University of Minnesota, Griffin Industries, an architectural firm, the University Research facility in Waseca and a granite quarry near Mankato. We spent five weekdays on this itinerary. I was invited to visit their Province and fortunate to connect with them when I had this extended teaching stay in Beijing.
A VOLUNTEER GIVES HER RATIONALE
I must admit as a volunteer that I was cautious about accepting hospitality in Hebei. They insisted and as it happened, my guilt was quelled when I was again a volunteer. Let me explain: Mr. Zhang (Director of the North and South Americas Division of the Hebei Foreign Affairs Office) and Ms. Zhang (a new staff member in the same department) who traveled with me had never been to the United States. They were most appreciative for an opportunity to share time and travel with a teacher of American Language and Culture. Our five days were actually a multi-cultural intensive English adventure with all of us sharing our knowledge and our homeland.
I was enriched by their well-informed knowledge of local history, culture, people and places. Mr. Zhang had not traveled our route in over 9 years so he connected with old friends. Ms. Zhang had never visited any of the locations so this too was an orientation for her. They practiced their English and were tired at night having made the translation from information they had known since their youth into my American English language – and having it make sense to me. Mr. Zhang had a very good electronic Chinese/English dictionary in his cell phone. When he was not collecting messages or text messaging, he was checking on a word meaning. Since they were not travelers, they did not know how ?interesting? some of the translations can be in these electronic wizards. We had lots of laughs and lots of explanations of why, how, when, why not in regard to many of our experiences.
Instead of me imposing on their work schedules, hosting me offered an in-context, with a native speaker of highly Standard English, a traveling English refresher course. We were all richer for the experience.
A TRAVELING AMERICAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE SEMINAR
Our hours in the coach offered opportunity to ask those nagging questions about each other’s countries. When all was quiet during our commute, my computer would be fired up and one of the Zhang’s would look at my DVDs or PowerPoint presentations and enjoy the materials I have accumulated for my orientation sessions with China Center Trainees in Minnesota. After dinner we shared my computer resources using my new portable projector with those who hosted us for dinner and ended our evenings practicing English and asking questions of each other.
CHAUFEUR
Our driver was a magician. He made our travels comfortable, was always on his toes. Great guy doing a great job.
I must say that these 5 days was extremely enjoyable for me. Of course, you all know I like to travel. How exciting it was to travel with local people who took such good care of me. The early-on wish list I emailed to Sun was carefully put into an intense itinerary across Hebei Province. I was honored to be their guest. I will always remain indebted to the Hebei Foreign Affairs Office for their generosity to me.
Getting back … Mr. Yang arranged for a very elegant, intimate evening with a few people of the FAO department. We enjoyed local delicacies served individually in courses by wait staff. The service was impeccable, food delicious and the company entertaining.
My stay in Shijiazhuang was the only time I was able to visit with Sun Maozhang who had been my contact for the Hebei delegation in Minnesota. We were hopeful for a long reunion and travel together when he was suddenly called to assist his father who was having medical problems. We had only a few hours to renew friendships and reminisce about times in Minnesota. I am most thankful to Sun for his attention to the details for the travel. His choice of replacement staff – the Zhangs – was well chosen with easy travel companions. All involved in this visit will be lifelong friends.
Before leaving the next morning Mr. Yang and Mr. Sun and several others visited with me over breakfast. They had some general questions as well as explored the possibility of a return visit for commercial connections. Time will tell where and when our next meeting will take place.
THE NETWORK OF FRIENDS EXPANDS
I need to mention that in every stop, people knew Chicago Consul General Huang Ping. US-China Peoples Friendship Association of Minnesota invited and hosted Consul General Huang at our Moon Festival in Minnesota. The Hebei people all envied Mr. Huang’s opportunity to visit Minnesota and put his toes in the Headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River in Lake Itasca State Park. Hope they can all share the experiences sometime in their careers.
LANGFANG HI-TECH DEVELOPMENT ZONE
On the road again. This time to Langfang City to catch up with Mr. Wang Rongsan, Director of the Bureau of Finance of Langfang High-tech Development Zone. http://www.lfdz.gov.cn/xxt/web/EN/1.jsp This area is located midway between Beijing and Tianjin to its south. The zone has ultra modern infrastructure with roads, water, electrical, gas, heat, industrial steam, and telecommunications. It has all the services, schools, hotels etc. that would be expected in a modern city even though much of it was and still is farmland adjacent to the large cities. At one point we were zigzagging between government districts of Beijing, Langfang, Tianjin, and Hebei. Mobile phones were beeping as we crossed telecommunication boundaries. Everyone laughed about making a long distance connection – between the front and back seats of the coach as we crossed invisible electronic borders.
GRAND EPOCH CITY
Our destination was Grand Epoch City within the development zone. Another amazing location with all the facilities needed to host major conventions. There are 4000 hotel rooms at varying price ranges adjacent to international and Chinese style convention facilities and restaurants within a high walled community. The grounds and buildings were architecturally modeled after the Northern China style of the historic Imperial Palace and Summer Palace. We walked in the evening and again in the morning through large parks with arched bridges, blooming apple, pear and peach trees. Pools were being readied for the emergence of lotus and water lilies. The internet information and photos are much better than mine so give a look http://www.grand-epoch-city.com/.
Adjacent to Zheng’an Palace Hotel where we resided was a mock up, life size temple museum with larger than life Buddhas and all the accoutrements to worship. http://www.grand-epoch-city.com/en-wr/en-fojiaobowuyuan.asp Unlike the real temples, everything was shiny bright and clean – not suffering from the airborne debris of the outside world.
The development includes a water park, gymnasium, all sports opportunities, and a large golf course. Amazing and very stylish. Check my Picasa sight for photos of a wonderful courtyard/hutong area that can be rented by individual units for lots and lots of money.
STAY HERE NEXT TIME YOUR VISIT CHINA
If you need to overnight in Beijing and want a tranquil place to hold up, this is the place. It is only 40 minutes from the Beijing and Tianjin airports. All you friends who lead tours might consider this as a last stop in China before an international flight. This was our schedule. After a wonderful lunch at the Golf Club, we headed for the airport and my return home.
I left China again with a sense of pleasure at being able to see the sights and meet the people – and make new friends. My circle of friendship continues to grow.
REFLECTING ON MY FIVE WEEKS
I treasure my moments teaching students and sharing challenges with administrators and teachers at Beijing Royal School. I enjoyed staying and touring in Changsha with Rocky and Lei. My return to An Shang village reminds me of An Wei’s quote, “To know China, you must know a farmer.” I can count some farm men and women among my global friends. Can’t chat with them, but we treasure our time together and laugh at our inabilities. I have passed from being a guest to being part of the extended An Family through the hospitality of An Wei and his siblings in An Shang. And then there was my incredible journey in Hebei with old and new friends and colleagues.
I truly believe that my quest for adventure in the culture of others rewards not only me but also Wally and all those who extend their hands and hearts to me. The world is really pretty small, after all.
WHO WOULD KNOW?
Who would know that the sudden death of my mother on New Years Eve in 1994 … would reintroduce me to her sister … who needed an escort to visit Changchun for two months … would lead me to Hamline University to earn my Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certificate, BA in Education, MA in English as a Second Language … return me to China 11 times … involve me in the sister relationship of Shaanxi and Minnesota … put me speaking on the stage of the 1st and 3rd Annual Chou Chin Folk Art Festival in a village of 1200 people … introduce me to the China Center at the University of Minnesota to teach incoming mid-career trainees … involve me with wonderful dedicated people in US-China Peoples Friendship Association … bring another culture to Wally and my children … give me an opportunity to have a PAID teaching assignment in Beijing Royal School?
My new banner in the house says it all:
We must be willing to let go of the life we planned
So as to have the life awaiting us.
So … what is next for me? For you? For us?
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