Another busy week.
On the international front: continuing drama in the Ukraine - potentially an explosive situation; search for MH370 continues, with area more defined and now using bluefin; big ferry overturned in South Korea with hundreds still missing; and (yawn) the royal visit to Australia.
On the personal front: a public lecture; media interviews; and a great salsa concert last night by a quartet from France - first good dance we've had in ages.
This is Easter weekend - not that you'd know it here, of course. In Canberra we always went to the National Folk Festival, which was 4 wonderful days of music and dance. Miss that.
What do students like and dislike about college?
This week I asked the students in my oral English classes what they like about College, something they dislike, and what they would change if they could.
The following table shows sample comments. These are Double Major students in 2nd Year, so have a very busy class schedule. Several described College teachers as 'remote', and they don't get feedback on performance. Others complained that many technical books in the library are out-of-date. One girl said she had the 'second year blues' - felt lazy and not interested in study, and missed her family.
Their living conditions are not easy (at least by Western standards). They are squeezed 6 to a dormitory, about 9x4 metres. Shared toilets on each floor. The campus only has one public bath (showers) so is far from some residential buildings. There are 3 big dining halls, but they get very crowded at peak times.
Still, the China University of Petroleum is ranked in the top 100 in China (out of about 2,500), so the students realise that they are privileged to be here.
Comments on College life, Double Major oral English
students, April 2014.
Name
|
Like
about College?
|
Dislike
about College?
|
If you
could, what would you change?
|
Vincent
|
Many options.
|
Low wattage in dorm.
|
Bigger dorm, with bathroom.
|
Oscar
|
Learning so much.
|
Cold winters.
|
Improve communication.
|
Flora
|
Good friends, food.
|
Too many exams.
|
Fewer classes.
|
Jenny
|
Campus surrounds.
|
Wind.
|
Introduce internship program.
|
Nikki
|
Many study options.
|
Canteen food boring.
|
Be closer to home town.
|
Katherine
|
Freedom to choose.
|
Untidy classrooms.
|
Closer friendships.
|
Sophia
|
Good friends.
|
Bathroom far away.
|
A swimming pool on campus.
|
Abby
|
Heating in winter.
|
Dorm on 7th floor.
|
More trees on campus.
|
Richard
|
Able to study in empty classrooms.
|
No feedback on exams.
|
Closer relations with teachers.
|
Carl
|
Time for sport.
|
Many compulsory (and useless) meetings in 1st
yr.
|
Talk less, listen more.
|
Tom
|
Campus near sea.
|
Crowds at meal times.
|
More gardens and trees.
|
Coral
|
Can have boyfriend.
|
Some boring classes, such as Marxism.
|
Wants to be more active.
|
Cassie
|
Independence.
|
Teachers remote.
|
More self-development.
|
Emily
|
Canteen food is cheap and good.
|
Cold winds in winter.
|
Cockroaches in dorm.
|
Ada
|
Meet students from all over China.
|
Food too salty.
|
Read more books.
|
Bella
|
Good friends.
|
Small dorm and no bath.
|
Time for more exercise.
|
The F-word dilemma
Last week the university's film club screened "American Hustle". This film was released late last year, and got quite a few Oscar nominations (but no awards), so we were keen to see it.
Vera liked the movie, but I wasn't that impressed (it seemed quite dis-jointed to me) and I left about half-way through. When I got home, I read some reviews on Google. The movie was well received by most critics. I was surprised to read that it was actually a comedy. There were some funny scenes, but overall I would not have categorised it as a comedy. Maybe I should watch it again?
Anyway, the main point I wanted to discuss was the language in the movie. The F-word was frequently used - every second sentence seemed to contain the F word. This is actually a dilemma for English teachers. From movies such as this one, it is obvious that the F-word and other cuss-words are very much part of every-day life in the USA (and other English speaking countries). But I never use it in my classes, nor do my fellow teachers.
I wonder what the students think? Here we are teaching oral English, and yet we ignore words which they frequently hear in movies, on videos, and in TV series.
Sometimes students use the F-word in role-plays in class. When that happens I have usually ignored it, or laughed it off. But I wonder whether I shouldn't confront the issue - it seems to be almost 'main-stream English' these days - and discuss it openly with the students.
What would you do?
Australia comes to town
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott came to China after visiting Japan and South Korea. He met Premier Li Ke Qiang at the prestigious Boao Economic Forum which is held every year on Hainan Island in southern China. Then to Shanghai for the opening of "Australia Week", before moving on to Beijing to meet President Xi Jin Ping.
Maybe it's my imagination, but Mr Abbott seems a bit stiff / uncomfortable around foreign leaders? I guess he just hasn't had much exposure to foreigners, especially Asians, during his working life. Steep learning curve.
Most of the attention of Chinese media was on Australia's coordinating role in the search for missing plane MH370. But the main purpose of Mr Abbott's visit was to push the negotiations on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement between Australia and China. These negotiations started about 9 years ago - the wheels of bureaucracy grind slowly - and Mr Abbott wants to see it concluded this year. Onya, Tony!
The following graphs give some idea why China is so important in world commerce these days, and especially to Australia.
 |
| In the last 30 years China's GDP has grown by an extraordinary 9.9% per annum. Its international trade has also grown enormously, and it now represents about 10% of world trade. Source: World Trade Organisation statistics. |
 | ||
China represents about 25% of Australia's total merchandise trade. Source: Treasury Economic Round-up #4, 2012
|
 |
| China buys mainly minerals and energy from us while we buy a range of manufactured products from China. But Australia is a relatively small market, so we have a huge trade surplus with China - that is, we sell much more to China than we buy from it. That enables us to pursue our passion for BMWs, American movies, and Perrier water. |
 |
| Exports of iron ore are now running at about 25 million tonnes a month. That's huge. Personally, I wish Australia was getting more return for those finite natural resources. |
 |
| Premier Li Ke Qiang escorting visiting leaders, including PM Tony Abbott, into the Boao Forum on Hainan Island. |
 |
| Peter Costello sharing a joke with old foe Bob Hawke at the Boao Forum. Did you see Mr Costello's article in the SMH last week comparing New York and Hong Kong airports? He speculated that maybe Asian infrastructure is so much better because it is government owned. Shock, horror .... could he be regretting all those privatisations? |
 |
| Putting his best foot forward: Mr Abbott getting a pedicure. |
 |
| Mr Abbott at the opening ceremony of "Australia Week" in Shanghai. 600 Aussie business people visited Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Guangzhou. |
 |
| Finally Mr Abbott got to meet the Chinese No. 1, President Xi Jin Ping, in Beijing. Australia's entire population is the equivalent of that of Shanghai. Everything in China is on a very different scale. |
The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) is the Australian Government's trade and investment promotion agency, part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). I wish Australian products and services were more visible here in China. One sees German cars, French wine, Swiss chocolate, NZ dairy products, American brands such as North Face and KFC, but rarely anything from Australia.
Public lecture
Sales of my book "It's all about the students" have been languishing, so the university's publishing office asked me to do a public lecture (open to all students and teachers) to generate some interest. The title of my talk was "Aspects of America" and I spoke about Geography, Economy, Sports, 9/11, and finished up with 10 minutes about the book.
 |
| A poster promoting the book has been put up around the campus, but sales have been slow. |
After the lecture the book was for sale - 25 copies were sold - and Susie (translator) and I autographed copies.
 |
| Public lecture on Aspects of America. Wouldn't you know, the projector went 'yellow' during the lecture. Murphy's law. |
 |
| The audience at the Public Lecture on 13 April 2014. |
 |
| With two students who bought be book following the Public Lecture. |
Were you a spy?
I was asked this question on Sunday night.
A student approached me after the public lecture (described above) and said that his Military History lecturer (a retired Army officer) told his class that I had almost certainly been a spy, based on my previous career working in Australian Embassies in Jakarta, Bangkok, Singapore and Beijing. He figured my other postings - in far-off Canada and Brazil - were just part of my cover.
So the student asked me straight-up: "Were you an Australian spy?"
I responded "Do I look like James Bond?", and of course the answer was an emphatic "No!".
 |
| Sean Connery as my favorite 007 .... but a million miles from my reality! |
At least he didn't ask "Are you still .....?", but I wonder if that is what some people think? Heavy stuff.
I must admit that for the first couple of years in China, I was quite reticent in talking about my previous career and particularly my posting to Beijing from 1983 to 1986. But when the university published my book last September they wanted full background details.
Although China is much more open than before, authorities can still be paranoid about security.
Last week the university website featured a story about my Award as a "Model Foreign Teacher" which included details of my former work as a Trade Commissioner at several Australian Embassies so I guess that is where the boy's teacher read about my former work.
Actually, the lecturer's assertion is not that preposterous. During the Cold War many diplomats at Soviet-aligned embassies (often in the Trade Section) around the world were 'busted' for spying activities. But the Good Guys could not possibly have gotten up the to same antics, could they .....???
On reflection, perhaps I should have said "Yes" - sales of the book would have rocketed. But my career as a teacher may also have come to a sudden end!
Visit to Ling Shan Island
During the recent Qing Ming holiday I did a day-trip out to Ling Shan Island with Paul Finkbeiner and Liu Feng Qiang (Oliver). The island is about 10 km from Huangdao. We took the 10 am ferry and returned on the 4pm ferry (cost $10 return; duration 30 minutes one way).
About 2,000 people live on the island, but we saw very few young people. Like many places in China, young people move to towns and cities to get jobs in factories and construction, leaving 'hollow' villages (only young children and old folk).
Paul and Oliver climbed the peak (540 m, I only went half way up). We then had a delicious seafood lunch ($20) in a local restaurant. The sun was shining, the Spring air was crisp and clean, the food was good - it was a very pleasant day.
 |
| On the ferry with Liu Feng Qiang (Oliver). He is a 3rd year English Major student, who got a job near Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota last summer - hence the logo on his hoodie. |
 |
| View of Ling Shan Island from the back of the ferry. Paul and Oliver climbed the peak (540 metres). |
Shandong Educational TV
Li Yu Lin, a journalist from Shandong Educational TV in Jinan (the provincial capital) came to our university on Monday to do a story about the "nice old grandfather" who had received an award as a Model Foreign Teacher. He interviewed me and later took some footage of my Culture class. He also interviewed some of the students to get their opinions.
Mr Li said he is planning to produce a 5 minute story, to be screened at 6.50pm on Sunday evening 20 April - apparently viewership is close to 10 million! Only in China. They'll watch anything about education.
It ended up being 6 minutes - see following link (my part starts at the 4 minute mark):
http://www.sdetv.com.cn/a/jiaoyulanmu/jiaoyuxinwen/2014/0420/9540.html
My new nick-name is "Ye Ye of Shi Da" (Grandfather of UPC).
 |
| Li Yu Lin from Shandong Educational TV interviewing one of the students during my Western Culture class on Monday night. |
 |
| Interview with Li Lu Hua (left) from the New Huadao Party newspaper. Liu Li Na (right) from the International Office acted as interpreter. The interview was held in our apartment, as the journalist wanted to see it. |
Flash Eddie
 |
| Caroline, Eddie & Andrew in Singapore. No even 5 weeks old and he's a jet-setter already. |
 |
| A photo-shopped Flash Eddie .... an Austin Powers clone? |
Vera & I will be in Beijing next weekend (for the Award) so I will do a post when we get back.
Keep fit and keep smiling.
Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Sunday 20 April 2014
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