3 September 2015

Gentlefolk

My apologies, this post is out-of-sequence.  I've just found some photos of the Graduation ceremonies which took place in early July and wanted to include them.

Although we have been at UPC for some years, this was the first time Vera and I attended graduation ceremonies.  We knew some of the graduating students, so decided to go along to see how it all went.

The main ceremony for all graduating students (about 5,000 both undergraduate and post-graduate) took place in the university's impressive gymnasium.  Graduating students wore different coloured T-shirts, depending on their College (eg Petroleum Engineering, or Geology, or Business, etc).

The key-note speech was given by the University's President, Professor Shan Hong Hong.  We heard on the grapevine that the leaders will all be replaced in the next semester, so this would be her 'last hurrah'.

Over following days, students in each College received their actual degrees from the President.  She must have been absolutely exhausted by the end of that week!

Vera and I were glad we attended the graduation ceremonies.  Everything went like clock-work. This was a big event in the lives of these students - the culmination of 4 years of hard study. It was interesting, and a privilege, so see them grow in maturity and knowledge over that time.

They were now going on to the next stage of their lives, finding jobs and settling into working life, but they will always remember (cherish?) the time they spent at UPC.

The university's gymnasium, an iconic structure, where the main graduation  ceremony took place.

Over 5,000 graduating students almost filled the gymnasium. They wore different coloured T-shirts depending on their College.

Another view of the graduating students.  There was an area for 'visitors' where Vera and I sat.  There were perhaps 200 people in that section, presumably parents of graduating students.  Actually, we were surprised more parents or relatives weren't present - but students come from far afield and this was not a public holiday so parents may have found it difficult to get away.  

Faces of the future leaders of China.

The International Trade majors wore yellow T-shirts, part of the College of Business and Administration.  

These were the International Trade students who were in my classes.  

Suddenly a group of students burst into song, led by this 'conductor' (perhaps a teacher?).  It added to the festive atmosphere.

Shan Hong Hong's image appeared on big screens around the gymnasium during her speech.

Following the main ceremony, there were special individual ceremonies for each College, at which the students were presented with their degree, by the President, and photos taken.

The following photos are of some of the International Trade students I taught.

Jelena getting her degree certificate.  She was a lively and friendly girl.

This girl made a speech on behalf of her College.  She must have been one of the top students to be chosen for such an honour.  It's a pity I couldn't understand what she was saying, but she certainly looked smart, pretty, and 'with it'!

Lots of photos after the degree ceremony.

Some of the International Trade students who had been in my classes.

Two of students we got to know well:  Yu Ya Qi (Romulus) graduated last year but came down for his girlfriend's graduation, Li Zhi Wei (Lena).   Lena did a double degree, Law and English.

We hosted lunch for some of the top students from my Western Culture classes DM1301 and DM1302. Bright kids. 

Same group as above. From left: Liu Si Yi (Charles' girlfriend from Chongqing, she attends university in Shanghai); Yu Zhi Chao Charles (Safety Engineering, from Qingdao City); Vera; Alex; Shen Qi Qing Rita (Oil storage & transportation, from Zhejiang); Chen Zhi Peng Oliver (Chemical Engineering, from Zhejiang Province);  Pan Yu Summer (Applied chemistry); Jiang Lin John (Environmental engineering, from Anhui); Ou Yang Qian Ocean (Environmental engineering, from Guangdong).

...

That's it for this post.

I have now caught up - so much easier to do that here in Hong Kong than in China.  Still, we are looking forward to returning to the campus this afternoon.  Teaching starts on Monday, so it will be "all systems go", another semester, new classes, new students.  All good.

Best wishes, keep well and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Thursday 3 September 2015