Post #90 18 January 2016

Gentlefolk,

This post contains Indexes of my blog posts in 2014, 2015, and 2016 (1 - 18 January 2016).

The blog is a good record of our lives in China from February 2014 until January 2016; while the focus is on living and teaching in Qingdao, other subjects are covered as well.

Favorite posts

My favorite posts are:

Post #13  Olah Family history - a snapshot
Post #14  The world's most prolific inventor, Australian Kia Silverbrook
Post #30   Memories of the Australian Embassy Beijing, 1984-86
Post #34   Love poems with an international trade theme
Post #58   Have World Expos reached their use-by date?
Post #79   Why have so few Chinese been awarded the Nobel prize?

Visits

I consciously tried to keep the focus on teaching and students, and not make the blog a "travelogue". But of course it has descriptions of places we visited, such as:

2014: Beijing (April); Chengdu (May); Dalian (October).
2015: Qufu (April); Xian (May); Nanjing (May); Shanghai (July); Suzhou (July); Zoucheng (October); Rizhao (November).

We usually visit Australia twice a year (via Hong Kong), in the long university breaks: "winter" (mainly February) and "summer" (mainly August).

TV program

In December 2014 Qingdao TV produced a series of programs describing foreigners living and working in Qingdao.  One of the programs was about two foreign teachers at universities in Huangdao, Dr Laxmisha Rai and me; it goes for about 25 minutes, alternating between the two of us.  To view on YouTube click HERE

Index of Posts

Alex Olah’s blog:  alexolah.blogspot.com

Describing the lives of Alex & Vera Olah as English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong Province.

Table 1: Index for 2014 (Post # 01 – Post #39)

Post number & date	Events described
Post #1 15 February 2014 In Kuala Lumpur	Andrew helped me set up this blog when we visited Caroline and him in Kuala Lumpur in February 2014.  He convinced me that a blog is the best way to keep family and friends informed of our activities teaching in China. The first post includes: ·         photos of our family holiday in Hawaii in January 2014 ·         photos of the cruise of the Hawaiian Islands by Vera and me ·         photos with Caroline and Andrew in KL (Caroline was 8 months pregnant)
Post #2 8 March 2014 In Qingdao	Teaching at China University of Petroleum, Qingdao (UPC) Terrorist attack in Kunming Ukraine crisis Kevin Rudd’s new position Meeting of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing China’s defence budget Assessing students Missing flight MH370
Post #3 16 Mar 2014	About Fu Ying, China’s ambassador to Australia 10 years ago Student ‘news’ Welcome to Eddie, our new grandson, born 14 March 2014 Medical & dental issues The mystery of MH370 Ukraine crisis
Post #4 23 Mar 2014	Mystery of flight MH370 Visit to China by Michelle Obama, her daughters and mother Grandkids – photos of Eddie in KL and Kurt, Nate & Sid in Brisbane World’s most expensive cities World’s biggest economies Doctor – patient stress in China Has Spring arrived?
Post #5 28 Mar 2014	Description of China University of Petroleum, Qingdao www.upc.edu.cn My teaching schedule this semester (March – July 2014) Summaries of my classes Weekly class timetable for Double Major students My teaching approach
Post #6 30 Mar 2014	News summary for March 2014 (from China Daily) PM Abbott’s re-introduction of British honours Flight MH370 Paul Bulcke, CEO of Nestle Vanessa Mae, renowned violinist and now Olympic skier
Post #7 6 April 2014	Flight MH370 Changes in the Cuban economy The Qing Ming Festival Poetry Student opinions on recent issues Fast Eddie
Post #8 13 April 2014	Sun, where art thou? Award for ‘favorite foreign teacher’ Coming of age – new 5 star hotels in Huangdao A mystery – China’s property market Student comments on high school and university
Post #9 20 April 2014	Student comments about college The F-word dilemma Australia comes to town – huge business delegation My public lecture; and question "were you a spy"? Visit to Ling Shan Island Shandong Educational TV Flash Eddie
Post #10 29 April 2014	Trip to Beijing for the Favorite Teacher Award Building activity around Huangdao Ranking of cities
Post #11 6 May 2014	News summary for April 2014 Operations of China’s 4 biggest banks Time Magazine’s 2014 List of 100 Most Influential People The Wen Zhang affair Disappearance of Flight MH370 Crisis in Ukraine
Post #12 8 May 2014	Our visit to Chengdu, Sichuan Province
Post #13 18 May 2014	Olah Family history ·         Photos of my mother ·         Messages from Angie and Aniko Blast from the past – Burton & Garran Hall’s 50th anniversary celebrations Student ‘Super One’
Post #14 25 May 2014	Compiling exam papers Model teacher Five year rule for foreign teachers in Shandong My new phone APEC comes to town (Heath McMichael) Nobel Prize List of Prolific Inventors; Kia Silverbrook and Paul Lapstun Photo with UPC President Peter’s Ice Cream goes French Vale, Reg Gasnier
Post #15 2 June 2014	Duan Wu (Dragon Boat) Festival Footy Adventurer extraordinaire Fedor Konyukhov The China – Vietnam dispute Jack Brabham, RIP News summary for May 2014
Post #16 7 June 2014	Graduating class Steve’s birthday Student opinions on recent events Feedback on the semester from Double Major students China’s leading ladies: Peng Li Yuan and Cheng Hong Eddie goes to Paris
Post #17 14 June 2014	Big month of Sport: World Cup starts in Brazil; NBA Championships won by San Antonio Spurs; French Open won by Nadal and Sharapova Which part of American Culture did you find most interesting? Teaching the CNOOC group Students selling belongings Our seniors bus passes The dreaded Gao Kao The world’s most popular woman (Yao Chen) Grandkids
Post #18 22 June 2014	Campus news: ·         CCTV English News channel ·         The godfather of UPC ·         Culture exam ·         Farewell to Mashine ·         Homeward bound The Queen meets the Premier One of the best World Cup goals ever? Spurs beat Heat to win NBA Championships News summary for first half of June 2014 A bit of nostalgia (Jakarta 1972) Photo of Caroline and Eddie
Post #19 27 June 2014	In Kuala Lumpur Index of Posts #1 to  #18 Disappearance of Flight MH370 Ukraine crisis Angie & Rotary Club of Narooma
Post #20 14 September 2014	Mid Autumn Festival In Kuala Lumpur, photos with Eddie Time with the Roberts family in Brisbane Robertstour2014.wordpress.com Photos of our stay in Australia (July & August 2014) 2014-15 Academic Year: key dates
Post #21 21 Sept 2014	Photos of Kuala Lumpur UPC students:  living conditions Military training for Freshmen students Bill Clinton’s book “My life: the Presidential Years”
Post #22 27 Sept 2014	Move to our new apartment Military training – photos of final parade Qingdao Golden Beach Hilton Hotel
Post #23 1 October 2014	China’s National Day Photos of new apartment Meeting with Qingdao TV Vera with former student Zhang Ya Xuan Han Han (possibly the world’s most popular male blogger)
Post # 24 7 Oct 2014	Visit to Dalian and Lushun (Port Arthur), 2 – 6 October during the National Day holiday. Photos of Dalian and Lushun
Post #25 20 Oct 2014	Photos of bicycling Qingdao TV interviews and videos Our 41st wedding anniversary 17th Asian Games, Incheon, South Korea News summary for September 2014
Post #26 24 Oct 2014	My teaching schedule this semester, September to December 2014 Class summaries & explanations Weekly workload of class EM1301 Vale, Gough Whitlam
Post #27 31 Oct 2014	Photos of new apartment & Tang Dao Wan Bay An explanation of Chinese names Photo of Papa Andy with Hinamoana
Post #28 1 November 2014	House of Cards TV series Great Wall Drilling Company News summary for October 2014
Post #29 8 Nov 2014	Whitlam’s Memorial Service Western Sydney Wanderers win Asian Champions League Visit to Bin Hai University Photo with Fu Xiao Robertstour2014 Photos of Andrew, Caz & Eddie in Hong Kong
Post #30 16 Nov 2014	APEC & Bob Hawke Working at the Australian Embassy Beijing 1983-86, and memories of Beijing 30 years ago Pictures related to Channar Project Main actors: Paul Barratt; Kevin Rudd; Ross Garnaut; Richard Rigby; Denis Gastin; Jocelyn Chey.
Post #31 24 Nov 2014	Left-handedness in China Postscript
Post #32 1 December 2014	Recent photos (including visit to Qingdao Naval Museum) Breaking Bad TV series Turn-out rate at US elections
Post #33 4 Dec 2014	News summary for November 2014
Post #34 6 Dec 2014	Love poems with International Trade theme Students’ questions during the  Western Culture course Some suggested changes to the US political system The intrepid travellers – the Roberts family ‘turn left’
Post #35 11 Dec 2014	About Omi (3rd anniversary of her death)
Post #36 14 Dec 2014	Analysis of the Forbes 2014 “List of 72 Most Powerful People”
Post #37 24 Dec 2014	About UPC students: Class timetable Student workloads My teaching schedule University degrees
Post #38 27 Dec 2014	China’s development Comparison of college China/USA
Post #39 29 Dec 2014	Robin Williams, RIP

Table 2: Index for 2015 (Post # 40 - Post #84)

Post number & date	Events described
Post #40 2 January 2015	Olah family highlights of 2014 The South-North Water Diversion Project
Post #41 10 Jan 2015	News summary for December 2014
Post #42 13 Jan 2015	Description of Western Culture exam held 4 January 2015
Post #43 14 Jan 2015	Photos of last 3 weeks of semester (classes, dinners)
Post #44 15 Jan 2015 In Hong Kong	Comments on Hong Kong YouTube link to Qingdao TV program about Rai and me Index of blog posts #19 - #43
Post #45 23 Jan 2015	The billion dollar house (No. 75 Peak Road, Hong Kong)
Post #46 4 March 2015	Photos of our time in Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Hong Kong
Post #47 21 March 2015	Teaching:  British Culture; English News Weather Our sojourn in China Brumbies Super Rugby team
Post #48 28 March 2015	Gym English News class Cricket World Cup Craigengower Cricket Club in HK
Post # 49 3 April 2015	News summary for March 2015
Post #50 12 April 2015	Visit to Qufu, Shandong Province (home town of Confucius)
Post #51 21 April 2015	Recent photos The fall of Bi Fu Jian (Lao Bi)
Post #52 30 April 2015	News summary for April 2015
Post #53 11 May 2015	Visit to Xian, Shaanxi Province  (terracotta warriors, etc)
Post #54 14 May 2015	Format of ‘English News’ class Examples of articles discussed in News class
Post #55 24 May 2015	Trip to Nanjing, Jiangsu Province
Post #56 3 June 2015	News summary for May 2015
Post #57 7 June 2015	Contract for 2015-16 academic year Gym Accident Exams Upcoming travel Recent photos
Post #58 8 June 2015	About the Bureau of International Expositions and World Expos
Post #59 28 June 2015	Recent photos: Golden Beach MIX-C mall in Qingdao Charles & family & apricot farm Fu Xiao
Post #60 28 June 2015	Photos of classes & students in the March – June 2015 semester Photos of campus; student market; graduating students
Post #61 6 July 2015	News summary for June 2015
Post #62 20 July 2015	Describes two written exams from this semester: Western Culture English News
Post #63 21 July 2015	Our visit to Shanghai, 8 – 17 July 2015
Post #64 23 July 2015	Our visit to Suzhou, 14 – 15 July 2015
Post #65 24 July 2015	Photos of our stay in Hong Kong, 17 – 24 July 2015
Post #66 2 September 2015	Photos of Sid & Nate playing rugby, and end-of-season presentations Hilder Road Primary School weekly assembly Brisbane’s South Bank
Post #67 3 Sept 2015	Photos of our visit to Australia in July & August 2015: Canberra Sydney   Hong Kong
Post #68 3 Sept 2015	Photos of UPC graduation ceremonies in July 2015 (in the UPC gymnasium and in the Yi Fu Center) Lunch with students
Post #69 3 October 2015	My teaching schedule for semester Sept – Dec 2015 New contract – increased salary Recent photos: Rugby 7s in Qingdao Carol’s wedding Freshmen’s military parade Eddie & Reddie
Post #70 10 Oct 2015	News summary for September 2015
Post #71 14 Oct 2015	Visit to Zoucheng, 28 Sept – 1 October 2015
Post #72 24 Oct 2015	Weather Swimming at Silver Beach Our 42nd wedding anniversary Trudeau, father & son Jung Chang’s book on Mao
Post #73 28 Oct 2015	Class schedules for EM1502 & IT1403 this semester Student comments on College life Student recollections of doing the Gao Kao (National College Entrance Exam)
Post #74 3 November 2015	News summary for October 2015
Post #75 8 Nov 2015	Weather Trip to Rizhao Carol Zhang Qi Sunday Fu Xiao Speech contest
Post #76 15 Nov 2015	Background on China University of Petroleum (UPC) Photos of Shandong, Qingdao, and UPC
Post #77 3 December 2015	English is crazy The little word UP A typical Tuesday Middle School day for Scarlett Liu Si Qi
Post #78 6 Dec 2015	News summary for November 2015
Post #79 13 Dec 2015	Tu You You, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize for Medicine Student comments on “Why have so few Chinese won the Nobel Prize”? List of “Most Prolific Inventors”
Post #80 14 Dec 2015	Analysis of Forbes magazine’s 2015 List of 73 Most Powerful People
Post #81 16 Dec 2015	Our membership of the Gold Coast Gym Photos: Little Oliver Zhao Yin Xin Dinner with teachers
Post #82 22 Dec 2015	Tribute to Kobe Bryant
Post #83 23 Dec 2015	Our swimming pool Charles Yu Zhi Chao and Jessica Hinde First birthday of Zhang Zhi Jie Presenting book to Cristina Zhang Jia Min
Post #84 29 Dec 2015	How we spent Xmas Week 21 – 28 December 2015 Photos: Classes this semester Roberts boyz and Little Eddie

Table 3: Index for 2016 (Post #85 - Post #90)

Post number & date	Events described
Post #85 5 January 2016	Dispute about my Culture exam How we spent New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Recent photos (Tamara & Felix; Award for Outstanding Contribution; lunch at Blue Horizon; visit to Daniel and Hayley)
Post #86 7 Jan 2016	A comment on the Chinese stock market News summary for December 2015
Post #87 9 Jan 2016	Description of the Western Culture exam
Post #88 11 Jan 2016	English, with a twist: Sayings Definitions Prose
Post #89 17 Jan 2016	Freshman comments on College life and future job aspirations Non Major students feedback on my Oral English course
Post #90 18 Jan 2016	Index of blog posts: 2014 2015 2016 (Number of visits to my blog from 16 Feb 2014 to 18 Jan 2016: 8,720. Last three months quite a few from France and Russia - the Russian ones are probably fake!)

...

That's it for this post.

Best wishes, keep well and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah (aka The Intrepid Duo)
English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Monday 18 January 2016 
(posted in Hong Kong enroute to Australia)