Post #108 30 June 2016

Gentlefolk,

This post is about some of my ex-students who graduated this week. First, students in International Trade 1201 and 1202; second, students in Double Major 1201 and 1202.

Graduation of students in IT1201 & IT1202

I taught these two International Trade & Economics classes Oral English from September to December 2013. Some classes make a greater impression than others; I liked and remembered the students in these two classes, so went along to their graduation.

A benefit of staying longer at one College is that you get to follow students through their College life, at least superficially.  Now IT1201 & IT1202 were graduating, having completed their 4 year undergraduate course.

On Monday morning 27 June 2016 Vera and I attended UPC’s formal 2016 Graduation Ceremony in the main gymnasium (see Post #107 for details). It was impressive, with about 6,000 students in attendance.  The top Post-graduate students were given awards, and two leaders and a student representative made speeches. The event lasted one hour, from 8.30 to 9.30am.

Later, the actual degree-conferring ceremony took place at the Yi Fu Conference Center.  The International Trade majors were the second group to get their degrees.

That afternoon I arranged to meet some of the students in IT1201 and 1202 at the Library cafe. Eight students turned up, and we had a chat for about an hour.

IT1201	Yan Hao Ben (Ben)	From Quzhu, Zhejiang Province. Father professor, mother teacher.  Ben will go to a Summer School in Beijing, and then start a Masters in Systems Science at UPC. He was hoping to study Finance in Shanghai, but his father wants him to do something more practical.
	Yang Liu Qing (Darren)	From Mianyang, Sichuan. Father civil servant, mother has a shop.  Darren got a job in Chengdu with the China Railway Construction Corporation.
	Long Hai Sheng (Bean)	From Pengshui, Chongqing. Father worker, mother farmer. Bean has a job with the Chongqing branch of a large Qingdao-based manufacturing company AUCMA.
IT1202	Li Xin (Ada)	From Qingdao, Shandong. Father driver, mother shop. Ada has found a job in the Qingdao branch of a large Insurance Company.
	Liu Ying Jia (Serena)	From Nenjiang, Heilongjiang. Father policeman, mother civil servant.  Serena will do the Post-graduate Engtrance Exam in December and hopes to do a Masters degree in a university in Beijing in 2017.
	Li Bo Jiang (Bob)	From Shenmu, Shanxi. Parents are farmers. Bob passed the Provincial Civil Service exam and has a job with the local Tax Office in Xian.
	Xu Jia Lun (Garen)	From Beijing. Father professor, mother editor.  Garen will do a Masters Degree in International Relations at the ANU in Canberra.
	Di Shao Peng (Domesip)	From Shijiazhuang, Hebei. Father worker, mother housewife. He was one of three left-handed students in IT1202. Domesip has a job in Tianjin with a subsidiary of the National Petrochemical Corporation, Sinopec.

The 8 students I met in the Library cafe on 27 June. From left: Liu Ying Jia (Serena); me; Li Xin (Ada); Xu Jia Lun (Garen); Yang Liu nQing (Darren); Long Hai Sheng (Bean); Di Shao Peng (Domesip); Li Bo Jiang (Bob); Yan Hao Ben (Ben).

The next morning I went for an early-morning bike ride around Tang Dao Wan bay, and came across these two joggers: Bob & Domesip from IT1202.

Combined photo, IT1201 & IT1202, with teachers.

International Trade majors.

Taking teachers out to dinner.

Graduation of students in DM1201 & DM1202

I actually taught these two classes Oral English two years ago, from February to June 2014.   

Double Majors have a 'main major' as well as an English major.  They will graduate with two degrees, for example a Bachelor of Science (majoring in Chemical Engineering or Geophysics) and a bachelor of Arts (majoring in English). You've got to be in the top 10% of your main major to be admitted into the Double Major program.

As you can imagine, they are the busiest students on campus, usually with more than 30 classes a week. It seems incredible to me that they would subject themselves to such 'torture'.  They certainly don't have much time for anything other than study, yet most seem to be remarkably well-adjusted. Shows the strength of the human mind and body, don't you think?

This last semester  (March - May 2016) I had them for "Selected Readings" (see Post #98 of 28 April for details).

The main hall in the Yi Fu Conference Center was packed with students and some parents

Some of the students in DM1201 and DM1202.

Some students in DM1202

Students lined up to get their degrees. From left: FAng Quan Yi (Annie, Public Administration); Cui Sheng Meng (Kevin, Petroleum Engineering); Kou Yin Yue (Crystal, Engineering Management). 

President Shan with Kou Yin Yue (Crystal, Engineering Management).

President Shan with Shen Shuang (Betty, Environmental Engineering).

Li Dan (Lillian, Electrical Engineering) unexpectedly hugged President Shan. A number of girls followed suit, which threw proceedings out a bit but showed genuine affection and respect. 

President Shan with Zhang Chao Qun (Judy, Law).

Guo Jing Wen (Skye, Law) gave a speech on behalf of the graduating students. 

With Zhao Yue (Linda, Accounting)

With Kou Yin Yue (Crystal, Engineering Management).  She was an excellent student.

Later I met these two students. Left, Zhou Chen Chen (Lyra, Economics) and Liu Tong (Camellia, International Trade).

Next to the bust of author Lu Xun in the Wen Li Lou Building, with Zhang Xiao Cheng (Roy, Process Equipment & Control Engineering) from DM1201.

Class DM1201 on the esplanade of Tang Dao Wan Bay, just across from UPC's South Gate.

DM1201 Tang Dao Wan bayside.

Some of the Double Major students will start work, but most have enrolled to do Masters Degrees. For example:

Celine - will do a Masters in Accounting at Ocean University in Qingdao.

Lillian  - her main major is Electrical Engineering and she will start working at the Huangdao office of State Grid, China's national power distribution company.

Mandy - will do a Masters in Communication Engineering at Beijing Telecommunications University.

Flora - will do a Masters in Applied Chemistry at Changsha Army University, Hunan.

Delia - will do a Masters in Oil and Gas Storage & Transportation at UPC.

Cherry - will do a Masters in Oil & Gas Exploration at UPC.

Eva - her main major is Storage & Transportation and she will start working at China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec) in Ningbo.

I really admire the Double Major students. They are smart and very diligent.  I wish them health and happiness for the future.

International Students

A number of foreign students were also graduating (Petroleum Engineering majors). There are 830 foreign students at UPC; the biggest groups are from Pakistan and Kazakhstan.  With oil prices so low it's difficult to find employment in the Oil Industry in most countries - not a good time to be looking for jobs for these students. Pity.

Sheba (left) was from Uganda. She was tiny, but full of  life. Her father came all the way from Uganda to attend her graduation.

With Saya, a girl from Kazakhstan. Her parents sent her to China when she was just 15 years old. She wants to do a Masters degree in Beijing. A really kind, lovely girl.

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That's it for this post.

We are having many farewell functions as our time of departure draws ever closer, so I'll do a couple of posts on those next.

...

Best wishes, keep well and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Thursday 30 June 2016

Post #107 29 June 2016

Gentlefolk,

The big event this week was UPC's graduation, described in this post.

About 6,000 students are graduating this week (roughly 5,000 undergraduates and 1,000 Post-graduates).  This  is a BIG BIG day for the students - the culmination of years of hard study.

First, on Monday morning there was a big ceremony held in the Gymnasium, attended by all 6,000. They sat in Colleges, wearing different coloured shirts - an impressive sight.  There were three speeches, and the top 50 Post-graduates received Awards. It all took about an hour (8.30 - 9.30am).

Second, awarding of degrees to each student.  This took place in the Yi Fu Conference Center. Different majors came in (about 150 students at a time) and one-by-one the students received their degree from UPC's President, Professor Shan Hong Hong. The awarding of degrees takes 3 days.

Can you imagine how exhausted she must be after shaking 6,000 hands and giving them their degrees?

Here are some photos of these events.  I have more photos related to my ex-classes, but this post is already long enough, so will do a separate post.

The Gymnasium

The front steps of UPC's iconic Gymnasium

Inside the Gymnasium, the students were seated according to their Colleges, denoted by different coloured shirts. An impressive sight.  The whole event was very well organised.

Another view of the Gymnasium.

Another view of the Gymnasium. It is an amazing structure, with an interesting 'honey-comb' roof.

The Leader's area. Today the President (we call them Vice Chancellor in Australia) was present together with Vice Presidents and Deans of Colleges.

Everyone stood for the National Anthem.

President of UPC, Professor Shan Hong Hong, made the key-note address. It's rare for a woman to head a major university in China, especially one which is science-focused.  She is a geologist by training, and highly respected. 

Only a couple of hundred parents and friends turned up.  This is a very significant event in a student's life, and I thought more relatives would attend. But, realistically, it is a work day, and 95% of students come from outside Qingdao, many from far away.  Pity.

At the conclusion, the students on the 'floor' took their chairs back to their dormitories.

Students - faces of the future

I taught these students 3 years ago, International Trade classes 1201 and 1202. They remembered me!

Awarding of degrees

There was a huge poster outside the Yi Fu Conference Center announcing the graduation details.

First, the students lined up in their classes outside the Yi Fu Center.

Second, they sat in allocated places in the main conference hall inside the Yi Fu Center, and waited for their turn to go to the stage.

Third, students lined up on the side on the stage, waiting their turn.

Fourth, the students bowed and approached President Shan one-by-one. She shook their hand and gave them their diploma. Photo taken. Sometimes a student insisted on giving President Shan a quick hug - threw out the system - to the delight of on-lookers. 

President Shan Hong Hong and one of the graduants in International Trade.

 ...

It all went very smoothly.  A major exercise handling 6,000 graduates, but Chinese are used to dealing with large numbers and are usually well-organised.

As mentioned, I have some photos of specific students, but will do a separate post with them This post is already long enough.

Best wishes,  keep well and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Wednesday, 29 June 2016

Post #106 26 June 2016

Gentlefolk,

This post is about my two Oral English classes this semester.

I had two Oral English classes, Non Major 63 from 7 - 8.50 on Tuesday night and NM295 from 7 to 8.50 on Wednesday night. These were optional or elective classes open to students who were not English majors (commonly called "Non Major" classes).

Courses run by foreign teachers are always over-subscribed as students are keen to practice their speaking and listening skills.

Previously Non Major Oral English classes would have 60 students, but finally the Teaching Office listened to our feedback and now these classes only have 30 students. But often other students will attend as "auditors" (visitors).

Actually, when I started back in March about 50 turned up to each class - after a couple of weeks, reluctantly, I put my foot down and insisted that only those on the class list attend. Pity, because they are obviously keen to improve their English, but it's unfair on those who made the class list and will have do the exam at the end of the semester.

NM63 had one Freshman student, while NM295 had 9 Freshmen. I first thought that would make a difference, but the Freshmen students turned out great - what they lacked in maturity they made up in enthusiasm. They were both good, fun, classes, but NM295 was the livelier.

The final exam consisted of a 3 or 4 minute one-on-one conversation about some everyday topic.  I'm a tough marker, but everyone passed, with a quarter in each class scoring over 80% (= very good).

Five students (4 girls and a boy) in NM295 asked to give me a hug after their test - quite uncommon in a culture where emotions are usually kept under strict control, especially between the sexes. Maybe my grandfatherly image?

Here are some photos of the two Oral English classes.

NM63 (Tuesday nights)

Only 17 of the 28 students in the class were present when we took the class photo on 14 June 2016 (some exams have started already). From left: Xu Pei (Randy); Liu Duo (Isabelle); Pan Wei Chen (Richard); Zhang Di (Tiffany); Wang Wei Chen (bob); Wang Yu Xiang (Sherlock); Song Danying (Sunny); Wang Shi Yuan (Right); Zhang Qian Rong (Tom); Qin Yue (Crystal); me; Ma Sheng Xiang (Jack - partly obscured); Cong Yang Zi (David); Liu Yu (Hillary); Fan Guang Yong (Snail - partly obscured); Zhao Pei Yao (Melody); Zeng Jin Feng (Bill); Lu Lei (Nancy). The class monitor, Hou Xiao Yi (Roxanna) was absent. Her major was Control Engineering and her spoken English was excellent.

With Qin Yue (Crystal) 3rd Year Accounting major, from Hebei Province. One of my favorites. She is short, about 153 cm, but full of life. Good fun.

With Pan Wei Chen (Richard) 3rd Year Communications Engineering major. He is from Anhui Province, actually went to the same High School as another student in the class, Xu Pei (Randy) 3rd Year Physics major.

With Zhang Qian Rong (Tom), 2nd Year majoring in Oil & Gas Storage and Transportation. He is from Gansu Province.  He had quite a distinctive, direct, way of speaking.

With Lu Lei (Nancy), 2nd Year majoring in Storage & Transportation.  From Hebei. She usually sat with San Fan Gong (Snail) who was a great character.

With Ding Shuo (Sure), 2nd Year majoring in Storage & Transportation. From Laiwu, Shandong Province. She had a lovely , beaming smile.

With Cong Yand Zi (David), 2nd Year student majoring in Surveying and Mapping. From Weihai, Shandong Province. He was the best English speaker among the boys in the class.

With Zhao Pei Yao (Melody), 1st Year majoring in Chemical Engineering, from Sichuan Province.  The only Freshman in the class, she was shy to start with but her confidence grew and by the end she could easily hold her own.

NM295 (Wednesday nights)

From left: Zhu Ting Ting (Fanny); Yu Jia Yi (Sophie); Niu Fang ya (Abby); Wu Ya Qian (Jasmine); Zhong Han Sheng (Kae); Zhang Ye (Yvonne); Liu Wei (Nuoke); Zhang Kai Ning (Sally); Wen Xiao Jin (JR); Wan Qing Ke (Rapture, class monitor); Ji Jiang (Leo); Xue Wang Guang (Dimmock); me; Wang Yi Bo (Eric , obscured); Ma Chao (Chaos); Gao Jian Wei (Jerry); Hou Xiao Lin (Alisa); Hu Teng (Tony); Lu Shan Shan (Bella); Sun Xian (Geoffrey); Mu Xue Fei (Amber); Ma Zhi Ru (Jack); Li Shi Yu (Okra); Li Zhen (Lee); Yang Ying Nan (curry); Zheng Hui Hui (Wai).

You can see the faces better in this photo. They were a great class, full of enthusiasm and keen to participate and learn. I liked Chaos with his long hair (pretty rare on our campus).  He had a hesitant, soft, speaking style, but once he got started he was hard to stop!  Dimmock, in the center, was a Freshman but spoke with authority and showed maturity beyond his years. 

With Niu Fang Ya (Abby) and Yu Jia Yi (Sophie). Both are 2nd Year majoring in Petroleum Engineering. Abby is from Dongying, Shandong Province, while Sophie is from Heilongjiang Province. They were obviously close friends.  Both had excellent spoken English. Two smart ladies.  Sophie was also in my English News class, and top scored in that exam.

With Zheng Hui Hui, 2nd Year majoring in Offshore Engineering, from Guangdong Province. She misses Guangdong food.

With Lu Shan Shan (Bella), 1st Year student majoring in Chemistry. She is from Gansu Province. She was very sweet, so young and innocent-looking, but she tried really hard in class, and her English improved quickly.

...

Some family photos to finish this post.

My brother, Papa Andy, with his granddaughter Hinamoana. He lives in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

Sisters Katherine (with Miles and Bea) and Caroline (with our grandson Eddie) in Hong Kong. 

Our daughter, Jennifer Roberts, with kids Nate, Sid and Kurt.  She shaved her head to raise money for cancer research, and has decided to keep the short look; occasionally she goes blond (working up to blue or green?). She looks stunning.

...

Well, that's it for this post.

All the exams are over, and grading finished.  Another semester and academic year done.

We've had a month of mainly foggy days, but now the sun has come out and it's quite warm - summer is here at last.

Less than two weeks to go until our departure.  We'll miss this place.


Best wishes, keep well and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Sunday 26 June 2016

Qingdao TV did a series of programs on foreigners living and working here.  One program featured two foreign teachers, Laxmisha Rai and Alex Olah - to view on YouTube click HERE.  It's about 25 minutes, mainly in Chinese but enough English to get the gist.