Post #196 5 October 2019

Gentlefolk,

This post describes the visit to our former university, the China University of Petroleum (www.upc.edu.cn) at Huangdao (a suburb, about 30 km south of Qingdao City), 12 - 18 September 2019.

We taught English for 6 years at UPC, one year at the Dongying Campus and 5 years at the Qingdao Campus. When we left in July 2016 we promised to return after 3 years, so we tacked a week on to the end of the Beijing Hinterland Tour (see Post #195).

As soon as we arrived we felt very much at home - after all, we had spent 5 years here and were very familiar with the area. We stayed at the Blue Horizon Hotel, next to the Campus.  The campus itself was looking great - the trees and shrubs had grown, everything was green and lush after summer, and the stunning new Library building.

We didn't know any of the current lot of foreign teachers, but the Chinese teachers were still there and it was lovely to catch up with them. We were overwhelmed by how friendly and helpful everyone was; our six days were spent eating and talking!

This post will be more about people rather than places. It will be easier to do the post day-by-day.  But before we get to the people, herewith some photos of the University itself, to set the scene.

China University of Petroleum (UPC)

UPC has a student population of 25,000 (20,000 undergraduates and 5,000 post graduates).  All students must live on campus. The main academic faculties are: Geology (to find oil & gas), Petroleum Engineering (to extract it), Chemical Engineering (to refine it), and Storage & Transportation (to get it to market), but there are also smaller faculties teaching music, administration, politics, languages (English & Russian), history, etc.

There are about 2,000 universities and colleges in China. The Government has nominated 100 to become world-class centres of excellence. UPC is one of three universities in Shandong Province which are in this scheme (the other two are Shandong University in Jinan and Ocean University in Qingdao).

Here are some photos of the campus:

The North Gate of UPC. There are two other gates, South Gate (across from Tang Dao Wan Bay) and East Gate (near the Training Center); but the North Gate is the most used, with immediate access to bus routes and restaurants.

The Sea Goddess symbolises the nation's resources provided by nature (in this case, oil & gas). The iconic Administration Building is in the background.

The camus has lots of gardens, shrubs and trees. The campus is only 13 years old, and maturing nicely.

Albert Einstein is greatly admired.

A sign to mark the upcoming 70th Anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China, which will take place on 1 October 2019 with ceremonies planned around the country and a huge parade in Beijing.

A traditional Chinese sculpture.

The teaching building where I had most of my classes 2011 - 2016.

The beautiful new Library, photo taken from the lift of the Blue Horizon Hotel. We were shown the plans in July 2016, when we were leaving UPC. It will open shortly.
The Library is an attractive building, lots of curves, built into the hill. There are gardens and paths on the top of the building, where people can walk and relax. In concept it reminds me a bit of the Australian Parliament House in Canberra which can also be walked on!

A view of the new Library, looking east. It is not really as "dominant" as this photo suggests. These photos don't do it justice - it is a very attractive building. Good to see the University opted for different, non-traditional, design.

Looking North-west from the roof, you can see the curves from this angle.

Lots of curves.  It is appealing.  Not yet open - a few more days - but people can walk around it and on the roof.

Although the building isn't officially open yet, I found an open door and had a peak inside.  Impressive.

All Freshmen in China, male and female, do 18 days of military training when they first start university. This system was introduced back in 1955, following the Korean War. It was a long-weekend (Mid Autumn Festival) and students had the option of going home, but not Freshmen - training didn't stop, so they had to be here.

 

Freshmen learning how to march. The training goes from 7am until 6pm, with breaks for breakfast and lunch. Many students, especially those less fit, found it tough going.

Vera with two Freshmen who are doing their compulsory military training.

 That's enough background on UPC.  Now let's look at our day-to-day activities during our stay.

Thursday 12 September 2019

The bus from Liuting Airport to Huangdao went via the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge - 42 kms - can you believe a bridge stretching from Gungahlin to Tuggeranong, from one end of Canberra to the other???  It's difficult to imagine a bridge that long!

In Huangdao we stayed in the Blue Horizon Hotel, adjacent to the UPC Campus. We first stayed here in December 2009 when we came from Dongying to celebrate Christmas.

As we were checking in we happened to meet Li Guan Lin who was in charge of foreign teachers when we first arrived back in 2009.  He is now based at the Dongying Campus and was in Huangdao for a meeting.  An unexpected pleasure. It was great to see him again, looking very fit and well.

A panoramic photo of UPC Campus from the balcony of our hotel room. On the far left you can see part of the fabulous new Library - more photos later. The campus was looking really good. 

That night we had dinner with Liu Li Na who is in charge of foreign teachers, her husband Professor Sun Gang Yun and their two gorgeous daughters. It was Lina's birthday - we were so happy to celebrate this special occasion with Lina and her family.

Friday, 13 September 

Today is Mid-Autumn Festival in China and a public holiday.

We spent the afternoon with Gautier Plassais, his wife Hao Yu and their two daughters Luna and Melodie. Gautier was an English teacher at UPC but now has a job with a French company.  First we had lunch in the big new Wanda Mall, then a drive around Qingdao Movie Metropolis and Star Island.  I remember when Movie Metropolis was 'launched' about 5 years ago with Nicole Kidman and Leonardo Di Caprio as the star attractions. It all seemed like a fantasy, but it has come true - there are now 39 individual film studios all with the latest high-tech equipment - and apparently busy, as we were told that three of the highest-grossing movies in 2019 were made here. 

Gautier and Hao Yu have bought an apartment in this block in a new development about 10 km behind Movie City. In China new apartments come as an empty shell, so it is being furnished now. Gautier mentioned that there were many defects which the developer is rectifying (sounds like apartments in Australia!!)

Modern film studios, such as #37, form the basis of Qingdao Movie Metropolis. This is an US$8 billion project developed by the Wanda Group (film making studios, theme park, shopping mall, hotels, condos etc);  competition for Hengdian Movie World in Zhejiang which has been the center of the Chinese film industry to date.

The bridge going to Star Island which is part of the Qingdao Movie Metropolis development. Star Island has hotels, apartments, a Yacht Club. It's amazing - there was literally nothing here 5 years ago. A mini-city has been created ... only in China!

On Friday night we were invited to the Buffet Dinner at the Hilton Qingdao Golden Beach Hotel. The Hilton buffet was one of the best spreads we have ever seen; a wonderful variety of Western and Asian food.  The restaurant was packed - another example of China's economic progress!  

Our gracious hosts were Yu Cheng Zeng and Niu Cai Qin, parents of Charles Yu Zhi Chao who was one of my students years ago.  Some students stand out, and Charles became friends with Vera & me.  Charles did 3 years Safety Engineering at UPC followed by 2 years Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wollongong which gave him a Chinese degree and an Australian degree. An impressive young man, Charles now works for Johnson Controls in Sydney.

Saturday 14 September

Vera with Zhang Zhi Xiang (Tommy), son of Professor Zhang Wei Shan. Vera used to tutor him in English.  It's 6 or 7 years since we last saw Tommy - he is now 16, and so much taller!

None of my former colleagues were still teaching at UPC, but  I "met" Russ Schrantz on WeChat and we arranged to meet at the Library. Russ taught at UPC last academic year, but has moved to another college in Jiaonan.  American, from Oregon; nice guy.  Pity we weren't here together as I'm sure he would have been a good colleague.

A large statue of Confucius adorns the foyer of UPC Library.

You wouldn't believe what happened next.  After my meeting with Russ I was leaving the Library when I literally bumped into two former students.  They were Acelo (Zhang Ye Gang) and Ryoma (Yang Zhi Hua) who were in English Major class 0901. I taught them Spoken English in the semester February to July 2010.
After graduating Acelo found a job in Changsha, Hunan, his home province and Ryoma is working in Qingdao. Acelo and his girlfriend decided to visit Qingdao over the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend (his first time back here since graduating in 2013). What a coincidence that we happened to be in the Library at exactly the same time - amazing - had I left a minute earlier, or had they arrived a minute later, we would not have met!  Fate???
It was wonderful to see them again, and to meet their girlfriends.

Our good friend Professor Liu Bao (Electrical Engineering, front row, right, next to Vera) invited us to a lunch he was hosting for some of the Masters students he is supervising.  Prof Liu insisted that each student introduce themselves in English - which they all did - and passed the test!!
His daughter Liu Shi Qi has just entered Lanzhou University in Gansu Province, and his wife, Wang Jun Hong was there to help her settle in. 

That afternoon Vera met with two friends, Shu Ming (right) and Guo Li Jie (left).

On Saturday night we had dinner with Susie (Zhu Shan) with who we had become very friendly. Susie did the translation into Chinese of my book "It's all about the students" which UPC published in 2013. Susie has written several books on aspects of translation & interpreting; she is especially knowledgeable about medical interpreting. She was recently promoted to Associate Professor.

Sunday, 15 September

Lunch at a Korean Restaurant with Wang Ling (Olivia), her husband Kong Ling Peng (David) and their daughter Kong Yi Lim (Elim), and Olivia;s mother Zhang Ya Jun.

Delicious Korean food.

Vera with Wang Ling.  She (with her best friend Li Ying) met us at Qingdao Airport when we first arriving in August 2009 and looked after our welfare in those early days when everything was new and strange. We called them "our guardian angels". Very kind.  We became close friends.

After lunch we took Bus #4 to Golden Beach.

On a whim we brought along my old Seniors Bus Pass - and, guess what, it still worked after 3 years!!! Meant I got free travel on public transport.  Buses are frequent and cheap -  the price is still Y1 (about A$0.23) to get across town (Y2 to go to 30km to Qingdao City).

The main walk-way to Golden Beach.  Although the weather was mild, summer was over and not many people were around now.

A sign welcoming people to Golden Beach.

A view of Golden Beach, looking south.

A large new building (conference centre) has been built at the southern end of Golden Beach.

We walked along the beach, going north. As you can see, it is a broad expanse of sand. We used to come down quite often, to swim in the sea and walk along the beach - always fun. Not many people around at this time.

Sunday night we had dinner with two English lecturers, Fu Xiao (who was my first Liaison Teacher back in 2009-10) and Zhang Qi (my Liaison Teacher in 2014-15) and her husband Zhang Yong. Zhang Qi was very pregnant with their second child - a boy was born two weeks later, on 2 October 2019 - brother to his elder sister Zhang Zi Tong (born May 2016). 

Fu Xiao with her daughter Bo Jia Yi (nick-name Tang Tang, born May 2016). Fu Xiao was recently promoted to Associate Professor - she said the promotion meant a little more salary but a lot more administrative work!

Monday, 16 September

We had time for a quick visit to Qingdao City.  Took the Tunnel Bus near the University's South Gate.  It took about 45 minutes to get there (30 kms) and cost Y2 (A$0.46).  The tunnel goes under Jiaozhou Bay - it is 9km in length (6km underwater). The tunnel has made a great difference, before we had to take a ferry across the Bay which took much longer.  There are now metros (subways) in both Qingdao City and Huangdao which, next year, will be connected by a new subway link under the Bay.

Exiting the tunnel, at the Qingdao end.

Popped in to the Kai Yue Hostel where we had stayed in the past. It was originally a church built in 1928. Qingdao City is an interesting place and we would have liked to spend more time there, but not possible this visit.  It was a German colony from 1898 until 1914, when a joint Japanese - British army defeated the Germans; it was then run by the Japanese until 1922 when it was finally handed back to China.

We did some shopping in Ji Mo Lu Market, our favorite shopping place. Lots of designer knock-offs. We tried to find a shop keeper we befriended, Xie Li Min, but unfortunately she was away.  

Lunch (delicious noodles) in a restaurant opposite Ji Mo Lu Market (where we always ate when we shopped here) and then headed back to Huangdao.    

Monday night we had dinner with Professor Zhang Wei Shan (Computer Science).  We met him (and his son Tommy) when we first arrived in this campus, in September 2011.

Professor Zhang Wei Shan.

Tuesday, 17 September

The University has a Training Centre which runs short courses for employees of major Oil & Gas companies.  I used to teach some of the Spoken English courses, and became quite close to the staff.  I met with two of my old friends, Wang Yuan (left) and Yang Yuan Yuan (right). They are such hardworking and dedicated people.

Sun Yu from the International Office took us for lunch at the Yu Lan Students Canteen, which we used to frequent.  Good food, and inexpensive. There are three large student canteens on campus: big job feeding 25,000 students for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.

Still a good range of food, and inexpensive - I had this dish of noodles, pork and mushrooms which cost the equivalent of A$1.40.

Another dish in the student canteen - stew / hotpot (pork or chicken) - costs A$1.80. I used to order it often - delicious.

Oh dear - there is now a KFC outlet on campus!

I met with two former students in English Major 1503, Fan Min (Sunny) and Sun Lu Yao (Lucy).  I had two Freshman English Major classes in my last year of teaching: 1502 and 1503.  They were all bright and keen.  They graduated last July and all dispersed except these two.  They are both doing Masters degrees at UPC.  When I asked them why they decided to do post-graduate study here, both said "boy friends".  Sunny met her Mr Right 2 years ago - at a local hair salon.  He studied law but is now doing business; they both come from Jinan, capital of Shandong Province.  Lucy met her boyfriend in her first year at UPC.  He is doing a Masters in Geology at UPC; like her, he is also from Shenyang, Liaoning Province.

Dinner that night at Jia Jia Yuan shopping mall with two old friends: Liu Hong Fei (Carson, a retired English lecturer from Li Gong University) and American Paul Finkbeiner who was a colleague at UPC but now teaches at another university.

Wednesday 18 September

In the morning we called on Wu Ke Hua, Deputy Director of the International Office of UPC; an impressive lady: knowledgeable, well-organised and good at her job.  I am a great admirer of Madam Wu.

Saying goodbye to Liu Li Na at the Blue Horizon Hotel. She kindly arranged a car to take us to Qingdao Liuting Airport.
At 4.30pm we flew to Beijing, and then at 11.30pm took the Qantas flight from Beijing to Sydney.

The welcome we received in Qingdao was overwhelming.  We are so glad we came back to see our friends there. 

And so ended a memorable 3 weeks in China.

...

That's if for this post.  Now back to normality ...

Best wishes, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Vera Olah and Alex Olah
Canberra, Australia
Saturday, 5 October 2019