13 April 2014

Hi everyone,

Sun, where art thou?

It's been a strange week, weather-wise.  Every day has been foggy and cool.  Our campus is located right on the coast of Shandong Province, on the Yellow Sea, and sea-mists / fogs often roll in from the ocean.  But it's unusual to have so many foggy days in a row (at least it isn't smog!).  So, although I reported warmer weather in last week's post, that didn't last long.

Students who visited inland cities such as Jinan (the provincial capital) or Tai'an (near famous Mount Tai) during the Qing Ming holiday last weekend reported much warmer, T-shirt, weather.

C'mon sun, life is so much nicer when we can see your shining face!

Surprise honor

On Thursday morning I received an email from the UPC's International Office, congratulating me on being chosen as a "Favorite Foreign Teacher".  From what I can understand, this contest was run by the Foreign Experts Bureau of the Ministry of Education in Beijing.  271 universities around China nominated foreign teachers (UPC nominated me) and 50 were selected for the Award.  Vera & I will go to Beijing in two weeks for the Award ceremony.

An unexpected honor.

When I walked into my Oral English class that afternoon the students all stood and applauded - they had read about the Award on the UPC website.

I got several text messages including one from Ada, who is in one of my other Oral English classes.  She wrote: "Congratulations on the Award! We all think you are like a nice and friendly grandpa."  Yeah, right.

A Vice President of the University invited us to dinner to celebrate the Award.  I had planned to go to Knuckles Sports Bar to watch the Brumbies - Reds game but of course I couldn't refuse the invitation, and the opportunity of a good feed.  Incidentally, the Brumbies won a tough game, 23 - 20.  They are going well in the Super 15 Rugby competition, but need to get more bonus points.

Anyway, will let you know how the trip to Beijing goes.

Coming of age?

Is the number of internationally-branded 5 star hotels a sign of maturity?  If so, then our little 'town' of Huangdao will come of age this year (see photos below).

The Wyndham Group recently took over management of a big hotel near Silver Beach.  Kempinsky tried for 2 years, but couldn't make it work, so will be interesting to see how Wyndham goes.

A new Howard Johnson has opened across from the University's North Gate.  I haven't normally associated HJ with 5 stars, but I had a look through the hotel last week and this property is definitely up-market.  It has 430 very nice rooms & suites in a high-rise tower.  Prices start from $90 per night (++). Big indoor swimming pool and gym, fancy Chinese and Japanese restaurants, and a well-appointed western style coffee shop.

A new Sheraton is under construction, about 500 metres from the University's South Gate.  Great location, across from Tang Dao Wan bay and the lovely esplanade.  The rooms have floor to ceiling glass, so will have great views.  Hard to tell, but it looks 8 or 9 months from completion (but they build very quickly here when they want to).

A new Hilton Double Tree Hotel is underway.  It is near Golden Beach, about 6 km from the University's south gate.  I went past the site yesterday.  The architecture is kind of French Provincial.  Looks very attractive.  They seem to be putting the finishing touches to it, but I would guess still 3 or 4 months from opening.

Huangdao is about 30 km south of Qingdao City, across the other side of the bay.  Connections used to be difficult, but now there is a 9km under-sea road tunnel.  It takes us about an hour by bus (30 cents) to get to Qingdao City from the University's south gate.  Huangdao has many industrial and commercial enterprises, including the headquarters of the huge Haier and Hisense companies.

Despite strong economic growth in the last 15 years, can this area really sustain a rash of four more 5 star hotels (there is one local-brand hotel already)?  I doubt it.  Maybe in five years, but not now.  My 'gut feel' is that they will struggle - there is just not enough business here for that standard of hotel.  My prediction is that the Wyndham will change management, again, in a couple of years.  Likewise the Howard Johnson.  The Hilton and Sheraton are both excellent properties, but too big.  If they were half the size I think they would do OK.  But they have hundreds of rooms each - just too many to fill.

Still, there should be some great bargains here if any or you want to visit in the future - lots of competition! In reality this area is still in its 'teenage years' and adulthood is probably still 5 years away.

The Wyndham Grand virtually has its own private beach - Silver Beach - but is too isolated for most Chinese.

The 5 star Howard Johnson opened in February 2014, across the road from the University's north gate.  

The Sheraton Sophia under construction near the University's south gate.  The rooms will all have lovely views of  Tang Dao Wan bay.

A graphic of the impressive-looking Hilton Double Tree Hotel near Golden Beach.  Should open late 2014.

A mystery

The local real estate industry continues to baffle me.

After 10 years of strong price rises it looked very much as if a bubble was forming. So in 2011-12 the Government tried to slow things down.  It decreed that, in future, families would be limited to a maximum of two apartments (one for themselves and one for their child).  Banks were encouraged to lend to first-home-buyers, but second home buyers had to put down big deposits (50% to 70% of the purchase price); and banks were forbidden to finance purchases of third homes.  The hope was that excluding investors from the market would stabilise or even decrease prices.

In 2012, for about a year, the real estate market slowed right down.  But in early 2013 it took off again, construction and prices.  Recent reports in the China Daily suggest that in the first quarter of 2014 sales are down and price rises are moderating (although still going up in most cities).

Huangdao is a relatively small city (population less than 1 million), yet within a 4 km radius of our university campus there must be at least 10,000 new apartments under development, probably more (see photos below).  I would guess the average price would be close to $2,000 per square metre (this part of Huangdao, near the coast, is pricey). I'm sure the average family income around here is less than $1,000 per month.  It just doesn't add up for me, and yet all these real estate developments are roaring ahead.  And don't forget this is just one part of Huangdao which is just one suburb of Qingdao City - the same thing is happening all over China.  

Given the government restrictions on buying real estate, who is buying all these new developments?  It is baffling to me.  I know China has a huge population, and there is a constant flow of people from the countryside to cities (estimated about 10 million a year), but the overwhelming number of these newcomers are low income and can't possibly afford city prices.

{There was an unexpected consequence of the Government's restrictions on buying multiple properties. Rich Chinese love investing in bricks & mortar - who doesn't? - and they bought in Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, and other places, pushing up prices in those cities.}

In March 2014 the average price of apartments in the top 10 cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, etc) was $3,200 per square metre, an increase of 16% on March 2013. The average salary of a white-collar worker in Shanghai (the highest in China) is $1,200 per month. Go figure.

A mystery.

Plan of a huge new residential development about 4 km from the south gate of our campus.  From the graphics there will be 70 six-storey blocks of flats, and some high-rise towers.  Probably close to 3,000 apartments in total.  

The main gate of the new residential development.  

The development on 30 December 2013 - just coming out of the ground. I counted 54 tower cranes and there must be others I couldn't see,  The sheer scale of this single development is mind-boggling for an Australian.  And this is just one development in a small city!

The development on 7 March 2014, finishing the 3rd level. Many construction projects seem to work 18 hours a day (two nine-hour shifts), seven days a week.  It is amazing how fast they build here.

Another big residential development across the road from the east side of the University.  Seven x 25-storey-towers. Who is buying all these apartments?  It is a mystery to me. 

Student comments on High School

This week I asked my Oral English students to describe (a) their High School time, and compare it to University, and (b) compare first and second years of university.

I was impressed by the way they came to the front of the room and addressed their classmates.  Some spoke for 2 or 3 minutes while others went longer.  They spoke with feeling and expressed their ideas well.  It was obviously a subject which was close to their hearts.

 

The following table gives a sample of their comments. 

Remember these are students in 2^nd year (sophomores) so 19 or 20 years of age.  They are doing Double Majors (a main major such as Petroleum Engineering and a minor major which is English), so very busy. 

I was struck by how hard Chinese students work in school – very different from Australian kids.  Their lives are ruled by exams.  In Primary School (6 years) there is pressure to do well to get into a good Middle School.  Then in Middle School (3 years) they have to do well to get into a good High School.  At the end of High School (3 years) is the Gao Kao, the National College Entrance Exam, the big one.  Their score in that exam will determine the level of university for which they can apply. 

And of course the pressure doesn't stop once you get to university.  Some students relax, but most take it seriously and strive hard for good marks, which will help them find a good job.  One girl told me that she had excelled at her High School, always coming top of the class.  She got a shock when she came to UPC to find that there were many clever students and she had to work even harder to stay in touch.  

Schools and universities are ranked, and everyone tries to get into a top school or college as that will enhance future prospects.  It is difficult for an Australian to understand just how competitive life is here in China.  There are 1.35 billion people and all want a share of the limited resources so that they and their extended families can have a better life. 

Many of my students are from Shandong Province, which has the second biggest population in China (96 million) and has a reputation for high academic standards.  You’ve got to be good to get to the top here, and there is no alternative but devote yourself to study and more study.

The study regime seems relentless to us outsiders, but to them it is normal.  Actually, I'm surprised that so many of the students seem well-adjusted and 'normal' given the pressure they live with for years.

It explains why Chinese students do so well when they go overseas – they study so hard, day and night.  They develop strong study habits from an early age, so for them it is second-nature.  I don't think they are smarter than Western kids, but they are just used to working much harder.

Comments by selected Double Major students, April 2014.

English name, Province, main major, parents jobs	Comments
Daphne. Shandong Province. Her main major is Information Technology. Her parents are both workers.	Daphne said her high school years were very busy, she normally got to school at 6am and got home at 10pm.  But she had very close friends and they also got to know the teachers well.  College life is less strict, but they don’t really get close to their classmates.  Of course she has become close to the 5 other girls in her dormitory.  Another big difference is that in high school they were constantly in the one room, while at college lectures are in different rooms – doesn’t sound that important, but it changes the whole study experience. She had never lived in a dormitory before and that took some getting used to; similarly, having to use the public bath-house and get naked and shower with many other girls was traumatic at first. She was quite nervous in the 1st Year of college – everything was so new and different - now taking some traditional Chinese medicine which has helped to calm her down.  She is hoping to find a boyfriend this year, to experience romance as well.
Catherine. From Hebei Province. Her main major is Resources Engineering. Her parents are both doctors.	She said life in High School was busy but simple.  Everyone had one clear aim – to get a high score in the Gao Kao (National College Entrance Exam) to get into a good university.  Lectures and study from early morning to late at night – she rarely left the classroom.  But everyone was in the same boat, and supported each other. During 1st Year of college she often wondered why she was here.  Finally, she changed her major to Resources Engineering as that has better job prospects.  But it meant that she has been extremely busy in 2nd Year trying to catch up.  Unusually, Catherine said that she is really looking forward to finishing college and finding a job.  She feels she will be happier earning a living and making her way in society.
Amy. Shanxi Province. Parents are farmers. Her main major is Experimental Science.	Most of the students said that in their High Schools boys and girls were segregated, and relationships (“puppy love”) were frowned upon.  But in Amy’s case, her desk-mate was a boy.  It was bad enough that he was big and fat, but he also wouldn’t speak to her (he has since admitted to her that he was just too shy).  But the tension of sitting next to him spoilt her High School days.   In 1st Year of college she enjoyed the freedom of college life, but found it quite hard to make friends outside her dormitory.  In 2nd Year she started the Double Major which is busy - she has 24 classes (48 hours) a week – and is finding it difficult to keep up.  She has decided she hates maths!
Lily. Liaoning Province. Resource Engineering. Father geologist, mother teacher.	In High School, the day started at 7.30am and she normally got home at 10pm.  She would do another hour or more of homework before sleeping.  She was very close to her classmates – they were all in the same boat.  In 1st Year of college she felt energetic and got involved in many extra activities such as a dance club, played volleyball, and did charitable work.  But in 2nd Year she has taken on the Double Major which is busy (she likes being busy) and doesn’t leave time for other activities.
Pearl. Chongqing Municipality. Safety Engineering. Father engineer, mother accountant.	Middle School was good, but the three years of High School were very stressful.  The teachers were strict and there were constant exams.  Everyone had one aim: to get a high score in the Gao Kao and enter a good university.  She doesn’t really like her major – she would have preferred to study languages, but her parents convinced her that an engineering qualification would give much better job opportunities. In 1st Year she had a boyfriend which was good and bad.  It gave her romance, but she didn’t get to know her dorm-mates well.  Unusually, she now has a foreign boyfriend (there are foreign students at UPC from Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Africa, etc.  Very few have Chinese girlfriends) which means she is even more divorced from the mainstream.   She feels most Chinese are too conservative, and she is looking forward to living overseas at some stage in the future.
Flora. Shandong Province.  Applied Chemistry. Parents both workers.	Discipline was strict in her High School.  Short hair was the norm (she loves being able to grow her hair now).  Sport was not encouraged.  Even joking around was frowned upon. Flora enjoys college life, and describes it as ‘colourful’.  In 1st Year of college she was curious about everything and did some voluntary teaching in a primary school in a poor rural area, which she enjoyed.  She also joined the Army Reserve.  She had never been physically strong, but the Reserves have toughened her up. In 2nd Year she started the Double Major – very busy - so has only kept up the Army Reserve and has dropped all other activities to focus on her studies.
Cherry. Sichuan Province. Geology. Father fireman, mother accountant.	Cherry described her High School years as a ‘cherished time’.  Sure, she had to study a lot, but there was still time for fun.  She stayed in a dormitory and got up to all sorts of things with her friends (such as had boyfriends, and even produced TV programs on computers). Cherry likes college.  1st Year was great – she got involved in many clubs and activities and also found a boyfriend (but she hasn't told her parents as they expect her to focus on study and would see him as a distraction).  2nd Year is very busy with her Double Major.  But she still found time to enter a competition for the “top 10 Sophomore girls” – she made the grade last week, so is very pleased.  But she feels tired all the time, and is wondering if she is overdoing it.
Mandrake. Jiangxi Province. Major is Mathematics. Father worker, mother teacher.	Mandrake said that his High School years were not too bad – the school day started at 7.30am and finished at 6pm (much shorter than in Shandong).  In 1st Year of college he as very shy – everything was different – and he buried himself in study.  Now in 2nd Year he knows how things work and is more confident - he is getting to know other students and teachers.  He thinks that college is too busy and there is too little time for activities other than study.  He is worried about his health as he isn’t doing any exercise apart from one PE class a week.
David. Shandong Province; Storage & Transportation Engineering; father businessman, mother farmer	David said that he wanted to comment on college.   In 1st year everything was new: the style of teaching and learning.  Students don’t get close to the teachers and have to do much study themselves. Now in 2nd Year he is busy with his Double Major, so doesn’t have time for other activities.  Unusually for an English major, he is hoping to do post-graduate study in Russia which has good technology in oil and gas storage and transportation. He told the class that he recently fell in love with a girl, but hasn’t worked up the courage to tell her yet.  David is one of the two left-handed students in this class.

...

That's all for now.

Keep well, and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah 

English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn 

Sunday 13 April 2014