Post #85 5 January 2016

Gentlefolk,

Our best wishes to you all for a happy and healthy 2016.

I can't believe we are already 5 days into the new year.

The photos below capture some of the events in the last days of 2015 and on New Year's Day.

Qingdao has experienced bad smog the last 2 weeks.  Unusual for our coastal city. Of course we do get days when the air quality is "Unhealthy" or sometimes even "Very unhealthy", but this time it was often "Hazardous".  Now we know what many inland regions often experience - not good.  One morning the smog was so thick that visibility was less than 100 metres; scary.

Exams

I've been busy with end-of-semester exams and marking.  Almost done - one more exam tomorrow morning and that will be it for this semester.

In the past when I've had more than one Western Culture class I have just held one exam, but this time the university's Teaching Office insisted that I have separate exams (and papers) for my two Western Culture classes.

I was aware that the two courses had different titles: Non Major 283 was "An Introduction to British and American Culture" and Double Major was "A Survey of the UK and the USA".  At the beginning of the semester I enquired as to the difference between the two courses?  The answer was that they use different text books.  All the textbooks I'd seen on Western Culture were outdated and poor quality so I prepared my own lectures, and of course I gave the same lectures to both classes.

The Teaching Office didn't have a problem with that approach, until exam time.  I argued having one exam for the two classes made sense, as they had in fact studied exactly the same material.  But no, that logic wasn't accepted. The bureaucrats put their foot down and insisted that I had to prepare two different papers (actually four, as there is a Paper A and a Paper B for each exam - Paper B is the back-up in case Paper A is "leaked" and they need a quick replacement).

The first Culture exam (for NM283) was held 7 - 9pm on Wednesday 30 December 2015; the second (for DM1401) was held 7 - 9pm on Sunday 3 January 2016.

Class NM283 (52 students) taking the Culture exam, 7 - 9pm on 30 December 2015.

I'll do a separate post on the contents of the Culture exam in the next few days.

New Year's Eve & New Year's Day

My second Oral English exam was held 7 - 9pm on Thursday 31 December - New Year's Eve.

On 31 December we invited the other teachers over at 10pm (after my Oral English exam), to see in the new year but only three could make it.  Vera put on some supper, we had a few drinks till midnight and then watched "The Big Lebowski" with Jeff Bridges and John Goodman.

What a crazy, crazy, crazy movie.  Wonderful acting, especially by John Goodman. It was 3am by the time we fell into bed.

Next morning my other Oral English class NM145 had their exam, 10am - 12 noon, New Year's Day is a public holiday in China.  I offered to hold the exam on another day, but the students decided to have it that morning.  They are all busy studying for exams and preferred to get this exam out of the way.

Can you imagine Australian students (and teachers) having an exam on a public holiday, let alone New Year's Day?  Wouldn't happen!

Actually, while 1 January is recognised as important, a much more significant holiday in China is the Lunar New Year (also called Spring Festival).  That will occur on Monday 8 February 2016.  It is THE big festival in China.  Traditionally, families celebrate together, often in their ancestral village. It is a week of eating, drinking and getting together with friends and family.

After my exam we had lunch at the Blue Horizon Hotel with some other teachers (see photos). Later, Vera and I visited a young couple, Daniel and Hayley Elsaesser, to see baby Oliver.

Saying goodbye to Tamara and Felix Baur  on 29 December 2015.  Tamara was teaching German but had to cut her contract short because of illness.  They are now back in Berlin.

On 30 December 2015 Professor Yan Zi Feng, Director of UPC's International Office, presented me with an "Outstanding Contribution Award", Apparently I am the first foreign teacher to get such an Award.  What an unexpected honour!

Buffet lunch on New Year's Day at the Blue Horizon Hotel. From left, seated: Steven (US); Michael (US); William (Aussie); Graham (Aussie); Gautier & Hao Yu (French); standing at back Vera (Aussie) and Thomas (German).  Thomas is a real linguist - he is fluent in Chinese and Arabic (as well as German and English of course).  

The Blue Horizon Coffee Shop was packed for New Year's Day lunch.  Luckily Vera had booked a table for us. It really shows how prosperous China has become when so many families can enjoy eating out at a big hotel. 

After lunch we visited Hayley (Zhao Hai Jie) and Daniel Elsaesser who had their baby Oliver a month ago.  Daniel is fluent in Chinese. He works for the Qingdao-German Eco Park, an industrial zone for German companies. 

Vera with little Oliver and Hayley.  

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So that's how we welcomed the New Year 2016.

In ten days we will fly to Hong Kong.  A week with Andrew, Caz and Little Eddie, and then down to Australia.

We'll return at the end of February for the beginning of the next semester.

I hope to do a couple more blog posts before we "head south".

Again, our best wishes to everyone for a happy and healthy 2016.

...

Alex & Vera Olah (aka The Intrepid Duo)
English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Tuesday, 5 January 2016

29 December 2015

Gentlefolk,

This post covers events during Xmas Week (last week).

Christmas Week

When people ask us "How did you spend your last Xmas in China?", the answer is "Working, like everyone else".

Although shopping malls (and many shops) put up Xmas decorations, this Western/Christian festival is not celebrated in China.  It is a normal work day here.

Under Mao the country was strictly atheist; the State "religion" was 'Marxism - Leninism - Mao Thought'. That is still the ideology of the ruling Communist Party of China, but these days things are more relaxed and a variety of beliefs are tolerated.

The Pew Research Centre estimates that around 5% (my impression is that the real figure could be higher) of Chinese are Christians -  but that still equates to over 70 million people, making China one of the largest Christian countries in the world!

Mao must be spinning in his grave!

The following photos show events Vera and I were involved in during Xmas Week, 21 - 26 December 2015.

My Thursday night Oral English class NM284. Their last class was on Xmas Eve 24 December; the exam will be next Thursday night.  Very nice students; several had excellent English, especially Steve, Will, Francis, Sunny and Mandy.  Sylvia Sun Yao (stripped dress) was the monitor and a great help.

My parents being from Europe, traditionally we celebrated on Xmas Eve; first exchange of gifts - always the most anticipated event for kids - followed by a big family dinner, followed by singing carols, followed by attending Midnight Mass.  So here we invited some friends to join us on Xmas Eve.  I had a class from 7 to 8.50pm, so the invitation was for "after 9pm".  Vera made a delicious supper and then we exchanged gifts ('Secret Santa').
In the photo above, from left: Nicole (US); Steven (US); Michael (US); Vera handing out the gifts; Gautier (French); and William (Aussie). Not in the photo: Graham (Aussie) and Kay (Korean).

On Xmas Day we had lunch at the Blue Horizon Hotel.  Here we are in the foyer with Zhang Qi (Carol), my helpful Liaison Teacher, and her husband Zhang Yong.

Xmas Day lunch at the Blue Horizon Hotel with Steven and Michael.  Wonderful buffet.  All you can eat and drink (including wine and beer) for $13.50 (normal price is $19.70 but UPC staff get a discount!).

My Friday night Oral English class NM145. We had a lot of fun this semester.  Many clever students, especially girls Nan, Chen, and Cristina and boys Daniel, Bruce, Bill and Dean.

With some of my favorite students in NM145.  Alex's angels!

I also taught a training group from Sinopec (Zhong Shi Hua).  They will go to Kuwait next year to build a heavy-oil refinery. Nice guys, dedicated students.  Their course was only for 9 weeks, but intensive (8 hours of English lectures every day, 6 days a week).  Working overseas is tough, but they are all keen because they earn twice the money and can save a lot.
From left: Frank; Gary; Gordon; Brian; Sheldon (on my right); Jim; Hardy; Jesse (behind me); Wayne; Felix; Eason (on my left); Lee; Travis; Steven; Jet; Nick; Tracy; Carter; Allen.

One of the Sinopec group, Lee, making a speech during a class.  They all made good progress in a short time.

On 24 December the Sinopec group held a Xmas Show followed by dinner.  Everyone got into the swing of things.  I could only stay for the Show (they put on a number of skits in English) as I had to teach 7 - 8.50pm.

Sinopec group Xmas party.  Jesse (host) and Wayne (Father Xmas).

Lee and Jet singing "Raise me up".

A skit performed by Eason, Kevin, Gary, and Wayne.

Olivia Wang Ling, from the International Office, invited us for lunch at her apartment on 26 December.  From left: Vera; Olivia's mother; Olivia; her friends Daniel & Grace & their son John.  Olivia's cute daughter Elim was playing, so not in the photo.  Unfortunately her husband, David, had to work and couldn't make it.

A photo of the living & dining area in Olivia's apartment. It is a very comfortable 3 bedroom apartment which they purchased last year.  Very nice of Olivia and David to invite us to their home - pretty unusual. Actually, Olivia met us at the Airport when we first arrived in August 2009.  She was wonderful helping us settle in to life in Dongying; we called her our "Guardian Angel'! We were real greenhorns then - now feel part of the furniture. 

My Western Culture class Double Major 1401 from 4.10 - 6pm on Saturday afternoon 26 December.  Dora, Theresa; Sunny; Candice; Lily; Katy; Carols; Alice; Ian; Katherine (absent: Joshua; Ella; Sum; Evelyn; Ethan; and Frank). This was their final lecture - the exam will be next Sunday night.  Double Major students are very busy and sometimes missed my class when there was a clash with their main major.

Charles Yu Zhi Chao spoke to DM1401 about his experience at the University of Wollongong. Double Major students are usually top-performers and often interested in studying abroad, so they found his comments very interesting.

So ended another Xmas Week in China.  This was our last, as we will finish teaching in July 2016 and then head back to Australia.

And how were the family celebrating in Australia?

Well, it's summer 'Down Under' - all about 'sun, sand & sea' - very different from the Northern Hemisphere.

The Roberts: our grandsons Nate, Kurt and Sid enroute to camping at Pebble Beach near Coffs Harbour NSW. That campground has no power or running water, so 'back to nature'.  What an adventure!

Tom trying out the family's new rubber kayak

The Miltons hosted their gorgeous daughters & families for Xmas in Sydney.

Little Eddie getting into the spirit of Xmas in Sydney.

Little Eddie had unexpected company for lunch. Wouldn't happen in Hong Kong!

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That's it for this post.

Keep well, and keep smiling.

Best wishes for 2016.

Alex & Vera Olah (aka The Intrepid Duo)

English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao

www.upc.edu.cn

Tuesday, 29 December 2015

23 December 2015

Gentlefolk.

This post covers a number of recent activities.

The air has been very polluted here.  The internet readings have been "Very Unhealthy" and today even "Hazardous".  Most unusual.  A few days ago Beijing issued another "Red Alert" (their second in 10 days) and I guess the northerly winds have brought that pollution to us.  We've even had some light rain, but surprisingly that didn't clear the air.  The forecast is for strong winds, so hopefully tomorrow is better and we can get to the gym again.

Note: the Chinese yuan has slipped again.  In this post I use an exchange rate of US$1 = yuan 6.5.  All money is in US$.

Charles Yu & Jessica Hinde

Towards the end of last year we became friendly with one of my students, Charles Yu Zhi Chao.  He was in 3rd Year, majoring in Safety Engineering.

UPC has a program called "3+2", under which a student can do 3 years study here followed by 2 years at an approved foreign university; they end up with two degrees.

In July 2015 Charles transferred to the University of Wollongong (100km south of Sydney) to study Mechanical Engineering.  He did well in the semester exams in November (3 Distinctions and a Credit) and is now back in Qingdao for the (Aussie) summer break.

On Tuesday 15 December Charles brought a friend from UoW, Jessica (Jess) Hinde to see our campus and I invited them to attend an Oral English class with EM1502.

They introduced themselves and then answered questions.  The students were very interested to hear about College life in Australia and the 50 minutes passed all too quickly.

The students were shocked when Charles told them that he pays $110 per week for a room in a shared house (4 students rent a house near UoW campus).  Here at UPC they pay $154 for a bed in a 6-person dormitory for a whole academic year!!! And you can eat 3 meals in campus canteens for less than $5!

Jessica was the centre of attention, of course.  She had just graduated in Medical & Health Science.  She will have a Gap Year in 2016 (to work and travel),  and then hopes to start studying Medicine in 2017.  

This last year Jessica had five part time jobs while studying; 3 were on campus (for example, she was the coordinator of special activities for foreign students - that's how she and Charles met); she worked as a receptionist at a Medical Centre on Saturday mornings; and she tutored two private students in maths.  

Jessica lives at home with her parents and two siblings in a suburb of Wollongong, about 15 km from the campus.  The family has five cars.  Jessica said she always tries to pick up other students as passengers because campus parking is free if there are more than 3 in the car.

The following week I asked the class for their impressions of Jessica.  It was obvious that she had been a great hit.  The students (EM1502 is an all-girl class) were very impressed; descriptions included 'pretty'; 'independent'; 'pretty'; 'strong'; 'pretty'; 'work-oriented'; 'pretty'; 'friendly'; 'pretty'; 'open-minded'; 'pretty'; 'well-organised'; 'pretty'; 'busy'; 'pretty'; 'clever'; 'pretty'; 'cool' ... 

If Jessica exemplifies young people in Australia today, then we are in good hands!

Charles Yu Zhi Chao, Vera, and Jessica Hinde.

Jessica and Charles answering questions from the students in EM1502.

...

Swimming

Our Sunday routine includes a swim at Shi Yan Experimental Middle School. The school was built about 4 years ago and has great facilities, including a 25 metre indoor heated pool.

After 6pm Monday to Friday, and all weekend, the pool is open to visitors. A single visit costs $6.15, but we buy a 'card' with 50 visits which works out at a much more reasonable $2.75 each.

Visits are for a maximum of 2 hours, but we usually spend 45 or 50 minutes in the water.  If you don't stop swimming, that's enough time for a good work-out.  Shower afterwards.  Vera usually takes the bus back to the campus, while I walk (about 3 km).

It is a nice way to spend time, especially on a cold winter's day.

Here are some photos of the school and pool.

The main entrance of the Shi Yan Experimental Middle School. The building on the left is the gymnasium.  The swimming pool is on the ground floor.  The top floor has badminton courts and table tennis.  

Some of the teaching buildings.  A statue of Confucius adorns the centre of the quadrangle. This is regarded as the best Middle School in the district, and many UPC Professors send their kids to this school.  It is about 3 km from our campus.

The school has a nice oval for soccer (artificial grass) with running tracks around the outside.

The school's swimming pool is 25m x 20m.  Usually heated to about 25C.  We try to swim from 12 to 1pm, over lunchtime, when it is less crowded. Good exercise.  This photo is a bit blurred because of the steamy atmosphere.

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First birthday

On 18 December 2015 Professor Zhang Wei Shan (Computer Science Faculty) invited Vera and me for lunch at his apartment, to celebrate his son's first birthday.

In China, families celebrate 100 days and first birthday of a child.  In the past many babies (and mothers) died in child-birth or shortly thereafter, so if a baby is healthy after 100 days and one year it means they will probably survive.

It is a tradition to put various things (money, pencil, book, etc) into a bucket, and see which one the child will choose.  The photos shows little Chen Chen (his nick-name) selecting the pencil - his parents were delighted as it indicates he will be scholarly!

From left: One-year-old Zhang Zhi Jie, his Grandmother; his mother Wang Yi; and his father Zhang Wei Shan.

...

I presented my book to the monitor (class captain ) of  Non Major class 145 as thanks for her help during the semester. Her name is Cristina Zhang Jia Min; 3rd Year Geology; from Xinjiang Province, way out west; her father is an oil engineer and her mother is an accountant.  It's curious that many Chinese students wear jackets and coats in the classrooms, even though internal temperatures are quite comfortable - I guess they are told to "rug up" from an early age.  

...

That's it for this post.

Best wishes, keep well and keep smiling.

Xmas is nigh!

Alex & Vera Olah (aka The Intrepid Duo)
English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Wednesday 23 December 2015.


Qingdao TV program featuring two foreign teachers, Dr Rai and me. Click HERE.

22 December 2015

Gentlefolk,

This post is a tribute to a great basketball player, Kobe Bryant.

Kobe Bryant

 “My heart can take the pounding

My mind can handle the grind

But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye ... "

With those words Kobe Bryant announced his pending retirement from the National Basketball Association (NBA) on 29 November 2015.

 These lines were part of a poem titled “Dear Basketball”, which explained his decision to retire at the end of the 2015-16 season (it looks unlikely the Lakers will make the Playoffs, so his career will probably end in March 2016).

The poem is long and poignant.  A fitting farewell for a champion.

Background

Kobe Bean Bryant was born in Philadelphia on 23 August 1978.  His father, Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant, played for the Philly 76ers; but Kobe was a fan of the LA Lakers and he joined the Lakers in 1996, straight from High School.

Kobe has spent his entire 20 year NBA career with the Lakers. His nickname is Black Mamba (he says he is quick and dangerous, just like this snake).  He is 1.98m tall and weighs in at 93kg.

Kobe has had a remarkable basketball career.

As at 19 December 2015 he had played 1,303 regular season NBA games and scored 32,866 points (25.2 average points per game; 4.8 assists; 5.3 rebounds). 

In December 2014 Kobe passed Michael Jordan to become the third highest regular season point scorer in NBA history (#1 is Abdul Jabar with 38,387; #2 is Karl Malone with 36,928).

Kobe’s highest score was 81 against the Toronto Raptors in 2006;  he is second to Wilt Chamberlain who scored an unbelievable 100 points in a game back in 1962.

Kobe has played 220 Playoff games with an average PPG of 25.6.

Kobe won the NBA Championships five times with the Lakers: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010.

He was selected on the NBA All Star team 17 times (voted MVP four times). 

Kobe won Gold with the US Basketball Team at two Olympic Games: Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.

His achievements go on and on and on.  Sporting News and TNT named Bryant the top NBA player of the 2001 – 10 decade. 

What a guy!

Family

In November 1999 Kobe met 17 year old Vanessa Laine.  Against his parent’s wishes, they married on 18 April 2001; have two daughters, Natalia (2003) and Gianna (2006).

Ballet on steroids

The NBA has a huge following in China, and for a decade or more Kobe was the most popular player.  His jersey ‘Kobe Lakers 24’ outsold all other shirts combined. In recent years the likes of LeBron James and Stephen Curry have taken over. 

When I came to China I quickly realised that many students were ardent followers of the NBA.  I played basketball in High School, so was naturally interested in the sport. I was amazed and captivated by the athleticism and skill of these giant men (like ballet on steroids!), and Kobe was one of the best.

Tributes

Following Kobe’s retirement announcement, I discussed his life with my classes.  The boys loved talking about him; even the girls were impressed.

I gave my two English Major classes (Freshmen, all girls) an assignment: compose a simple poem as a tribute to Kobe Bryant: it should contain three lines, and a maximum of 12 words. 

Here are some of their compositions.

Tributes to Kobe Bryant by selected students in EM1502 and EM1503

Aurora	Kobe Bryant / The nation’s pride / Our hero.
Chany	No words / No tears / No regrets; go Kobe.
Penny	An era ends / Black Mamba / Forever, my Kobe.
Ivana	Dreams come true / Our hero / Goodbye Kobe.
Alice	The Black Mamba / A legend / Best player ever.
Jasmine	Kobe / Spare no effort / always working hard.
Sally	Kobe is a hero / An idol / For a generation
Alyssa	Irreplaceable dream / Unbroken faith / Miracle-man Kobe.
Carol	Kobe / Sweetheart / Luck be with you forever.
Sunny	Fly like a bird / Spin like a top / Shoot like a star; Kobe.
Heidi	Twenty years achieving / Retirement beckons / Good memories; Kobe.
Julie	My warrior within / Amazing talent / The one and only Kobe Bryant.
Lucy	Countless glories /  Kobe, my hero / Love you always.
Evelyn	Twenty years of honor / The people’s hero / A legend; Kobe.

What do you think of their tributes?

Here are some photos of this remarkable athlete.

Above: two NBA young guns: LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.  Below: fifteen years later, two NBA veterans.  Kobe wore #8 when he started playing with the Lakers. but then switched to #24.  Anyone know why he changed number? Some say #24 was his number in High School, others say it reflects his 24/7 commitment to basketball.

The Bryant family holidaying in Mykonos, Greece, July 2014.

The Bryant girls supporting the US Womens Soccer Team at the 2015 World Cup in Canada this year.

Thanks for the memories, Kobe.  You are a legend.

...

That's it for this post.

Best wishes, keep well and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Tuesday  22 December 2015


Qingdao TV program featuring two foreign teachers, Dr Laxmisha Rai and myself.  Click HERE.

16 December 2015

Gentlefolk,

This post is about the gym we frequent, and some photos of recent events.

Winter is well and truly here.  We don't get much snow in Qingdao - only one decent fall so far (about 5 cm).  Very cold wind today.  It is supposed to reach +2C, but feels colder with the wind-chill factor.

Now sunrise is at 7am and sunset at 5pm.  In another week it will be the shortest day (winter solstice).  By the time we return from our holidays at the end of February the days will be noticeably longer.

Note: the yuan has depreciated slightly, so this month I am using an exchange rate of US$1 = Yuan 6.4.  I prefer to use US dollars because the Australian dollar is too volatile (the expression is "up and down like a yoyo").

Gym

Back in March 2015 we joined the California Gym, but it went broke two months later (it was badly managed).

In September we decided to have another go, and joined the Gold Coast Body Building Club.  It is located on the 4th floor of a building adjacent to the Bank of China, about 2 km from the campus.

When we joined, there was only one option.  Last month Gold Coast opened a second gym, on the 3rd floor of the same building.  Everything is new, and flash - it even has a sauna!

Membership of the 4th floor gym costs $125 a year, while membership of the 3rd floor costs $200 pa.

Isn't it interesting how a market can be segmented.

Five years ago, when I raised the subject of gyms, most students reacted with "why would I pay to do exercise, when I can just run around the campus for free?"  I remember one of the first gyms not far from here closed down after a few months - just  not enough interest.

Attitudes change in China very fast.  Since then there has been an upsurge of interest in body building (especially among boys), and general fitness (among girls). Now gyms are the "in thing" and popular.

I guess it also reflects rising living standards, with more people able (and willing) to pay for amenities such as gyms.  Most of the clientèle  is young (20 to 30) but there are also a few older people like us.

The facilities seem pretty good.  You can hire a 'personal trainer' and there are group classes (aerobics, zumba, spinning, etc) mainly in the evenings.

Some of the main differences between here and Australia:

The gym is much cheaper here;

Gyms in Australia open by 6am, for the 'before-office' crowd (actually, many now have 24 hour access), while our gym opens at 9am;

Our gym in Canberra had many group programs aimed at "Over 50s", but no evidence of that here, yet;

The showers are all in a big open room, no cubicles.

Chinese love to take long showers; almost all Chinese men are uncircumcised ('snipping' is only normal in the Chinese-Moslem community);

There is an attendant who looks after the change rooms & showers, who also provides massages and "cupping" (extra cost).  Vera says both the woman having a massage and the masseur are naked in the Women change room (in the Men they wear shorts)!

In other public showers I have been to, people always use plastic sandals while showering - presumably to avoid tinea - but in this gym everyone goes bare-footed. So far, so good.

Our gym here gets crowded in the afternoons and evenings, so Vera and I prefer to go in the morning.  Some of my male students have recommended I go at night "when there are lots of pretty girls in tights", but I have resisted the temptation so far.

An advantage coming early is that the shower room is less "steamy" - poor exhaust system.

We are usually among the first in the door when they open at 9am. We try to go three times a week, and exercise for a little over an hour.  Usually spend 30 - 35 minutes on a treadmill (do about 5 km - gets the heart pumping), then do some light weights and stretching, and have a shower.

I strained a hamstring last week, so am taking it easy at the moment.

We normally take the bus there, and often walk home.  We leave our place at 8.45am and are back around 11am.

The gym has been great.  We certainly feel healthier, which I think also makes for better teaching.



Here are some photos of the Gold Coast Gym (4th floor).

The main entrance to the gym.  Since the swish 3rd floor gym opened we now have an elevator to the 4th floor.

Exercise equipment.  We are usually among the first to arrive at 9am.  It gets busier later.

 The treadmills get popular later in the day.   

Vera, above and below, on resistance machine and treadmill.

A view of the weights area. These three women are regulars - we see them almost every time we are there. We have spoken to the nearest one (English name: Vivian) but haven't met the other two yet.

...

In September we met a couple, Daniel (from Stuttgart, Germany) and Hayley Zhou Hai Jie (from Harbin).

Last month they had a baby boy, Oliver, and we visited their apartment to see the new baby.

Hayley recovering after the birth of Oliver.  The baby was big - 4.4 kg - so a tough natural birth. But Hayley is strong and fit and will bounce back quickly.  In the background is the temporary nurse they have hired.  It is common here for couples to hire a baby-nurse for the first month to help the new mother. 

With Daniel, admiring little Oliver. Daniel studied Chinese in Germany, got a job at Bin Hai College teaching German and now works for a company which administers the China-Germany Industrial Estate in Huangdao.  Hayley is a part time artist, hence the many paintings behind the sofa.

About once a month Vera makes a curry dinner and we invite teachers and friends.  Always an enjoyable night. Guests this time were: Steve (US); Rai (India); Graham (Australia); Thomas (Germany) and a visiting friend Dong; Gautier (France) and his wife Hao Yu & baby Luna; and Sun Yu from the Admin Office.

Gautier and Hao Yu's daughter Luna turned one, so we celebrated her birthday with a cake.  She is a lovely baby. In China there are usually celebrations when a baby is 100 days old, and then one year old.  If they make those milestones, their future looks promising.

...

That's it for this post.

Best wishes, keep well and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Wednesday 16 December 2015.

Qingdao TV produced a program featuring two foreign teachers, Dr Laxmisha Rai and me.  To view click HERE.  It goes for about 25 minutes and alternates between Rai and myself.  Mainly in Chinese but with enough English to get the gist.