14 June 2014

Hi everyone,

Big month for sport

Football
It's got to be something really big to push the NBA Finals off screens in China, but that's what the Football World Cup has done.

The World Cup opening ceremony was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil at 2am Friday morning (our time), followed by the first game Brazil versus Croatia (Brazil won 3 - 1).  We were asleep, but watched the replays later that day.

The Socceroos were one of the 32 country teams from around the world to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.  We are in a very tough group: with Spain, Holland, and Chile.  We played Chile this morning, and lost 1 - 3.  I'm afraid it's not going to get any better.  In a big upset Holland beat Spain 5 - 1; the Dutch maintained their reputation as giant-killers (they beat Brazil in the semi-finals of the last World Cup 4 years ago).  I can imagine that the Spanish team is really pissed off, and they will be determined to make amends against poor old Australia and Chile.

Soccer looks easy, but don't be fooled.  There's a huge amount of talent and skill involved.  That first Dutch goal was a beauty - where he took a high pass and did a lovely header over the goalie's head into the net.  Perfect timing.  Poetry in motion.

Basketball
It's like that with the NBA Finals too.  In a repeat of last year, the last two teams are Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. These are big men, all around 2 metres tall.  Their athleticism is amazing, and their ability and agility is stunning.  The Heat won a very close contest last year - let's hope the Spurs can get the trophy this time around.

Tennis
The French Open was a great spectacle.  Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic in the Mens Singles and Maria Sharapova beat Simona Halep in the Womens Singles.  That was Nadal's 9th win on the clay of Roland Garros - an amazing achievement - and his 14th Grand Slam title.

Peng Shuai and her Taiwanese partner Hsieh Su Wei won the Women's Doubles, their second Grand Slam victory. Chinese seem to have quick reflexes, as evidenced by their dominance of table tennis and badminton, so we might see more Doubles champions in the future.

Wimbledon starts on 23 June - bring it on!

Teaching

I completed all my Oral English exams this week. Spoke to each student for 4 or 5 minutes.  Their final mark was a combination of their performance during the semester and the final exam.  Several boys missed many classes so that affected their scores - but everyone passed (60% is the pass mark).

One of my 'chats' in the exam took an unexpected turn.  I asked Carol why she had missed several classes in the middle of the semester.  She said that she broke up with her boyfriend, and was feeling depressed.  I wanted to keep the dialogue going, so asked a follow-up question "Why did you break up?" Her answer: "He wanted to have sex, but I wasn't ready. Do you think I made the right decision?" Gulp. Quicksand. I mumbled "Yes", and quickly changed the subject "... and which team is your favorite in the World Cup?"

The Culture exam will be held 7 - 9pm on Sunday 15 June.  120 students, so marking the papers will take a few days.  In my last Culture class (Thursday night) I asked some of the students which part of the course they found of most interest.  The following table shows their answers.

Non Major class 224. Selected students: 'Which part of American Culture was most interesting?'

Name	Topic	Name	Topic	Name	Topic
Sally	3 branches of government	Loki	Economic development	Troy	George Washington
Paul Smith	Religion	Thomas	Population mix	Claire	College life
Gary	Drafting the US Constitution	Eric	The Civil War	Perry	The Great Depression
Johnson	Time Zones	Adam	Sport	Godric	Henry Ford
Mavis	Guns	Winky	Pets	Kevin	Elections
Faber	Religion	Sean	Guns	Coconut	Guns
Mike	Sport	Lucifer	The Civil War	Heidi	Eating manners

...

CNOOC group

I am still teaching the group of 28 staff from the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) who are doing an intensive English course for 3 months. My last class with them will be on Friday 20 June, and my colleague Steven McCune will replace me as their oral English teacher for the last 4 weeks.

CNOOC group, from left: Bob; Shaun; Eno; Tom; James; Wade; Joe; Brendan; Dean; Alvin; Sasa; Roy; Kevin (partly hidden behind Roy and me); Alex; Carl; Max; Iris; Leo; Jane; Steven; Kyle; Travis; Cliff; John; Ken; Andy; Jacob. (absent: Frank)

Actually, teaching an adult class turned out to be more difficult than I expected.  College students are still 'in the groove' with learning English, and accept it as part of their normal studies. But once they start work, unless they use English in their jobs (which is rare), they quickly lose the English skills they once possessed. It can be challenging to 're-awaken' their interest in, and competence in, English.

The CNOOC group has 34 hours of English lessons a week, of which my portion is 6 hours. They stay in a small hotel near the campus.

This is the third group from CNOOC I have taught.  From my observation many of them go through distinct stages: first excitement, then tiredness, then anger and resentment, then acceptance (or resignation?), and then finally a renewed interest in English.  For a teacher it is rewarding to see them improve, incrementally at first and then in a rush at the end.

CNOOC has operations in several countries, and some of the people in this group will probably end up working on oil projects overseas.

...

Campus bazaar 

Suddenly on Friday parts of the campus turned into a marketplace, as the 4,000+ students who are graduating this month put their books and other surplus things up for sale.

The graduating students selling their books and sometimes other possessions like bicycles.

Tennis anyone?

An international student from African seeing what's on offer.

...

Seniors cards

Vera and I have 'seniors bus cards' which provide discounted travel on city buses for people over 60 (instead of 15 cents per trip, we paid 10 cents).  We were puzzled why the balance on our cards wasn't decreasing with use.  Found out that the Municipal Government of Qingdao recently reduced the age for free bus travel from 70 to 65.  People over 65 now travel free on city buses.  Isn't that nice!

We don't have a car in Qingdao, so often take buses.  Public buses are great: frequent and cheap. I don't think I've ever seen an empty bus here - very different from Canberra where most buses are empty or with few passengers.  There are just so many people in China and the buses are usually crowded - but people are used to that, and good-natured about letting another person or two or three squeeze on.

Taxis are relatively inexpensive too: flagfall is $1.60 which covers the first 3 km.

Another little item related to cost of living here.  Yesterday my watch-band broke, so we went to a local shopping mall and found a "Mister Minute" booth (fix it man).  You know how much it cost to select a replacement band and have it put on?  $0.85.  Gotta love this place!

...

The dreaded Gao Kao

The annual National College Entrance Exam (the locals call it ‘Gao Kao’ – 'Big Exam') is held on 7 & 8 June every year.  9.4 million senior high school students registered to sit the exam at 320,000 venues.  The results will determine which students fill the 7 million places in universities and colleges around China in the 2014-15 academic year, beginning in early September 2014.

The number of students taking the Gao Kao peaked in 2008 with 10.5 million.    

In a country obsessed with anything to do with education, this is a huge event.  Students and their families have been totally focused on the Gao Kao for months, if not years. This exam is seen as a watershed in a student’s life - how well they do will be a key determinant of their future.

It is difficult for a Westerner to understand the importance accorded to this exam in China.  The whole country gets behind it.  There is lots of coverage in the press and on TV.  Extra police are assigned to duty around exam venues to ensure all goes smoothly.  Bus routes are changed to keep traffic noise to a minimum, and car and taxi drivers are told not to use their horns near exam venues.  There are special hotlines for people stuck in traffic.

Families seek any possible advantage for their child.  For example, they will rent accommodation near the High School for the final year, so that their child can sleep a little longer.  Families spend lots of money on extra tutoring - and buy books and computers – anything to help their child prepare for the exam.

Confucius is regarded as the ‘patron saint of education' and his shrines always see big increases in patronage in the weeks leading up to the Gao Kao.  Students and parents buy ‘blessing cards’ seeking his help and write messages such as “Wish me quick thinking and an extraordinary performance in the Gao Kao.”  Trinkets which feature pictures of the Sage are best sellers.

A woman told a journalist that she is leaving nothing to chance in seeking divine intervention for her daughter - she frequents the Confucius shrine, a Buddhist temple, as well as the local Christian church.

 

Butchers experience a spike in demand for brain at this time every year – cow, pig, sheep, goat - any brain will do.  Children are force-fed brain in the hope that their own brains will be improved. 

Despite warnings by the Ministry of Education against cheating, there are always new products on the market, such as tiny ear plugs, and special pens, erasers and watches which can receive wireless messages. Police establish special surveillance of wireless communication around exam venues.   

Students cramming for the annual Gao Kao exam.  Many of my students are from Shandong Province which is known for its tough study regime.  They said that in the final year of High School they were up by 6am, and went to bed around midnight.  

A town farewells students going to sit the Gao Kao exam.  One of my students told me she was the only one in her year to get a high enough score to make it to College, and the whole village applauded her when she left.

Students being screened for electronic devices.The China Daily reported that a group of 10 college students were arrested in Zhengzhou for organising a wireless operation to which Gao Kao students had subscribed.

One of the venues of the annual Gao Kao exam.

A parent praying for her child during the Gao Kao exam.

Parents and friends waiting outside a Gao Kao venue.  The results will be out by the end of June.

Several of my students told me that they repeated the last year of High School, so that they could get a better mark in the Gao Kao which would get them entry into a higher-ranked university.

With its huge population, competition is fierce in Chinese society.  In a country where poverty (and even starvation) is still in many people's living memory, education is seen as a passport to a good life.  Exams are an integral part of growing up in China.  Kids have exams at the end of Primary School to get into a good Middle School, then another exam to get into a good High School, finally the Gao Kao to get into a high-ranked university - all to improve the chance of securing a better job at the end.

Children are well aware of the huge expectations of their parents. There is relentless pressure to do well. Vera and I marvel at the relatively care-free lives of our grandsons back in Brisbane, and realise that they live in a very Lucky Country.

Two weeks ago the China Daily reported that 13 cities and provinces have introduced a system of bonus points where students with "outstanding morals" can get up to 20 points added on to their Gao Kao exam score (in Shandong the maximum Gao Kao score is 750; anything over 600 is considered very good).

This announcement led to a vigorous debate.  Some people thought it was a good way to encourage young people to do more charitable deeds and be more concious of helping their fellow citizens.  But most people reacted negatively:  How would 'morals' be judged? Who would be the arbiter? They felt that such a system could be open to corruption and nepotism, and that the Gao Kao result should be based solely on a student's academic ability.  Will be interesting to see how this is resolved.

Who is the most popular woman in the world?

What a great Trivial Pursuit question.

If 'popular' is defined as having the most followers on microblogs (like Twitter), then the answer is likely to be Yao Chen  (Chinese 姚晨).

Who is Yao Chen?

She is a Chinese actress, born in Quanzhou, Fujian Province on 5 October 1979, twice-married, known for her big mouth and beacon-like smile. Got China's 'Best Actress' Award in 2010.  She is known as the "Queen of Weibo" because of her huge contingent of 'followers' (Time says over 66  million).

She was one of four Chinese on Time Magazine's 2014 List of 100 Most Influential People in the World published in April 2014.

The following description was penned by Hannah Beech, Time's China Bureau Chief:

A Chinese superstar with an activist streak

Even movie stars have to breathe the same air we do. Yao Chen, one of China’s most beloved rom-com darlings, could have just kept quiet about the disturbing by-products of her homeland’s epic economic rise. But the 34-year-old took her thoughts online. Yao now outranks Twitter luminary Katy Perry with her more than 66 million followers on Weibo, the Chinese microblogging service. (Twitter is blocked by the Chinese government, which is spooked by social media it can’t control.)

She has opined on everything from the effect on her young child of China’s poisoned environment — choking smog, foul water and a toxic food chain — to the brave stand of a Chinese newspaper battling state censors. Last year she even quoted Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: “One word of truth shall outweigh the whole world.” Or perhaps one gulp of China’s polluted air.

Receiving China's "Best Actress" Award in 2010.

With husband Cao Yu, May 2013, six months pregnant.

The baby, a boy nicknamed 'Little Potato', was born on 15 July 2013.

Add caption

Back in action after the baby, December 2013

As a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR Yao Chen has visited refugee camps in Thailand, The Philippines, and Ethiopia.

Grandkids

We are looking forward to meeting our newest grandson, Eddie, when we get to Kuala Lumpur in about 10 days time.

Little Eddie last week, almost 3 months old.

And then re-connecting with Kurt, Nate and Sid in Brisbane.

...

Well folks, that's it for another week.

The end of this semester is rapidly approaching.  In 10 days we leave for points South: first Kuala Lumpur and then down to The Land Down Under.

Will try to do one more post, next weekend, before we take a break during the holidays.

Best wishes, and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Saturday 14 June 2014

7 June 2014

Hello everyone,

This semester is rapidly drawing to a close.  My classes will have exams next week, then marking.  On 24 June Vera and I will leave for Kuala Lumpur and then down to Oz.  We'll be back in China at the end of August 2014 for the start of the 2014-15 academic year.

I plan to do two more posts on my blog before our departure - hopefully on 15 June and 22 June.  Not sure if there will be time for posts during our travels - will see how it goes.

Graduating students

A common sight around the campus at present - students who will graduate this month taking class photos in their academic gowns.  These were Geology majors at the South Gate.  Their undergraduate days (4 years) are almost done and the next phase of their lives is about to begin.  Many will start work, others will go on to do post-graduate studies.

Birthday boy

2 June 2014 we celebrated Steve's birthday with 'coffee & cake'.  Left to right: Sherry, Paul, Ben, Steve, Amy, and Vera.

Recent incidents

The following were four recent events which made interesting discussion topics with my Oral English students this week.

(1) A young man was hired by a car rental company in Guangzhou.  He died at work a month later; the medical certificate said his death was due to a drug overdose.  The family asked for compensation, but the company refused on the grounds that the death was self-inflicted.  They went to court, and the judge decreed that the company should pay the family $12,900 compensation.

Although most all the students felt that the company had little responsibility to pay compensation in this case, they also agreed with the judge's decision that some compensation was warranted, at least on moral and compassionate grounds.

(2) A man visited Thailand as part of a tour group; he drowned while snorkeling.  The family took the travel agency to court.  The judge decreed that the travel agency was liable, and should pay compensation of $120,000 to the family.

The students thought that this case was a more clear-cut than the previous one.  They agreed that the travel agency was responsible for everything related to the group they organised, and should pay compensation for the death of the man.

(3) A young woman in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, bought a kitten.  A week later she killed the kitten, and posted photos of her handiwork on the internet.  In response to criticism by netizens, she explained that her father's extra-marital affair had devastated the family and she decided to take out her anger on the kitten.  Netizens in their thousands criticised her even more.  Finally she removed the pictures and posted an apology for her actions.  Apparently her company fired her, and her life is a mess.

While some students sympathised with the woman's situation, most agreed that cruelty to animals was not the way to solve personal problems.

 (4) Wu Shuo Yan, 35, was waiting for her husband and son in a McDonald's restaurant in Zhao Yuan, Shandong Province when a group of six people (a man, four women and a boy) approached and asked for her mobile phone number.  When she refused their request, they got angry and started beating her.  They were not armed, but hit her with a chair, a broomstick and whatever else they could lay their hands on.

The police arrived and stopped the assault.  Wu was taken to hospital, but died of her injuries.

Police said later that the six were members of a doomsday cult called "Church of Almighty God" which was founded by Zhao Wei Shan in Henan Province in the early 1990s.  It is one of 14 cults which have been banned by the government, but obviously it still has some adherents.

Apparently the group was soliciting mobile numbers with the aim of trying to recruit people to their cult.  When Wu refused to give her number, they called her a 'demon' and assaulted her .  As the group was led away by police, a journalist asked the leader if he was worried. His reply: "We're not concerned about the law, because God is on our side!"

One of the bystanders in the restaurant filmed the assault on his mobile phone, and the video went viral.

The bizarre nature of the incident made it headline news in China.  Firstly, it happened in a busy restaurant; secondly, the unusual brutality; thirdly, the involvement of a religious cult; fourthly, that no one intervened.

The students expressed shock and horror at this incident.  The only logical explanation was that the attackers had been brain-washed by the cult.  They said that the police should take more care to ensure that banned cults are really eliminated and don't just go underground.

The students said they understood why no one intervened to help the woman.  It would be foolish to take on a group of 6 people - only the police are strong enough to intervene in a situation like that. Apparently after calling the police the restaurant manager tried to stop the altercation, but she was brushed aside. Almost 2,000 netizens have signed an online petition to McDonald's asking that the company put in place emergency strategies to better protect customers in its restaurants.

Vera and I have seen very little unprovoked violence in China, and generally feel safer here than in many parts of Australian cities.  Of course violence occurs, but given the huge population, there is relatively less here than in many western countries.  Many Chinese like drinking alcohol, and occasionally one sees drunks on the streets.  But, in-the-main, they seem to be passive drunks rather than the aggressive types we get back home.  We haven't heard of teenage gangs and motor bike gangs existing in China - they might, but we have not seen any evidence of that kind of thing here.

We occasionally hear of drugs in China (such as in story (1) above) but they are much less common than in Western countries and so fewer criminals and gangs are involved.

One rarely sees people fighting in China - verbal arguments sometimes, but rarely physical confrontations.

What surprised me was not the killing itself - there are crazies in every country, viz the shootings in Santa Barbara last week - but the fact that no one intervened.

What do you think of the four incidents described above, and the student's reactions?

What would happen if there was a fight in a Maccas near you - would you (or other customers) intervene?

...

Feedback on the semester

This week I asked the students in my Oral English classes for feedback on this semester.  The following table shows some of their comments.

Comments by selected students in Double Major 1202 (oral English), June 2014

Jasmine	First of all I would like to say ‘thank you’ for teaching us this semester.  I enjoyed your Oral English class, but I don’t think my spoken English has improved a lot.  I am still hesitant, and often can’t find the right words.
Nina	I still feel nervous when you ask me to speak.  I would prefer it if you gave us some notice about debates and other activities, so we can be better prepared.
Kris	I know you said you would not correct our mistakes, but I think it is necessary.  How else can we know what we are doing wrong?
Lily	I used to be very nervous when I had to speak English, but now feel more confident.  It is exciting to think that I can actually communicate in English; I never thought that would be possible.  I liked the games we played - a fun way to learn.
Bernie	Thank you for providing many chances for me to speak English in your classes. I think my spoken English has really improved.
Mandy	My spoken English is better.  You are the first foreigner I have ever spoken to, and I was nervous at first.  But you encouraged us, and gave me the courage to speak.  I like the way you focus on the student speaking, and really listen to what we say - it makes us feel special.
Pearl	I know some foreign students on this campus, so get to talk English almost every day.  But what I liked about your class were the discussions on social issues.  You helped me develop critical thinking skills, and to express my thoughts in a logical way.
Crystal	Your approach is very different from our normal Chinese teachers.  You make us feel relaxed and comfortable and gave us the courage to speak English.  I believe my spoken English has definitely improved this semester. I particularly liked discussing recent news items, and also remember when you read some English poems to us.  That was nice.
Catherine	I liked the way we discussed current issues in your class.  It felt good to be able to express my own ideas about events.  We never use English in our normal lives.  Sometimes I have tried to practice with my dorm mates, but we always revert to Chinese.  This is really the only venue we have to use spoken English.
Colin	You made us stand on the stage during debates.  It was frightening at first because I had never spoken in front of my class mates.  But it was good practice and I feel more confident now.
Lyra	I liked this class because you always made us feel at ease.  I have now become more interested in daily news as we often discussed events in your class.  I also liked the small number of students, which gave me more opportunity to speak.
Amy	I liked the different games we played, such as the guessing game, and hot seat.  It makes learning fun.
Ella	I will always remember that you praised me whenever I spoke.  It really encouraged me.  I think you are a gentleman, and you have a nice smile too!
Miranda	Up till now I have always regarded English as just another subject to be passed in the exams, but you made me realise that language is all about communication.  I feel more confident in using spoken English now.

Well, from my perspective I think they all made good progress this semester. It was rewarding to see them grow in confidence and competence.

I am really impressed that these students can switch over to English so readily, after spending all their time immersed in Chinese - the capabilities of the human brain are truly amazing.

Students in Double Major class 1202 (Oral English): left to right: Sybil; Catherine; Amy; Mandy; Annie; Kevin; Me; Bernie; Miranda; Vincent; Daphne; Belle; Jenny; Ella and Jackie. 

Other students of Double Major class 1202, left to right: Alice; Laura; Crystal; Tina; Nina; Me; Kevin (hidden behind me); Kris; Lily; Ann; Celine; and Jasmine.  

Although there were 40 students on the class list of DM1202, often only half of them turned up as they had clashes with other subjects.  Double Major students are the busiest on campus, with over 20 classes a week (40+ contact hours).

I have gotten used to large classes of 30 or 40 or even 50 students, so it was quite a change for me to have much smaller numbers in these classes this semester.  Sometimes only 10 or so would turn up.  On those occasions I had to change my teaching style - often became more like a chat than a formal class.

An interesting observation was that there were about twice as many girls as boys in the Double Major classes, and yet most of their 'main majors' were engineering subjects where boys predominate.  When I asked the girls, most said that they liked English at school and wanted to continue with it.  Another reason was that they hoped having a double degree would help them find a better job - boys are generally preferred by engineering companies, so the girls felt they needed something extra to compete.

China's Leading Ladies

Traditionally the wives of Chinese leaders have not had a public profile.  But that changed in March 2013 when the current leadership took over: Xi Jin Ping became President (Head of State and Head of Military), and Li Ke Qiang became Premier (Head of Government).

Peng Li Yuan 

Peng Li Yuan (Chinese: 彭丽媛; pinyin: Péng Lì Yuán) is the wife of Xi Jin Ping. 

The new President undertook his first overseas trip in April 2013 (to Russia and Africa) and the world was introduced to China’s new First Lady.  This was a big change as previous Chinese leaders had kept their wives very much in the background.

Until 2007, when Mr Xi became Vice President and heir apparent, Peng was actually more famous than her husband.  When people asked “Who is Xi Jin Ping?” the answer was usually “Oh, he’s the husband of Peng Li Yuan.” (In China, women keep their maiden names after marriage).

Peng was born on 20 November 1962 in Heze, Shandong Province.  In 1980 she joined the People’s Liberation Army entertainment corps.  Two years later she made the first of many appearances in the Spring Festival TV Gala, screened every year at Chinese New Year.  It is the most-watched TV show in the world, with an audience estimated at over 700 million (eat your heart out Super Bowl!).  Her speciality was patriotic and revolutionary songs and Peng quickly became the most famous singer in China. 

Peng met Xi (ten years her senior) in 1986.  They married in September 1987 and their daughter, Xi Ming Ze (习明泽), was born in 1992. She is believed to be studying at Harvard University.

President Xi Jin Ping and his wife China's First Lady Peng Li Yuan, April 2013.

The young couple in 1989.

Peng Li Yuan as a young singer learning her craft.

Peng Li Yuan was a member of the Army's Entertainment Corps and rose to the rank of Major General.

Peng Li Yuan hosted the recent visit to China by Michelle Obama. 

Peng Li Yuan has become a fashion icon for Chinese women.

Cheng Hong

Now the Premier's wife, Cheng Hong  程虹 has hit the spotlight too.

Last month, in May 2014, she accompanied Premier Li Ke Qiang on an official visit to Ethiopia, Nigeria, Angola and Kenya. 

Cheng Hong was born in 1957 in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province. 

In 1982 she graduated in English from the PLA University of Foreign Languages.  She was a post-graduate student at Peking University, where she met her husband, Li Ke Qiang.  She has a PhD in English Literature and he has a PhD in Economics. 

Cheng Hong's career has been as a Professor of English at the Capital University of Economics and Business in Beijing. She spent 1995 as a visiting scholar at Brown University, Rhode Island, and discovered American writing on nature and ecology, which became her main interest.  She has translated several books into Chinese.  

The couple has a daughter who graduated from Peking University (medicine) and is now a post-graduate student in the United States.

Itinerary of Premier Li Ke Qiang's visit to Africa, May 2014.

4 May 2014. Premier Li Ke Qiang and Cheng Hong arriving in Ethiopia.

As an 'educated youth' Cheng Hong was sent to work in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution to learn from the peasants.   Her husband had a similar experience.

Cheng Hong (right) with other Commune workers during the Cultural Revolution.

Cheng Hong (left) with Commune leaders in 1975.

Four of the books on nature Cheng Hong has translated from English to Chinese: The Outermost House;  Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place;  Singing Wilderness;  and Wake Robin. 

5 May 2014. Cheng Hong meeting scholars at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.

7 May 2014. Nigerian First Lady Patience Jonathan introducing Cheng Hong to other wives, Abuja, Nigeria.

China's First Lady and Second Lady are impressive and accomplished women. Leaders in China normally serve two 5 year terms, so they (and their husbands) will be around for a while.

Eddie goes to Paris

Caroline and Andrew and little Eddie had a stopover in Paris for a few days enroute to a friend's wedding in Italy.  Michelle and David came over from London, and Mikey was able to join them from the San Francisco.

Eddie is certainly getting around: in his first 3 months he has already been to Singapore and now to Europe.

Stopover in Paris, enroute to a wedding in Italy.

Met up with friends in Paris.

Andrew changing Eddie's diaper outside the Louvre.  David getting some tips, but Mikey looks nonplussed.

C'mon Eddie, how about a little enthusiasm for the miniature tennis racquet you got at the French Open.   

Fast Eddie, jet-setter.  A bundle of joy.

Well, that's it for another week.

Wallabies had a big win over France tonight 50 - 23 (7 tries to 2).  I didn't see the game because I have a class on Saturday night, but I was with them in spirit.  Bad luck for Stephen Moore - his first game as captain  -  injured and came off in the 4th minute.

Best wishes, and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah

English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao

www.upc.edu.cn

Saturday 7 June 2014 (near midnight).

2 June 2014

Hi everyone,

Murphy strikes again.  Last week was clear and hot, with maximum temperatures around 32 - 33C (much better than Beijing and Tianjin which sweltered in temperatures of over 40C ).  So on Friday I packed all my winter stuff away.  Wouldn't you know it, but a change came through yesterday  and the weather will be overcast, wet and cool (max 20C) for the next few days.

Dragon Boat Festival

Today is a national holiday in China.  It is the Duan Wu Festival 龙舟节  (or Dragon Boat Festival in English), which is held on the 5th day of the 5th month according to the Chinese lunar calendar.  

The festival commemorates Qu Yuan (340 – 278 BC).  He was a much-admired and much-loved official and poet.  When his King was defeated by a neighbouring enemy, rather than capitulate he jumped into the river to his death.  

Legend has it that villagers raced out in boats to save him or at least retrieve his body.  When they couldn't find him they threw glutinous rice into the river, in the hope that the fish would eat the rice and spare his body. 

Since that time, Chinese eat glutinous rice cakes (zongzi) on this day to honour an ancient hero.

And now you know the origin of Dragon Boats.  This sport has become very popular and has spread to all corners of the world.  As I'm writing this blog, CCTV is showing Dragon Boat races being held in many parts of China today.

Glutinous rice cakes are very popular around the Duan Wu Festival.  They come wrapped in bamboo leaves; the filling is usually dates, or sometimes pork.

Dragon boating now has followers in many countries.

My sister, Angie, lives at Narooma a lovely little town on the NSW South Coast.  She has become an enthusiastic Dragon Boat paddler.

Narooma Blue Water Dragons Club.  Don't you love the Club motto: "Lookin' good, havin' fun"?

When I was researching the Narooma Dragon Boat Club I came across the following photo.  Angie is a member of the Rotary Club of Narooma, and will be inducted as the 2014-5 President later this month.  Well done, Sis!  Keep making a difference to your community.

2013 Angie receiving the 'Narooma Rotarian of the Year' Award.   

Footy

Soccer

Only two weeks to kick-off of the World Cup in Brazil, 'the beautiful game'.  Lot of interest in China, despite the Chinese National Team not making it.  Sports channel CCTV5 has been running ads featuring David Beckham, and every day it backgrounds one of the participating teams.  There is no doubt that soccer is the world game and I am so proud that the Socceroos made it.  Let the games begin.

Rugby

I am a keen supporter of the Canberra Brumbies in the Super 15 Rugby Competition (5 teams from each of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia). Delighted to see them have a big win against the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday night, six tries to one.  But only 11,000 fans at the game.  Attendance has been slipping in Canberra too.  C'mon Canberrans, get behind your team!

Brumbies Fly-half Matt Toomua scoring one of his two tries against the Rebels, 31 May  2014.

Perennial under-achievers Sydney Waratahs beat the Waikato Chiefs - their first win in New Zealand in four years. Israel Folau scored his 11th try of the season, setting a new club record for the 'Tahs.  They might give the Brumbies a run for our money this year.

The Rugby Union test series against France starts soon - go the Wallabies!

Aussie Rules

Couple of unexpectedly big margins in Aussie Rules games this weekend: Sydney Swans 148 beat the Geelong Cats 38 (my mate Patrick will be pulling his hair out); and Collingwood 140 beat St Kilda 54.

Rugby League

I watched the first State of Origin Rugby League game at the new Pirates Bar on Wednesday night with about a dozen other Aussies (what are they all doing in this neck of the woods, I wonder?).  NSW won a typically hard game against Queensland 12 - 8.  Great effort to win in Brisbane.

There was another thing I liked about the game apart from the score.  I have been worried about my expanding midriff, but was relieved to see that there were several others who were in much worse shape.  Time for another beer ....

Adventurer extraordinaire  

Can this be for real?

Many people do crazy, wonderful, remarkable, foolish things but I was astounded to read of this man's achievements.  62 year old (young!) Russian Fedor Konyukhov rowed from Chile to Australia.  He set off on 23 December 2013 and arrived in Australia on 31 May 2014; 160 days to cover an estimated 16,000 km.  How can you cover an average of 100 km a day for 160 days in a row boat?  Amazing.

He previously rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, and now the Pacific too.

He has climbed the "7 Summits", the highest peaks on every continent (Everest twice).

Apparently he is already planning his next adventure: fly a hot-air balloon around the world!  What a guy!

His row boat arriving at Mooloolaba Spit, Queensland on 31 May 2014.

Fedor Konyukhov arriving in Australia after 160 days at sea.  He admitted to feeling a little tired ....

China - Vietnam dispute

In early May, when China positioned an oil drilling rig at the southern end of the Paracel Islands (China calls them the Xisha Islands, and Vietnam calls them the Hoang Sa Islands), all hell broke loose.

The Paracel Islands include some 30 islets, sandbanks and reefs over a maritime area of around 15,000 square kilometres but only a few square kilometres of land. The archipelago is approximately equidistant from the coastlines of Vietnam and China.

The rig was about 120 nautical miles east of Vietnam's Ly Son Island - see map below.

The location of the Chinese HD981 drilling rig, south of the Paracel Islands.

This map shows the disputed Paracel Islands in the northern part of the South China Sea (claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan), and the Spratly Islands in the southern part of the South China Sea (claimed by China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, and Brunei).

Another map, bigger scale, showing the location of the Paracel Islands in relation to China to the north and Vietnam to the west.

The People's Republic of China took over effective control of the Paracel Islands in 1949 from the defeated Kuomintang Government.  The new Government of North Vietnam recognised China's sovereignty from 1956 to 1975 but assumed South Vietnam's claim to the Islands when the country was reunited in 1976.

The only habitation is the town of Sansha 三沙 located on Yongxing (Woody) Island, where a few hundred Chinese government and military personnel reside.

Vietnam insists that the Paracel Islands are on its Continental Shelf, and also within its Exclusive Economic Zone, but China says that's rubbish and they have been Chinese territory for centuries.

The Vietnamese government and public reacted vehemently to the presence of the drilling rig in waters south of the disputed Islands.  There was angry confrontation on the water, and a Vietnamese fishing boat was sunk (fortunately the 10 crew were rescued).

On land, there was wide-spread rioting against Chinese companies and factories in many areas of Vietnam (Taiwanese and Singapore joint ventures also suffered). Much property was damaged; two Chinese staff were killed, and dozens injured (some seriously).  China sent planes and ships to evacuate some 3,000 of its citizens.

Although they protested that they were taken by surprise, I suspect the Vietnamese government was secretly pleased with this demonstration of anger - which sent a strong message to Beijing.

Actually, it reminded me of 15 September 2012 when there were violent anti-Japanese riots in many cities in China in response to the dispute over the Diao Yu Islands (Senkaku in Japanese).  What goes around comes around.

The Paracel Islands cover a large area.  Why not split it down the middle - the northern half (closer to Hainan) to belong to China; the southern half to belong to Vietnam?  End of dispute ... but don't hold your breath.

What a can of worms.

Jack Brabham, RIP

In last week's post I mentioned the passing of legendary rugby league player Reg Gasnier.  Another name familiar to every Australian lad who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s was that of Sir John Arthur 'Jack' Brabham AO OBE, who passed away on 19 May 2014 aged 88.

 The young mechanic from Hurstville (then on the outskirts of Sydney) started racing midget cars in 1948 and did very well.  He moved to the UK in 1955 and joined the Coopers Car Company team.  His first Formula One race was the 1958 British Grand Prix.  He won the F1 Drivers Championship in 1959 and 1960.

In 1962 he established the Brabham Racing Team and quickly became the largest producer of custom-built racing cars.  He won the F1 Championship again in 1966, driving one of his own cars.

His last F1 win was the 1970 South African Grand Prix.  He retired at the end of that season.

Famous contemporaries/rivals included Graham Hill and Stirling Moss.

The kind of midget car in which Jack Brabham learnt his driving skills.  Midget racing had a big following in Australia in the 1940s and 1950s.

Jack Brabham in 1966, when he won his third F1 Championship.

Jack Brabham (1926 - 2014) F1 Champion 1959, 1960, 1966. 128 races, 14 wins, 36 podiums. Australians had to wait till 1980 for our next F1 Champion, Alan Jones.

Graham Hill (1929 - 75), F1 Champion 1962 and 1968. 179 races, 14 wins, 36 podiums.

Stirling Moss (1929 - ) 67 races, 16 wins, 24 podiums.  Perhaps the best driver never to win an F1 Championship.

My friend Tony Butterfield is a petrol-head and loves racing.  He told me that the day before Jack Brabham passed away, he attended the opening of a car museum which features a rare Brabham BT-18.  During an interview with a journalist, Jack Brabham said "I will die without an enemy in the world - because I have outlived all the bastards!"  What a guy.

Actually, I didn't see the news of Jack Brabham's passing but fortunately good friend Steve Craven alerted me to the fact.  Although Steve is American, he happened to be in England and actually saw Jack Brabham win at Brands Hatch.

I met Steve in Singapore two decades ago when he was head of the US Embassy's Commercial Section.  Like the rest of us, Steve is now retired (in Hawaii, lucky bugger).  He keeps abreast of international trade matters and writes an entertaining and informative blog titled "Business Beyond the Reef".  He has a knack of explaining complex issues in layman's language.

Steve Craven's blog on international trade issues

If you like international trade news stir-fried with a pinch of humour and a slice of insight have a look at his blog  at http://kekepana.com/

Oh, and Steve is also a keen paddler of outrigger canoes.

News, May 2014

As you know, I like to do a summary of important/interesting news events which take place each month.  Below is the summary for May 2014.  I am hoping that, in later years, I will be able to look back at these monthly summaries and remember some of the key events which took place.

Events which made the news in China in May 2014.

Note: these news items were sourced from The China Daily newspaper published in May 2014.  Actual events usually occurred a day or two before the date shown.  Currency is US$, and the exchange rate I have used for May 2014 is US$1 = Yuan 6.2.

(a)  International issues

1 May 2014	The search for flight MH370 moved to a new phase in the southern Indian Ocean.  Aircraft were withdrawn.  Underwater drone ‘Bluefin’ scoured the floor of the ocean in an area of about 60,000 sq km defined by the ‘pings’ detected.  By the end of May nothing had been found, and a larger search area was nominated.
1 May	Conflict in Ukraine continued.  Separatists took over areas in eastern Ukraine (the Donbass Coal region). Luhansk, Donetsk, Horlivka.  In referendums held mid-May (which Kiev & EU labelled illegal), 90% supported greater regional autonomy. Many killed in more fighting. On 10 May President Putin of Russia visited Crimea. On 27 May Petro Poroshenko was elected President of a badly divided Ukraine.
1 May	Nina Davuluri (of Indian background) was crowned Miss America 2014.  Runner up was Crystal Lee, Miss California (of Chinese background).
5 May	Premier Li Ke Qiang arrived in Ethiopia.  He will also visit Nigeria, Angola, and Kenya. He was accompanied by his wife, Cheng Hong, a professor of English in Beijing.
7 May	In 2013 US Graduate Schools attracted 819,000 international students, 29% from China.
7 May	The WHO approved a Chinese vaccine against Japanese encephalitis.
8 May	Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was found guilty of abuse of power by the Constitutional Court, and removed from office.
8 May	Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder was voted Most Valuable Player of the NBA regular season.  He averaged 32 points per game and 7.4 rebounds.
8 May	Donald Sterling, owner of the LA Clippers, was accused of racist comments.  The NBA will hold a meeting on 3 June to determine his future.
9 May	Construction of the railway between Myanmar and Yunnan Province announced. It will include a 30 km tunnel through the Gao Li Gong mountains.
9 May	Details of the 2014 Youth Olympics released.  It will be held in Nanjing starting on 16 August.  3,800 athletes between 15 – 18 years will compete in 220 sporting events.
9 May	China asked Vietnam to stop harassing the oil drilling rig near the Xisha Islands. Riots against Chinese companies in Vietnam: factories damaged, 2 killed, over 100 injured.  China sent planes and ships to evacuate 3,000 Chinese personnel.  A Vietnamese fishing boat sank after collision with Chinese boats but all crew rescued.
12 May	2014 report on State of World’s Mothers provides an international ranking of 178 countries on maternal heath and child mortality.  Finland #1; Australia #9; China #61.
13 May	Treasurer Joe Hockey handed down first budget of Tony Abbott’s government.
13 May	Manchester City won the UK Premier League; Liverpool came second.
15 May	APEC meetings in Qingdao: Senior Officials and Trade Ministers.
17 May	Congress Party did badly in Indian general election.  Next PM will be Narendra Modi, leader of the Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Yanata Party. Voter turnout 66% (2009 58%).
17 May	Australian actor Robert Hughes (65) found guilty of sexual abuse and sentenced to 6 years in jail. Trial of Rolf Harris started in London. Ghost of Jimmy Savile.
21 May	The US Justice Department indicted 5 Chinese military officers on charges of cyber-theft (commercial secrets from US corporations).
21 May	After 6 months of internal fighting (28 dead), the Thai army proclaimed martial law, with General Prayuth Chan-ocha as interim PM.  12th coup in 80 years.  King Bhumibol expressed his support.
23 May	Flooded Sava River caused havoc in Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia.  More than 50 dead.
26 May	Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4 – 1 to win the Champions League.  Atletico fans must have thought they had it won, but Real Madrid equalised in the 93rd minute (in injury time) and then went on to score 3 more goals in extra time.
27 May	Elections for the European Parliament in UK and France saw big gains by ‘euro-skeptic’ right wing parties.  UKIP won 28% (24 seats), Labour 25% (20 seats), Conservatives 24% (19 seats). Voter turnout in UK 34%. Voting was on proportional representation basis.
27	Li Na and Stan Wawarinka, winners of the Womens and Mens Singles in the Australian Open in January, were beaten in the first round of the French Open. First time that the two winners of a Grand Slam both exited in the first round of the subsequent Grand Slam.

(b) China issues

1 May	Blast at Urumqi Railway Station in Xinjiang. 2 terrorists and one bystander died, 79 injured.  East Turkistan Islamic Movement blamed.
1 May	Average annual incomes of urban workers in China increased from Y14,040 in 2003 to Y47,593 in 2012.  Average incomes of rural workers increased from Y2,622 to Y7,916.
1 May	The average price of books in China in 2012 was $8.30. Chinese adults read an average of 4.7 books in 2013; 50% paper and 50% on devices.
1 May	Ministry of Education estimates that 413,900 Chinese students were studying overseas in 2013, 40% undergraduate, 45% post-graduate.
6 May	Continuing a trend in first 4 months, property sales fell 30% over the May Day holidays, compared to 2013.  There are an estimated 10.2 million vacant apartments in China.  Could this be the start of the long-anticipated slow-down in the property market?
6 May	Sanya, a resort town on Hainan Island which attracts many tourists, banned beach nudity.
7 May	Six injured by knife attacker at Guangzhou Railway Station.
7 May	Govt announced increased dividends to be paid by 121 central State owned Enterprises.
7 May	In Q1 2014 Chinese property developers spent $732 m in USA (Chicago $464 m, Los Angeles $144 m) and $400 m in Australia (Sydney $243 m, Melbourne $150 m).
7 May	In 2013 VW sold 3.3 m Passenger Motor Vehicles in China, while GM sold 3.2 m.
8 May	E-commerce giant Alibaba filed for IPO in the USA.
9 May	Govt announced arrest of retired journalist Gao Yu (70) in Beijing for ‘leaking of State secrets’. Also another arrest in Guangzhou. Govt sending strong message in lead up to 25th anniversary of Tiananmen incident?
9 May	Kindergarten teachers in Yanzhou, Jiangsu strike for higher pay (currently get $240 per month).
9 May	The first part released of what will be a national register of property interests.
9 May	Severe over-capacity to be reduced in a number of industries, including:  steel (29 million tonnes to be cut); cement (50 mt); aluminium (420,000 t); and copper (512,000 t).
10 May	New series of “A Bite of China” on CCTV attracts big following.
13 May	Police arrest 53 people at demonstration which turned violent in Hangzhou against a planned incinerator.
13 May	Chinese internet companies told to clean up online porn or lose licenses.
13 May	Beijing government hefty increases in fines on polluters.  Babcock & Wilcox fined $48,000 for out-door painting of boilers (the coy was given a warning last year).
14 May	The Chinese yuan has depreciated 2.9% this year.
15 May	Head of GlaxoSmithKline, Mark Reilly, and other senior staff charged with bribery.
15 May	China Mobile lowered the entry level plan (500MB) for 4G to Y30 ($5) per month.
16 May	The Port of Qingdao handled 450 million tonnes of freight in 2013, 7th largest in world.
17 May	From 1 January to 15 May 2014 Beijing subways were used by 1 billion passengers.
17 May	A patient in Jilin Province got replacement elbow joints produced by 3D printers.
19 May	Shaanxi Province has ordered teachers not to give written homework to 1st and 2nd graders in primary school.
19 May	In 2013 Shanghai had a population of 23.8 million, including 9.5 migrant workers; Beijing had a population of 20.7 million, including 7.7 m migrant workers.
19 May	In 2014 the Government will move 300 big polluting companies out of Beijing.
19 May	Auto companies have been told that mileage of new cars should not exceed 6.9 litres per 100 km in 2015.  The target for 2020 is 5 litres per 100 km.
20 May	The People’s Liberation Army has taken delivery of the first consignment of 1,000 Hong Qi (Red Flag) cars.  The Chinese military will only buy domestic brands in future.
20 May	Just over 26 million foreign visitors came to China in 2013.  Main purpose: tourism 39%; Official 17%; conferences 7%; employment 4%; study 1%.  Tourist numbers peaked in 2010 with 12.4 million; 2013 down to 10.1 million.
20 May	China produced 1.2 billion tonnes of coal in the first 4 months of 2014 (down 1% compared to 2013).
20 May	Price of imported iron ore (62% content) delivered to Tianjin slipped to $98.50 per tonne (a 27% reduction in price this year).  Apparently costs at Rio are $36 per tonne, BHP $38 and Fortescue $50
21 May	Chinese government banned use of Windows 8 in govt computers.  After the revelations of Edward Snowden China is concerned about cyber-security and has ordered extra checks to be made on equipment from foreign suppliers such as MS, CISCO, IBM, Intel, Oracle.
21 May	Guangdong Province introduced some e-permits for travel to Hong Kong and Macao.
21 May	Civilian airlines will be able to use more military airspace in emergencies.  Hopefully will improve the timeliness of Chinese flights.
21 May	Following increased crime against Chinese tourists in Paris, 10 Chinese police will assist French police this summer.  In 2013 an estimated 1.5 million Chinese visited France and spent 570 million euros.
21 May	Yesterday, May 20, was a popular day for weddings in China because 520 is texting shorthand for ‘I love you’.
22 May	Sino-Russia gas deal valued at about $400 billion signed during Putin’s visit.  Gazprom will supply China with 38 billion cubic metres of natural gas per annum for 30 years, starting in 2018.
23 May	Another terrorist attack in Urumqi Xinjiang, this time at a busy fruit & vegetable market .  Two cars mowed down shoppers, and threw explosives.  31 dead, 94 injured.  Second attack in Urumqi this month.  The govt announced a ‘war on terrorism’.  Some police in Chinese cities will now carry guns (previously only SWAT teams had weapons).
26 May	In Beijing 9,000 public buses now have free wifi facilities for passengers.  Beijing’s subway will provide 4G mobile coverage in July.
26 May	Beijing govt has decreed that 18% of parking in new and renovated communities must be equipped with charging facilities for electric vehicles; hoping to have 1,000 public charging stations for electric cars in Beijing by end of this year.
27 May	Heavy rain in southern China caused widespread flooding.  26 dead, 10 missing.
27 May	WeChat (unit of Tencent group) with 650 million individual registered accounts and 3 million public accounts and chat groups has been ordered by govt to crack-down on messaging which contains and/or provokes: violence, terrorism, pornography, and malicious rumors.

...

Well, that's it for this post.

Soon it will be exam time; in 3 weeks we leave for Kuala Lumpur and then Australia for a few weeks before returning in late August for the start of the 2014-15 academic year.

Best wishes, and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Monday 2 June 2014.