China and Beyond

Here's is Evangeline's response to my question about reactions to the recent North Korean nuclear test.

Dear Mr.Downs:

Well, you must have heard enough words from the Chinese Government about what happened in N.Korea .So,maybe it's better to show you some hard-to-find opinions,which widely exists in China,espeacially in big cities like Xi'an.

Americans and westerners often consider China, N.Korea and Vietnam to be similar not only because the Chinese government helped them in two wars many years ago,but also because we all have the Communist Party which is quite different from yours. So, people will be easily reminded of China as soon as the other two countries are mentioned.

It was true that our 3 countries often took the same steps in the period of Chairman Mao .Yet a revolution took place in China in 1978 and after that we clearly understood that it was a world for development, not for wars or conflicts. Even though our so-called destination and yours are not the same, we can still work together to make the people have better lives. From then on, China, N.Korea and Vietnam separated in different ways.

Today, we Chinese, especially teenagers in big cities, have already regarded ourselves as part of the world. The news we read everyday and the study methods we have today are getting closer and closer to that in those countries like yours. Our way of development is getting farther and farther from what a so-called communist-Party country should be, and so do the government's policies.

To you Americans, the opinion above can be sort of ridiculous----How can a Chinese say his country is no longer like a communist-Party country! But it's true. If you keep an eye on the Chinese government's policies recent years, you may easily find how different they are from those of N.Korea.

Nowadays, a few American media blame China, for it seems that China hasn't made a contribution to the Parley and even have a little predilection for N.Korea. In fact,we are now trying to coax N.Korea back to the table because of the reality that N.Korea is becoming the menace to China!

Nobody can promise N.Korea and China can be friendly forever, there's no forever friendship between countries! For instance,China and Vietnam had a war together fighting against other countries in 1960's, yet quickly in about ten years,w e had a 'crazy' war ourselves(from 1978 on)and the relationship between us broke up.This caused quite a lot of little conflicts on the border.

Now,our Chinese are afraid that if N.Korea, whose leader is a little bit crazy, gets the nuke, It'll certainly do harm the Chinese' safety. Perhaps the Chinese development of economy will be prevented in a certain extent.

Now you can understand why China would like N.Korea to come back to the table----Because we must! The parley is a way to protect our people,and maybe the best way to solve the nuke problem in N.Korea. It's only a personal view on the N.Korea problem, but I promise it's the most applauded view in our class.

I can't appreciate myself with this E-mail for I haven't tried to write such a political article before. If you want some information more,you can connect to this website: www.phoenixtv.com It is not a website from the government but is enjoyed by lots of Chinese people, for it gives us the reality and is more free to talk about the current affairs.

Yours Sincerely,

Evangeline

Posted by Mike Downs at 12:04 PM | Permalink

Throughout the summer, following my trip to China to hire Wang Tian, our trans-Pacific emails often passed in the night. Now she and I often pass in the halls at MPA, each of us in a hurry somewhere.

She has taken on a daunting challenge with tremendous spirit and enthusiasm, and gives the impression of one who is completely at home - already! It seems amazing to me that it was only three weeks ago that she arrived at the airport. I asked her how things have been going so far:

MD: How well are you adjusting to life in America? What are the biggest differences between here and China?

WT: I think I got used to the life here very quickly. Most of the food here is tasty. People here are kind to me, which makes me feel at home. In China, there are many cars, buses and cabs in the street. Besides, many people walk. But most of the people here drive their own cars. People here prefer to stay at home after work, and stores are closed very early, but in China after work, people like to go out and spend some time outside. We Chinese prefer to sit together and have dinner in restaurants. Some people even talk business when having dinner.

MPA Mandarin teacher Want Tian gives first graders their own Chinese name

MD: You are working with all ages here. How do you manage to adjust your teaching style to go from lower school to upper school all in one day?

WT: This is only one standard for my teaching—enthusiastic, honest and fair. It works for all ages. There may be some difference of teaching methods among them. When teaching lower school students, I sing, play, and act with the kids. For middle school students, there should be more chances for them to think and ask. I just try to guide. For upper school students, they are quite independent. I would like to listen to their ideas and give them more challenges. It is easy to communicate with them.

MD: How are our MPA students different that students in China?

WT: Because of the different educational system, students in China have more homework and more examinations, which reduces their interest. Here, students are happy to learn what they are interested in. It is more free here. I didn’t have the experience to sit with the kids to teach, and it is fun. I feel I am a story teller and tell them interesting stories about China and the language.

MD: What did you think of Homecoming? What will you remember most from that day?

WT: Homecoming is new to me. In China, alumni also go back to visit school, but not every year. I think students here are excited about Homecoming and they are important part of it. I can feel their love for the school.

Members of the class of 2007 bring Homecoming Spirit to the class of 2020 (Pre-K)

I also had a good time on that day. Meeting kids’ parents and watching games was interesting. I still remember different colors on people’s hair and those girls running and playing soccer. They are great!

MD: Is there anything you would like the MPA community to know about you or about your experiences here so far?

WT: I am happy to be here and I get along well with my host family and people in MPA. I love the students here, with different colors of skin and hair. I hope they like Chinese.

To listen to Mike Downs' WCCO radio interview from Beijing, click here.

Or click here to read the summer blog "China and Beyond".

Posted by Mike Downs at 12:02 PM | Permalink

After a twelve hour train ride from home town to Beijing, a thirteen hour plane ride from Beijing to O'Hare in Chicago, a four hour layover followed by an hour flight to Minneapolis/St.Paul, Wang Tian insists that she is, "not tired!" I can't seem to get that message, nor can the others who've arrived to meet her. We keep asking and she keeps insisting that she's not tired.

It is Tuesday night, August 29 and as we leave the airport to go off in separate directions - my wife and I back home, host parent Jon Cotner with Tina to the home in North Oaks where she will stay - I assure her that she need not feel obligated to come in to school Wednesday. Jon has offered to bring her in when and if she is ready.

Greeting party for Wang Tian, Tuesday night, August 29 - Minneapolis/St. Paul airport.

But it has become clear in those first few minutes that Tina is indeed not tired, running on the pure adrenaline and excitement of this grand experiment, and will likely be at school for the start of the day about ten hours later.

Sure enough, at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning (9:30 p.m. Wednesday Beijing time) Jon, kindergartner Stella and a very alert and ready Wang Tian make their way through the south entrance, finally launching the official start of the Chinese language and culture program at MPA.

Welcome to MPA, Wang Tian!

Posted by Mike Downs at 10:27 AM | Permalink

Tina writes of good news about her trip to the US embassy yesterday:

"It must be my lucky day! I was the second one in line. The lady in
front me is my friend who is also from Hubei and will go to Friends’ School.
When she was being interviewed, the official just let her take out one
document and asked her the earning in the place in the U.S and she passed. And then, it was my turn. I was ready to show the official every document I have. To my surprise, the official took a glance at the letter from IIE and asked whether it was the same program as my friend and the city I was going to. I couldn't believe when I got the pink note which means I passed. It was soooooo quick and simple. It was funny for me to be so nervous about it.

"This morning the training session began. I met some experts about teaching
Chinese to foreigners, including Hope Staab. Ioana Suciu also came. And Jeff
Bissell from School Year Abroad, Andrew Corcoran from Chinese American
International School, Feng Ye from Punahou School.

"I just finished training today. I am a little tired, but I am feeling
great. I should told you about it yesterday, but I couldn't get access to
the internet and too tired, so… I am sorry. Hope it is not late."

Not too late at all, TIna!

Arrival information will be posted here as soon as it becomes available.

Posted by Mike Downs at 7:30 AM | Permalink

Smoke rose up from the west several times during our recent stay in Grand Marais. Resulting from the Cavity Lake fire in the Boundary Waters, it was oddly reminiscent of my first few days in Beijing. Our North Shore trips are occasions for hiking, shopping, drinking morning coffee on the pebbled beaches of the harbor and reading.

I carried two books with me to China and made virtually no progress on either while there - too busy writing blog entries! Companion books of a sort, they are River Town and Oracle Bones, both by Peter Hessler. Readers of this blog who are interested in learning more about contemporary China will find these two books highly readable and informative.

I know this now because the North Shore provided the time to finally encounter them both. River Town traces the author's experiences during two years as a Peace Corp volunteer teaching English in the town of Fuling. Oracle Bones picks up the story as Hessler becomes a more established journalist, seeking out and publishing stories in, among others, National Geographic, the Wall Street Journal and finally as the Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker.

Having learned another language while living and working abroad for seven years, I found River Town to convey accurately the sense of a second personality that emerges when living through a new language.

From the book jacket of Oracle Bones: "In a narrative that gracefully moves between the ancient and the present, the East and the West, Hessler captures the soul of a country that is undergoing a momentous change before our eyes." Especially interesting to me in the context of MPA's Mandarin initiative is his exploration of the earliest writing, preserved on the Oracle Bones of the title and the implications for the development of language in China.

Back from the cooling breezes of Lake superior to the tropical climate of the Twin Cities, I open my email to find a note from Wang Tian announcing that she has an appointment, through HANBAN, with the US consulate for a visa interview on August 8th. Training for all the NAIS/HANBAN teachers will be conducted in China from August 10-15 after which all teachers will board commercial jets for their posts in the US.

Watch this space for details!

Posted by Mike Downs at 10:12 AM | Permalink

After daily entries stretching back to June 13, China blog will take a break for a trip north. Check this site later in July and into August for updates on the Mandarin program and Wang Tian's arrival. Special thanks to Theresa and Jay for helping to maintain this blog.

Artist's Point - Grand Marais, MN

Posted by Mike Downs at 3:24 PM | Permalink

I am standing in a small windowless room rubbing a stone cat - lion actually - and it has something to do with Feng Shui and, no, this is not a dream; it is actually happening, and I am not alone, there are others. They are lining up to rub the stone lion.

“First, behind the ears,” the woman instructs, “ then the chest...now the front paws...now the sides...now the big butt.”

And it all means something important, especially the rubbing of the big butt, but I can’t remember what now. I dutifully rub as commanded. Amazing what one will do in a group on tour in a faraway land if the guide is convincing enough.

We have escaped from the punishing mid-day heat on the walls of the old city of Xi’an and moved into an exhibit room that our guide claims is only open 72 days of the year and how lucky we are to be here on this day. Lucky most are those who discover the AC unit in the corner pumping out wonderfully chilled air.

This infrequently open exhibit with the lucky rubbing lion shows pictures of buildings whose feng shui is good and some not. I have no pictures to prove this because the taking of photos is forbidden. Not sure why, but there it is.

According to Wikipedia, Feng Shui was the reason the Chinese invented the compass. “It has foundation texts, core theories and methods, and an impressive past based on archæological discoveries and the work of archæoastronomers.”

But the exhibit room is connected to a small store which, I suspect, is actually open more than 72 days a year, but I can’t confirm that. Buy any of a number of different sized and colored jade lions, each to bring a different good thing to its owner.

This is just one of the three or four times on our trip that we are taken to what appears to be a legitimate factory or exhibit that is - surprise! - fortuitously connected to a retail establishment selling products related to the exhibit. Buy a full sized terra cotta warrior at the factory that makes them (see photo under July 1 entry "Ghengis Can"). Or buy a silk comforter at the silk factory (OK - I did!)

The more cynical in our group assume that the "factory workers" are all part of a front, extensions of the retail operation. Perhaps. But everyone rubbed lion butt. Just in case....

Posted by Mike Downs at 5:36 PM | Permalink