Crazy stuff

When I was in China - I think perhaps the second 'tour of duty' I heard that Li Yang, the creator of Crazy English was holding a rally at Yuexiu.  I had not heard a lot about this program until then, but read up about it.

His story, which he told at the rally, was that he had failed a number of English exams, and frustrated he went out somewhere and shouted out his words in English, and found out that he was able to learn them better.  He shouted out some of the things that he had to learn, subsequently went on to have great success in his English exams, and thus created "Crazy English" giving talks and rallies all around China.  Subsequently he had a successful business and has become very wealthy.

On the day of the rally at Yuexiu, I was keen to find out all about it, and hid in the gardens near the outdoor stage where he was presenting.  Strangely enough, at one point, he had the crowd all yelling out and he took a short break from the stage, wandered into the garden and 'found' me.  He dragged me (well, I was reluctant!!!) on stage, and I had to speak a little. I can't recall now what it was - it was all over in a few minutes but his staff thanked me and gave me a signed photograph of him, which is probably somewhere in my archives.

At the university there were several Crazy English groups, as the students tried to overcome their shyness and gain confidence in their English pronunciation.  I worked with several of them.  It was very crazy, as some of the stuff that was in their books was stupid.  Many words of power - typical Chinese 'anthems' I suppose.

It is nearly two years since I have even thought about Crazy English, until today, when I was watching an ABC program featuring stories about Asia.  One of the stories was about Li Yang abusing his wife, American born Kim Lee.

Apparently, he is accused of bashing his wife, and eventually she came out and told the story on Weibo (microblog popular in China), and as a result has 'opened a can of worms'.  It is believed that more than 1 in 4 wives in China face domestic violence.  Remember, this culture has had a long history of treating their women differently than in the west.  Read any book about life in China, and you will understand more.

Reading an article in the Shanghaist website is interesting - suggesting Li Yang did not marry his wife for love or romance, but as an experiment.  Read it here.

According to the story, Kim Lee, was prepared to stay with him, if he went to therapy, which he subsequently refused after initially agreeing to.

In any case, it has raised the issue of domestic violence - and this is being discussed more widely in China.

Article in Daily Mail
Article in Huffington Post
Article People's Daily on-line

So, will China legislate to make domestic violence illegal?

China again

I'd like to say that I have a ticket to return to China - I guess next time it will be for a holiday, but at the moment I am grounded in Brisbane.

However, my connections with China persist.  My next house sit - starting in just over a week, is because my friend and her husband are going to China to work.  I'd love to go with them - but I will be caring for their dog. 

But today I was surprised to see on TV the news about a new movie that had its world premier at the Sydney Film Festival - it is called "33 Postcards" and I look forward to seeing it.  It was filmed in part in Sydney and also in China.  I'll link to more information about it.

I have watched the shorts of it - looks good to me.  Click on the banner and you will be taken to another blog - and the post  about the movie.


Make your own banner at MyBannerMaker.com!

So much reading....................

It is a big daunting - but I am finding it interesting as I wade through all the material for my three subjects.  I hope to have my first three exercises completed by Monday - they are due to be posted by Tuesday. So hopefully I will keep on track.

I have had some emails and skype sessions with students in China.  One wanting to help me to help her with her spoken English for an exam she has in the next week or so.  Oral English - and clearly I can help her with that via Skype.  But she was vague about what questions would be asked, and wanted just to "speak".  Mmm.  Not good enough for me, so I asked her to do some research on what TOPICS would be discussed.  I asked for more and more information.  Initially she said it was about "current affairs" so I asked her questions about the recent major airline disaster in China, and Expo, and clearly she had scant knowledge of these things.  I sent her off to do some research.  I smiled as she told me that "a plane was "damaged" in north China, and that there were 96 people on board.  OK, but it crashed, and around 40 people were killed.  Her knowledge of Expo was scant too.

So I gave her a task of doing research on some topics - and I'd create some questions.  I could check her English and we could then do the conversation on Skype but she would be following my questions and answers in English as I had corrected them.  

No one had taught her how to plan for such a test - so I will be keen to see how we go - and of course I will be keen to hear the test results.  Am I on the right track?  Then she has come back to me with a series of other topics that she will have to talk about.  Again, I have asked her to write down the answers that she would give -based on some questions that she had indicated.

I should hear today or tomorrow from her, and we will go onto the next step.

Meanwhile another student has been corresponding with me.  He's about 19, was at high school but forced to give up school as his parents wanted him to earn money so that he could buy them a beautiful home.  He's quite good at English, but totally lacking in confidence.  He wrote to me to tell me he hated the job, but his parents and sister had given him a lot of abuse about his wish to remain at school.  In the end he has given up the job and enrolled back at school, and has a dream to push forward with his English studies.  

He thanked me for my continued support and encouragement - and wrote a lovely email to me. 

The pressure many Chinese students have put on them is immense, such that the suicide rate for students is very high.  Just so much pressure - and as I believe, a lot of insults from teachers if they do not do well.  Sad, but true.

Women Writers

I was pleased to be able to attend the meeting - having been out of the country for the last four months I've missed the regular monthly meeting. Only a small number turned up - apparently many folk have the flu at the moment, so not as many were able to attend. I'm glad I was one.

A few members read their works, and we talked about a number of issues, and then a senior member talked about book reviews. Something that really does not interest me, but I may have a closer look at reviewing - it should be helpful in my own writing.

Then the president asked me to talk about my China adventures. Which I did. I spoke about some of the challenges of living in the Middle Kingdom, about the one child policy of China, and the realities as I have learned from my own experiences and Xinran's books. I've read one book, half way through another and I've been advised that there is another one waiting for me at the library.

I could speak for hours about my experiences - but in just over 10 minutes I raised some issues and some interest in what I was doing. Had a few chats with members later. One had taught for a year near Shanghai so we swapped stories.

Also today I had an email from a lady in the US - she had seen my blog and wanted to know about teaching in China. I have put her in touch with Joanna at Yuexiu - so just maybe she will end up there. Who knows?

We had lunch in town - some great restaurants near the Casino in the heart of Brisbane. Must go again and have a wander around. It is ages since I've had a look around the city.

December Update

I am sitting here at Glenelg in Adelaide where I have been for the past week. My niece was married last Saturday so it has been a major family event - or more correctly a series of family events. My two older grand children were lovely flower girls at the wedding, and all went very well.

We've had a couple of days to look around but always every day end up with family. The weather has been cool, in fact some days downright cold. The wind coming of St Vincent's Gulf had a feeling of South Pole in it!

I had an awesome meeting with an author and expert on Obituaries in Adelaide, but other than that it has been all family, with little "me time". It's OK.

I gave the two grand daughter's a $25 book voucher to spend at Dymmocks, so we headed there yesterday. What a hard task!!! It seems they've read almost everything in the book store! In any event, we did manage to spend the full $25 and all was well.

I've not reported yet, but I had my medical for China, and am due back in Shaoxing in Feburary 2010 ready for teaching on March 1st!! Yeehaa!!! I'm quite looking forward to it.

Call from China

I'm worn out - too much Wii I think, but I am enjoying it. Initially I only had one handpiece, but now have two, and another DVD with more games, and the Wii Fit, but not the opportunity to try it all as yet. I have enjoyed the "bowling" and have managed to improve my performance. Still a long way to go to match the talents of the 5 year old grandson!!!

I've had a few emails from students in China, as it is school holidays so many are at home and not sure what to do.

At the same time I have had a call from someone I have only met briefly who was seeking information about cancer treatment for her sister. She was a nurse when my husband was in hospital last year, and she was thinking of going to China to teach, but in the meantime, her sister is diagnosed with cancer. The lady has five children and not a good family life. In any case, the nurse has become her sister's career.

I contacted a doctor friend in China, who is a very caring person. I thought he'd email me the information, but he phoned me.

It was quite a shock. I said, "Where are you calling from?" thinking that he must be in Australia.

His reply shocked me. "I'm in Shaoxing."

I was in a car out the front of our house, as I'd just come home with a friend, so told him to hang up, and I would call him on Skype. Which I did.

We had quite a chat.

What a thrill.

Summer holidays = more emails.

About which I am delighted I might say! The students with no worries about study have been sending me emails. I love to keep in touch with them - and give the occasional English lesson as well, correcting their minor errors.

You know the good students - the ones that are keen to keep trying their English - and don't mind sending messages and getting the occasional advice on their grammar or spelling.

One delightful lady has been able to gain a place in a higher education facility - she was only doing Diploma but now will start a university in Hangzhou where she can get a Bachelors degree. I so love to hear those stories. It is very competitive and I remember getting a Skype message from this young lady who was so worried that she had not passed the examination.

She was quite desperate - and I had to convince her that "she had done her best" and that there was little to do but feel positive and await the outcome. Of course all her worry was for nought, as she did manage to upgrade her skills.

She sent me photos of her classmates - all young people who attended my classes - so it was good to see them. My, how some of them have changed - hardly "grown up" as they were in their twenties when I knew them, but they do change hairstyles, some feaures etc.

So wonderful to be able to keep in touch.

I miss the grandchildren.

I guess the people I miss most when I travel are the grand children, and when I return it is good to see them again and catch up with them. My, how they grow!!!

We have four now - the eldest is turning 9 on Monday and she is celebrating with some friends from school (it is school holidays) with an Asian themed party. Now the children do have quite a few souvenirs from my travels and I am reminded frequently that I had stated that I would like to take the two older ones to China. I mean it. I'd love to - subject to my bank balance being filled from an unknown source by thousands of dollars. I mean, it would cost me up to $4000 per person, and the two girls want to go, and of course their mother, so I'm up for $16,000 - before the menfolk put their bids in. And the other family - the other two grandchildren will want to go too, so I'm up for big bucks which I just don't have.

Meanwhile we will just have to play at Asian things. Mind you, the order for the birthday cake to be in the shape of a red Chinese dragon, will be a challenge for mother. The guests will get Asian gifts and some food will be Asian inspired, but we are not sure of the inspiration for the requested purple plates, serviettes and so forth, though I will produce some of my purple Chinese souvenirs to convince some people that purple is still popular in China.

I did have tickets in the $90,000,000 Ozlotto draw and was pretty confident, but something went wrong and I didn't get a cent. Still, you've got to be in it to win it they say. And since I only spent $5 on tickets, it was worth the gamble.

Today I attended an Eisteddfod where granddaughter number two performed in her very first competition. Boy, I was proud. I thought she was the best and she probably would have won a high prize but near the end her nerves got the better of her and she missed a few steps. Still, she got a Highly Commended and we were are all proud of her. She has also announced that she was proud of herself, so we have higher hopes for the next three attempts at competition coming up over the next few months.

Still, these are the things that grandmothers should attend. I've missed some great events, and I hope not to miss too many,but with 4 grandchildren there are many events on offer and still I would not be able to attend all - even if I was in the country all the time.

Meanwhile, I'm writing some course material for a TESOL course. I'm kept busy. Dreaming. Writing. Keeping up with the family.

Korea on the agenda again.

I did get a message re the Korea job - so on Monday armed with my CV I'm off to Springfield to meet with the recruiter and find out more. As I've written I'm currently indifferent. It is quite appealing, though I need more information to make a decision, and the dates don't suit me, but it is an amazing opportunity.

I've had messages from students in China this week - quite a few in fact, and I think I've managed to reply to them all. Sometimes they come thick and fast and it takes time to create the reply.

I do miss it all - there's something about China. As challenging as it is I can't get out of my head the wonderful people and the amazing history that I wandered through almost on a daily basis. I have plans for when I go back. I know what I am going to take, what I am going to buy, and where I am going to go next time, so I feel far more enthusiastic and confident than I did.

I remember just twelve months ago, I was struggling to keep my head above it all. So much to learn, so many things happening and all too much in the end. I did struggle and I admit it. It was much easier the second semester, and I am sure will be much easier the next time too.

I wonder if I will struggle in Korea. Though I'm more accustomed to the differences in culture now - even though it is quite a different culture to China in many ways. I'd love to see it.

Oh, well, maybe by Monday night I will have some idea of what lies ahead for me.

Meanwhile - back to my writing.

Red Lanterns

In China it is common to see red lanterns. Some are the remains of some festival long gone, others you will find in hotels or restaurants or part of some celebration. Like the red carpet. So often there is a red carpet to the entrance of a new shop or business, and there would be many red lanterns too. On December 26th, 08, the red lanterns were being put in place in the towns and cities in preparation for the Chinese New Year. In the photo above, these lanterns by the hundreds were being erected in Hangzhou. In Shaoxing the lanterns were strung every 6 feet along the intire length of Jiefung Lu, the "main" street through the middle of the city. Buildings (especially banks) were decorated with red and gold, to herald in a prosperous new year.

The lone red lantern hangs in our back deck. I bought several of these here in Brisbane during the festivities and the grandchildren have one also hanging in their room.

A picture with many stories

It was Sunday December 28th - cold and wet miserable day in downtown Shaoxing. We'd stopped to watch part of the wedding procession that was in progress but had stopped - they'd "lost" the bride's car.

In the background you can see the brass band on the back of the small truck. It is tradition in Shaoxing for this little band of merriment to play while leading the procession of 6 - 8 prettily decorated vehicles around the city. Rain or Shine - it doesn't matter. Of course you can see it was raining and the musicians had their uniforms protected by an assortment of waterproof garments.

They were stopped out the front of McDonalds, waiting for the bride's car. They were playing "Oh, Susannah, oh, don't you wait for me....." and my friends and I stopped to take a photo, and the band played on and soon we "dancing and singing with the music" much to the amusement of the ladies on cleaning duty in the street.

My friend from Shanghai was not familiar with the wedding tradition and she was fascinated. The muso's kept playing, we took photos and danced and the cleaning trio thought we were all quite amusing.

Moments later, more vehicles appeared - the bride looking very beautiful in her very un-Chinese weddng gown, and vehicle with the photographer standing up with his head and shoulders through the opening in the roof of the car continuing to take the movie of the events.

This wedding procedure is traditional Shaoxing at its best.

More laughs in my Chinese adventure.

Lost in Hangzhou

We have discovered that many Chinese people cannot read maps, and get lost frequently. Again we have been lost - but it was not our doing this time.

The foreign teachers who have renewed their contracts for 2009 are required to have a medical examination and it must be done in the special centre in Hangzou. So it was organised for a bus to take the foreign teachers on Boxing Day - December 26th. Two of us, who did not need to have a medical - were offered a trip to Hangzhou anyway. And so it was that I was one of the passengers of the bus.

Everyone who has done the trip witht the college bus reports the same. Despite the fact that several trips a year are made to this place, the bus driver can never find the way there. We thought it might be OK this time, but when we discovered we were heading back out of the city, before we had found the medical centre, it was obvious that the driver was indeed lost again!

So the bus stopped - awkwardly on an intersection I might add - and our 'guide' jumped into a taxi to guide the bus to its destination. But it was peak hour traffic in Hangzhou and for a while we "lost" the taxi!

Thank goodness for mobile phones!

We soon "found" the taxi, and followed closely, but the taxi got lost too! And we foreigners (English speakers who can read Chinese signs a little - and obviously better than our Chinese driver) - were further amazed when we missed the turn off - again!

So eventually the taxi, followed by the bus, stopped some distance from the medical centre and the folk had to walk!

We certainly saw the funny side of the whole episode, especially as one of the men was really keen to pee, and he was almost distraught by the time the bus eventually stopped. One of the other passengers who suffers from motion sickness was also in a mess as the constant stopping, turning and backtracking did not help her condition.

Not once can anyone remember getting to the Medical Centre without being lost! And it was our Chinese "guides" sent to help us as we might not find our way on our own - that were almost most confused.

Just another funny story to tell about our adventures in China.

Christmas Carols

The supermarkets have turned on the Christmas spirit - staff are wearing Santa hats complete with Merry Christmas on the front, and there are Christmas decorations appearing. I bought a small plastic treet today for just 5.5 RMB - less than a $A1. As we did our shopping we could hear "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth" - words which have little meaning for the shoppers here. Christmas Carols are being played over the loud speaker system in all the shops here.

Quite odd really.

The temperature is very low - in fact due to be -4 on Friday and Saturday. Snow? Maybe. Not likely really.

I was also told today that Exams will be held before Christmas and not AFTER as we had been told, so we will have a very busy time in the next few weeks.

How many Charlie Chans are there?

Students studying English are usually requested to choose an English name. One reason is that if they have an English speaking/non Chinese speaking teacher, it is easier for them.

The names chosen are chosen for a reason. Sometimes they just "like" the name, or it could be a famous person, or anything they know or like. They don't necessarily look at familiar English names. Hence there are all sorts of strange names, e.g. Moonshine, Winter, Rain, Eleven, Kingki, and so forth. There is always a reason they have chosen their name - even though it might be rather obscure to their English teachers.

Charlie Chan is of course very popular and it is surprising how many young fans have chosen Charlie Chan as their English name. I find it quite amusing. We have one very confident young man on campus who is first to any microphone handy and announces his name, to much cheering by the girls.

Last week I was on a crowded bus in Shaoxing, and another student and I were talking in English, and the young man in front of me introduced himself in perfect English. Could be speak with me? OK.

He said his name was Charlie. I asked. "Is it by any chance Charlie Chan?" His smile widened and he asked me how I guessed. Duh!

We had quite a chat on the short bus trip. He had graduated from another college and he was now a businessman.

I wonder, just how many Charlie Chans are there in China? And does the owenr of the real Charlie Chan name mind this type of adoration? Is there a real Charlie Chan - I thought he was fictional.

The challenges of teaching in China

"The devil you know is better than the devil you do not know" was something that I said quite often over the last few months. People had asked me why I had decided to return for a second semester at the college, when I had some challenges with teaching here. "Why not go to another college.?" I had been asked.

The reason simply is that by and large this facility is good to foreign teachers. There are many stories about the difficulties teachers have experienced in other colleges.

"They pay more" I have heard.

In the last few weeks several English teachers that I know have had problems.

One lass who was in the class with me at Teach International went to a college not far from Shanghai. She was so full of excitement about her first posting. She did not tell me the details, but she lasted there less than two weeks. She had no money and could not get another teaching post quickly, so retreated to Australia.

A lady I know had been teaching north of Beijing, and enjoying her life there until other teachers came at the beginning of the semester. Her life was changed around dramatically as one of the male teachers took an unhealthy liking to her, and did not appreciate being rejected. The story is quite sordid and she sought help from the college - who despite knowing what he was doing (the email messages to here were enough to make one's hair curl!!), but the college refused to help her. Often this is because of contracts, and the funds the college has already expended to get the foreign teacher to the school. She had sought all sorts of help, including legal assistance, but has had no choice but to just avoid the man at all opportunities and change her way of life.

Another lady went to northern China, and discovered that they place was rather unsavoury. The places she was teaching were very primitive, and the rosy picture painted before she signed the contract in Australia, certainly did not live up to expectations.

Today I have had a phone call from another English teacher I know who has just been put off - it is a long story and I don't intend to explain it here, but essentially the new "training centre" cannot afford to keep him, and he is suddenly unemployed and finding it difficult to get work for the last part of the semester. As well, despite the fact that the training centre has decided he is not wanted, they are demanding a high fee, because if the fees incurred by them to get him into the school in the first place.

He is in quite a bind - urgently looking for work and very concerned about the pressure he is under and the intimidation.

So, having spent one semester here - I knew what I was dealing with, and I probably would return here again if I have the opportunity. The "devil you know....."

What do you make of this????

On the day I visited the park with the students for the bake we walked past this huge piece of "rock" to one side of the path. I looked once, twice - shook my head and looked again. Did I really see this huge phallic symbol in a park?

I asked one of the students (a girl) if she knew what the rock was about - and she glanced at it, seemed to have no reaction and said she had no idea.

On the way back I couldn't resist and had to take a photo of it. It was pouring with rain, and I only went close enough to get the photo. One of the students volunteered to take a photo of me with it - which I have to show on some other occasion, but she did not get all the "rock" in, so I might say "missed the point."

Later that evening I was with some other teachers and I told the story. All bar two of the group were incredulous and looked at my photo in awe!

The two others laughed. Apparently it is not uncommon to find such strange things in parks. One of the teachers has been closer than I and reports that it is hollow and is man-made from cement. It fact it has two other parts to it, on either side down at ground level. Do you get the picture? There is another park not far away that has a forest of them.

Day tour to Wuzhen and Haining (1)

Once a month the college takes foreign teachers on a tour. There is always an element of confusion with these tours - we are given only a few days notice, just the names of the cities or town we will visit, and the day before we are given the starting time. This one was an early one.

7 am we groaned!!! But the trip had promise so around 20 folk arrived at the West Gate to catch the bus. A nice airconditioned bus - it is still pretty hot here, so that was a necessity. We set off for the drive of 2 hours to Wuzhen.

This is an ancient water village - with a long and intersting history. People still live in the village - though it seems to be only the older ones, as the young ones have moved on. Too much for them! I guess having thousands of people tramp through the place, especially at weekends.

And they leave the doors open of their little old homes, and it is intersting to peep inside. Some of them have been updated with tiled floors and modern kitchen, most seem to have television and even computers.

Others seem to be dark and dingy and some have Chairman Mao's picture on the wall. Not in a frame, but just stuck on. I guess there are many who still remember the past well. The village has many narrow alleyways, stone bridges over the canals, and mostly timber buildings that are on either side of the narrow main alley, which winds its way through the village.

There are interesting places all along - the ancient medicine shop (all restored), the Bed Museum (a must - very fascinating), The Rice Wine factory, the fabric place, the home of MaoDun, the Wood Carving Museum, and so much more.

When you come out of the laneway, there are shops everywhere, and as we were there on a Saturday, crowds and crowds of people and lots of noise and smoke. (It seems that so many of the men wer puffing away at their cigarettes!)

We had lunch at a restaurant nearby, but three of our group were missing. There was confusing information given when we set out. First we were told that we had to meet back at the entrance, and then later told that we had to meet at the other gate. Not all got the message it appears. One of the students with us was sent back to find the three missing Aussie teachers and bring them to the restaurant and he got a taxi. But the taxi too them somewhere else, and it was all a bit of an adventure for them. They all missed out on a lovely lunch!

Eventually we caught up with them again. In time to board the bus to Haining. Wuzhen is very interesting, but we always regret that we travelto these places on a weekend - it is so noisy and crowded. But for us, there is little choice.

Please explain

Some things in China we just never get to understand. While walking in the city of Shaoxing, close to one of the canals and a shopping complex were two Chinese pavilions and this one had this interesting sign.

"Brain Storm Cultural Diffusion." What does it mean? I shall endeavour to find this out, but I think it is a community meeting hall. Somewhere that the locals can congregate to discuss issues. It is quite small, so not a lot of people can fit into the room, but interesting.

This is in an area where folk meet informally in the morning and at night. People might do Tai Chi, or similar in such places.

Anzac Biscuits

Audrey, who was in this apartment last semester, left me some items that I could use. I think I had to promise to bake cookies or something, and as all the ingredients are here, and there is a good little oven (unlike my apartment last semester which was bereft of many useful items!) I am happy to oblige.

So today I cooked my first biscuits in China. I have a student visiting, so thought it appropriate that I bake Anzac Biscuits. I found a recipe on-line. (Wish I had my Margaret Fulton cook book here!)

I did not have treacle or golden syrup, so substituted Maple syrup. No choice. The consistency did not look right, but I cooked a small sample. I was right. Adding more oats and flour did the trick, and the next batch were 100%.

So I have a small supply of Anzac Biscuits - will share them around with the other teachers, or perhaps have afternoon tea.

Now what can I cook next???

Things do Change.

I recall when I was in China earlier this year, I had problems getting to the Blogger site. I could update my Blog, but not read it. I did find a way, but it was always a hassle to use a Proxy. On April 1st, Blogger and Wikipedia became available in China. In part it was because of the Olympic Games, but in any case it would have been part of the "opening up" of China.

I could access Wikipedia easily, but still could not get Blogger, although my friends in other parts of China could, so I wondered if it was just the system here at the College.

I am pleased to report, despite the difficulties I have had accessing the new internet system in the first few days, that now I can easily access Blogger, and anything else I wish to see. It is great news for me and other Bloggers.

(It makes it easier to post here now!)