Surviving China

Spring Festival Travel

2013-01-21T08:05:00.000-08:00

So, it's getting close to the end of the semester and you have a few days off before the next semester starts. "What is there to do?" One might ask. Well, the options are rather varied and depend largely on two factors, the length of time you have off and the amount of money you are willing to spend.

Before buying any tickets or reserving any hotels, make sure you are willing to spend up to 25% more money for the tickets or hotels. Travel fees in Asia-and especially to and from China-increase dramatically around the Spring Festival (春節--Chūnjié). Expect to pay more for tickets beginning four weeks before the start of the Spring Festival (often called Lunar or Chinese New Year). Hotels will begin to fill up a month before the start of the festival, and the fees will increase as the festival gets closer.

Step 1: Figure out where you would like to go and how you want to get there.

Destinations:

Some popular domestic destinations are: Hong Kong*, Tibet**, Macau*, Inner Mongolia*, Beijing, Shanghai, Harbin, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, and anywhere that isn't where you currently live.
Some popular international destinations are*: Korea (North and South), Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

For some ideas on where to go inside China, check out my "Summer Travel" series of blog posts.

Modes of transit:

Trains: the newly complete high speed train system is very efficient and will get you to and from all the major cities in China. There are still 'old" trains that run from the major cities to the smaller cities in most of China.
Buses: There are both short distance and long distance or "sleeper" buses available in China. If you don't mind listening to 50 snoring Chinese, this is the cheapest mode of travel, but it also takes FOREVER.
Air: If you are going outside of China for the holiday or if you are going to a remote place, air travel is often the fastest and easiest way to go, but it is also usually the most expensive.

Step 2: Travel day.

What to expect:

Sardine cans: the buses and trains will be "standing room only" so book your ticket early and make sure your ticket says you get a bed or chair if that is what you want.
Standby to Standby: while airlines don't have "standing room" if you wait too long, you will be relegated to the standby line. Also, you should expect incredibly long cues at all the major airports for both domestic and international flights so be sure to arrive early.

What you need:

"Documents please": Make sure that you have your passport (with one entry left if you are leaving the country for the holiday), tickets, and hotel/hostel reservation.
cha-ching!: Remember that prices for everything will jump during the Spring Festival. most shops will be closed and those that remain open will jack the prices up on sought after commodities like toilet paper, fruit, and vegetables. Bring a lot of extra cash or have a credit card or debit card handy.

*(Please note that if you are going to one of the "Special Administrative Regions" (Hong Kong, Macau, Inner Mongolia, etc.) this counts as leaving the country and you will need an open entry on your existing visa to return to China).

**(Please note that depending on the political climate, Tibet may not be good option).

Happy travels!

新年快乐!

PS: Personally, I never travel for any national holiday in China. I would rather save my money and travel during the late summer or early fall (the tourist "off season") when the prices are much lower.

Happy New Year

2013-01-02T07:13:00.003-08:00

Happy New year to all who may or may not be reading this blog.

This year, I managed to get a whopping 1 day off for Christmas and 1 day off for New Year. Taking my work schedule into consideration, I have had the following schedule since 22 December: work, work, work (half day), off, work, off, work, work, work, work, off. That is a crappy holiday schedule. However, the fault is mine since I did not negotiate for specific days off. Hopefully your holiday schedule was a nicer one.

Awkward schedules aside, one might wonder what there is to do in Wenzhou for the Holidays? The answer to that is...not much. The options for staying in the city range from staying at home and relaxing to staying home and eating food. OK Odessa (and most of the bars in Wenzhou) do host parties on 24 and 31 December that are usually very entertaining. I chose all of the options.

December 22nd: End of the World/Zombie Apocalypse party at Odessa
December 24th: Christmas Eve party at Odessa
December 25th: Lay about at home and go to two (yes, TWO) Christmas dinners hosted by friends
December 31st/January 1st: back to Odessa for a New Year's Eve bash
January 1st (later in the day): made the mistake of shopping at Wanda Plaza (more on this later)

Below, I have posted a few pictures from the past 10 days:

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!!!!

This picture is from the Christmas party at work.

Live music at Odessa on Christmas Eve

Party #1

Party #2

Holidays

2012-12-14T06:59:00.000-08:00

Guide to Holiday Celebrating in China:

Step 1: Get the day off.

The holidays are a time for fun, food, and...WORK!?!?

Yep. Believe it or not, you will most likely be asked to work on Christmas Day. This may come as a shock to some, but most people in China (and Asia in general) don't celebrate Christmas. Therefore employers don't think to let the foriegners off for the day. However, you do have one card you can play.

According to Chinese law, all foreigners are entitled to their usual national holidays. Your employer can not force you to work on your national holiday if you tell them you don't want to work it. Of course you can always work on Christmas or New Years or any holiday you choose, but many will want the extra day off instead.

Step 2: The celebration

Here you will be able to do pretty much whatever you want. If you choose to host a dinner at your place, go for it. If your firiend is hosting, all the better since you won't have to clean up after. Another option is to go out for the night and celebrate with all the foriegners at your local bar or pub. Really, it's totally up to you and the limits of your imagination.

Tips for hosting:

Potlucks are a MUCH cheaper way to go. Have every party goer bring 1 dish or drink.
Make it a BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze) party.
Visit some of my earlier posts for ideas on main dishes that can be made with local, easy to find ingredients.
Play music and tell people they can arrive early. This increases the chances of someone offering to help set up the party so you don't have to do it alone.
If you're not doing it potluck style, try to buddy up with someone and co-host to cut back on costs.

Tips for being to "goer" to a Chinese hosted party:

If you are going to a Chinese-hosted party, it's OK to bring a bottle of wine or other small gift. Stay away form food as a gift unless you really know the person and the guests.
Be prepared for a lot of alcohol.
Arrive on time.
If it is New Years Eve, be prepared to be both blind and deaf tomorrow.
Always sample the food, even if you don't like it. It might be considered rude if you don't at least rty the food that is offered.
Offer to help with the clean up after. You will be told it isn't necessary, but offer anyway.

Tips for being the "goer" at a foreign-hosted party:

Try to bring a dish or drink to the party to lessen the burden on the host.
Arrive early or on time.
Offer to help with the set up and/or clean up.
It's OK not to try all the food, but try to eat some of it.

Hope this helps. Below are a couple pictures of my apartment decorated for Chirstmas. I will be putting up more decorations in the coming days.

Ye Olde China-->Hong Kong Visa Run

2012-11-07T02:33:00.000-08:00

So, eventually you will have to apply for a Z visa if you plan to work (legally) in China. For some of you, that might mean sending all your documents off to a visa service company and hoping like hell that they deliver what they promise. For others, your school or workplace will do everything for you. But for most of us, this means embarking on the infamous China-Hong Kong Visa Run.

What does this mean exactly? Well it means that you will make a trip (hopefully short) to Hong Kong, deliver all your papers, get your visa, and in 48 hours be back where you came from. IN YOUR DREAMS!

48 hours is the MINIMUM amount of time it will take to get your Z visa. Mine looks set to take 6 days.

Here is my trip so far;

1. Fly into Shenzhen.
2. Because my flight was late at night, I could not cross the border into Hong Kong so I needed to rent a hotel room.
3. Wake up very early the next morning, exchange 5000 RMB for the equivalent in Hong Kong Dollars and hop a train (paid in RMB) from Shenzhen to the border.
4. Spend 2 hours in customs because there is only one line open.
5. Get to the Hong Kong visa office only to discover that my visa can't be processed because my bosses forgot to give me a copy of the receipt for my last visa extension.
6. Frantically find a public wifi spot, pay for a wifi card at a 7-11 and hop on BOTH skype and QQinternational to rally help for myself (messaged my friend who is organizing people to cover my work that I will miss and messaged my boss telling her what I needed).
7. Find the cheapest hostel in Hong Kong and rent a room for 6 nights.
8. Wake up early the next morning, collect the missing receipt, and run down to the visa office AGAIN.
9. TBD. A. Maybe be told I have to wait 4 days before I can submit the papers. B.Maybe get it all done in 1 day.
10. If A, frantically go to bank and exchange the rest of the 9000 RMB I brought. If B, call boss, book flight, stay one more night and then fly home.

Paperwork you need (bring 3 copies of each; originals + 2):

This is what they TELL YOU TO BRING (all of which I had):

1. Health check document
2. Letter of invitiation
3. Residency Permit
4. List of invited people on company letter head.
5. Visa application paperwork and Supplemental Visa Application paperwork.
6. Passport
7. 3 extra passport photos
8. Foreign expert certificate
9. Foreign worker ID number*

*You may not have this, it's OK.

What they DON'T TELL YOU to bring (but which you should):

1. Copies of hotel reservations in both Shenzhen (if you are like me and stayed there one night) and in Hong Kong with their addressed listed.
2. COPIES OF ALL RECEIPTS YOU HAVE PERTAINING TO EXTENDING YOUR PREVIOUS VISA (if applicable).---This is what I was lacking.

Where to go:

The visa office is in the China Resources Building located mid way between the Wanchai Metro Station and the Wanchai Ferry Terminal. Finding the building is not hard. From the Shenzhen border, you take the light blue line to it's end at Hung Hom.

When you get to Hung Hom station, you take the connecting pink line to East Tsim Sha Tsui station. You get off there and walk a bit to the other side of the station (follow the general flow of traffic) where you hop on the red line to Central station. Get off at Central and catch the dark blue line 2 stops to Wan Chai station.

From here, exit the metro and walk out the skywalk and follow the signs for Gloucester Road. Once on Gloucester Road, walk toward Harbour Road and the China Resources Building.

Here is a map of the block. The actual entrance is on the side of the building facing Fleming Road.

Address: Consular Department of the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs for the people's Republic of China.
Chinese Visa Office
7th Floor, Lower Block, China Resources Building
26 Harbour Road,
Wanchai, Hong Kong S. A. R.

Website: http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/eng/

Telephone: 3413-2424

Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday: 0900-1200 and 1400-1700

Getting In:
If you get to the building, but can't find the entrance, simply ask the nearest concierge where the OFFICIAL visa office is. The key word here is OFFICIAL. If you just ask for a visa office, they might send you to a visa service company.

When you enter, you and our bags will have to go through a security check and x-ray. No lighters, knives, or food or drink are allowed. However personal electronics are OK.

The Operation:
Be sure to get there early. A cue will form a few minutes before the office opens and depending on the day, it may take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour to get inside.

Once you are in the building, proceed to the 7th floor and take a number. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL OF YOUR REQUIRED PAPERWORK AND ALL COPIES HANDY.

The Wait:
This is the worst part. There is a large LED screen that displays the cue numbers. depending on the day, it can take anywhere from 1 minute to 2 hours for them to reach your number so bring something entertaining like a laptop, book (*gasp*), or play games on your phone or tablet.

When your number is called, you will hand over all your documents to the lady [usually] behind the desk for processing. She will make sure all sections are filled out adequately and that you have not missed any paperwork. If you have missed something, you go back to the end of the line to try again later.

There is no same day service. the days of service are listed and INCLUDE the day you submit the paperwork. So a 2 day service is really the next day. This is the selection you should make. It costs more, but it's better than waiting 4 days. A hotel in Hong Kong is quite expensive at 260 HKD/night for a cheap hostel and north of 400 HKD/night at a nicer hotel. It is considerably cheaper to pay for the faster service.

Collection:
It takes anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to process your visa if you choose the 2 day option. The day of collection is much easier. You simply show your receipt to the guard and are ushered through without having to wait in the cue. Before you leave, make sure you pay any fees they require and that your new visa is properly placed in your passport, with valid dates and a number.

Hope this helps you!

Here are some additional useful sites for your Hong Kong adventure:

Visa Paperwork:

Application forms A and B and a list of everything you will need to bring for each visa type.

Hostels:

Several low-cost Hostels offering single private rooms for as cheap as it gets in Hong Kong (there are 80 "guest houses").

Hotels:

Hong Kong hotel search engine.

Visa Troubles?

2012-10-25T19:52:00.004-07:00

Hello everyone. I apologize for my lack of activity recently. My VPN has been on the blink and for some reason it started working again today. Sometimes there is no explaining things. This is China so anything is possible. In any case, I have some additional advice for foreigners.

The visa laws have changed (again). It is currently more difficult to obtain a Z or "working visa" that it has been in the past. There is a lot more footwork and paper pushing involved now that there used to be. Let's go through the steps to obtaining a Z visa:

1. Extending your 30 day tourist visa. It now takes more than 30 days to obtain a Z visa so if you come here on a 30 day L or M visa, you will have to extend. This will cost anywhere form 700-940 RMB depending on the length of extension. 7-10 days

2. Obtaining your residency permit. This doesn't take long, only a couple of days of running about to the various police stations (starting at your local station and gradually moving up to the city's main station). It also involves getting a health check, but that should be done withing a week or two of arrival. 1-5 days

3. Obtaining a foreign expert certificate and registering online. There is an online registry for foreigners to register as "Foreign Experts." There is also some paperwork that has to be submitted to the government that will include your university transcripts, residency permit, and current visa information*. 7-14 days

4. After your visa has been extended, your residency has been established, and your foreign expert certificate has been approved and issued, then you have to send your paperwork off to the government again to obtain approval to seek a Z visa. This might take as much as 1 week. 4-7 days

5. After 5 weeks of running around and signing papers, you will get a letter and some additional paperwork in the mail that will tell you if you need to go to Hong Kong or not to obtain your Z visa. Usually you will have to go to Hong Kong, but in the past this was not always necessary. You will be a Hong Kong for a few days so be sure to bring enough money to live on. I suggest you pack for as much as a week. The trip should only take three or four days, but could take longer if there is problem with the paperwork (as often happens here). 7-10 days

*Please note that this only applies to teachers. If you are in China for other business, it will not apply to you unless your job requires a foreign expert certificate. Also please note that if you have worked previously in China under a foreign expert certificate, your old certificate will have be deactivated by your previous place of employment before the new one can be issued.

As is the case with so many things here in China, there is no "standard" experience. Much depends on the will and attitude of the person behind the desk that day. If they feel like being a pain, they will look for some minute detail in your papers that is not quite right (but has no bearing on the outcome of the process) and deny your application. You then have to start over again. That's life in China.

Good luck with the visa applications and hopefully the laws loosen up again soon so you don't have to go everywhere in person.

Buying Stuff

2012-09-06T02:36:00.000-07:00

Regardless of where you end up in China, you will eventually have to do some kind of shopping. This can be a little intimidating for those of you who are not accustomed to shopping and haggling in open-air or street markets. Whether that shopping be for groceries, furniture, clothes, dishes, or other random items that you might require there are several options available to you. To assist with your general shopping needs in China here are a few helpful hints:

Food:

Supermarkets: Most major cities in China have supermarkets that have both fresh and preserved foods. However, I would only recommend them for the forzen or preserved foods as fresh fruits and vegetables as well as meat tend to be rather expensive. If you live in Shanghai, Wenzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou or Beijing (and other large cities) you will have access to Walmart, Carrefour, Century Mart and a few other local supermarkets.

Corner stores: You will find many small shops carrying basic items like water, oil, snacks and toilet paper on every street in every city and town in China.

Street markets: Most neighborhoods in China will have an open air market for fruits, vegetables, beef, poultry, fish, and pork within easy walking distance. Some of them will also carry dried or preserved items like dried mushrooms, noodles, tofu, or dried or preserved vegetables and meat. I highly recommend getting your food from these markets. While they look dirtier, they are much cheaper and you know that the boards used for chopping meat are not ever used for cutting fruit or vegetables.

Furniture:

Supermarkets: Supermarkets like Walmart (formerly Trustmart in China) will carry some furniture items for relatively cheap prices. It can be worth checking them out if you need a bookshelf, chair, or table for your place. However for larger furniture items like beds you will have to go to the specialty stores.

Specialty stores: These are often the most expensive route to take. I would first ask your Chinese coworkers where they find items like sofas or beds before going out to purchase one from a specialty shop. They may know of a store that sells it cheaper.

Commodities and street markets: There are many cities with at least one commodities market where small furniture items can be haggled for and purchased for relatively cheap. I would check these out if you need a water cooler, table or other small items for your living room. Remember that most street market stall operators expect you to haggle. You shouldn't pay the initial price quoted. Instead, haggle with the operator until you come to a price you both agree on.

Household Goods:

2 yuan shops: These can be found throughout most towns in China. They are shops that sell all kinds of items for 2 yuan: roughly the Chinese equivalent to a five and dime store or (pound shop in the UK). The stock they carry will vary from month to month, but generally includes plastic utensils, cheap metal cutlery and flatware, hair brushes, towels, toys, and other random items. I recommend getting your towels, spoons, forks and knives from these stores.

Supermarkets: Again, this can be hit or miss. If you happen to come across an item on the discount rack, it can be cheaper to buy it at the supermarket than on the street, but this is a rare occurrence. If you require a heavy duty pan or cookpot, the best place to look will be the street market rather than the supermarket, but Walmart does offer VERY good prices on cleaning supplies, insecticide (a must if you live in warmer climates), bathroom supplies, and occasionally on bedding and towels.

Street/independent shops and vendors: Ask around to see if anyone at your workplace knows of a street market or shop that sells pots and pans, dishes, etc. Here in Wenzhou, you can get VERY cheap dishes and cookpots from the various mom and pop shops that supply the many restaurants in the city. The dishes will be plain grayish-white, but they will be much larger and sturdier than what you can get at the supermarkets. The cookware will likewise be more industrial, but much less likely to break. You can sometimes haggle prices at individual shops, although generally haggling is only accepted in street markets.

NOTE: Appliances like ovens, microwaves, refrigerators, etc. are usually cheaper to purchase online (used or new). See the Internet section under Other below.

Clothing:

Supermarkets and street markets: If you are lucky enough to be Chinese sized, you can get some basic items like t-shirts, underwear, and socks from any supermarket or street vendor. Keep an eye on sales and prices to determine who is cheaper in your neighborhood.

Tailors: For the rest of us who are not so lucky as to be Chinese sized, the cheapest option is to locate the nearest fabric market in your city, purchase a bolt of cloth and take it to the tailor to have your dress, pants, suit, or shirt made specifically for you. Tailors are usually rather cheap if you purchase your cloth before hand. Since you can haggle the price of cloth, your suit might actually cost less than you paid for your pants at the supermarket.

Other:

Foreign Markets: You may get a craving for something special from home. Maybe it's a special ingredient or specific brand of something that is not readily available in the Chinese markets. For these items, ask around for a foreign market. Most larger cities will have at least one foreign import market. Keep in mind however, the IMPORTED = EXPENSIVE in most cases. However, as is the case with all stores in China, everything comes with a "sell by" date (even toilet paper) so keep an eye on that Italian coffee, it will eventually be marked down for sale starting two weeks out from its "sell by" date.

Internet: One of the gifts of the modern age is that anything can be had on the Internet. The best way to go about it if you do not have a Chinese credit card (most foreigners don't) is to ask a Chinese coworker or friend to do the ordering for you and for you to pay them back. The best website available in China is http://www.taobao.com/. Taobao is where I recommend you go for any foreign items you can't get in your local import stores or for items that are exceptionally expensive like APPLIANCES (ovens, microwaves, toasters, etc.) as they will generally be much cheaper on Taobao than in the supermarkets.

Note: I also use Taobao to pruchase certain food items that are difficult to find in China such as cheese (especially hard cheeses like Cheddar or Gouda) and specialty flours for baking.

Convenient Taobao Searches (sorted by price):
Cheap Jewlery
Microwaves
Water Dispensors and Accessories
Electric Ovens and Accessories

Tutoring in China

2012-08-25T04:10:00.001-07:00

After a few weeks in your new job, you may begin to feel that maybe you should be earning a bit of extra money. How can you do that you ask? The easiest way is to become a part time tutor. Tutoring is an easy and relatively low maintenance way of making a couple extra quai (RMB). Most people, especially teachers at public schools in China will find that the extra money goes a long way. I am certainly in this boat. The last time I was in China, I tutored just to make ends meet. This time I have a bit more room in my budget, but I still want some extra spending money.

So what is involved in finding such a job you ask? It's actually not all that hard to find tutoring jobs teaching school-aged children. Every parent wants their kid to be "Best in Show" all the time and in all subjects. This is especially true in China where most families are placing their entire future on the success of a single child. The easiest way to land such a job is to put your name out there with other expats to see if they know anyone who is looking for an English tutor or instructor. Posting your advertisement in online forums is useful only if you can use Chinese-language forums (and read and write Chinese).

While looking for a tutoring job, there are several things you should consider:

First, if you are working at a private language school, you should avoid tutoring at another private school. This can cause unnecessary friction; and in most contracts, teaching for a competitor is expressly prohibited and would make you liable for termination and all that the "breach of contract" clause entails.

Second, try to avoid tutoring anyone who might otherwise become a student at your private school. Your school will not look kindly on you taking money out of their pockets (potentially). However, tutoring an existing student might be OK if you clear it with your employer first.

Third, you should try to tutor in your local area or online to cut down on transportation costs. You can also negotiate to have the students come to you.

Fourth, be wary of online advertisements or "help wanted" ads. These can be false and in the case of online ads, clicking on them may present you with some unwanted "surprises."

Fifth, before you agree to any tutoring job (public or private) you should make sure your rates and billing structure are understood clearly. Get it in writing if you must.

Sixth, if the client demands an strange or restrictive stipulations that make you uncomfortable, don't accept the position. There are plenty of other jobs out there.

So what should you charge? This depends largely on the nature of the tutoring job. More advanced and technical tutoring should demand a higher price. Business language tutoring also usually claims a higher pay rate. The average rate in Wenzhou for tutoring children is 100-200 RMB per student per hour. I charge 150 RMB if I must travel to the student. If the student comes to me, I typically charge only 125 RMB. Also, if you are tutoring at a business, you may negotiate to have them cover your travel costs or give a discount to them if they refer additional students. The terms and conditions of pay are almost entirely up to you. Remember to ensure the client(s) understand your pay and billing requirement BEFORE you start work.

If you have a class of 4 students at 150 RMB per student for one hour a week, then you are making an additional 600 RMB per week or 2400 per month. If you are teaching twice a week, that will double. Please note that these pay rates are approximate and apply only in Wenzhou. To find the average rates in your city, ask your fellow expats what they are charging and charge similarly. Also, remember that tutoring at a business or tutoring business English should command a higher price than tutoring children so do your research.

Happy job hunting.

Finally There!

2012-08-19T04:36:00.000-07:00

So you have made it to China. Now what? For me this question involves many other questions and uncertainties. The biggest of which is WHERE WILL I LIVE? If your workplace does not offer accomodations, you will in all liklihood be put up in a hotel for the first few days of your stay until suitable accomodations are found for you. Here are some things you need to consider when house hunting in China:

1. Most landlords require the full year's rent up front. If your workplace has not paid you the money, you should negotiate with them so that they pay the up-front cost and you pay them back over the course of a few months. This usually won't be a problem.

2. Rent is rather high in China at the moment. As of the time of this blog, Shanghai property values are as expensive per square meter as downtown Manhattan and the sizes of the apartments are just as small.

3. Expect to pay more than your stipend. The skyrocketing rental rates in China mean that most employment stipends are not keeping pace with the property costs. Expect to pay anywhere from 500 yuan to 1000 yuan more for a 1 bedroom flat than your stipend allows.

4. If you do not mind living with roommates, it is actually cheaper to rent a villa with 4 or 5 bedrooms at 4500-6000 yuan per month than it is to rent a 1 bedroom apartment at 2000+ yuan per month.

5. Most apartments will come with at least some furniture. This usually means a bed, maybe a sofa or couch, a table, and possibly a TV (but not always).

6. Cooking facilities vary greatly from one area to another. Every apartment will have at least a hot plate (or space for one) and sink, however this may not be enough for you so keep that in mind. Cookers in China are typically gas fed and come in 2 and 4 burner varieties. The gas may be a tank or piped in directly. Tanks must be rented.

7. Ovens are not common in China. I have yet to hear of an apartment in Wenzhou that has an oven built in (although it is becoming the new fad to install "western" kitchens with full size ranges and ovens in other parts of China). They are available in both counter-top and built-in models, but will have to be purchased separately. A decent counter top model will run you about 250-400 yuan online depending on size.

8. Microwaves are some times included and sometimes not.

9. Refrigerators will usually be included, but they may not work quite right so make sure you check that the freezer compartment freezes properly and that the refigeration section maintains temperature appropriately.

10. TV and internet are not usually included and must be purchased separately.

11. You most likely WILL find cockroaches and/or mice in your apartment if you live in a warmer region. Be prepared with cans of bug spray and mouse traps.

12. Pet policies vary greatly from one landlord to the next so if you have a pet, ask the landlord if it is OK before signing any agreement.

13. Don't be surprised if you find left over food in your kitchen from the previous tennant. For some reason it is considered good form to leave rotten food in some parts of China. Don't ask me why.

14. Your first purchases for your apartment should be cleaning supplies. Bleach or ammonia and some surface cleaners for floors and kitchens will be well-used. You should also purchase dish soap and hand soap. Apartment cleaning is at the discression of the previous tennant rather than of the landlord in most parts of China so be prepared to do some cleaning.

15. If anything needs immediate fixing, you should negotiate that before signing any agreement. If things break after, most landlords will offer to fix it if you give them the money. DO NOT DO THAT. Instead, go out and get a quote and show that to the landlord and negotiate with them to cover all or part of the repairs.

Hopefully this helps you find a comfortable place in China. Good luck with your house hunting.

Almost There

2012-07-31T11:25:00.001-07:00

Alright, the bags are nearly packed, tickets purchased, and visa is in hand. I only have another two weeks until my 6,000 mile flight to China (Wenzhou in my case). While I was speaking to my mother last night and telling her about the 13+ hour flight from Vancouver, BC to Shanghai, she asked me what I do to keep myself entertained. That got me thinking. Usually I try to sleep as much as possible, but sometimes there are cased where sleep just doesn't come. So here are some other ideas:

1. Watch a movie. Most commercial airlines offer an in-flight movie. Some will even give you choices.

2. Fire up the laptop/tablet/iPad, etc. and watch movies, listen to music, or play a few games to pass the time.

3. Read a book. Considering most smaller tech devices (like MP3 player.) will not last 13+ hours without a re-charge this becomes a viable option in the last few hours of the flight.

4. Puzzle books. These are popular forms of cheap entertainment and are likely to assist you in your quest for sleep.

5. Chat with the insomniac next to you. If you or the person next to you are the outgoing type, a conversation is a great way to pass the time. You might even make a new friend.

6. SLEEP. I know this list is supposed to be what to do when you are not asleep, but if you can't fall asleep on a boring 13 hour flight, you need to lay off the caffeine and/or sugar.

How Do You Say...

2012-07-03T00:12:00.001-07:00

So. You have your visa in hand, bags almost packed, and suddenly you realize that you won't have a clue as to how to communicate once you arrive in China. Before you begin pulling your hair out trying to make heads or tails of a Chinese-English dictionary, remember that for the most part, you will not be expected to know the language immediately. To begin with, every city and town in China has it's own local dialect; often completely unrelated to what we think of as Mandarin. Even Mandarin has sub-dialects. What you need to do is build a short list of common phrases and words, learn to recognize them in writing and learn how to say them.

Some Common "Survival" Phrases:
(note that I am not an expert in Mandarin, so some of these translations may be off a bit. However, I have done my best to translate them accurately.)

English Translation	Chinese Characters	Pin Yin
(that is) Not good.	也不好	Yě bù hǎo. (saying "bù hǎo' will suffice)
Good	好	Hǎo.
Hello (to answer the telephone)	为你好	Wei, Nǐ hǎo.
Hello/ How are you? (formal-singular)	您好	Nín hǎo.
Hello/How are you? (familiar-singular)	你好	Nǐ hǎo.
How much does it cost?	多少钱?	Duōshǎo qián?
I would like to send this money to the (United States).	我想送这笔钱到(美国)	Wǒ xiǎng sòng zhè bǐ qián dào (měiguó).
No.	号	Hào
Sorry, I do not understand	对不起, 我不明白	Duìbùqǐ, Wǒ tīng bù dǒng.
Sorry. (as an apology for example when you run into someone)	对不起	Duìbùqǐ.
Thank you	谢谢	Xièxiè.
Where is the restroom?	厕所在哪里?	Cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?
Yes, that's correct/right. (as in response to a question).	是的	Shì de.

If you are staring at this table wondering how to pronounce the words, have a look at the third column. The pin yin is a pronunciation guide that was developed by Westerners for Westerners. There are several versions or styles, but they all have the same basic rules. The important rules are in the accent marks. These represent the "tones" of speech in Chinese. Since most Western languages only have two tones (rising and neutral) learning the four tones in Mandarin can be difficult. Pronouncing a word with the wrong tone can seriously affect the meaning of the word. But don't worry. As long as you give it your best effort, people will be able to understand you.

The Tones:

First tone: Neutral-indicated by a level or horizontal line over the vowel (mā). It is pronounced without variation in the vowel sound.

Second tone: Rising-indicated by a rising accent mark above the vowel (má). Closely approximates the rising at the end of a question that is found in English.

Third tone: Falling then Rising. Indicated by a 'v' shape above the vowel (mǎ). Pronounced by starting at a neutral pronunciation, descending and then ascending back to the original tone.

Fourth tone: Falling. Indicated by a downward accent mark above the vowel (mà). Pronounced by making a sharp, descending tone. Some people call it the "angry" tone because the pronunciation sounds a little cross.

*Note: in these examples: mā = mother, má = hemp, mǎ = horse, and mà = scold

Below are some additional words that might be good to know.

Numbers:

English Name	Chinese Characters	Pin Yin
Zero (0)	零	Líng
One (1)	一	Yī
Two (2)	二	Èr
Three (3)	三	Sān
Four (4)	四	Sì
Five (5)	五	Wǔ
Six (6)	六	Liù
Seven (7)	七	Qī
Eight (8)	八	Bā
Nine (9)	九	Jiǔ
Ten (10)	十	Shí
Eleven (11)	十一	Shíyī
Twelve (12)	十二	Shí'èr
Thirteen (13)	十三	Shísān
Fourteen (14)	十四	Shísì
Fifteen (15)	十五	Shíwǔ
Sixteen (16)	十六	Shíliù
Seventeen (17)	十七	Shíqī
Eighteen (18)	十八	Shíbā
Nineteen (19)	十九	Shíjiǔ
Twenty (20)	二十	Èrshí
Thirty (30)	三十	Sānshí
Forty (40)	四十	Sìshí
Fifty (50)	五十	Wǔshí
Sixty (60)	六十	Liùshí
Seventy (70)	七十	Qīshí
Eighty (80)	八十	Bāshí
Ninety (90)	九十	Jiǔshí
One Hundred (100)	百	Bǎi
One Thousand (1000)	一千	Yīqiān
One Hundred Thousand (100000)	十万	Shí wàn
One Million (1000000)	百万	Bǎiwàn

Country Names:

English Name	Chinese Characters	Pin Yin
Australia	澳大利亚	Àodàlìyǎ
Belarus	白俄罗斯	Bái'èluósī
Brazil	巴西	Bāxī
Canada	加拿大	Jiānádà
Egypt	埃及	Āijí
Ethiopia	埃塞俄比亚	Āisāi'ébǐyǎ
France	法国	Fàguó
Germany	德国	Déguó
Greece	希腊	Xīlà
India	印度	Yìndù
Ireland	爱尔兰	Ài'ěrlán
Italy	意大利	Yìdàlì
Japan	日本	Rìběn
Korea (also refers to South Korea)	韩国	Hánguó
Mexico	墨西哥	Mòxīgē
Mongolia	蒙古	Ménggǔ
New Zealand	新西兰	Xīnxīlán
Russia	俄国	Éguó
Scotland	苏格兰	Sūgélán
South Africa	南非	Nánfēi
Spain	西班牙	Xībānyá
Switzerland	瑞士	Ruìshì
Turkey	土耳其	Tǔ'ěrqí
United Kingdom	英国	Yīngguó
Untied States	美国	Měiguó

Common Food Items:

English Name	Chinese Characters	Pin Yin
(not) Spicy	(不)辣的	(Bù) là de
Apple	苹果	Píngguǒ
Banana/Plantain	香蕉	Xiāngjiāo
Beef	牛肉	Niúròu
Beer	啤酒	Píjiǔ
Carrot	胡萝卜	Húluóbo
Chicken/Fowl	鸡	Jī
Chinese Cabbage (Bok Choy)	白菜	Báicài
Coffee	咖啡	Kāfēi
Cola	可口可乐	Kěkǒukělè
Corn/Maize	玉米	Yùmǐ
Crab	蟹	Xiè
Dragon Fruit	火龙果	Huǒlóng guǒ
Durian	榴莲	Liúlián
Fish	鱼	Yú
Fried Noodles	炒面	Chǎomiàn
Fried Rice	炒饭	Chǎo fàn
Frog	青蛙	Qīngwā
Fruit	水果	Shuǐguǒ
Green Beans	绿豆	Lǜdòu
Kale	羽衣甘蓝	Yǔyī gānlán
Lemon	柠檬	Níngméng
Milk	牛奶	Niúnǎi
Orange/Tangerine	桔子	Júzi
Peanut/goober/monkey nut	花生	Huāshēng
Pork	猪肉	Zhū ròu
Rice	饭	Fàn
Shrimp	虾	Xiā
Squash (pumpkin)	南瓜	Nánguā
Squid	乌贼	Wūzéi
Tea	茶	Chá
Tomato	西红柿	Xīhóngshì
Vegetable	蔬菜	Shūcài
Water	水	Shuǐ
Wine/liquor	酒	Jiǔ
Yogurt	酸奶	Suānnǎi

The Visa

2012-06-15T16:22:00.001-07:00

Knowing what to take and what to leave is all well and good, but what about getting into China to begin with? Well, the first step for everyone will be to determine if the company or school you are going to work for will be applying for the L and Z visas on your behalf or if you will have to do part or all of it yourself. Most schools and companies will only assist with obtaining the Working or Z visa once you are in country. If they do not, you should take good hard look at the company and determine if you want to risk being in the country illegally (DEFINITELY NOT RECOMMENDED) after your tourist visa expires or try to apply for it yourself. You can apply for a Working (Z) visa on your own through the local consulate if you provide proof of gainful employment (a letter of a job offer suffices) but it can be expensive.

Obtaining the Z visa after you are in country is great, however it does not help you to get into the country since you can not enter without a visa. The solution to this problem is a simple one.

If you employer does not assist with the entire visa process, you will have to apply for a temporary tourist visa on your own. The L Visa will be sufficient to get you into the country for a short period of time. There are several avenues available to the China-bound traveller:

1. Apply in person at the Chinese consulate or embassy. This is great if you live in a city where an embassy or consulate exists.

2. For those living in the US who do not live near a Chinese consulate or embassy, another option is to employ the services of a visa service agency. This costs more, but is more convenient. The only drawback is that you must send your passport and a copy of secondary ID via regular post. Your papers will usually be processed within 4 business days of receipt and typically you will have everything back in your hands after a couple of weeks.

3. If you don't live near an embassy or consulate, but you know someone who does, you can have that person act as a proxy and apply for you in person using your information.

What you will need:

1. A valid passport that will NOT expire within the year. If it does expire within 1 year of your application, you will in all liklihood be rejected. For information on how to renew your visa, please consult your country's embassy.
      NOTE: Your passport must also have room for BOTH the tourist visa AND the Z visa in the visa section. Otherwise you will have to add pages to your passport while in China and that can be a pain.
     NOTE 2: PLEASE send your visa via a secure, traceable mail service or courrier such as UPS, FedEx or Certified Mail (Certified Mail takes 7-10 business days so take that into account) if you use a visa service company.

2. A 2"x2" head and shoulders photograph of yourself on a plain white background.

3. A photocopy of a secondary form of ID such as a driver's license or state-issued ID card.

4. 2 copies (1 original and 1 copy) of your visa application form.

5. Money to pay for the consular and visa processing fees.

Visa Application Form:

The form can be downloaded using Adobe Acrobat here:

http://china.travisa.com/ApplicationSelector.aspx?CountryID=CN&PartnerID=TA

You will need to complete the entire form. Leave no section blank. Print legibly (most visa services will require you to use all CAPS). As this is a generic form, there will be sections which do not apply to you. Simply enter N/A into these sections.

If someone else is going to be the one delivering the paperwork to the consulate or embassy, make sure to give them power of attourney in section 7 of the application form. Failure to do so will result in your application being rejected.

In the duration of stay section on the form, enter 30 days. This is the default number of days that will be approved. Don't worry, if you are going to be obtaining a Z visa when you arrive that visa will supercede the L visa.

How soon to apply?

It is recommended that you allow about 6-8 weeks for processing and approval. A single entry tourist visa (which is all you will need if going directly to the mainland of China) will be good for 3 months from the date of application. On the application form, you will have to indicate an "earliest date of arrival" this should be the date you EXPECT to arrive in-country (ie the date on your plane ticket), however you can enter the country at any time diring the active period of the visa.
    NOTE: In the event your visa is delayed, you may want to wait to purchase a ticket until after you have the visa in-hand. This may cost more, but it will avoid any re-scheduling fees from the airlines. This is problem I had last time I went to China as my visa was delayed.

If you wait too long to apply, your paperwork may not be complete in time and you will be forced to postpone our trip. If you apply too early, your visa may expire before you can use it.

Single, Double, or Multiple Entry?

This depends on where you will be working and what your travel plans will be. If you are flying from the US to Hong Kong and then on to the mainland, you will need a double entry visa; one entry for Hong Kong and one for the mainland. If you plan on going from Europe to Beijing and then on to Hong Kong you will also need a double entry visa.

If you are going to be traveling in and out of the mainland frequently, you should apply for a Multiple Entry Visa.

Visa Application Service Companies:

*DISCLAIMER: This is no way an endorsement of the companies listed below. They are also only valid for the US. Use at own risk.

Visa Express
Travisa
TravelVisaPro

The Chinese embassy visa page is located here.

What to take to China

2012-06-11T18:25:00.002-07:00

For anyone who will soon be traveling to the Chinese mainland, especially if you are from the US or Europe, there are some things you will have to do before you leave; including deciding what to take with you and what to leave. As I have been through this before, I now have a much better understanding of what I will need and use during the next 12 months than I did the first time I went to China. Here is a list of what I recommend:

In the suit case:

1. 3 or 4 pairs of Work attire pants/slacks that DON'T require dry cleaning.
2. 7 or 8 work shirts to go with the slacks. Remember, if the slacks are neutral colored (black, brown, tan, khaki, etc.) the shirts can be any color.
3. 2 pairs of "summer" work shoes that are comfortable and will go with your work outfits. Don't forget the shoe polish if your shoes require it.
4. 2 pairs of "winter" work shoes that will survive rain and/or snow.
5. 3 lounging/casual outfits to wear around the house or on weekends.--including running or tennis shoes.
6. 1 package each (unopened) of underwear and socks/stockings. Chinese washing machines can be hell on your under clothes and hosiery and most stores will not have Western sizes.
7. (For women only) any items you require for certain times of the month. I bring enough to last 2 or 3 months.
8. At least 2 sticks of deodorant. Many people in China don't use deodorant and the deodorant they do have can really irritate the skin. I recommend bringing your own.
9. 4 tubes of toothpaste and 1 bottle of mouthwash (if you use it). Chinese toothpaste brands are highly corrosive (many contian crushed pearls which can wear away tooth enamel) and can cause damage to your tooth enamel and foreign brands can be expensive and are usually limited to Crest or Aquafresh. Bring your own or have it sent to you. The mouthwash you can get in China, but you may have to find a different brand than you are accustomed to.
10. 1 bottle of shampoo (and conditioner if you use it). Until you are able to find a Chinese brand you like, this will tide you over. Many Chinese shampoos can make your hair quite oily due to the difference in hair textures.
11. Any over-the-counter medications you require such as cough medicine/drops, acetaminophen/aspirin/ibuprofen, allergy medication, or digestive aids. These items generally require a doctor/pharmacist recommendation to obtain in China.
12. An emergency kit of antibiotic/antiseptic cream, bandages/plasters of various sizes, burn cream, gauze, etc. These things are available in China, but you may have to go to a pharmacy and be seen by a pharmacist.
13. Hair dryer/straightener and any styling products you use as they will be generally hard to find in China and the products will probably make your Western hair greasy.
14. Outlet converter if you come from a country with a different power grid configuration than China uses (220 Volt is the Chinese standard). Most new buildings in China will have compound outlets that will take any plug style, but older buildings may still use the old style outlets.

In the carry-on:

1. 1 change of clothes with travel deodorant/perfume, and travel toothbrush. Just in case you get stuck at the airport.
2. Travel size first aid kit with pain killers, bandages/plasters and anti-nausea medications if you need them.
3. Laptop with extra battery if possible. If you come from a country that uses a different voltage (220 Volts is the Chinese standard) than China uses, you will find that your battery will wear down after a bit even if you use a converter.
4. ENTERTAINMENT (tablet, DVD player and DVDs, books, etc.) for the flight.
5. Small travel pillow and blanket. Airlines usually have these too, but I personally don't like using something that someone else may have slept in.
6. If you are bringing a cell phone, bring the charger.

On Your Person:
( I use a small money belt to carry these items)

1. Passport and visa.
2. Any additional IDs or credit cards.
3. Contact information of your destination.
3. Currency. You will need to use some of it at the airport and you should also have enough on you to rent a hotel room in the event of an emergency.

That is what I will be packing along this time around. Last time I ended up taking some things I didn't use and leaving things that I later needed to have sent to me. These items will take up about one and a half large suit cases and one small carry on bag. That leaves room for the gifts on the return trip...

I'm Back!

2012-06-11T17:49:00.002-07:00

Hello to everyone out there who might actually be reading this blog. I have been absent from writing this blog for almost 2 years now due to the fact that I left China at the end of my last contract and have been busy working in US. However, that situation is about to change again as I will be headed back to Wenzhou in August to teach at one of the language schools int he city.I will make every attempt to blog regularly about both my pre-trip preparations and about life in China when I get back.

Now where did I put my passport?

Summer Travel 4

2010-07-07T05:31:00.001-07:00

Harbin, Heilongjiang Province

More popularly known for its winter-time International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, Harbin can be an interesting place to visit in the summer; especially for those who don't particularly like the heat of central and southern China. The temperature in July and August averages about 80 degrees Fahrenheit or 27 Celsius and is mostly dry and sunny; boasting just 3-4 inches of rain per month.

This region of China is rather unique for its interesting mix of cultures and customs. Located as it is along the borders of Russia, Mongolia, and Korea, there are many ethnic minorities to be seen here and many tours will focus on the distinct differences between them. This mixing of cultures can also be seen in the architecture of the buildings in the city.

Travel Time:

36 hours by high speed train D5572 from Wenzhou with connections in Hangzhou and Beijing.

What do do in the city:

Look at the architecture (free)--mix of traditional Chinese, Korean, Mongolian, and Russian styles can be seen in buildings like the St. Sophia Church.

Jin Dynasty Culture Tour (prices vary)--this is a guided tour of the various ethnic minorities and folk customs of this part of China.

Fangzhen Lotus Lake Park (10 RMB)--located in a churchyard

Grape Garden (15 RMB)--located at the Gardening Branch of the Provincial Agricultural Academy. Includes a winery and wine tasting during the summer months.

Confucian Temple (15 RMB)--located in the city of Harbin and dedicated to Confucian teachings.

Other places to go:

Heilongjiang Provincial Museum (50 RMB)
Jinhe Tourist Park (10 RMB)
National Forest Park (10 RMB)

Outside the city:

Sun Island (30-50 RMB depending on season)--resort located north of the city on the Songhua River. includes the Siberian Tiger Park, Sun Lake, and Lotus pond.

Qingfeng Manor and Harbin Forest (20 RMB)--located in Xinglong Town just outside the city. Beautiful views of the Harbin forest and surrounding landscape.

Places to stay:

Jinjiang Inn (99.50 RMB for a double bed)--Hostel located at No.60 Diduan Rd, Daoli District,Harbin

Kazy International Youth Hostel (40 RMB for a dormitory; 60 RMB for a private room)--No. 82,Tongjiang Street, 150018, Harbin

Gfour Holiday Hotel (210 RMB/bed)--No. 27, Xi Er Dao Street, Dao Li District, 150010, Harbin

For more Hostel options check out

http://www.hostelworld.com/findabed.php/ChosenCity.Harbin/ChosenCountry.China/OrderBy.price

Summer Travel 3

2010-06-09T08:01:00.001-07:00

Ningbo

This is an ancient city. In fact, it is one of the oldest cities in China. Due to its location on the Yangtze River delta, Ningbo has a rich and vibrant culture as a trade city.

Travel time: 1hr 30min by high-speed train D3102 from Wenzhou.

Things to do in the city:

Dongqian Lake (park, free)
West Lake (park, free)
Tai Lake (park, free)
Tianfeng Pagoda (Song Dynasty reconstructed pagoda, 5 RMB)
Tianyi Pavilion (Fan family library, 20 RMB)

Things to do outside the city:

Baoguo temple and Tang Dynasty pillars(Buddhist temple complex, 12 RMB)--located 15 km east of the city on Lingshan Mtn.
Yandang Mtn. (UNESCO world geopark and 8 famous scenic areas, 10-30 RMB depending on location)--Located outside Wenzhou in Leching county about 4 hours from Ningbo.

Other things to do:

Check out the traditional handicrafts produced in this city; many of which can be found on the main shopping streets. These crafts include hand-woven bamboo vases, wood and bamboo carvings and various animal sculptures. Also, due to its location on the Yangtze River delta, this city has always been--and continues to be--a thriving import city with lots of shopping opportunities.

Summer Travel 2

2010-06-09T07:36:00.001-07:00

Hangzhou

For a quick, inexpensive trip to an interesting city, consider Hangzhou.

travel time: 3 hours by high-speed train D3108 out of Wenzhou.

Places to go in the city:

West Lake (park, free)
Mausoleum of General Yue Fei (park and temple complex, 25 RMB)
6 harmonies Pagoda (pagoda and park complex, 30 RMB)
National Silk Museum (museum, free)
Ling Yin Temple (temple and park complex, 30-35 RMB)
Qing He Fang Street (shopping)

Places to go nearby:

National Tea Museum (museum, free)--located just west of West Lake in the incorporated village of Longjing.

Other things to do:

Try the local cuisine. Hangzhou culture has been influenced by many different groups over the centuries. The local specialties are braised pork and "beggars chicken," both of which are quite good if done properly. There is also a vibrant night life in this city and sunset marks the beginning of business hours for many pubs and bars as well as tea houses. Each one is unique and those around West Lake are rather nice to visit on hot summer days.

Summer travel

2010-05-28T22:25:00.001-07:00

So summer is upon us and many foreigners in China are wondering, "what do I do now?" Here I have decided to post some recommendations for those who are living in various regions and may want to travel around China for a bit this summer before returning home. This is the first installment. In each posting, I will focus on one or two cities or regions. I have divided the categories by region, distance, and commuting options.

I'll start with Central China since that is where I am. These travel times are calculated from Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province.

Nearby:

For those who may not want to travel too much this summer, but still want to get out of the city there are several options.

1. Travel to Fujian Province
--2-3 hours by high speed train

*Places to go in the city:

--West Lake (park and traditional house with garden)--free
--Hualin Monastery (monastery, Hualin Lu, open for tours)--3RMB
--Pingshan Park (park, monkey park, Fufei S. Road)--free
--Yu Hill (pagoda, opera performances, Daoist temple)--free
--Gu Shan and Xi Chan Monastery grounds (monastery, vegetarian restaurant and shopping)--20RMB

*Places to go outside the city:

--Qingyun Shan Waterfall Park (park, scenic area, hiking)
--Qingyun Mtn. Royal Hot Spring Hotel (hotel, hot springs, mineral baths)--1200+ RMB/night

For more information about Qingyun Shan travel, visit http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g297405-d1440226/Fuzhou:China:Qingyun.Mountain.html

Clean Air, Quiet City, and the Ability to Take a Deep Breath Part 2

2010-04-24T22:04:00.000-07:00

In the morning, we were greeted with the sight of rain and grey skies, but the air was clean. I was able to draw a deep breath without inhaling a lungful of exhaust or smog. In Wenzhou, most mornings don't have a sunrise. If you can see the sun, it is through a brownish haze. In Fuzhou, even though the skies were dark and it was raining, one could not mistake the coming of day. In fact, the only thing that was remotely like Wenzhou was the brown river. The rain upriver causes the river in Fuzhou to turn brown due to run-off.

Merged picture of the bridge and the river from the hotel.

Street Sweeper on a rainy day in Fuzhou.

After a quick breakfast of rice porrige, fruit, and some random sources of protein, we all leaded the busses again and set out in the rain for Fuzhou Botanical Garden.

The Botanic Garden is one of the places that I could have missed. It is a park where rare and native trees and plants are grown and protected, but unless you are interested in the history of the gymnosperm and can read Chinese, it is a rather boring place. The few bright spots included the huge Koi lake where thousands of Koi live, a huge old tree, the local temple, and the small children's amusement park across the road from the Botanical Gardens.

Once again, us four laowai ditched the main group to go our own way and wander through the park. I can imagine just how annoyed the guides were with us, but oh well, we were bored and tired of listening to the girl with the microphone speaking in a language that most of us couldn't understand. So we wandered off and found a small temple complex. The artwork and statues were far more interesting to us than a stand of Cypress trees or clusters of the world's tallest grass (bamboo). After visiting the temple, we headed to the far end of the park and saw a small amusement park. There the other three played a ring-toss game while I watched and took pictures. Again, far more interesting and much more fun than some rain-soaked trees.

Old tree

Koi pond

Out for a walk

Dragon roof

Buddha

Guardian statue

Another Buddha altar

Goddess of Mercy

After visiting the amusement park, we realized that the departure time was getting close so we started walking back to the other side of the compound, but we didn't realize how far we had come until we had 7 minutes left. Luckily we managed to hail one of the park tour taxis and the lady took us back to the east gate. We got back on time, before most of the other people in fact even though we had less than 1 minute remaining of our allotted time. While we waited for the rest of the group to return, we wandered around the food and gift stalls. I bought some pineapple and icecream. both of which were incredibly sweet. About ten minutes later, the rest of the group returned and we headed to West Lake.

West Lake is a lake in Fuzhou that has a park surrounding it not unlike Blue Lake in Oregon. It also has an old house and traditional garden that you can wander through. When we were there, there was a karaoke show going on in one of the pergolas. Although some of the singers had good voices, imagine traditional Chinese music done karaoke style; it's not easy on the ears. Other than that however, the lake had lots of trees, water and of course the garden. It would have been a beautiful place to visit if not for the rain. I would like to wander around the gardens when the sun is out. This time, Aaron (one of the guides) decided to stay with us the whole time. I can't imagine why...Unfortunately, we were pressed for time, so the stop at the lake was not a long one. After lunch at an overcrowded restaurant, we were taken to the final stop on our weekend journey--Old Street.

Old Street is a combination of preserved and reconstructed old buildings in Fuzhou. It is a relatively new attraction in the city as many of the buildings are still undergoing renovations. The side streets are also rather barren as of this point in time, but eventually the whole neighborhood will be one large "Historic Downtown" complete with shopping, restaurants, and numerous other businesses. Right now, it is a place with many interesting Ming and Ching style buildings and old houses-turned-shops that is fast becoming a tourist trap. The buildings are beautiful however and many of the smaller gift shops offer some unique small gifts that are easy to pack or send to relatives. I bought some matchbooks with Chairman Mao and Che Gueverra on them. I was tempted to buy some Obama ones, but those only came in a set of 28 and cost too much for matchbooks. Other people bought dolls, figurines, statues, and local pieces of art that were a little on the pricey side. One of my biggest discoveries actually took place just off Old Street.

Old Street

Bronze sculpture of writing

Ming/Ching Dynasty House

Ching Dynasty building

Bronze sculpture of silk screening

Really expensive wood statues

Bystanders on Old Street

After wandering around Old Street for a while, I returned to the busses with about 15 minutes remaining on our schedule. While I was standing there about to be bored, I saw a group of tourists dressed in nice clothes being led by a guide into what looked like another old building so I decided to follow them. What I found was an old private residence that was open to the public. Incidentally, this house was involved in the drug wars of the 19th century and part of the property is now an office for China's version of the DEA. It was a beautiful house, and even though the weather was still crappy I managed to get some decent pictures of the place. I wandered through corridors and hallways snapping photos of random sights; a courtyard, a statue, a Persian-style door, a bigger courtyard, a pond...Sadly I was not able to explore the whole house because I ran out of time. If I am ever back in Fuzhou, I plan on visiting both Old Street and this place again.

Entrance gallery

Small courtyard and pond

Cannons (from the 19th century Opium Wars)

Large courtyard and pond

Memorial plaques

Persian-style door

Unfortunately our rather busy, but interesting weekend had to end and before long we were all on the high-speed train back to Wenzhou. We arrived in Wenzhou to the fanfare of cars and smog and rain, but for at least a few hourse we were able to admire a clean city with clean air and take a big, deep, breath.

Clean Air, Quiet City, and the Ability to Take a Deep Breath

2010-04-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, everyone in my office had the opportunity to go to Fujian Province as part of a group tour. We all looked forward to it if only because it was a chance to see somewhere that wasn't Wenzhou. I was interested in going only because it was my first time out of Zhejiang Province. We went to several places, but ultimately the tour was kind of boring mainly because we were always rushing from one place to another. The tour company tried to fit three or four days worth of activities into 38 hours. However it was still a chance to get out and see another part of China. I just wish it could have lasted a little longer or that we had not had to visit all of the places we went to.

The first place we went was of course the train station in Wenzhou. The new high-speed train will take you from Wenzhou to Fuzhou in just a few hours. The train ride was surprisingly nice and quiet. It was not crowded and provided a good opportunity to catch up on reading or sleep that was interrupted only by the occasional announcement that the next stop was some village or city. Almost as soon as we got out of the immediate area around Wenzhou, we noticed that the air pollution decreased significantly, even if the water still looked horrible. This was the first clue that anywhere other than Wenzhou might actually be clean. When we arrived in Fuzhou, the first thing we had to do was find our tour guides, a man whose English name was Aaron and a girl whose name I never knew, and figure out where the buses were. Once we got on the buses, the grand adventure began.

After stopping for lunch in Linglu, the first stop on the tour was Qingyun Mountain Scenery Area. It is 76 km outside of Fuzhou near the town of Linglu in Yongtai county. The introductory sign was about the only legible English-language sign in the whole park. All of the other "bi-lingual" signs had such poor translation, grammar, and spelling as to make them virtually illegible. These signs became a source of great amusement for us four native English speakers on the trip. However, that being said, there were many wonderful scenic spots at this park. The four laowai on the trip (me + 3 others) were constantly climbing over rocks and stopping to take a look at some interesting piece of scenery to the point that the rest of the group got somewhat ahead of us and the guide, Aaron, was sent back to find us. He stayed with us for the rest of our climb up up the mountain because it might look bad if the four laowai got lost.

Cuvay, legislatu e, fear old?

Top Left: One of many smaller waterfalls at the park. Top Right: The big waterfall at the end of the path up the mountain. Bottom: A small bridge across a small waterfall.

One thing that I will always remember about this park (other than the funny signs) is how clear, clean, and amazingly blue the water was. There is only one other place I have ever been where I have seen water of this color and that was in the Caribbean Ocean off the coast of Belize. I have never seen it in a mountain stream or river.

After wandering around for the better part of three hours, we went to the second stop on our journey--a wonderful hot spring hotel. This was the most relaxing part of our entire trip. Unfortunately, we were only able to spend a couple of hours there. I could have spent the whole day just going from mineral bath to tea soak to whirlpool and back. This hotel is very expensive to stay in. The cheap room will run about 1300 yuan per night, but people can go there just for the baths as we did. Now, for those who are thinking this sounds cool, It took us two hours by bus to get to the town of Linglu from Fuzhou. Not only that, but we could not drive the bus right up to the hotel because the road is only wide enough for cars, not busses, to pass so traffic jams are common. We ended up having to walk with all of our stuff the last 2.5 km or so from Linglu to the hotel.

After spending a couple of hours soaking in warm water, we went to dinner at the same place we ate lunch in Linglu. Once again we had to walk it. Not so fun after relaxing for a couple of hours in warm water, but the food was good and we got to eat out under what would have been stars if not for the rain clouds. After a good dinner, we got back on the bus for the two hour trip back to Fuzhou and our hotel. By the time we got to our hotel, almost everyone on the trip was ready to crash, but the four of us who were not Chinese decided to wander around for a while and see the city at night.

Looking out across the river from out hotel at a really expensive shopping place.

One of the bigger bridges in the city.

Night scene.

One of the first things we noticed about the city was how quiet it seemed at night. In Wenzhou a street like the one above would be filled with street carts and vendors. Cars would be moving along to the ever-present sound of horns and people would still be out and about. In Fuzhou, the scene is much quieter and the streets are much cleaner. Even during the day there are few street carts and the drivers are infinitely more polite than in Wenzhou. It was a nice contrast from the bustle of daily life in the city of Wenzhou. After wandering around for a bit and visiting the American embassy (aka McDonalds), we all headed back to our hotel for good night's rest.

To be continued...

Easter

2010-04-03T02:30:00.001-07:00

It's Easter Sunday (for us non-Eastern Orthodox folks). For those wondering what you can do on Easter Sunday in Wenzhou, here are some ideas...

1) For the religious among us, there are a lot of Catholic and Protestant churches in this area. There is one just southwest of Xialvpu that is painted red. Likewise there is another at the end of the 105 bus line. If you ask around, you will be able to find one pretty easily. Your students might even know where one is.

2) Host a party. Invite all your friends to your apartment for the day. You provide the main meal, but snacks, side dishes, and drinks can be easily covered by your friends. If you are really in the spirit, you can even decorate your place in Easter eggs and bunnies.

3) Go to a party. Convince you friend that they need to have a party at his or her place this time...

4) Go to La Luna or one of the other foreign hangouts. La Luna is a bar and grill that serves Mexican food, has good booze, free Wi-fi, and free pool. It is located at 温州帀江瑸西路永楠路5号. For those who don't read Chinese the translation is: 温州 = "Wenzhou" 帀 = zā (location article) 江瑸西 = "Jiang bin xi" (name of the road) 路 = "lu" (street/road) 永楠 = "Yong nan" (name of the road) 路 = "lu" (street/road) 5号 = "wu hao" (number 5). That is to say that La Luna is located at No. 5 Yong nan Rd. Jiang bin xi Rd. Wenzhou. If you get into a taxi and say, "Jiang bin xi lu, Yong nan lu wu hao," they should be able to understand. If all else fails, write the characters down and show them to the taxi driver.

5) Go shopping. No explanation needed, but I recommend taking someone with you who can read and speak Chinese so you can get the best deals.

6) Go to the movies. Check out what movies are playing and then head to the local theater with a friend or two in tow.

7) Girls (or boys) Night! Invite all your friends of the same sex over to your place and spend the evening talking, hanging out, watching movies, or going shopping or whatever you decide to do.

8) (I don't recommend this) Sit at home and be bored watching TV or movies.

Stress Relief

2010-03-31T02:00:00.001-07:00

推拿 This is a phrase that many of us become very familiar with. It is pronounced "tuīná" and refers to a form of deep massage or "manipulative therapy." There are lots of places to go in Wenzhou that offer 推拿 but the one that I like best is directly between 2nd and 8th Communities in Xialvpu. If you walk across the street from 8th community and head into the side street that has a name but no one remembers it, look up and right and you will see a blue sign. If it is night, the sign may or may not be lit by yellow string lights. This is the massage parlor I prefer.

It is a little run down looking and quite frankly I would never have walked into it had I not been with a Chinese colleague the first time. It is a little intimidating. When you walk in, the entry room is long and narrow with a series of foot massage chairs along the right hand side and a counter at the back. Usually there are at least three people sitting in the chairs either sleeping or lounging. These are the "masseurs" (although most are female). Sitting at the desk is an older man who looks to be about 55 or 60. Sometimes he wears glasses, sometimes not. He is the one in charge of the books for this joint. There is no menu. Customers must know what they want.

After telling him I want a back massage 背部推拿 (bèibù tuīná)he points up the stairs. The stairs are rather steep and they split at the top into a "Y." To the left is room that I know to be full of more massage chairs, although exactly what they are used for is anyone's guess. To the right is my destination. This room is divided into several areas by cubicle walls. Each area has two or three massage beds in it. I choose one and take off my.....shoes (get your mind out of the gutter). If I am wearing a jacket I remove that also, but the rest stays on. Right behind me is my "masseur." Now for bèibù tuīná I've discovered that there are only a few people who actually do this at this particular place; I think this has to do with the fact that the person needs some experience to know how hard to push and when to stop. After I choose my bed I lay face down. The "masseur" then places a white sheet over me and begins to work her magic.

To begin, she starts at the head or neck and it can be painful your first time, especially if you are really tense. Next come the shoulders and upper arms followed by the upper back. By now, the "masseur" has resorted to using her elbows rather than her hands; the better to get those tough muscles that we use for vertical movement to relax. She then works her way slowly down the back until the gets to my tail bone. Then she does a quick massage of first one side and then the other before moving on to the back of the legs and feet. When all of this is done, she does the once-over head to toes. This is the end of the bèibù tuīná. It is not the end of my massage however.

If there is time, she tells me to turn over onto my back. Once I have managed to flip myself over using muscles that are way too relaxed to accomplish this gracefully, she begins to massage my neck and shoulders again, but from a different angle. Then she moves up to the head and scalp, grabs my head firmly and gives long tug. This is one of my favorite parts of the massage. I can feel all of my vertebra align themselves properly. She gently puts my head down. Next she massages my arms and hands right down to the finger tips. The final area she does is my legs. She pays particular attention to the quadriceps and IT bands that are always tight. Lastly, she lifts my legs and manipulates the hip joints; first one then the other. She also does this to my shoulders. Then I am done. For 15 yuan I have gotten a 45 minute massage that will last me until next week--or at least until I feel like going again.

If bèibù tuīná is too aggressive for you, here are some other forms of massage:

按摩 -- ànmó--literally "massage" just point to the area you want massaged. bèibù ànmó= "back massage"

头 -- tóu -- "head" or "top"
颈 -- jǐng -- "neck"
脚 -- jiǎo -- "foot"

NOTE: There are some things to remember about Chinese Massage parlors and spas.

Rule 1) Pink sign or lights=brothel
Rule 2) Blue lights or sign=legitimate massage parlor
Rule 3) Men will remove their pants at all massage parlors so if you don't want to see a middle-aged Chinese man in his skivvies, close your eyes.
Rule 4) You will often see patrons sleeping or hear their snoring. This is normal. It is OK to fall asleep, however I don't recommend staying there too long.

Creating Lesson Plans

2010-03-24T06:19:00.000-07:00

Calling all teachers out there...How do you organize your lesson plans? If you are like me you put a title at the top of the page, below it goes the topic(s) and a brief description to remind yourself that you are really seriously going to cover this topic today. Below that you list the activities in order and a brief description thereof. Correct? What about time tables? how long do you spend on one subject or activity? What if you teach 4 classes from the same textbook that have very different ability levels? What is a lowly laowai English teacher to do?

First, I'm going to outline my problem and then I'll talk about the solution.

Problem: We are required to submit lesson plans for the entire semester to the powers that be. These powerful people have decided that all lesson plans should look exactly alike regardless of the course they are designed for or who is teaching the course. The theory behind this is that other teachers or administrator years from now will be able to duplicate the lesson plans of today right down to the very last minute provided they have the same text books. Therefore the lesson plans are laid out thusly;

Title of lecture and class

Topic (what is being covered)

Goal (why this is being covered)

First half of class:

Activity 1:

Who is involved?

What are the rules?

How long will you spend on this activity?

Why are you doing this activity?

Support information for this activity (ie websites, resources, etc.)

Activity 2:

Who is involved?

What are the rules?

How long will you spend on this activity?

Why are you doing this activity?

Support information for this activity (ie websites, resources, etc.)

Second half of class:

Activity 3:

Who is involved?

What are the rules?

How long will you spend on this activity?

Why are you doing this activity?

Support information for this activity (ie websites, resources, etc.)

Homework assignment:

What is it?

Why this HW and not some other (how is it related to the topic or topics)?

What is the goal of this HW?

My problem is that an outline like this far too rigid for my classes. I teach one class in which everyone is fully capable of studying abroad in any English speaking country. I have another class where about half of the students would be able to do this. A third class that should go back to their freshmen year and re-learn everything. and a fourth class that is actually better in Listening than the class above them, but significantly further behind in their speaking abilities. How or why should I have a lesson plan tat is this rigid for classes that require a lot of adjustment?

My solution:

I don't use the format the school requires and this has ruffled a few feathers. I use a lesson plan format that is much more fluid and contains only the information I need do deliver an effective lesson to all four classes regardless of ability levels. I simply see no point in submitting the "standard" lesson plan when it is not something I would ever be able to use. My lesson plans look something like speech outlines, but with far more detail. I include entire paragraphs of relevant information that I want to make sure I deliver to my classes. I don't use timelines because I would never be able to use them in class. An activity that takes 5 or 10 minutes for my best class would take 30 minutes for my lower-performing classes. Therefore, I simply outline what activities I CAN use to support the lesson, but I don't make it a mandatory thing for ALL of the activities to be accomplished. To make sure the lesson is effective, I make sure that the most pertinent and necessary activities are in the first part of the lesson plan and other activities that are simply nice to have find a home at the end.

This seems logical to me since a lesson plan is really only a means to keep the teacher on track. It is never supposed to be replicated by others teaching different courses with access to different materials. I guarantee that none of the teachers in the future will be able to duplicate my lessons simply because they will not have access to the same materials (such as iTunes podcasts). I would have no problem with making a lesson plan using the acceptable outline, but I would then have to make another lesson plan that I would actually use in class.

Here is an example lesson plan from the school:

Objective: 1. To practice VOA news

2. Show Students English Slangs: pronunciation and sense

3. Make students do slang conversation

Attendance
VOA News: Students will listen to a VOA news report twice. They must answers questions in this format: -Who -What happened/story about... -When did the news event occur... -Where did the news event occur... -Why did this news happen... If the students did not finish they will have to do this as homework, then turn it in..	15 Min.
Assign Student Teacher Exercise Dates	5 Min.
Slang PPT. Introduce vocabulary Listen to a three passages from www.ezslang.com and ask some questions about the passages after each passage. Some students may have to read the passage out loud do to audio errors	25 Min.
Slang Conversation: Break sts. into pairs The sts. will create a conversation using the new vocabulary. They must write it down. Once finished the pair will approach another pair and perform their conversation in front of them. The other pair must identify the slang words/terms they used.	20 Min.
Finish the Valentines day Simpsons.	15 Min.

Here is one of my lesson plans:

Listening class 07 March lesson plan

Turn in and review Homework.

Finish Stereotypes and prejudices work.

Introduce Accents of the British Isles.

Students should be able to distinguish between the two dialects. Students should also be accustomed to hearing various accents and dialects of English as TEM 4 preparation and for SA.

http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/index.html

What is the difference between the standard British and Western Neutral American dialects?

English is a West Germanic language. This means that it derives from the Anglo-Frisian dialects of Northwest Germany and Netherlands. One particular dialect came to dominate all of the other regional dialects that were present in the British Isles before 1000 CE…

Continue this discussion with the PPT.

Play examples of BrE and AmE accents and dialects for the class.

Dictation exercise

http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/case-studies/geordie/vowel-sounds/

Have students write down what they hear. What are the different or strange words? Are there different pronunciations? Call on random students to read back what they have written.

HW: http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/text-only/england/birkenhead/

Go to this website and play the clip. Summarize what the girl is talking about. Write down at least 5 words that are unfamiliar to you and write the definitions. Your summary must be at least 5 full sentences.

____________________________________________________

I like my lesson plan, although I do see where they think the problems are. I simply operate differently than they believe all classes should operate. I do what is effective for my classes, not what some of the other teachers say is effective for their classes.

___________________________________________________

Update:

I have now taken to writing two lesson plans for each class. One to turn in and one to use in class. It's a royal pain in the backside, but it's what I have to do...

Any thoughts or opinions?

The Great Firewall

2010-03-24T05:37:00.000-07:00

Wow. I'm able to post today without a VPN. So I will take advantage of this spat Google is having with the Chinese government and give everyone some advice on how to beat the Great Firewall of China. There are a couple of options. You can use a proxy website or you can use a VPN or TOR. There are benefits and drawbacks to all of them.

Proxy websites:

Example: http://www.vtunnel.com

These are web pages that you navigate to in your browser. The actual definition of proxy server is that it is a server that acts as an intermediary for requests between the client and other servers. In other words, your computer sends a request to a server that is in another location and that server in turn makes a request of another server for the same information. The proxy server then connects the client with the relevant service. This is great for access to some of the 'banned' web sites in China (such as anything to do with Tienanmen) but the amount of information that can be sent this way is very limited. This means that videos are difficult to get. Also, it is not always anonymous so your actions can be tracked. Another downside to the web-based proxy is that the size of files you can download is often restricted to something like 4 MB. A third issue with this method of getting around the GFW is that Java or Java-scrips often don't work very well so forget about Facebook, Myspace, or Twitter (not to mention any gaming sites). For more information about proxys and proxy servers visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_server

VPN

This is an acronym for Virtual Private Network. Information that travels via a VPN is not visible to the underlying network. This is accomplished with very strong encryption. VPNs are often billed as "network tunnels" to navigate through nasty firewalls. However, some VPNs work in China and others do not so do your research. There are free VPNs out there such as Hot Spot Shield, which can be downloaded at http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,71209-page,1/description.html . Hot Spot Shield works OK, but the amount of information you can request per month is very limited and if you go over the limit, you need to wait 4 weeks. There is also a lot of unnecessary crap that is included with Hot Spot Shield, such as adverts and a nasty habit of automatically forwarding your webpage to the Hot Spot homepage if the one you are downloading takes too long. This can be a pain in a$$ so I actually recommend downloading a VPN that you have to pay for. There are plenty to choose from. I like StrongVPN. It is a little slow when accessing local Chinese sites, but it will access your gaming sites and Facebook, etc. pretty quickly. ti can be downloaded at http://www.strongvpn.com/ . A note about buying a VPN, you want to choose an "Open" VPN not a PPTP for China. The standard version at StrongVPN will runabout $15.00 (US)/ month.

The drawbacks to VPNs are that to download them, you typically have to disable your anti-virus software. So be careful and do your research. There are a lot of scams out there. Also, the cost thing is another issue. However, this is the most reliable way to access banned sites in China. You can access Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, World of Warcraft, etc. on most of the purchasable VPNs. If you have specific questions about a particular VPN's services then you should ask the company. For example if you are a WoW fanatic and need your daily fix, you should ask about whether or not the VPN supports WoW.

TOR

TOR stands for The Onion Router. It is a software installation and open network that was originally invented by the US Naval Research Laboratory to hide their online activities while in foreign countries (like ye olde USSR). It as since gone public and is now run and supported by TOR Project. TOR is essentially a proxy server on steroids. It does much the same thing as web-based proxy does, but in much larger portions. It uses many layers of cryptography to send information between routers (hence the "onion" moniker). The benefits to TOR are that it is available free and can be used anywhere in the world to send as much or as little information as you need. However, there are several downsides. TOR does not and can not encrypt the traffic at the end-point or exit node.[1] Therefore, anyone with access to an exit node can get all of your information. This does not necessarily mean that they can get things like your e-mail address or personal information; they will only be able to see that if that is the information your are using TOR to send. That said, the more people who use TOR, the safer it becomes because more servers will be located within its massive hulk.[2]

There are some other drawbacks to this technology. Due to the nature of the beast, TOR is rather slow compared to smaller proxy severs. Yes you can send larger amounts of data through TOR than through either a VPN or regular proxy, but you have to wait for a really, really, really long time. This is because when you sent information through TOR, that information is like a little Hansel and Gretel dropping bread crumbs. TOR has to clean up all those crumbs before it can send the information on to the next layer of routers. This process is repeated over and over until your information reaches its destination. Likewise for information returning to your computer. Also, in order to download TOR, you first need a VPN as the files are far too big to download over a standard proxy server. This kind of defeats the purpose don't you think?

It is for that reason that I recommend using a VPN. Whether you use a free one or not is up to you, just make sure you do your homework and avoid the scams. Hope this helps.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_(anonymity_network)
[2] http://www.torproject.org/

Google Uncensored

2010-03-23T00:28:00.001-07:00

Many of us here in China have heard about Google-China's many battles in the last few months. Early this morning, Google decided to route all of its searches in mainland China through its Hong Kong based servers rather than servers located in the mainland. Why? Because as we all know, Google is very much against censorship and the servers in Hong Kong are not required to be censored. This move will essentially shift the responsibility of censoring the internet from Google to the Government.[1]

Many people both in China and abroad fall on both sides of this issue. For some, they think that Google is violating the laws of a sovereign country by refusing to censor its search engine. Some people even believe that the move will hurt business in China. Others feel that in this global environment, the Internet and all its facets should be open to anyone who wants access to it.[2] The Chinese government has its own set of complaints about Google. These include access to pornographic material and "unsuitable" webpages that encourage so-called subversive behavior on its search engine as well as copyright infringement.

Lets first address the last allegation of copyright infringement. This is a great example of the pot calling the kettle black. People in China have wondered at the reasons behind some companies refusing to sell their products in China. The answer is the complete lack of respect for international copyright laws or intellectual property rights. China is a place where anything goes as long as it makes money. You can buy DVD players here that have no restrictions about what formats they play. Likewise you can buy DVDs here in legitimate stores long before they are officially released by the studios that produce them. I highly doubt that the industries involved in this pay commissions or compensation to the studios for the right to distribute these DVDs. Now, I'm not condoning what Google did with respect to the Chinese authors, but let's be realistic here. For a country that does not protect intellectual property rights or international copyrights, it is funny that they are pressing this point.

As for violating the laws of a sovereign country, I ask what laws are you talking about? In China there are many different systems of government. Hong Kong maintains its own system based on British Common Law, while Macau and other regions have their own legal systems.[3] So what laws should Google abide by since they are a presence in all these regions? Should they be liable to any laws outside of their own country? This is a question that is probably better left to the legal big wigs of various organizations who know more about the matter than I do. What I can say is that the students I teach generally support Google's move and so do many of the educated elite of the world.

In fact, many people support this move if only because it will bring about greater understanding between the Chinese people and the outside world. It could also pressure the Chinese government to make some very important improvements with regard to Civil and Human Rights in this country. According to an ABC News article, Teng Biao, a Beijing law professor and human-rights lawyer stated, "I feel that people will greatly respect Google's action...China's censorship of the Internet search engine results is a violation of the most basic of human rights. By doing this, Google will bring more global attention to China's human rights situation."[4]

For my personal opinion, I think that it is about time! As a westerner teaching in China, I look forward to the day when the Chinese people will have access to the same information that I did when I was in grade school. As China becomes more of an economic and political force in the world, the Chinese government is going to have to come to terms with the fact that a key part of China's ability to rise will be information transparency.

My students have often asked me why the US and other Western governments seem not to trust the Chinese government and the answer has always been the lack of transparency. This move by Google is just one small step, but hopefully it will bring a greater awareness to the Chinese people about world events, politics, ideas, and most importantly perhaps how the rest of world sees China.

As of right now, there are very few resources to which my students can turn for information about their own country that is not the sanitized "correct" version approved by the government. This has been a major stumbling block not only for Chinese students, but for anyone living in China who seeks to better understand the world. If the Chinese government wants to be seen as a legitimate leader--and it seems that they do--then they must to come to terms with the concept that a key part of that leadership means transparency; including access to information online. Otherwise, other countries like the US and those in the Euro Zone will never be able to trust China. There will always be a stumbling block if the Chinese government insists on limiting access to information for its mainland residents.

Note: As of the time of this blog, the Chinese government is already blocking access to the Google Hong Kong search engine results. Currently, I have to use a proxy to access the article on Wikipedia about Hong Kong.

Sources:

[1] China Media Accuse Google of Violating Promises. Alexa Olsen. ABC News Article http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wirestory?id=10176097&page=1 .
[2] Google China Move Hurts Businesses, Academics. Lara Farr. CNN News Article. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/03/23/china.google.impact/ .
[3] Hong Kong. Wikipedia Article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong
[4] China Media Accuse Google of Violating Promises.

TEM 4 exam

2010-03-18T01:31:00.001-07:00

Test for English Majors Grade 4

This is the major exam that all Sophomore English majors are required to take at the beginning of April. It has sections that test the student's listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills. Although I can not speak for the reading and writing portions of the exam, I can give some hints about the listening and speaking parts. I find that my students typically struggle in three major areas. Two of them are listening and one is speaking. The first and perhaps the most problematic area for my students is the NEWS section.

This section of the exam involves the students listening to several VOA or BBC newscasts and answering questions that are either fill-in-the-blank or multiple choice. To help my students prepare for this portion of the exam, I have them listen to a podcast called "Deutche Welle: Asia Compact." This is available through iTunes under the podcast section or you can get it online from http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,266,00.html you just need to search for Asia Compact. I recommend getting it through iTunes because the Chinese government tends to block the Deutche Welle English homepage, although you can get to it through a proxy. I use this one because it involves speakers with many accents and they tend to speak slightly slower than CNN or BBC newscasters do, but faster than VOA newscasters. While they are listening to it, I have the students answer 2 or 3 questions about each news section. This ability to listen and write an answer at the same time comes into play in a much more focused way in the second problem area.

The second listening area that my students tend to struggle with is the dictation portion of the exam. For this there are myriad websites that can assist teachers who need to get their students to be able to listen and write at the same time. One that I particularly like is http://www.englishclub.com/webguide/Listening/Dictation/ as there are several options and difficulty levels. The TEM 4 exam will read a short essay of two or three paragraphs to the students four times. Once at almost normal speed, twice at really slow speed, and the final time at almost normal speed again. Another good website for dictations is http://www.dictationsonline.com/ . All you have to do is play the dictation in class. Most of the websites will read the exercise three times; once at normal speed, once slow (with punctuation) and a final time at normal speed. This makes the practice harder than the actual exam, which I think is a good thing.

The third problem area for my students tends to be in spoken grammar. This is because they do not practice English outside of class except occasionally in e-mails or text messages to their instructors. As a result, they have very poor spoken and written grammar. Since the one is directly related to the other, I force my students to use good grammar in their homework by taking away points for gross mistakes. This was a shock to many of my students at first, but now they are beginning to get the point. Another good thing to do is to have them recite speeches or short stories to the class. This way they hear themselves speaking and using good grammar and are more likely to correct themselves.