Guiping - Teaching Retreat

Welcome Sign at the High School

Every year the school I teach for sends its teachers on a 3-day retreat to another city in Guangxi Province. The purpose is to conduct English lessons at Chinese high schools and exchange teaching methodologies with the staff. This year we traveled to Guiping, a 'small' Chinese city of 1.8 million, approximately 4 hours Northeast of Nanning - the provincial capital.

Our bus arrived in style to our hotel, with a police escort. The mayor and members of the local communist party were on hand to welcome us to the city. The kind reception we received was a good sign of things to come, as the retreat produced a couple highlights:

1) I have never seen a Chinese high school before, thus an opportunity to teach a lesson at one was met with excitement. Upon arrival me and my colleagues were paired with a Chinese teacher and directed to their classrooms. All of us foreign teachers went in different directions and anticipation built as I heard applause and shouts echoing from behind; a sign that some of my colleagues had made it to their designated classrooms. I came to a large building at the back of the school grounds and was led up several flights of stairs. As I walked down the hallways, classes came to a standstill with students cheering and climbing over each other for a better look. After the dramatic entrance, I arrived in the classroom and the students excitement was like nothing I have ever seen. Clapping, screaming and a pair of students grabbing each other and shaking violently to top it off! It was as if a skid of Red Bull and Skittles had been airdropped into the classroom. It's something I will always remember, given that I'll probably never experience it again.

Overall the lesson was a great success as we talked about Canada, sang songs and showed each other our 'special abilities'. One student sang a Lady Gaga tune, one flexed his pecks back and forth like 'The Rock' and one even gave me an English beat box welcome. They were surprisingly well behaved (there were 89 students in the class!) and were very keen when it came to learning about North America. Many of the students come from a low socioeconomic background and have probably never seen a Westerner before (up close), which explains much of the excitement. They are also in school 7 days a week, from 7AM - 10PM and live in dormitories on the school grounds. I imagine that my lesson was a much needed break from the strenuous lifestyle of a Chinese high school student.

A Lazy Susan, Within a Lazy Susan, Within a Lazy Susan

2) Our hosts treated us well during our stay in Guiping, especially when it came to the meals. Extravagant food was served (mainly meat dishes), with a dozen courses for most meals. Private dinner rooms were rented for the occasion, which came equipped with motorized Lazy Susan's (especially helpful for the 22 person round table), washrooms, a bar and lounge seating. It's customary at formal dinners to toast all guests, whether in groups or individually. Around half of the toasts ended with 'Gam' which is the same as saying 'Cheers'. Meanwhile, 'Gambei' (dry cup) was uttered for the other half, which means that you are expected to chug your drink. Copious amounts of red wine was served, with Baijiu (40-60% rice liquor) reserved for communal toasts. Opposing tables are sometimes matched (and wagered) against one another, to see who can 'outdrink - outlast - outplay'. Like it or not, the Chinese will argue that this is a part of their culture and those that don't participate, risk being ostracized.

Overall, the trip was a culturally enriching experience and I was able to educate students on the English language, along with the home country of Canada - which I love so much!

The Beautiful 'Li River'

Karst Mountain Landscape - Li River

During the application process for my teaching position in Nanning, I did some research about the area. Google image searches for 'Guangxi Province' turned up countless photos of the famous 'Li River' in Guilin. I had seen the area before, as it is probably the most famous scenery in China, next to the Great Wall. If you go to a local Chinese buffet, you are bound to see a painting (cheap reproduction) of the Li River landscape. Its beauty has inspired artists for thousands of years and it attracts hordes of tourists every year.

I have done little travel in China thus far, choosing instead to head south to Vietnam and Thailand. The main reason behind this is:

A) Since I work in China, my holidays align with Chinese holidays. This means that in order to escape the mass migration (Spring Festival being the largest annual human migration in the world), you must exodus the country. With over 1.3 Billion people, the last place you want to be on the holidays is cramped on a Chinese train. Tickets are hard to come by, they sell more then there are seats, every washroom turns into a horror scene within an hour and survival of the fittest reigns supreme. You are also taking your chances when it comes to visiting popular tourist destinations (overcrowding). Keep in mind that when the Chinese travel, they tend to bring the 'whole' family along – Children – Parents -Aunts – Uncles – and Grandparents from both sides.

Cruising Around Yangshuo

B) China is a fairly new tourist destination, having only really opened up to the outside world in the early 1980's. As a result, tourism is not as developed as you would find in other Eastern Asian countries (excluding North Korea!). English is also relatively non-existent outside of major metropolis centers and Lonely Planet destinations.

To the gratification of my students, I chose to head North, to Guilin and Yangshuo for the week long tomb-sweeping holiday. Highlights of the trip included:

- Taking a cruise up the Li River to Yangshuo. The cruise lasts about 5 hours, lunch is included and the second level of the boat is open for taking pictures. The boat power hauls it upstream, in formation with a dozen other cruise ships.

- Traveling to the famous rice terraces of Longsheng. They are unique in that they are situated in the mountains, at elevations ranging from 380-880 metres.

Rice Terraces of Longsheng

Crowded Streets of Yangshuo

Li River Cruise

- Spending the majority of the trip in the town of Yangshuo. The tourist section is a throw back to classical Chinese architecture, cars are forbidden and there are many unique stores/restaurants. I was surprised by the number of foreign tourists in Yangshuo, the number of foreign owned businesses and the amount of English. The town is a major tourist trap, but a must see! 

A Month in Thailand

Elephant Riding East of Bangkok

After my final marks were submitted it was off to the Nanning Airport to greet my father. We decided to spend a few days in Nanning, before moving on to greener (and sunnier) pastures in Thailand on January 14th. This is my fathers first year as a retired teacher and it was a pleasure to show him around my stomping grounds. The first few days in China are always the biggest eye openers, as you have to adjust to chopsticks, the lack of traffic laws and curious stares. One of the benefits of working in China is that during Chinese New Year or ‘Spring Festival’, the country basically shuts down. Most Chinese have about seven days off from work, while students and teachers have a full month. Many Chinese cities turn into Baghdad during the festival, as fireworks are shot off to scare away the evil spirits. Most of these fireworks wouldn’t make it past customs in the West due to amount of powder they pack. After a farewell party with coworkers, it was off to Bangkok. Instead of declaring my love for Thailand in a 3000 word essay, I will list 10 reasons why the country is a must-see travel destination!

1) ‘Sanuk’! This is Thai for ‘make fun’. Thais approach life with this attitude, including work. They don’t see the point of doing something if you can’t have a little fun. I have never seen so many smiles in my life. There is an obvious reason why the Thai smile is famous…they practice it constantly on a daily basis! 

Practicing the ‘Wai’ at Crystal Cave Temple

2) The party atmosphere in Thailand is something to behold. There is no other destination in the world that can hold a candle to ‘Walking Street’ in Pattaya. Picture one big bachelor party with 15,000 people packed into one street. The American soldiers were initially responsible for transforming Pattaya into the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah. During the Vietnam War they flocked to Thailand for some R&R and with them came the dollars that transformed the economy into one which is 'service' based.


3) A free 30 day travel VISA is provided upon arrival (by air). If you are travelling anywhere else (China, Vietnam, Cambodia), you need to get a VISA beforehand.

4) Thai food is excellent, especially the seafood. The price is also affordable averaging $5-10 for a meal (including alcoholic beverage). Because the country is so westernized, expect to find American style breakfasts and all of the fast food restaurants you would back home. 

5) The beaches in Thailand are some of the best in the world! After reading ‘The Beach’ by Alex Garland in high school and watching the movie, it was a dream come true to walk the sands of Maya Bay (which is situated on a deserted island, with National Park status). Unfortunately the popularity of both has meant that hordes of tourists (1000+), descend upon the small bay every day. However, the crowds can be avoided by signing up for a camping trip to the island. The trip reaches capacity at 20 and from 5PM – 9AM the island remains in splendid isolation.  

Scuba Diving in Ko Phi Phi

6) Thailand has some of the best scuba diving sites in the world. A full day of diving will only run you around $120. Visibility is absolutely amazing, ranging from 20-30 meters at times. Sea cucumbers are also ripe for the picking!

7) Because it is a backpacker’s paradise, expect to meet new and interesting people from around the world. The further you get off the ‘regular tourist path’, the better. Try renting a motorcycle ($5 a day) and take a back round. 

8) The National sport in Thailand is Muay Thai. The fights are a must see and are quick, lasting only 5 rounds. Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok seats 9,500 and they are one of the few places where gambling is permitted. It looks and sounds like you are on the floor of the New York stock exchange, just with the addition of beer and Van Damme tiger kicks. 

9) Roughly 95% of the Thai population is Buddhist. The ‘wai’ or Thai greeting is widespread and is deeply routed with the Buddhist faith. Visiting wats and temples in Thailand is both a spiritually enlightening and educational experience. Since all living things are welcome at these holy sites, expect to see all kinds of animals. Tiger Temple, east of Bangkok is probably the most famous, with around 100 tigers. Initially I was against seeing tigers chained up and seemingly drugged (which they aren’t), while tourists flooded in for photos. The reality is that their natural habitats have been destroyed and without sanctuaries like Tiger Temple, they wouldn’t be alive. For three hours a day the most people friendly tigers are chained up during their siestas and tourists are guided from tiger to tiger for photos. Most of the tigers have been handled by humans since they were cubs and actually enjoy getting a back rub during 3 of their 20 rest hours a day. Afterword’s if you pay an extra $15, you get put into a cage and get to watch the tigers snap out of their siesta and play fight. A chance to walk one of the tigers is also provided! As with most people I would rather see tigers in their natural state in the wild. It is good to see that admission costs are being used to care for the tigers and construct a larger sanctuary which will allow the animals to live an 'almost' natural environment. 

Ko Phi Phi Leh

10) I have to include shopping on this list. For $120 you can get a tailor-made suite, which would easily cost $800+ back home. The Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok is massive, with over 200,000 visitors a day. Khaosan Road also offers plenty of $3 tea shirts, $5 board shorts, Ray Band glasses, $30 Rolex watches and everything short of firearms for weaponry. Bargaining is a must as most foreigners are seen as a walking wallet. It is an exciting sport, the more emotion you can toss in the better! Treat everything as a 50% off Boxing Day sale. You should never feel bad when it comes to bargaining, as they wouldn’t sell it to you at a loss. If anything the shop keeper will respect you more for not devaluing the Thai currency and tossing it around like monopoly money.

I will never forget Thailand and the one month father/son trip across its lands. It was quite the change returning to overcast and rainy 10 degree weather. I heard from coworkers who stayed in Nanning that the sun had not shown itself since we left. Semester two has started at the University and its smooth sailing from now until July when I return to Canada.
 

Chinese Dormitory Living - A Students Perspective

The College's 10th Anniversary Celebration

It has been over a month and a half since my last update. Time passes quickly here without the seasonal changes that one is accustomed to back home in Canada. Although Santa failed to deliver snow to this part of the world (it has not snowed in Nanning since 1996), we are still in 'winter' mode here. The temperature ranges from 4-18°C, from the months of November-March. After going to school in Thunder Bay for five years, you would think these digits would be tropical in nature. The problem with lower temperatures here are the ways in which buildings are constructed. Forget timber frames, insulation and drywall, everything is made out of concrete with rebar veins throughout (floors, walls and ceilings). In the winter months these concrete 'bunkers' absorb the cold and are difficult to heat. I am fortunate that the AC units of my apartment also act as heaters. Unfortunately, the same does not hold true with the classrooms. Expect to teach in a coat for a few months!

Every week my students are given a topic for a journal writing assignment. The good thing about these assignments (besides improving their English literacy) is that I can have them write about something I want to learn more about. Opinion pieces act as a deterrent to plagiarism and they can give you an insiders perspective of Chinese culture and life, through the eyes of a first year University student. Since many of you reading this have experienced dormitory life in Canada, I will give an outline of what it is like to live in a Chinese dormitory (according to my students).

Student Dorm Room - 8 Person

Chinese Dormitory:

- Campus Internet speeds are comparable to dial-up. The Internet also gets shut down at 1AM (World of Warcraft players beware).

- There are between 4-8 students per room, usually with one washroom. Scheduling bathroom time can prove difficult when you share many of the same classes with your roommates. The rooms are small and bunk-beds line the walls.

- If you are not back into your dorm by 11PM, you are locked out by the guard.

- Hot water is only operational (in the female dorms) between 5-8PM. The male dorms do not have hot water heaters and students must endure the cold water. Screams can be heard in the morning from the cold water showers!

- Dorms are segregated by the sexes (male and female dorms). Guards are posted around the clock and visitations by the opposite sex are prohibited.

Some Rooms Do Not Come With Desks - Improvise!

- No cooking is allowed in the dorms due to fire hazards.

- Most students are already accustomed to dorm style living by the time they enter a post-secondary school. Boarding schools are common place in China, especially at the secondary school level. It is not uncommon to share a room with 9-15 other students at these institutions. 

- Many Chinese parents want their children to attend a boarding school, or live in a dormitory. Due to China's 'One Child' policy, many children grow up without siblings. Things like interacting with peers, selflessness and sharing is lacking for some 'only children'. The fact that most children are also raised by their grandparents while their parents work, does not help the situation. The term 'little emperor' is used to describe a spoiled male child, with no siblings.

All Space is Used

- There are no washing machines, unless you want to carry your clothes across campus and pay a high price to use a washer and dryer. The majority of students wash their clothes by hand, which is very time consuming.

- During the summer months, some of the students sleep on the dorm roof because of the heat.

- Living in a dorm costs around 800RMB per year ($125CDN). Utilities not included.

Although the accommodation is rough, even by Chinese standards, there is not a single student in my class who regrets their decision to live in the dormitory. After all, what doesn't break you, only makes you stronger!

For the Love of the Grill

Nanning and its City Parks

I will never forget the first meal I ate in China. The plane landed at 11:30pm and a group of Chinese teaching assistants picked me up from the airport. The next morning, they took me out for breakfast. I was starving and looked forward to some nourishment. After taking a seat in the school cafeteria, a tray arrived of 'breakfast items', which included spicy rice noodles and sweetened, steamed bread. Images of bacon, pancakes, french toast, even some cold cereal or oatmeal, flooded the mind as I begrudgingly dug into the food with a smile on my face (for the assistants). I tried my best to grab the slippery noodles, since the chopstick skills were on par with a three year old. I prayed that the cuisine in China would improve, even if strips of hog and dairy product were unavailable. 

Little did I know that the rightful king of cuisine, barbeque, was alive and well in China. Instead of assuming the form of a propane or gas burner, it was now charcoal fed and delivered an even more remarkable taste. The Chinese know how to barbeque and they do it well. All vendors and restaurants have a signature grilling sauce, which can turn eggplant, stalks of grassy livestock feed and even tofu, into sizzling masterpieces. Meat is always served on a stick and chicken feet are not as bad as you would think (you just need to have some patience when maneuvering around the bones!).

The graduate student who is teaching me Chinese, invited me out to a class party of barbeque in the park. After barbequing straight from 10-5pm, I will never think of the term the same again. Some observations from the day of grilling:

- Public parks are a fairly recent phenomenon in parts of China. In Nanning you can only find them around the periphery of the city. They are very popular, perhaps due to the fact that the City of Nanning eliminated entrance fees in 2008.

- We went to 'Shimen Forest Park' and it was flooded with over a thousand locals. It came equipped with amusement rides, a lake, a highly developed trail system and a series of outdoor swimming pools. If you are looking for peace and quite, or to immerse yourself in nature, it would be wise to look elsewhere.

- Cooking and eating are very important aspects of Chinese culture. It is customary to prepare more food and drink then is necessary when cooking for guests, in order to show ones prosperity. Of all the supplies that the class brought, we only devoured half of it.

- Barbeque pits are concentrated at the top of one of the scenic hills of the park and are rented out. They book up quickly and are always packed. Charcoal and kindling are distributed to each of the sites.

- Smoke fills the air like a scene from Apocalypse Now, due to the amount of charcoal being burnt. As a foreigner you should not wander too far into the crowds and smoke, since you will quickly be classified as MIA. Groups of locals will call you over to their pits, offering you beers, baijiu (rice liquor) and cigarettes. Once a drink is poured 'Gan bei' (dry cup) is called and it must be chugged back. Whether the liquid is beer, hard liquor or wine, is irrelevant. Once you finish your drink, your cup will be refilled and another 'Gan bei' called. Repeat once more and you finish after the third. The Chinese love the meanings behind their numbers and three is a lucky one!

- Just like at a restaurant, all the food is shared and the cooking responsibilities fall upon the whole group. If you are worried about the groups communal food being manhandled by chopsticks and reaching hands cascading across the table, you will need to cast your western table manners aside.

It is easy to see why cooking outside at a barbeque pit, is so popular amongst locals. It is an excellent opportunity to socialize with others and surround yourself with good food and drink. I hope to visit more city parks in the future and integrate more with the local population. As nice as it is living on campus, in a complex of foreign teachers, it is important to escape the 'bubble' as much as possible and dive into the bee hive of millions.
-- 

Learning Mandarin

'The Arduous Path Towards Mandarin Proficiency'

More than two months have passed since my arrival and I feel like I have only scratched the surface, in regards to learning about Chinese culture. Four important developments have taken shape in the past week:

1) I have started taking private Mandarin lessons, on a weekly basis.

2) After testing out several gym facilities, one has been found which is basically deserted and has dumbbells which weigh more than 25lbs!

3) After some arguments about the level of difficulty and usefulness of learning a Chinese Martial Art, one of my co-workers finally convinced me to take a Sambo class with him. We go for an hour and a half lesson, five times a week. I will do a proper update on Martial Arts in China later on. All I can say is that I could barely walk up the stairs or hold a pen after the first few lessons. There’s something to be said about being punched and roundhouse kicked into shape!

4) My siestas now take place on the balcony, thanks to the Vietnamese hammock and continued +30degree weather.

Mandarin is much harder to learn then I anticipated. The tones, varying dialects, speed and plethora of characters, are some major hurdles to overcome. From my observations the majority of foreigners who come to China to work, do not invest the time or energy in learning the local language. You would be surprised how easy it becomes to use body language and "jigga, jigga's" (that, that), in order to go about your daily business. At the bare minimum I want to learn enough 'survival' Mandarin in order to travel, haggle and order food (without playing the point and guess menu game). Hopefully when the Spring break arrives in January (four week holiday), I will know enough Mandarin to feel comfortable traveling North, via rail, to Beijing.

National Holiday - Vietnam Style

The first National Holiday of the 2011-2012 academic year, took place from October 1st-7th. The University shut down and students flooded the transportation networks, in order to catch a lift home. I decided to take advantage of the break and travel to Vietnam, with two of my fellow coworkers. After some last minute planning, we had our Visa's and bus tickets in place. Our destination was the capital city of Vietnam - Ha Noi.

The trip was an interesting one, especially since the Nanning to Ha Noi route was used extensively during the Vietnam war by the Chinese Government, to ship munitions to the North. The terrain was quite mountainous and lush foliage blanketed the landscape. After a few Chinese karate movies and a prolonged border crossing, we arrived at our destination. Outlined below are ten things that I learned while vacationing in Vietnam.

1) Vietnamese food is simply amazing. This is largely due to the fact that Vietnam was colonized by the French and did not gain its independence until 1954. Cafes can be found everywhere, the bread is great and Western style food is readily accessible (in the cities).

2) I was surprised by level and amount of English spoken by the under 30 Vietnamese crowd. Unlike Southern China, it is easy to mingle with locals, order food and book trips/arrange lodging.

3) Many Vietnamese perceive you as a rich American. Haggling for goods is part of the game. Automatically cut all costs in half and hold your ground. Turning ones back and walking a few paces away from the vendor, usually reaps great reward! If you walk, they usually throw some 'bargain tackle' on the line, to reel you back in.

4) The currency makes you feel like a 'Boss'. For example, 500,000VDN = $25CDN.

5) Just like in Southern China, the food, consumer goods and lodging is cheap. I lived very comfortably off of $50CDN a day (including shopping).

6) The streets of Ha Noi make Nanning look like abundant swaths of freeway. There are motorcycles everywhere! Motorists generally honk once every 5 seconds, due to the competition for space.

7) The history of Vietnam and its people is arguably the richest in Southern Asia (especially if you are a history buff). Museums, temples and war relics are rife and well worth a visit.

8) Don't stay at the cheapest hostels. Pay the extra $1-$2CDN and stay at a reasonable establishment. I am a heavy sleeper and awoke my second night to a dance party of rats in our room. I can handle a cockroach or two, but when it comes to an infestation of plague loving vermin, any chance of a 'good morning Vietnam' wake-up is out the window. 

Ha Long Bay

9) Trips to major tourist attractions are reasonably priced and well worth seeing. Ha Long Bay (UNESCO World Heritage Site) was stunning and the traditional Vietnamese Junks take you back to 67'.


10) The 'No Fun Police' shut down the bars at 12:00AM. Don't sweat it though, as there are always underground establishments that fill up with foreigners and stay open till sunrise.

I am quite fortunate to be residing in Nanning, which is only 160km from the Vietnamese border. During the spring break (January & February) I will have 4 weeks off, after exams, to travel. I plan on entering the 'War Room' and drafting up a second tour to Vietnam. This time I will be accompanied by my Father and we will make our way down to the DMZ and Saigon!