Schedule Changes

On Monday I suggested the need to be flexible and expect changes in the schedule as we get near the departure date. The superintendent in Taian has invited all of us to a banquet she will host in Taian after our descent from Taishan. We have accepted her offer. After the banquet we will depart for Qufu and check into our hotel for the evening. Superintendent Sang was in Connecticut in November and visited Glastonbury High School, Timothy Edwards Middle School and Commissioner Sternberg at the Department. We will also leave for Taian to go up Taishan earlier so we can be on top of the mountain during the middle of the day. We will move the school visit in Jinan to the previous day and those in Zibo will meet us earlier to go to Taian.

Hotels in Beijing and Shandong Confirmed

We have confirmations for the hotels! Most of these hotels are on the internet so you can look them up. I will have one of the Shandong interns look them up on Monday and print them for each member of the delegation. The times for daily events are subject to change (see initial proposed itinerary) due to weather, availability of officials and scheduling of specific events. This trip is very short with little room for adjustments. There will be some individual time but it is impossible to know exactly when. If you have any special needs or requests, please let Betty and I know and we will see what we can do. Please do not make requests directly to the guides or to Peng.

Beijing: December 12-15 (Departure for Jinan morning of December 15 by Shandong Air)

Great Wall Sheraton Hotel, Beijing
Add: 10 North Dong San Huan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100026
Tel: 86-10-65905566

Jinan: December 15 - (Group splits up on December 16 for Zibo, Taian and Jinan. If your name is not on the list for Zibo and Taian you stay in Jinan. Entire group returns to Jinan December 18-19. Departs for Beijing by train on morning of December 20)

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Jinan
Add: No.3 Tian Di Tan Street, Jinan 250011
Tel: 86-531-6029999

Taian: December 16 (Brown, Cryan, Griffin, Schwartz, Galluzzo)

Taishan Overseas Chinese Hotel
Add: No. 15 Dongyue Dajie, Taian 271000
Tel: 86-538-8228112

Zibo: December 16 (Breslin, Lyons, Wutzl)

Zibo Hotel
Add: 189 Zhongxin Road, Zhangdian District, Zibo 255037
Tel: 86-533-2288688

Qufu: December 17 (Entire Delegation)

Queli Hotel, Qufu
Add: No.1 Queli Road, Qufu, Shandong
Tel: 86-537-4866818

______________________

Shanghai December 15-17 (Kramer) Departs for Shanghai from Beijing on December 15 and returns to Jinan on December 17. Joins delegation with Peng on Taishan Mountain.)

Hotel confirmation coming

Premier Showing of Shandong DVD

Our Shandong interns gave me a DVD of Shandong Province that was produced last year to promote the province. I just viewed it tonight. It is a high quality production that will give us a quick overview of geography, history and current economic activity and development. It is about 20 minutes long but well worth taking the time to view before we set off for China and Shandong Province. Please come prepared for a fast paced and critical meeting to prepare us for learning, adventure and development of relationships with our Shandong schools.

Final Packing and Luggage Reminders

Please remember to pack light and pack efficiently. Your should check one bag to Beijing and enclose a duffel bag so you can return with two bags if needed for your return trip. We may be able to leave some luggage in Beijing and have it picked up when we return so we are not over the weight limit for air transportation in China. China transportation only allows one checked bag and the limit is 44 lbs. They are serious about the luggage weight limits!

I suggest that you use zip lock bags to compress clothing. It also serves as protection from moisture. You may also want to place items that might be damaged from moisture in plastic garbage bags. It will protect your luggage just in case the bags are in the rain (an unlikely event) or subject to varying temperatures that raises the humidity level in your suitcase.

Everyone should have some small gifts (very small -- memento type such as pens, stickers, etc.) for guides and the bus driver. The gift committee will collect these in Beijing and Jinan. For the three existing sister schools in Jinan that part of the group will visit -- Columbia, Brookfield and Somers. Dick and Genie -- I assume you have something from your school to bring. I have a special gift from our delegation. Sharyl Marshall, principal of Somers Elementary, is sending me a box with a letter from her to their school.

I think I can haul all the group gifts with an extra bag. If I run out of space, I may need some help. For those of you getting sister schools, you will get your gifts on Monday evening and you will need to transport them. Don't worry the volume is not large.

You name cards will be delivered early Monday morning so I will have them for you. You might consider getting a business card holder if you don't have one. Staples has some nice ones that hold a lot of cards. You will get 1,000 cards so you will want to leave most of them at home. I will use some to make your luggage tags on Monday and make some group sets to give to our guests who get the wooden apple with our name card slot.

The four interns in our office: Mr. Li, Mr. Hu, Ms. Zhang and Ms. Zhang from Jinan will be at stations when you arrive on Monday to help you pronounce your Chinese name and explain Chinese currency. They will also give you the meaning of your name. If you arrive a little early before 4:00, you will be able to get extra tutoring help!

Alison left for Asia Saturday morning. She will meet us at Beijing airport when we arrive on Sunday, December 12. Peng left for Beijing on November 28 and is securing our hotels and setting up our meetings. We will go over the sister school contacts on Monday with Charlotte and Carolyn from the China Exchange Initiative.

I will be with a 14-member China Counseling and Career Guidance Delegation December 7 and 8 here in Connecticut. They will be visiting Waterford High School, Choate Rosemary Hall and Naugatuck Community College. Two members of the delegation are from Shandong Province.

BDL Arrival for December 11

Our flight will depart BDL on United at 7:20 am. We are considered international travelers at Bradley so the agent will need to check your passport for the China visa entry. Also, for those with United frequent flyer you will want to have your number entered to receive credit for your 12,000 plus miles each way. This will take extra time and with 15 of us flying internationally on the same flight it may take longer for each one of us at the counter. Bags must be checked 30 minutes prior to departure and we must be at the gate 15 minutes prior to departure. While the Bradley security lines do move quickly, one never can know for sure. I suggest that we not cut it close and be in the check in line at the airport terminal no later than 6:00 am.

Securing Valuables

Being vigilant about valuables are true for travel anywhere in the world including the United States. There will be occasions when we will be in very crowded places. In my own view China is a very safe place. Since we will be hauling cameras, laptops, a passport, credit cards and cash, one needs to be careful. You might want to consider getting one of those travel pouches with a lanyard for cash, credit cards and passport. Hotel rooms will have safes. Also, do not put valuables in any checked luggage.

Travelers Cheques

You may want to bring along travelers cheques since you will not be able to use a credit card in open markets where you bargain. You can easily exchange U.S. currency but you will probably want to limit how much you bring. You are probably better off having plenty of travelers cheques because you can bring them home if you don't use them and it does provide security. The Chinese will ask for your passport when using travelers cheques. The signature on your passport is what the Chinese will use so make sure you use that signature on the travelers cheque. They will not cash your cheques if it is different! Exchange travelers cheques at the hotel.

Meeting Agenda for December 6

The agenda for our meeting on December 6 from 4 - 6 pm at the State Office Building, Room 307A, 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford will be our final meeting before departing on early Saturday morning December 11. We will have a lot to cover in a very short time. Here is the agenda:

Delegation Mission -- Commissioner Sternberg

Preparing for Your Sister School -- Charlotte Mason and Carolyn Henderson, The China Exchange Initiative

Health and Emergency Forms -- Dan Gregg

Using China RMBs -- Shandong Interns from Department of Education

Learning Your Chinese Name -- Shandong Interns from Department of Education

Committee Responsibilities -- Dan Gregg

Tickets and Passports -- Dan Gregg

Luggage and Wardrobe -- Dan Gregg

Gift Packs and Gift Transport -- Dan Gregg

Questions and Final Instructions

Sister School Match Announcement

The China Exchange Initiative (CEI) has completed visits to both schools in Connecticut and Shandong. CEI will send contact information and digital photos of your school next week. As soon as you receive the information please immediately draft a letter and fax/airmail to your school. I will contact the Shandong Provincial Education Department so they can notify the school of your itinerary. The Superintendent of the Taian Municipal Education Department was in Connecticut on November 23 and 24. She is very supportive and enthusiastic about the program and our impending arrival in Shandong. The sister school matches are as follows:

Zibo:

1. Zibo Experimental School of Shandong and Bristol Eastern High School
2. Zibo No. 6 Middle School and Litchfield High School
3. Zibo Teaching Academy Affiliated Primary School and Franklin Elementary and Union Elementary School

Taian:

4. Junior Middle School of Taishan Teaching Academy and Mansfield Middle School
5. Taian Normal School Affiliated Primary School and East Farms Elementary School, Farmington
6. Taian No. 1 Middle School and Glastonbury High School
7. Taian No. 2 Middle School and Daniel Hand High School, Madison
8. Taishan Middle School of Shandong Province and Lewis Mills High School, Burlington

Shanghai:
9. Darien High School and Shanghai No. 3 Girls Middle School (existing relationship)

Shandong Education Law Delegation Arrives in CT

The six-member Shandong Education Law Delegation arrived in Connecticut on November 23. They met with Commissioner Betty Sternberg and Attorney Karen Flanagan at the Department of Education. The delegation was joined by business management students at the China Business Center, CCSU doing internships at the Department of Education. These students are mid-level Shandong government employees who know members of the delegation. The delegation visit Glastonbury High School and Timothy Edwards Middle School, South Windsor on November 24 before departing for New York City. The Commissioner/Superintendent of Taian is a member of the delegation. She is very happy to have six schools in her city partnered with six Connecticut schools. Our delegation will meet many members of this group when we are in Shandong.

Tickets and Passports

I have received all passports with visas and tickets for China. I will distribute on December 6 at our meeting at the Department of Education.