Boy Students

Check out this link for the story on Boy Students, a documentary being aired in China. It is about the Chinese students who came to Connecticut in the 1870's.

http://www.china.org.cn/english/culture/93707.htm

Delegation at Sister Schools

Internet has been a bit limited so I apologize for a gap in postings. Yesterday all delegation participants arrived at their sister school sites. Four school delegation members stayed at the hotel in Jinan for a 3:00 meeting with the director-general of Jinan municipality and principals of all schools. The rest of the delegation headed by bus the Zibo and Weifang. We caught remnants of the kite festival in Weifang. Hopefully, all delegation members will be able to leave more gifts than they receive because the delegation is overweight for in China transportation!

Peng, Dana (our Shandong five-star guide, and I are currently in Qindao to visit the next potential sites for sister schools. Tomorrow we had for a second city, Yanti on the Bohai Sea. We will all catch up with each other on Saturday morning at the hotel in Jinan.

All participants were nervous by very excited to arrive at the central purpose of the China field study. Jinan is a very conservative and polite culture so with final cultural behavior and protocol instructions I believe they will all so fine.

All members are in good health and spirits.

Chinese Education

"Once the school bell rings all of the United States is moving." According to Mr. Cao, Director-General, Department of Basic Education, Ministry of Education, this is a common saying in China to describe how many children go to school each day in China. Mr. Cao is responsible for all senior high education for P.R. China, a task that is mind boggling in comparing the difference in population between China and the United States. Some problems China faces is the great disparity between the more developed coastal areas as compared to interior and western China. Therefore, a policy to shift more wealth to poorer areas is a major goal of the Ministry. "You kill the rich people to save the poor," is a common saying in China to describe the attempts to provide equity in education. China has had enormous success in increasing school enrollment in schools. However, only 60% of high school age students attend high school. The goal is to reach 85% as a short term goal. An even greater challenge is the limited space at the college level. It is not that students do not want to go; there is simply not enough institutions nor space to handle more than a small percentage of the numbers of students seeking higher education.

As the United States seeks to implement testing to achieve equity and high levels of performance, China feels compelled to go in the opposite direction. Mandatory national testing is viewed negatively by educators and citizens alike. There is even discussion of ending the national examination system and turning it over to the provinces. The eventual goal would be to turn all examination over to local schools once a standard had been established in the provinces. So, while the United States is currently seeking a more centralized goal, China views it as bad and actually seeks to employ a model the U.S. is rejecting.

The Ministry of Education visit also included a presentation from Mr. Lin, Deputy Secretary, CEAIE, Ministry of Education. CEAIE is responsible for inviting our sister school delegation to China and is the sponsoring agency for sending over 10 delegations to Connecticut in the past two years. The future of exchange rests on how well our two countries can work together to facilitate contact between students and faculty.

The delegation visited the Forbidden City in the afternoon and hosted CEAIE at the Peking Duck Restaurant, the place where world leaders frequently meet to have conversation and establish relationships.

Tomorrow the delegation flies to Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. During the day we will receive a tour of the city followed by a meeting with the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of the Shandong Provincial Education Department. We have received word that all 10 schools have prepared a full itinerary for the three plus days each sister school will spend in Jinan, Zibo and Weifang.

All participants are in good health.

Beijing Arrival

The Connecticut-Shandong Sister School Delegation arrived safely in Beijing on Saturday afternoon. After dinner and an evening stroll through Tinananmen Square viewing night flying kites and strolling families, we headed for our hotel for a badly need rest. We knew we would be up most of the night attempting to sleep so we planned an early morning departure to an antique market. Breakfast at 6:00 am was easy since we were all wide awake anyway. By 10:30 we were at the Great Wall doing our best to huff and puff up Juyongguan, originally constructed in the 5th century and rebuilt by the Ming. It has been thoroughly renovated, relatively free of tourists and very close to Beijing. After lunch at the mandatory gift shop and lunch stop, we headed for a hutong tour. We overtook the neighborhood with an entourage of 21 Americans being bicycled through narrow passages with brief glimpses of inner courtyards. Our final destination was inside the home of local hutong resident. We ended up with a retired teacher who had taught in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution. The encounter made for great bonding and pleasant surprise to meet one of our own quite by accident. The hutong tour ended with a fascinating trip through passageways, canals, restaurants and shops. In a span of one minute we encountered a wedding, vendors attempting to sell us cards on the move, and street scenes difficult to comprehend or explain. Following dinner, we topped the day off with the Beijing Acrobats. It was a fitting ending to a very packed day.

Tomorrow we visit the Ministry of Education to receive a briefing on Chinese education from the Deputy Secretary of CEAIE (China Education Association for International Exchange) and the Director-General responsible for K-12 education in China. The day will be important background for the next major goal of our visit -- our 11 sister schools in Shandong Province.

Departure April 16

Suitcase is packed! See you at the airport on Friday morning! Our China experience begins.

School Profile, Ethnography, Diary, Visuals

The school profile, one ethnography per team and two diary entries per person are the assignments that need to be electronically completed before we leave China. You will be able to change and edit any of the submitted materials later after we return but I do need what you believe to be the best rough draft you can produce while still in China. I know from experience that when you come back you will be too exhausted to want to recapture any of those great fresh ideas that you had while you were in China.

A least one diary entry must be in the sister school setting. They can both be in your school setting but I am giving you the option of submitting a great insightful experience that you may have captured in another setting. The part you submit does not to be long. You might think of it as a China field experience reflection that grows out of one or two insightful ideas that you think your school or community might benefit from.

The ethnography must be in the sister school setting. I am looking for one per team. There are plenty of "subjects" for an ethnography in a school setting -- a classroom, early morning exercise, etc. Your goal is to describe a situation in which you remove any personal judgments or interpretations. You are an anthropologist observing a culture. An ethnography can be used effectively as a teaching tool. You can ask your students for interpretative data after you have filled them in with some cultural information. You can refer to the Pearl Girl handout as an example.

The school profile will be an ongoing activity. It will be more data driven. We will want basic information that you already have such as name of contact person, address, phone, fax etc. We will also want statistic data about the school -- number of students, type of school etc. We will keep track of such things as signed agreements. Probably the most important part is a description of proposed activities. This will evolve over time and need to be frequently updated as activities progress. I will provide you will more detail later.

The visuals are primarily for your own school use. I will ask for some samples to use in powerpoints or on the website. These can be submitted after we get back from China.

You will be returning from you sister schools sometime Saturday. We do not have a planned event for Saturday evening. Sunday morning we will have a debriefing breakfast meeting. There are no scheduled activities for Sunday except for a major banquet we will host for the Shandong Education and Foreign Affairs Department that evening. The unscheduled time is when you can catch up on any of the assignments you need to complete as well as enjoying Jinan.

How will the above be used? The data collected will be useful for school and community use, professional development presentations and reports to the Freeman Foundation and such groups as the CT-China Council. Peng and I will probably have a major presentation this fall that brings together state departments of education from across the country. I have some other presentations planned as well. Finally, I intent to submit another proposal for another sister school delegation to Shandong Province in the spring of 2005. I will need to demonstrate results and impact. I will be putting together a document that includes a description of the Connecticut-Shandong Sister School Program, a description of Shandong Province, and a profile of the sister school cities accompanied by the resources that you all develop.

A new round of request for proposals for the 2005 program will go to schools at the end of April with a closing date of June 18. Charlotte and Carolyn will visit schools in Connecticut in September and Shandong in October. Hopefully, we will be hosting the schools from Jinan, Zibo and Weifang in October.

While you are visiting your sister schools in Jinan, Weifang and Zibo, Peng and I will be visiting Qingdao and Yantai, two cities that the Shandong Provincial Education Department is considering for future sister school sites. In addition, I will have Dana, our Shandong guide, assist me in collecting information about Shandong and the cities we have and hope to have future relationships with.

Sister School Agreements

Take a moment to review the Sister School Handbook Charlotte and Carolyn from The China Exchange Initiative provided at our second seminar. You might want to take a copy of the suggested agreement form with you as a working draft. Between now and this fall the two schools can work on agreement language that can be finalized in an official agreement. If a delegation can be assembled to come to Connecticut this fall it would be an ideal time to have an official signing of the agreement. The agreement becomes important for facilitating exchange. If students or faculty stay for a longer period of time than a tourist visa allows, they will need a J-visa. A signed agreement between the schools is looked upon more favorably by our visa office. I plan to purchase a SEVIS liscense which will enable a one time fee for all sister schools in the state. This would be required for the J-visa. The cost is about $800.00. The alternative would be for each school to purchase one separately. The decision to purchase one for the entire state is obvious. Charlotte and Carolyn will take me through the process when we return from China and hopefully we can develop a workable system that will allow students and staff from Shandong sister schools to visit our schools.

Luggage, Hotels and Traveling

On Tuesday you will be given luggage tags with your Chinese name and ribbon to put on all checked luggage and carry on items. You will also have small ribbons you can put on camera cases etc. For checked luggage it is essential to have name tags because luggage is transported separately and delivered to our hotel rooms. Your Chinese name on your luggage is very helpful to the bellhops. I will take care of the tipping. You don't! I also take care of the guides. You don't.

At each hotel stop Peng and I will collect your passports. Have you passports ready! They are required to check in to Chinese hotels. You will be assigned a room, your passport will be returned and the luggage will be delivered to your room.

For your carry on be sure to pack anything you will need for the flight on board. It is a long trip and you may want to take out those contacts etc.

The front seats in the bus while traveling in China are reserved for the guide, Peng and I. We will need to confer often with each other and the bus driver and use the microphone to communicate information.

On Tuesday you will receive you plane ticket receipt and itinerary (electronic ticket), passport and identification badge. We will wear the identification badge at all times. It will also enable you to have informal conversations with the Chinese when they see the delegation name and your Chinese name.

You will also be receiving your own set of business cards.

Khaki Casual and Business Dress and other things

Business dress is required for the Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Department of Education, school visits and banquets. For men that means suits or jacket with tie. For women there are more options -- ask Caryn on Tuesday if you have any questions. Forget high heels -- pumps are very appropriate.

Khaki casual is for plane travel, Great Wall visits etc. Wear comfortable clothes that give you a good image. Bring along those comfortable walking shoes or tennis shoes. If we get caught in a combination situation, I will tip you off ahead of time so you can bring a shoe change on the bus.

You do not need to bring a wardrobe. It is okay if we see you with the same outfit day after day. If it is a little rumbled that is okay too. Just make sure you have a smile on your face and stay awake in meetings!

The hotels have same day laundry service at a cost, of course. You can put laundry items in a bag in the morning and you will probably have them when you return in the evening. If you do have laundry done, pay at the front desk long before we leave. The hotel manager will not release the group and you will hold up everyone. Also, protect your room key as if it is cash. You pay if you lose it or do not turn it in. Most likely, you will receive only one room card. Do not ask for a second! We are in a group culture where roommates would not leave and return separately. If you do go out separately, then you will need to work out an arrangement.

Bring a lightweight rain jacket that can combine as a windbreaker or keep you warm. A small umbrella is suggested also.

Medical and Hygenic Advisory

Do not forget to bring any prescribed medications or hygenic necessities. While drug stores are available in China, keep in mind that we will be on the move and running a tight schedule. So please stock up on medical and hygenic items you will need in SMALL packaging. Some things to consider bringing:

Tissues and moist towelettes (in portage packages)
Multiple packages of tissue (the small pocket size) for use in toliets
Waterless anti-bacterial hand cleaner (SMALL container)
Necessary prescription medication and list of generic names
Common medications including aspirin, antacid, eyewash, decongestants, cough syrup or throat lozenges etc.
Medication for diarrhea and constipation
Bandaids, q-tips
A SMALL first-aid kit -- really small of basics that may include some of above

Western toliets will be available in the hotels but chances are very good that the schools you visit will be the Asian squat style so be prepared. You will need to bring you own tissues. Tissues are placed in a small basket and not in the the commode!

Do not drink any tap water. Drink bottled water. You hotel room will have a large container of hot water that has been boiled. You can use that to make tea -- the tea bags will be there too! Bottled water is everywhere and very easy to purchase. Water provided in restaurants should be okay.

Connecticut-Shandong News Release

The Connecticut State Department of Education issued a news release on our sister school program in Shandong Province. Click on the file below for the news release that includes a list of partner schools in Shandong and Connecticut.

shandongsisterschfin.doc

Questions About Chinese Education

During our seminar Peng gave us an overview of Chinese education. Here is some additional information on Chinese education provided for our use by Juefei Wang and Weiwei Wang in a question and answer format.

Quest. CHN EDU.doc

Group Checklist for China Travel

Once we have arrived in China we will use a group checklist to make sure all members of the group are accounted for when we move to new locations. This system will primarily be used for hotel and bus departures. The China Fulbright group in 2002 used this system. We only lost one person at Sinopec for about 10 seconds -- a rare lapse in a foolproof system. Each person keeps track of the next person in the alphabet: Abraham locates Adamczyk etc. At the end of the alphabet the last person looks for the first person in the alphabet -- Troupe locates Abraham. Peng and Gregg will keep track of each other. Nothing moves without us. When you are at your sister cities, you are on your own. Click on the alphabet list below to see who you need to watch and who will be watching out for you.

Group Checklist for China Travel.doc

Videotape and DVD Formats

China does use a different videotape format than the U.S. However, most Chinese schools do have format-free videotape players which can show videotapes in U.S. format. If you get a DVD in China, you will need a DVD format-free player which is available both here and in China.

Tickets, Passport, Visas, Flight Itinerary

We have tickets and passports with Chinese visas in hand. I have checked each passport and ticket and they are all correct. You will need to have your passport with you and easily accessible in a secure place at all times during the 10 days. Each time you convert travellers cheques, stay at a hotel, fly in China etc. the passport will be required. Four members of the delegation will leave Hartford/Springfield at 7:25 am and the rest of us will depart at 9:12 am. We will all leave Chicago for Beijing together at 12:00 Noon CST. For international travel, it is recommended that you arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to departure. The lines at Bradley usually move quickly these days so 1 1/2 hours is probably sufficient, especially if you use the kiosk. Proceed directly through security to the flight gate. We will meet as a group at the departure gate. I was not able to get your frequent flyer miles recorded. If you already have one, you can enter the number on the kiosk or have the ticket agent do it for you when you arrive at the airport. All you need to use a kiosk is a card with a raised imprint of your name. If you do not have a frequent flyer number and would like one, I suggest you go to the United Airlines website and inquire there. We have electronic tickets. Tickets and passports will be delivered to you at the dinner on April 13. Click on the file below for the flight itinerary.



Hartford Beijing Travel Itinerary.doc

Final Itinerary and Hotel List ---- Urgent!

Please notify your sister schools directly ASAP with an updated itinerary and hotel list so the local schools can begin preparations for your visit. Email is preferable with airmail letter the second choice. You may want to directly link them to this posting. Click on the files below for the information:

Final Hotel Information in China.doc

Connecticut-Shandong Final Itinerary.doc

Room List for Beijing

Since we are operating with teams for the sister schools, I decided to keep the teams together as much as possible. Single rooms may be subject to computer stations. Click on the file below for the list:

Room List for Beijing.doc

Connecticut-Shandong Sister School Committee Assignments

Each delegation participant has been assigned to a committee to facilitate our field study in China. The committee chairs have "volunteered." I trust your committee assignment meets with your skills and interests. There will be committee overlaps for participants to assist. If you are not on the luggage committee, your role is to hold and watch the carry on luggage of your colleagues and STAY OUT OF THE WAY so they can do their job.



China Committee Assignments.doc

Hotel and Contact Information in China

Here is some contact information you will want to provide for your constituents in the United States. Our sponsoring organization is:

CEAIE
37 Damucang Hutong
Beijing, 100816
86-10-66416582

Please click on the file below for the hotels we have secured for Beijing, Jinan, Weifang and Zibo:


Hotel Information in China.doc

Teaching at Your Sister School

Be prepared to "teach" part of a class at any moments notice when you visit your sister school. You might want to bring along some visuals to aid in the teaching process. Just pretend that you have been called to substitute in a school where you have no idea what the subject or grade might be until you actually arrive in the classroom. You will do just fine.

April 13 Dinner at Butterfly Restaruant, West Hartford

A private room has been reserved for us at the Butterfly Restaurant, 831 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06119 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. All delegation participants must attend this event.

http://butterflyrestaurant.com/

Upon arrival you will receive gift paks for your sister school, passport, electronic ticket with flight schedule, luggage tags, ribbons for luggage identification, name cards and ID badges with lanyard. All delegation participants should arrive at 5:00 p.m. From 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. we will distribute travel documents and explain luggage and identification protocol. Cash bar services will be available from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. At 6:00 p.m. I have invited a number of guests who are sponsors and/or supporters of the sister school project to join us for dinner. I have instructed the restaurant that dinner ware will be chopsticks only except for soup.

China and Shandong Delegation Visits to Connecticut

Since 2002 there have been ten visits by education-related delegations from China and Shandong Province hosted by the Connecticut State Department of Education and schools in Connecticut. The file below provides a brief descriptor for each of the ten delegations.

China Delegations Visit Connecticut Update.doc

Connecticut-Shandong Sister School Logo

Click on the file below to see how we will look in China.

Connecticut Bag.doc

Dining in China

There are a few general principles one should be aware of when dining as a group in China. Our dinner together on April 13 will provide information and practice on a few important cultural eating tips. For most lunches and dinners we will be seated at two or possibly three large round tables because our group may be too large for two. Our travel and guide services arrange the meals for us. We will never order individually! There will be approximately 8 to 10 dishes or so that will be brought to the table within a VERY short time after we are seated. There will also be bottled water or soda. Tea and plenty of it will always be available. Generally, you should not make individual requests of the servers. Let Peng or I know that we are running low. Generally, we then need to pay extra. Or, because the group leaders are asking, it just gets done without a hassle and sometimes without the extra cost. The key is to let me know. It is my job to take care of you the best I can within reason. Once you get back to the U.S., you are on you own!

We can be thankful that we are eating Chinese if you are a person who wants to have vegetables and not meat or vice versa. There are plenty of vegetable dishes. However, just because there is a veggie or meat dish you like, it is NOT yours to claim. Remember everything is shared. DO NOT LOAD YOUR PLATE WITH YOUR FAVORITE DISH OR WITH SEVERAL DISHES. IT IS RUDE! Loading plates is only done in Chinese American buffet restaurants but not in China. Take a small amount of one or two items, eat them, and then have some more, some more ..... You will not go hungry. You will receive a small plate and you simply keep putting small amounts on the plate and keep eating. Do not ask for a clean plate. If you have bones, etc. simply place them out of the way in front of your plate on the table. That is the way it is done.

The food is placed on a lazy susan so when you want a particular dish you do not need to ask. All you need to do is "gently" spin the lazy susan to your location. However, before you make your move, make sure no one else is left holding their chopsticks in the air because you just moved them away from a morsel of food they were after. You also need to watch out that a bowl that might be teetering too close to the edge does not wipe out your colleagues tea cup and make an embarrassing mess.

You will not have to worry about unsanitary food. Everything is cooked in China! You will not get raw vegetables. If they look raw, they are probably pickled. The tea is boiled and the water comes in water bottles.

It used to be common to put food on your neighbors plate. That is an old custom and rarely done now. You will probably not run into the custom unless you have dinner with someone who is of an older generation. In fact, for the younger generation it is something you will not want to do. The rule of thumb is to look at what your Chinese guest is doing in a banquet situation and then act accordingly.

It is also common to give toasts during the more formal banquets we will have. Our host may make a small speech; I will do it in return. It is a good time to share in a sentence or so about things that you may have appreciated about the experience. Raise your glass and then everyone will raise after you have said a few words. There only needs to be a couple of these at a banquet. We will not be buying alcohol for obvious reasons but our hosts will and I will probably figure out a way to help out but it will not be the Freeman money or any government money. It will just be there as a part of the banquet scene. If you do not care to participate for personal reasons or if your glass is empty, hold up a glass anyway and fake it or hold up your tea cup and drink tea! Generally, you do not fill your own glass. Your guest or your group colleague will do it for you. Let them fill it even if you do not intend to drink it. If you do not want anymore, simply leave your glass full. It is not rude to leave the table with your glass left full.

When you get back home you will probably learn to appreciate the speed, efficiency and menu expanse in Chinese dining. You will find that your spouse and family may not appreciate your cultural transformation. I had a delegation of 25 Chinese guests I was hosting in an out of the Wethersfield Diner in less than one hour. The reason. Peng and I ordered the same meal for everyone. The employees of the diner were rather stunned by the strategy but were very happy because they did not have to write anything down.

If you do have special needs for medical or other reasons, you should bring items with you that you can eat in your room at any time or purchase on your own.

Participant Fees, Terms and Waivers, Medical Form, SOS or Equivalent Copy

Please have forms sent to me at my office by March 22:

Daniel W. Gregg
Connecticut-Shandong Sister School Project
Connecticut State Department of Education
165 Capital Avenue, Room 215
Hartford, CT 06106

I assume participant fees are in the works and on their way to EASTCONN today. Please call or email if you have questions.

Passports, Visas, Tickets, United Frequent Flyer

Tickets are all secured in your name. CEAIE has issued the invitation documents for securing visitors visas for our group. An extra copy of the inside page of your passport has been made. Please resend United Frequent Flyer numbers. I know I will find them but just in case I do not, I do not want miss anybody.


Hold April 13

Hold April 13, 5:00 - 8:00, for our departure meal, ticket and passport distribution and gift packs. We will be eating Chinese style. We will have a person knowledgeable in eating etiquette at each table to prepare you for situations you will encounter at least two or three times each day in China. Members from collaborating organizations in Connecticut will also be present to demonstate their support. A restaurant has been reserved with a private room but first I want to check it out to make sure the space will be adequate.

Computers

Please send me an email if you plan to bring a computer. For those bringing computers make sure you bring along adapters and a surge protector. A short, lightweight extension cord might be useful too. Backup essential files on a server or CD's to make sure you do not lose any valuable data. I noticed that Staples has a travel section with an adaptor kit at a reasonable cost.

Cameras

For digital cameras you might consider getting one of those little USB Readers. You might also get an extra chip for your camera. You can stash a lot of memory on those little chips and with the USB Reader, you can download quickly without all the extra cables etc. Either consult a technology person about your personal equipment or give me a call and I can give you low tech advice that will help you survive in China.

Ticket Purchase Wednesday

Our travel agent has informed me that ticket prices will go up unless I submit the final name list Wednesday. Your name will be submitted exactly as listed on your passport. If you obtain travellers cheques, make sure you use the exact name you have on your passport. Passports are used for name verification. This is the final call for the group participation list! We will need to have four of you fly a bit earlier on Friday, April 16 because of airline flight changes for the Hartford/Springfield to Chicago leg only. After that, we will be together. I will pick the four who are located closest to Bradley for the earlier flight departure. If you have not sent me your United Frequent Flyer, please do so ASAP. Also, the name list will be submitted on Wednesday to CEAIE so they can prepare the invitation letter to obtain visitor visas.

Welcome to Shandong Foreign Affairs Department Viewers

The Foreign Affairs Department of Shandong Province will be following our preparation progress on this website. Welcome to Mme. Duan, Deputy Director-General. We look forward to developing enduring relationships with sister schools in Jinan, Weifang and Zibo.

Schedule for Saturday, March 6
8:30 am - 1:00 pm
Metropolitan Learning Center, Bloomfield, CT

Coffee, Danish and ..........

Chinese Names

History and Geography of Shandong Province, Xinmin Liu, PIER at Yale University

Cultural Shock Therapy

Journals, Ethnographies, and School Descriptions

Itinerary Review

Luggage, Packing and Gifts

Committees

Questions and Answers

Lunch

Dress is Saturday morning casual.

Need directions? Go to: http://www.crec.org/mlc/directions.shtml