SCUT Mail Delivery-NOT

Mail delivery at South China University  of Technology is worth noting.  We were told when we arrived not to ever expect to receive mail. That seemed like an unusual statement. However we dutifully informed our children and any family members we thought might want to send mail to us that we were unable to receive mail, not really understanding but trusting the information we were given.

Outside our building and all other residence buildings on campus is a bank of 70-100 shiny new stainless steel very secure mailboxes.  We have lived here three months but never once observed anyone standing by, opening, delivering, or any semblance of use. There is no mailing address for our building and there was never a key or code given to us to use the shiny new stainless steel very secure 

mailbox.

It has all become clear recently as we watched mail delivery on campus.  There is a parking lot near the center of campus where a campus store is located along with the campus hotel, bakery and canteen.  Most students would pass by there during the course of a school day.  I am not at all sure what the scheduled day is for delivery or the time of day that delivery is made but I do know how it happens. All of that information is written in Chinese and we are unable to read that scheduled information.   The tubs of mail are dumped out in the parking lot and spread around for all to see the names on the packages or envelopes.  Today however was a rain day so they made piles of mail for students to pick up their mail and packages.  There doesn't seem to be anyone in charge or responsible to check the mail address with the person picking up the mail.  Everyone shuffles through the piles and stacks, takes what they like and continues on their way. Seems to work for the Chinese students.

Now at least I understand why we were told not to expect to receive mail.

Chinese Folk Music Concert

As the end of the fall semester approaches each department prepares for Final Exams or presentations.  The Foreign Teachers were invited to attend the Chinese Folk Music end of the semester concert. The only instrument we recognized as a regularly used instrument was the piano. The most interesting instrument was a round collection of what looked like recorders in a brass base with a brass mouthpiece.  The young man playing the instrument was both blowing and sucking air in and out of the mouthpiece and he played notes with his fingers on the different recorders.  Not sure what it was called, the program was written in Chinese.  It was a very impressive concert about an hour long with a variety of both vocal and instrumental music. 

In parallel with the Chinese way of doing things, these students have studied and played their instruments from the time they were very young.  They were identified early as musicians and trained by the best professional musicians and teachers. They will become professional musicians when they have completed their education.

We spend our time with master’s candidates who are engineers, chemists, architects and bridge builders.  This was as aspect of South China University of Technology we have not had a chance to experience.    I loved the concert!

Guangzhou Branch Christmas Party 2013

Our Branch President is from the UK with a great English accent.  He announced that there would be a Christmas Party for all the expats in the branch prior to the mass exodus for parts unknown during the Christmas holiday.  Saturday, December 7  from 4-7 at the FG Bistro we gathered to celebrate the Birth of our Savior, I must say it was the most international Christmas celebration I remember attending.  It is such a great experience to absorb the international perspective of people who live here including all the U.S. Consulate contingent who have lived all over the world. All adoptions for China are handled through the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou so that brings many western couples here to take up temporary residence while they wait for the paperwork and other requirements to be completed.   It is safe to say that six continents were represented, what a great blessing to actually participate in the global spread of the gospel and listen to the great stories of each individual.

It is a great blessing in our lives to participate with such great people, some who have taken long routes to the Gospel, some who were born in to the Gospel and others who have been the strength of the Gospel wherever they lived.  Each person is a "Child of God" with purposes undefined in Guangzhou.  The adventure continues to unfold every week as we attend our meetings at the Ramada Inn third floor by special permission from the Chinese government. The highest level of living life in the Gospel is when your example is the only spoken piece that can be uttered. People receive the message by your actions and behavior; a very humbling thought.

We enjoyed a very traditional dinner, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, coleslaw, pumpkin pie and creme brûlée.  Indeed a treat for the taste buds.  Much to the surprise of all the children Santa Claus found our international gathering

West High School Skype- Round 2

My Chinese students enjoyed the opportunity to follow up their SKYPE experience with the AP Chinese 3 students at West High School.  This time they were much more comfortable; they volunteered themselves to ask and answer questions.  They were able to laugh with the West High School students. 

Our topic for discussion this week was “Prosperity vs. Poverty.” It provided a very interesting conversation between students and was reflective of how they each see their own country and city.  West High School students explained “homeless population,” volunteers and donations to those who live below the poverty level in SLC.  I was happy to hear from the West High students, their volunteer experiences along with their charitable giving campaigns at the school.  One WHS student related his experience of volunteering at the homeless shelter and providing food for those living there.  It was a discussion that begs to be extended in depth.  My Chinese students had difficulty relating to students participating in the area of community involvement or supporting the needy both financially and as volunteers.  That is a concept that was new and confusing to Chinese students.  They could not relate to students actually having time away from their studies to participate in community events. 

Most Chinese students think that Americans have unlimited amounts of money to purchase anything they want whenever they want it. They asked questions of the West High School students about “pocket money or disposable income” where do students get money to purchase an iPhone 5. Interestingly enough not one of the students from West High owned an iPhone 5 and indicated that if they wanted one they would need to save their money to purchase one.  Birthday money, gifts and part time jobs were the source of income from which that savings would be generated.

I am handicapped to report on the conversations my students answered in Chinese.  The West High Students asked questions in Chinese and my students answered in Chinese so the Utah students could practice their Chinese.  I was able to feel the ease and comfort students felt as they stood and volunteered information during their conversations.

The set up this time was simple for this round.  I must have acquired some creditability with the Chinese academic system.  I requested the day of December 5 for an international video conference.  The camera showed up, the Internet was opened and when I handed my department chair the questions, one quick glance and they were back to me.   I have made some headway!  It really can be all about the students.

Counting my blessings….

At the risk of being very trite, I cannot believe it is December already.  It has been a very busy November that kept us moving every single day to something unexpected.  I can say that I am thankful for many things and one of them is that the familiar Holiday preparations has not been one of them this year.  Our Thanksgiving was just another Thursday, the busiest schedule of the week. 

I teach four hours, or two classes on Thursday morning catch the campus bus to the South Campus where I teach a three-hour Professional Development class on Thursday afternoon.  SCUT is launching a new program to imbed English in the regular core curriculum as well as the English classes.  I have been asked to work with professors, all PhD. or PhD. candidates from the Law school, Biological Sciences, Information Technology, Economics and Environment a wide variety of classes that are now being taught in English.  The professors are struggling; their students speak much better English that most professors speak.  My task is to help Professors introduce Western style presentations to their teaching methods as well as improve their English in five short weeks. The trip back to the North Campus where we live is another 45 minutes through the heavy rush hour traffic.  One of our BYU colleagues was presenting an English Lecture Thursday night at 7:30. So it was a very long busy day without any hint of a Thanksgiving feast. 

Thanksgiving isn’t about the food, however I did miss the Pumpkin Pie, but it is about the people you have the privilege of sharing that holiday with.  I have committed this year, when I return I will work harder at building relationships and spending meaningful conversations with people around me and not worry too much about the commercialization of the holidays.  We haven’t seen any of the usual holiday music, decorations, stressed shoppers or advertisements that accompany this time of year in the U.S.

Among my blessings, I am most thankful to be a wife and a mother. I have amazing adult children who are the parents of my ten grandchildren. I miss them tremendously, but I am confident they are taking care of the daily life adventures that support their children and family.  They each live in such different circumstances and each have made spiritual and academic choices to be successful contributing independent individuals and families. 

Mike and Jessica are working through some issues with Jessica’s father right now.  Richard had a serious accident about two weeks ago and remains in the hospital.  Mike sent us his thoughts and impressions when he arrived in SLC for his first visit on Wednesday.

“Life has a way of giving us burdens that we cannot, in our current condition, handle.  But we need not remain in that condition, we can rise and become better and stronger.  When they are needed, we find within us reserves of strength, compassion, and love we did not believe we had.  I watched Richard and Louise last night, and pondered the adjustments they have already made, and those that still lie ahead for the two of them.  I have no doubt they will rise to them because they are committed to one another.  I remembered that Henry B. Eyring said something about that during the last general conference; I looked it up this morning:

Heavenly Father has perfect foresight, knows each of us, and knows our future. He knows what difficulties we will pass through. He sent His Son to suffer so that He would know how to succor us in all our trials.

We know that Heavenly Father has spirit children in this world who sometimes choose sin and great unhappiness. That is why He sent His Firstborn to be our Redeemer, the greatest act of love in all creation. That is why we must expect that it will take the help of God and time to polish us for eternal life, to live with our Father.

Life in families will test us. That is one of God’s purposes in giving us the gift of mortality—to strengthen us by passing through tests. That will be especially true in family life, where we will find great joy and great sorrow and challenges which may at times seem beyond our power to endure them.

Around midnight, we left the hospital.  As I walked into the elevator it triggered a recollection of the times I had been to IMC to visit members of the Wilford Ward when I was Bishop.   I had forgotten about those visits, but being in the elevator (of all places) brought them back to me.   That was a time in my life when I was stretched beyond my current condition. 

I am grateful for my family, and for the family I was raised in.  You are all amazing people.  

Garrett and Cindi are preparing to leave San Diego for Islamabad, Pakistan next spring.  They are spending time with family and friends before they leave and making sure they secure those relationships before they leave the country.

Kaci and Ashley elected to spend the Thanksgiving holiday weekend together. A long six-hour drive from Newport Beach to Mesa, AZ brought the families together to share together time.  These efforts bring joy to my heart and comfort to my soul.

I am truly blessed to have the honor to call these four adults and their spouses my family. I am humbled by their goodness and care for each other and their families.  They are true humanitarians, guided by the spirit to bless the lives of us who stand in their sunshine. 

I must say I have much to be thankful for.