From a Student

Respectable Ms. S:
I'm so sorry that I have to ask for a leave. Yesterday the doctor gave a notice to me that I have something wrong with my boo blood and I have to do some examine about it. Because I am a flight student. So I have to do the things doctor arquirst me to Please forgive my absence and I'll come back as soon as possible. I hope you will will let me come into the classroom. Thank you!

Your Student
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November 14th

I let him in.

Mongolian Salty Milk Tea

This is a comforting drink on a chilly morning. I got it in powdered form as a gift from one of my students. Think my tastes are adapting because when I first arrived here I would have spit out something that tasted like this, but now I like it.

Aviation University

Am now living and teaching at the Aviation University in Guanghan, where China's commercial pilots are trained. China is facing a great shortage of pilots, who have to know English, so there are many students and lots of work - I have three hundred and sixty three first year students from all over the country. In their English classes taught by locals the students are given three days to memorize several paragraphs of English. These students are all reciting their passages:


Aircraft engine maintenance building:


The grounds are really nice, though have an under construction feel. The new library:


The students have to keep up a demanding physical program, including workouts on equipment to train their balance and control. Behind the propeller-like swings you can see both fixed and free rolling wheels that the students have to be able to control.


My students brought me to try these out one day and it was very fun, though I didn't try to spin one all the way around.

Software

Like the movies that you can buy for 4 rmb on the street corner, most software comes from a dao ban die – pirated disk. An operating system or new virus software is about 15-20 rmb usually, but I was trying to find zhen ban – the non-pirated version. After asking around Computer City I found someone selling the authorized version of XP Pro…for two thousand rmb. Yes, one hundred times the street price and about level with an average person’s monthly salary here. Perhaps a local could bargain for more of a discount than I managed, but no wonder nobody buys the real stuff.

Biennale

Chengdu's biannual art show is held far south of the centre, in the heart of our high tech district which to this foreigner is confusing to navigate and has the feel of being permanently under construction. It is a fitting location for the show, which has the theme Reboot. Many of the works were very new, created within the past year or so.



Much of the art was uses traditional media and techniques depicting modern themes, or modern media with a very tradtional feel. One example is this piece of plexiglass pierced with holes; the shadow on the wall makes the image:



There were some interesting pieces that mixed an image with sculpture. Here is one with a virus theme:



Texture and Light:




This is the final frame from a series called Entertainment Family: Demolition by Zhou Yong. The character is one we see on many traditional buildings that are fated to be torn down.

FIFA Women's World Cup

The first round of the women's world cup 'football' playoffs concluded this week.(Everyone here learns British English.) The last game in town was between Canda and Australia, and was delayed a day because of the typhoon in Eastern China. I got a ticket with a face value of 60 rmb for 20 from a scalper, but only made the last half of the game due to work. Australia had just scored for a 1-1 tie when I arrived.



The audience of 29000 was very into the game, and there were drummers in the stands that would stir up the crowd during rushes (if that is what you call it in soccer). One guy sitting just below me was making impassioned comments that made everyone else around us laugh. Most seemed to be cheering Australia though.



The Canadian team had several near misses during the second half and managed to score near the end of the game for a 2-1 lead.



Canadians showing support:



For some unknown soccer reason, the game was extended by three minutes after regulation and the Aussies managed to tie it up.



The game ended with a 2-2 tie. The Canadians needed a win to advance to the next level of the tournament, and there were a lot of tears after having come so close. Australian fans celebrating:

Home base

Very glad to be back and settled for a while. This is supposed to be the hottest part of the year, and we get rain showers almost every afternoon and it feels tropical. We can buy mitao ('honey' peaches) on the streets now, and white pomegranates. I found figs the other day too.

Caught in the rain at Tianfu Square: