Language can be a funny thing. The turn of a phrase can have subtle but subconscious ways of manipulating how we experience and perceive reality. This isn't news, of course, but the true power of words was recently brought home to me in a rather odd way.
A month ago, I put my bank card into an ATM and was briefly distracted before entering my P.I.N. number. And, as they are supposed to do when a card is left sitting inactive, the good bank machine ate my card. I guess I'd never really thought too hard about what this means. As someone who has done this on more than one occasion, I suppose that without giving it explicit thought, I just sort of pictured the machine swallowing and then digesting the card, possibly through a shredder of some sort, deep in it's metal bowels. The card is gone. RIP.
I've always just gone to the bank and got a new one.
For all I know, in Canada, when bank machines eat your card, they may in fact do this. It turns out that in China, they don't. Being the complete procrastinator that I am, and, to be honest, a little scared at how hard it would be to get a new card, I put off the process and simply used my Canadian account for awhile. However, the fees are astronomical and eventually, I had to accept that I would need a new Chinese card. My first step was to get a Chinese friend to write out exactly what was wrong. Then, after psyching myself up for what would most likely be a very trying day, I set off for the main branch. In my head, I had pictured an endless array of questions posed in Chinese, poorly translated or completely misunderstood by me, leading to person after person after person trying to help me before ultimately being chastised for losing the card and being given a new one.
Imagine my surprise when, after showing the written explanation to a guard, I was taken over to a man who read the note, spoke to someone on the phone and then had a fluent English speaker come over to explain that they had my card. It was being held at a different branch. Getting the instructions to the bank written down, I hopped in a cab, went to the next bank, spoke to the person I was instructed to speak to, and was handed back the original card.
I don't know why it is, but I still can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that my card, rather than being digested and carried off to card heaven, in fact lives, alive and well in my wallet.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
For the love of God,...
does anyone who might read this know, or know someone who might know, or know someone who might know someone...who might know where a foreign, English speaking woman with naturally curly hair can get a haircut in Shenyang?
'Cause I'm getting desperate!
'Cause I'm getting desperate!
Sunday, November 26, 2006
If you think you're over-educated, clap your hands
Monday, November 27, 2006
For the love of god...
does anyone who might read this know, or know someone who might know, or know someone who might know someone...who might know where a foreign, English speaking woman with naturally curly hair can get a haircut in Shenyang?
'Cause I'm getting desperate!
posted by Renee at 7:47 PM 0 Comments
If you think you're over-educated, clap your hands
I've been away from school for almost four full months now (huh! is that it? It feels like forever)
There've been many moments over this period where my library training has served me well. I've MARC coded, I'm working on acquiring a new ILS and several classes have helped me with that, I've liaised to the best of my ability (thanks to Denise for clarifying the meaning of this), and I've put in ridiculously long hours, the factory having been a year long training session. But, none of my experience at school has paid off so greatly as it did this week.
As a brand new British Columbia offshore school, we are not actually certified. A team of inspectors is coming to check things out and say yay or nay to our official status. Not really a big deal to me, I get the experience I get regardless of status, the teachers are extremely concerned that they might not be teaching in an actual school, and of course it affects the students ability to move ahead with their studies. They can't move on to grade 11 if they've never officially made it through grade 10.
Consequently, there's been a big flurry of activity in the last few weeks. The teachers have all been prepped on how to behave when the inspectors come into their classrooms, they've all prepared their year plans, month plans, day plans, they've thought about questions they might be asked and prepared answers. And, truth be told, they'll do fine. If the school doesn't pass inspection, it'll be down to the facilities themselves which are still in the process of development. The gym has very few amenities and is still under construction; the library, well, the library has just under 1000 books and no indication of when more might arrive.
I'd been told that I would likely need to write up 'something' about what the plans for the library are, but they'd be 'nothing big'. On Monday, I was told that I would need to hand this in to the principal by Tuesday. And here's where my academic training both bit me in the ass, and then bailed me out.
My first thought was to request the Dalian copy of the same accreditation write-up. Surely I could use that as a guide. Well, no. I have no idea what happened in the process of having this handed down to me, but what I got were three basic questions posed and three garbled, gibberish sentences in reply. Next, I surfed the internet looking for examples of accreditation justifications for high school libraries. What I found were 30 page treaties. Urm, no. So, I went and talked to the principal.
The principal laid it on the line. Briefly discuss where the library is now, what resources are available, how we provide those resources, how we obtain them, and what we expect to have by the end of the year. So, turns out I was completely over-thinking it. Thank you very much, over-education.
Still, by this time, it was later in the day and I still had to formulate something that would make it seem like our sad little library was in fact a vibrant, resourceful and accreditation-worthy part of the school. That's a lot of pressure.
Now, in school, I always wrote my papers single-spaced, and if required, would double the spaces upon completion. And, the factory being the factory, I started out sweating each word and a paper could take hours and hours and hours, until I would was a caffeine soaked jittery mess at 3am. By the end though, I knew that I could knock out one page per hour, no matter the topic. And, I haven't lost my touch, baby. Nope, I still gots it! A three page accreditation paper done in three hours. And, if I do say so, without manipulating the facts, I managed to spin it so that the library really is a wonderful, functioning, vibrant and essential part of the school; poised to go on to even more spectacular and resourceful libraryness in the future.
I will say, though, that it felt a little weird not to have been writing it in the APK.
For the love of god...
does anyone who might read this know, or know someone who might know, or know someone who might know someone...who might know where a foreign, English speaking woman with naturally curly hair can get a haircut in Shenyang?
'Cause I'm getting desperate!
posted by Renee at 7:47 PM 0 Comments
If you think you're over-educated, clap your hands
I've been away from school for almost four full months now (huh! is that it? It feels like forever)
There've been many moments over this period where my library training has served me well. I've MARC coded, I'm working on acquiring a new ILS and several classes have helped me with that, I've liaised to the best of my ability (thanks to Denise for clarifying the meaning of this), and I've put in ridiculously long hours, the factory having been a year long training session. But, none of my experience at school has paid off so greatly as it did this week.
As a brand new British Columbia offshore school, we are not actually certified. A team of inspectors is coming to check things out and say yay or nay to our official status. Not really a big deal to me, I get the experience I get regardless of status, the teachers are extremely concerned that they might not be teaching in an actual school, and of course it affects the students ability to move ahead with their studies. They can't move on to grade 11 if they've never officially made it through grade 10.
Consequently, there's been a big flurry of activity in the last few weeks. The teachers have all been prepped on how to behave when the inspectors come into their classrooms, they've all prepared their year plans, month plans, day plans, they've thought about questions they might be asked and prepared answers. And, truth be told, they'll do fine. If the school doesn't pass inspection, it'll be down to the facilities themselves which are still in the process of development. The gym has very few amenities and is still under construction; the library, well, the library has just under 1000 books and no indication of when more might arrive.
I'd been told that I would likely need to write up 'something' about what the plans for the library are, but they'd be 'nothing big'. On Monday, I was told that I would need to hand this in to the principal by Tuesday. And here's where my academic training both bit me in the ass, and then bailed me out.
My first thought was to request the Dalian copy of the same accreditation write-up. Surely I could use that as a guide. Well, no. I have no idea what happened in the process of having this handed down to me, but what I got were three basic questions posed and three garbled, gibberish sentences in reply. Next, I surfed the internet looking for examples of accreditation justifications for high school libraries. What I found were 30 page treaties. Urm, no. So, I went and talked to the principal.
The principal laid it on the line. Briefly discuss where the library is now, what resources are available, how we provide those resources, how we obtain them, and what we expect to have by the end of the year. So, turns out I was completely over-thinking it. Thank you very much, over-education.
Still, by this time, it was later in the day and I still had to formulate something that would make it seem like our sad little library was in fact a vibrant, resourceful and accreditation-worthy part of the school. That's a lot of pressure.
Now, in school, I always wrote my papers single-spaced, and if required, would double the spaces upon completion. And, the factory being the factory, I started out sweating each word and a paper could take hours and hours and hours, until I would was a caffeine soaked jittery mess at 3am. By the end though, I knew that I could knock out one page per hour, no matter the topic. And, I haven't lost my touch, baby. Nope, I still gots it! A three page accreditation paper done in three hours. And, if I do say so, without manipulating the facts, I managed to spin it so that the library really is a wonderful, functioning, vibrant and essential part of the school; poised to go on to even more spectacular and resourceful libraryness in the future.
I will say, though, that it felt a little weird not to have been writing it in the APK.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
A picture is worth a thousand words
I've talked alot about where I live, and for those of you who are curious, you can now check out the pictures here.
That's right, I've finally got (just about) everything onto flickr. Considering that my upload rate only allows me to do about 10 photos per night, I'm pretty pleased.
The set titled "Village Life" is where I spend 90% of my time. For some reason, I haven't been taking my camera in with me when I go to Shenyang - I'll have to rectify that.
That's right, I've finally got (just about) everything onto flickr. Considering that my upload rate only allows me to do about 10 photos per night, I'm pretty pleased.
The set titled "Village Life" is where I spend 90% of my time. For some reason, I haven't been taking my camera in with me when I go to Shenyang - I'll have to rectify that.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
It's gotta be perfect, dammit!
In interviews, whenever I'm asked about what my weakness is, and how I'm working on it, I always answer that I'm a perfectionist. It's probably too predictable, but it's true, and it's one of those answers that sounds like a flaw that's not really a flaw. Well, it is. It's a weakness, not a strength, but it's sort of something I've never really been too concerned with. I'm not super-crazy anal. I am able to prioritize; in fact, I can slack with the best, but when I deem something a priority, I'm willing to put in the hours to get it done Right. If I have to work a little longer on it, on my own time, so be it. So, I used it as a suck-up interview response but never gave it too much thought.
Well, that's coming back to bite me now. Term exams were last week, and I think it's occurred to the kids that they might have to start doing some homework. Sadly, we still have only 70 or so non-fiction books and none arriving in the foreseeable future. So, what does a good librarian do? They turn to the internet. Now, the kids at the school still have fairly low literacy and that extends to their web literacy as well. It's a challenge to get them to use a decent search engine, much less one that is in English. So, baby steps. First, they can learn to use the internet through guided searches. Eventually, we can work on how to search the internet independently. I've decided to set up a library website. And this is where my perfectionism is turning out to be a problem.
Challenge one : I probably should have learned Dreamweaver when I had the time. The bootleg version I have now is beyond me. So, one day wasted trying to get it to save, and I decided to go with Google Web Creator.
Challenge two : This website is for low literacy teenagers. Logic, and everything I've read about website designs says that my site should be full of easy to read, fast loading graphics and bright colours. Well, I can format the site, or I can get the content on first. Still, it bugs me that it's so plain.
Challenge three : Turns out that creating a page for each subject, which I think is necessary, can be quite time consuming. Take into account the fact that in an ideal world, I would like there to be not just a page per core subject but a page per topic, and I'd be looking at getting the site up sometime around the books arrive (ie...um, someday..?)
Challenge four : The kids, and the teachers for that matter, need to be made aware of what is now (or will soon be) available to them.
So, I've got a very bland looking, half completed website which is in serious need of advocacy. The rational part of me knows that it takes time to do this, and in addition to the day-to-day duties of the library like check-in/check-out, ordering, budgeting, cataloguing, looking into a new ILS, dealing with serials vendors, ad nauseum, I can only do what I can do and for now, something is better than nothing. The perfectionist in me, though, is dying tiny little deaths every time I think about it.
[If you'd like to contribute to the cause, please feel free to check out the site here and send along any links you think might be useful for grade 10 kids who read at a grade 3 level]
Well, that's coming back to bite me now. Term exams were last week, and I think it's occurred to the kids that they might have to start doing some homework. Sadly, we still have only 70 or so non-fiction books and none arriving in the foreseeable future. So, what does a good librarian do? They turn to the internet. Now, the kids at the school still have fairly low literacy and that extends to their web literacy as well. It's a challenge to get them to use a decent search engine, much less one that is in English. So, baby steps. First, they can learn to use the internet through guided searches. Eventually, we can work on how to search the internet independently. I've decided to set up a library website. And this is where my perfectionism is turning out to be a problem.
Challenge one : I probably should have learned Dreamweaver when I had the time. The bootleg version I have now is beyond me. So, one day wasted trying to get it to save, and I decided to go with Google Web Creator.
Challenge two : This website is for low literacy teenagers. Logic, and everything I've read about website designs says that my site should be full of easy to read, fast loading graphics and bright colours. Well, I can format the site, or I can get the content on first. Still, it bugs me that it's so plain.
Challenge three : Turns out that creating a page for each subject, which I think is necessary, can be quite time consuming. Take into account the fact that in an ideal world, I would like there to be not just a page per core subject but a page per topic, and I'd be looking at getting the site up sometime around the books arrive (ie...um, someday..?)
Challenge four : The kids, and the teachers for that matter, need to be made aware of what is now (or will soon be) available to them.
So, I've got a very bland looking, half completed website which is in serious need of advocacy. The rational part of me knows that it takes time to do this, and in addition to the day-to-day duties of the library like check-in/check-out, ordering, budgeting, cataloguing, looking into a new ILS, dealing with serials vendors, ad nauseum, I can only do what I can do and for now, something is better than nothing. The perfectionist in me, though, is dying tiny little deaths every time I think about it.
[If you'd like to contribute to the cause, please feel free to check out the site here and send along any links you think might be useful for grade 10 kids who read at a grade 3 level]
Friday, November 10, 2006
Radio silence
What do you do when you have nothing nice to say? You do what your Momma told you to; you say nothing. So, I know I haven't been posting alot lately, and it's mostly because for a little while there, I lost the plot. Or, if not the plot, at least my sense of humour. While I know that I can be a bit of a cynic, I like to think that my natural, god-given negativism is balanced by a healthy sense of humour. And, up until this year, it's carried me pretty far.
But circumstances here felt, for awhile anyway, completely hopeless. The power was going off all the time; occasionally at work. Water came, briefly, and then went off again. The official day for the heat to be turned on was November 1st and we didn't quite make it. If there's anything that's gonna make me lose my cool, it's being cold. So, I huddled at home next to a Chinese heater (which is nothing like a space heater at home. Chinese heaters glow nuclear orange, almost burn your skin if you get to close but give off absolutely no heat unless you are within a foot of them) and focused all my energy on metabolizing.
The school, both helping and hindering, looked into various possibilities. We were going to move to a different school in Shenyang. We were going to move to a different building in Dalian. We were staying but things were going to be fixed. Nope, we were going to move again. An ex-co-worker and I had a firm policy. "No crying at work." For the first time in my life, I broke that policy. Twice. In one week. But, knock on wood, everything's been running smoothly for a week, and we're here for good.
Now, I think that every job has an adjustment period. There's always going to be a month or two where you hit the ground running and realize that maybe you don't quite know the path you should be following yet. With all of the other nonsense going on...it's hard to focus on work when you have to run home three times in one day to show workers where the bathtub is leaking...I hadn't really been feeling like I'm here to do a job. This week, though, I hit my stride. I've been running the path for awhile now, but I've stopped to look at the map, figure out where I'm going and what I'm headed into, and wow. One month out of library school and I thought I could start up and run a library? In China? What was I thinking?
But circumstances here felt, for awhile anyway, completely hopeless. The power was going off all the time; occasionally at work. Water came, briefly, and then went off again. The official day for the heat to be turned on was November 1st and we didn't quite make it. If there's anything that's gonna make me lose my cool, it's being cold. So, I huddled at home next to a Chinese heater (which is nothing like a space heater at home. Chinese heaters glow nuclear orange, almost burn your skin if you get to close but give off absolutely no heat unless you are within a foot of them) and focused all my energy on metabolizing.
The school, both helping and hindering, looked into various possibilities. We were going to move to a different school in Shenyang. We were going to move to a different building in Dalian. We were staying but things were going to be fixed. Nope, we were going to move again. An ex-co-worker and I had a firm policy. "No crying at work." For the first time in my life, I broke that policy. Twice. In one week. But, knock on wood, everything's been running smoothly for a week, and we're here for good.
Now, I think that every job has an adjustment period. There's always going to be a month or two where you hit the ground running and realize that maybe you don't quite know the path you should be following yet. With all of the other nonsense going on...it's hard to focus on work when you have to run home three times in one day to show workers where the bathtub is leaking...I hadn't really been feeling like I'm here to do a job. This week, though, I hit my stride. I've been running the path for awhile now, but I've stopped to look at the map, figure out where I'm going and what I'm headed into, and wow. One month out of library school and I thought I could start up and run a library? In China? What was I thinking?
Monday, November 6, 2006
It's the little things
Despite all other evidence, it seems that I do not, in fact, live in a black hole. Since I have arrived, I've been trying to get publishers catalogues. I can remember working at places where they were the bane of everyone's existence. A stack would land in an inbox, and there they would sit until the person in charge of ordering would get on everyone's case to get a move on them. However, I have no books, and I'd like to order, well, alot of them. However, I have no tools to do so. I signed up for the free month of Publishers Weekly, Quill & Quire, Library Journal, School Library Journal, etc., but those have run out. I've been reduced to searching blogs, discussion groups and various awards, Chapters recommendations, anything I can think of that might have suggestions for math books, social books, biographies...at a high school level.
This isn't to say that they don't exist here. They do. They just don't seem to make it to my school. The poor man in Shanghai who I deal with has sent them out to me on three separate occasions. The first time they didn't arrive, we double-checked the address and he sent them again. But, they never arrived. So, we re-checked the address and, sure enough, it was correct. So, we double-checked with the school secretary, and sure enough, the Chinese address was also correct. Off they went again. And, despite the fact that it should only take a week, a month later - today, in fact - the sweet 16 year old 'guard' brought them into the library. I'm not sure if I'm more relieved to know that the school doesn't just exist in some sort of rural vortex or if I'm happier to get the catalogues.
This isn't to say that they don't exist here. They do. They just don't seem to make it to my school. The poor man in Shanghai who I deal with has sent them out to me on three separate occasions. The first time they didn't arrive, we double-checked the address and he sent them again. But, they never arrived. So, we re-checked the address and, sure enough, it was correct. So, we double-checked with the school secretary, and sure enough, the Chinese address was also correct. Off they went again. And, despite the fact that it should only take a week, a month later - today, in fact - the sweet 16 year old 'guard' brought them into the library. I'm not sure if I'm more relieved to know that the school doesn't just exist in some sort of rural vortex or if I'm happier to get the catalogues.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
"Wow, I wish I got paid to read books all day"
is one of those ridiculous, random statements that people who have no clue what librarians do all day are likely to make. Usually, there is a tinge of jealousy to it. And like most jealousies, it has different sources. Sometimes, it is said with a touch of venom : "Wow, I wish I was paid to read books all day...(because unlike you, I actually work for my paycheque)" and sometimes with a hint of wistfulness : "Wow, I wish I was paid to read books all day...(how can I get that gig because it's pretty close to my idea of heaven)" Sadly, I always have to correct these people. I, too, wish I was paid to sit around and read all day.
However, if I was in the mood to get under the skin of those who think I do nothing vbut relax all day, I might be tempted to say that I do, in fact, get paid to surf the internet and play on computers.
The library here still has very few books, 326 currently in the system with probably another 400 or 500 to go, so I spend the majority of my time searching for ways to supplement this. I look into books to order. I try to figure out how to order them. I do some cataloguing. And I've been working on a way to set up a website to supplement our lack of resources. We still only have roughly 170 students, a small minority of whom are above a "Dick and Jane" literacy level. I spend maybe 10 minutes a day checking books in and out; the rest of my time interacting with them is spent yelling at them to start surfing in English. Information literacy instruction of any kind will only come when they have a rudimentary level of literacy.
So. Lot's of computer time. Not a lot to do otherwise, which isn't to say that I'm not working alot, just that I'm mostly on computer. The reason I bring this up is that we've been having power outages in the area. This really hadn't affected my professionally too much. Usually, they happen at night, and worse comes to worst, I have to close down early because the library suddenly becomes pitch black. However, the city turns the heat on tomorrow (fingers crossed) and there has been all kinds of mojo to get this in place. And that involved turning the power off for the last few days.
There's been the usual lack of running water, no shower, dirty dishes, unflushed toilet nonsense, but in some strange way that I'm not sure I'm happy about, I think I'm adjusting to this. What I wasn't prepared for was the fact that I had absolutely NOTHING to do. I shelved a few books Monday morning, and that was that. I couldn't really close the library. People actually do read, and the last thing I want to do is discourage the kids from taking out books, but I really had no other reason to be here. Well, that and the fact that it's currently warmer in the library than it is in my apartment. So, if only for a day and a half, I did it. I lived the dream.
I got paid to read.
And let me tell you...it was pretty damn cool.
However, if I was in the mood to get under the skin of those who think I do nothing vbut relax all day, I might be tempted to say that I do, in fact, get paid to surf the internet and play on computers.
The library here still has very few books, 326 currently in the system with probably another 400 or 500 to go, so I spend the majority of my time searching for ways to supplement this. I look into books to order. I try to figure out how to order them. I do some cataloguing. And I've been working on a way to set up a website to supplement our lack of resources. We still only have roughly 170 students, a small minority of whom are above a "Dick and Jane" literacy level. I spend maybe 10 minutes a day checking books in and out; the rest of my time interacting with them is spent yelling at them to start surfing in English. Information literacy instruction of any kind will only come when they have a rudimentary level of literacy.
So. Lot's of computer time. Not a lot to do otherwise, which isn't to say that I'm not working alot, just that I'm mostly on computer. The reason I bring this up is that we've been having power outages in the area. This really hadn't affected my professionally too much. Usually, they happen at night, and worse comes to worst, I have to close down early because the library suddenly becomes pitch black. However, the city turns the heat on tomorrow (fingers crossed) and there has been all kinds of mojo to get this in place. And that involved turning the power off for the last few days.
There's been the usual lack of running water, no shower, dirty dishes, unflushed toilet nonsense, but in some strange way that I'm not sure I'm happy about, I think I'm adjusting to this. What I wasn't prepared for was the fact that I had absolutely NOTHING to do. I shelved a few books Monday morning, and that was that. I couldn't really close the library. People actually do read, and the last thing I want to do is discourage the kids from taking out books, but I really had no other reason to be here. Well, that and the fact that it's currently warmer in the library than it is in my apartment. So, if only for a day and a half, I did it. I lived the dream.
I got paid to read.
And let me tell you...it was pretty damn cool.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Information seeking behaviour
dictates that we first go for information to our peers. We trust people most like us, who are in the know or who have experienced what we are looking to find out, to inform us best. Failing that, we look for people who we do not know, but who are also, in their own way, experts. This can take the form or an agency, an organization, or internet support groups. Only when have we exhausted the human resource do we turn to print.
Many aspects about living in Shenyang have brought this to the forefront of my mind. Certainly, professionally, I feel completely lost. My personal resources to the South have been helpful, but on occasion the information I've received has been confusing to the point of being almost a hindrance. Help from outside China has certainly been wonderful (Jay! Linda! Thank you!) but cannot necessarily speak to the specifics of my situation. The great firewall, too, has been a thorn in my side. However, more that professionally, where I have found this lack of information most, has been personally.
I may have mentioned (repeatedly) that we're pretty isolated out here. The school is extremely remote. We are a complete novelty here; while it happens less and less as people get used to us, the first few weeks here involved people almost getting into traffic accidents as they turned to stare at the strange pasty faces that had appeared in their village. Some of us are learning a bit of Chinese better than the rest of us, but we still aren't able to communicate well with a population, both in the village and in the city, that almost universally only speaks Mandarin. Do a quick search on Shenyang through Google...or Altavista...or Clusty...or.... You now know what I know about Shenyang, ie. very little. And guidebooks also are not a wealth of help.
Now, we have roughly 20 people in the middle of nowhere, who have lived, worked and socialized exclusively with each other for two months. We need some outside stimuli before we start turning lord of the flies on each other. But, to review, in a city with 7 million people, we have no one, no groups, no internet and no print guides telling us where we might find people we can communicate with. What would you do?
For the last few weeks, a small group of us have been hitting the various bars listed on the 'tourist map' handed out by the Holiday Inn. Over three separate nights, we have started at one bar and found it either completely empty of people at all (on a Friday night! the horror!) or populated only with Chinese peoples. We have a drink, and then move on to the next bar. If we're lucky, we run into a Westerner - usually an older business man who spends a month or so every year in the city, and we follow a tip they give us to somewhere that turns out to be equally unsatisfying. To say it has been an exercise in frustration is an overstatement. Hope is an intensely powerful thing and as the nights have progressed, and we've become more and more depressed, we've moved faster and faster from bar to bar to nightclub to nightclub, desperately wanting the next one to be the one that would be that Shangri-la of western life. And, inevitably the nights have ended with us in a ridiculously camp techno club at 3am, making the best of the situation. The experience, possibly more than the lack of steady water or power or heat or professional issues, has been completely demoralizing. Stockholm syndrome like, we've become a pretty tight group, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that the realization that none of us might not have anyone else to empathize, socialize or generally break us out of our insular world a little bit, has become truly a depressing reality.
Last night, though, we hit gold. Following a lead from a local English-speaking Chinese friend, we went to a bar where...and I cannot fully express how much this meant...there were Westerners. Who live here. And are in the know. After slowly becoming convinced that the 20 of populated the entire Shenyang ex-patriot community, we were suddenly talking to people who a) weren't us, b) had an incredible wealth of insider information, c) provided us with hope that there were even more people out there in this situation, and d) were a really great group of people to talk to. And so, information-seeking behavior asserts itself. Through a person in the know, we were able to find a place where we found the truly best source of information - a peer group.
And, as an added bonus, I've got a lead on possibly the only bakery in Shenyang that sells real bread! In fact, I'm off to track it down now.
Many aspects about living in Shenyang have brought this to the forefront of my mind. Certainly, professionally, I feel completely lost. My personal resources to the South have been helpful, but on occasion the information I've received has been confusing to the point of being almost a hindrance. Help from outside China has certainly been wonderful (Jay! Linda! Thank you!) but cannot necessarily speak to the specifics of my situation. The great firewall, too, has been a thorn in my side. However, more that professionally, where I have found this lack of information most, has been personally.
I may have mentioned (repeatedly) that we're pretty isolated out here. The school is extremely remote. We are a complete novelty here; while it happens less and less as people get used to us, the first few weeks here involved people almost getting into traffic accidents as they turned to stare at the strange pasty faces that had appeared in their village. Some of us are learning a bit of Chinese better than the rest of us, but we still aren't able to communicate well with a population, both in the village and in the city, that almost universally only speaks Mandarin. Do a quick search on Shenyang through Google...or Altavista...or Clusty...or.... You now know what I know about Shenyang, ie. very little. And guidebooks also are not a wealth of help.
Now, we have roughly 20 people in the middle of nowhere, who have lived, worked and socialized exclusively with each other for two months. We need some outside stimuli before we start turning lord of the flies on each other. But, to review, in a city with 7 million people, we have no one, no groups, no internet and no print guides telling us where we might find people we can communicate with. What would you do?
For the last few weeks, a small group of us have been hitting the various bars listed on the 'tourist map' handed out by the Holiday Inn. Over three separate nights, we have started at one bar and found it either completely empty of people at all (on a Friday night! the horror!) or populated only with Chinese peoples. We have a drink, and then move on to the next bar. If we're lucky, we run into a Westerner - usually an older business man who spends a month or so every year in the city, and we follow a tip they give us to somewhere that turns out to be equally unsatisfying. To say it has been an exercise in frustration is an overstatement. Hope is an intensely powerful thing and as the nights have progressed, and we've become more and more depressed, we've moved faster and faster from bar to bar to nightclub to nightclub, desperately wanting the next one to be the one that would be that Shangri-la of western life. And, inevitably the nights have ended with us in a ridiculously camp techno club at 3am, making the best of the situation. The experience, possibly more than the lack of steady water or power or heat or professional issues, has been completely demoralizing. Stockholm syndrome like, we've become a pretty tight group, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that the realization that none of us might not have anyone else to empathize, socialize or generally break us out of our insular world a little bit, has become truly a depressing reality.
Last night, though, we hit gold. Following a lead from a local English-speaking Chinese friend, we went to a bar where...and I cannot fully express how much this meant...there were Westerners. Who live here. And are in the know. After slowly becoming convinced that the 20 of populated the entire Shenyang ex-patriot community, we were suddenly talking to people who a) weren't us, b) had an incredible wealth of insider information, c) provided us with hope that there were even more people out there in this situation, and d) were a really great group of people to talk to. And so, information-seeking behavior asserts itself. Through a person in the know, we were able to find a place where we found the truly best source of information - a peer group.
And, as an added bonus, I've got a lead on possibly the only bakery in Shenyang that sells real bread! In fact, I'm off to track it down now.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Process for ordering newspapers in China
UPDATE : The post office man came back. Apparently, they don't receive a few titles I had asked for. List was revised, and the post office man left again. No idea when he'll re-appear.
--------------
Step 1. Get a list of available titles from Dalian school.
Step 2. Ask school secretary to contact post office, which is where newspapers apparently are ordered from.
Step 3. Repeat step 2.
Step 4. Repeat step 2.
Step 5. Find out that man from post office will be coming in the next few days to discuss subscriptions.
Step 6. Repeat step 2.
Step 7. Repeat step 2.
Step 8. Man from post office arrives. Show him list of newspapers you would like. Receive information that he will go away, check prices and return later.
Step 9. Repeat step 2.
Step 10. Repeat step 2.
Step 11. Man from post office comes back. Prices and titles are all in Chinese.
Step 12. Have secretary translate to ensure that list is correct. It is.
Step 13. List is given back to post office employee and taken away.
This is as far as I have gotten in the process. I have no idea when the papers may show up, how I pay or what my next step is. Anyone want to venture a guess, though?
--------------
Step 1. Get a list of available titles from Dalian school.
Step 2. Ask school secretary to contact post office, which is where newspapers apparently are ordered from.
Step 3. Repeat step 2.
Step 4. Repeat step 2.
Step 5. Find out that man from post office will be coming in the next few days to discuss subscriptions.
Step 6. Repeat step 2.
Step 7. Repeat step 2.
Step 8. Man from post office arrives. Show him list of newspapers you would like. Receive information that he will go away, check prices and return later.
Step 9. Repeat step 2.
Step 10. Repeat step 2.
Step 11. Man from post office comes back. Prices and titles are all in Chinese.
Step 12. Have secretary translate to ensure that list is correct. It is.
Step 13. List is given back to post office employee and taken away.
This is as far as I have gotten in the process. I have no idea when the papers may show up, how I pay or what my next step is. Anyone want to venture a guess, though?
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Oh, okay...Just one more autograph...
For Canadian Library Month, the CLA is suggesting that one possible Special Topic Day activities could be Celebrity Librarian's Day...where celebrity librarians greet the public.
I've been working in libraries for quite awhile now, and I have to say that, outside of the rather insular library world, I can't think of too many librarians who I would classify as 'celebrity'. Actually, even within the library world, aside from maybe Jason Hammond, no one really stands out as Paris Hilton-esque.
Is there something I've been missing?
I've been working in libraries for quite awhile now, and I have to say that, outside of the rather insular library world, I can't think of too many librarians who I would classify as 'celebrity'. Actually, even within the library world, aside from maybe Jason Hammond, no one really stands out as Paris Hilton-esque.
Is there something I've been missing?
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Trying...
Canadian Thanksgiving was on Monday, and several of the teachers (myself included) headed downtown to a major hotel, where we had arranged for a proper turkey dinner. Over the course of the meal, my table began talking about what we are thankful for. Having had a fairly bumpy few months, the answers were fairly facetious...
"I'm thankful that the water is turned on between 6am and 7am and not 4am and 5am."
"I'm thankful that I haven't had a nervous breakdown yet."
"I'm thankful that beer is so cheap."
"I'm thankful that my apartment isn't as bad as yours."
"I'm thankful that I haven't gotten seriously ill yet."
"I'm thankful that I haven't gone postal."
"I'm thankful that I haven't been hit while crossing the road."
"I'm thankful that my ceiling hasn't fallen down on me yet."
... you get the picture.
Certainly, there remains a lot to complain about. I've been thinking about it a bit over the last few days, though, and it occurred to me that there must be a few things that I am really and truly thankful for.
My first few attempts were, I think, just half-hearted efforts to put a good spin on a bad situation. I can try telling myself that the fact that my hair is starting to turn to dreadlocks from lack of showering is a good thing, but, really I've never liked dreadlocks, never wanted them and never will. Experimental hairstyles resulting from poor hygiene are not something I'm really thankful for. Similarly, I can try telling myself that it's a blessing to be experiencing living on a waterless, cold compound in the middle of Nowhere, China, but the reality is, I'm not. It's great to have experienced it. The continuation of it really kind of sucks.
Still, there's got to be something keeping me here, right? What follows is a list of things I really am thankful for.
1. The incredible professional opportunity that being here affords me. How many of you have started ordering from scratch? How many of you have ordered your own furniture? From the carpenter? In Chinese? Set up a web portal? Set up a catalogue? Trained volunteers? All of the above?
Bring on any interview question you can think of. I not only have an example or an opinion on the subject, but I can probably talk your ear off.
2. Much as it's a mixed blessing, I really like the size of the school right now. There are very few students and I know all of the staff very well; the fact that we all currently live with in a minute of each other and are all suffering through this together creates a really unique bond. Myself, three other teachers and two of the students made moon cakes in the cafeteria last weekend. Sure, the only working oven on campus were the teachers teeny, tiny ones. Still, it was a lot of fun. It's unlikely that it would have happened in a working cafeteria at a school with dozens of teachers and hundreds of students.
3. By extension, I'm thankful for the time I get to spend with these kids. They're an incredible insight into modern China, the culture, and the future. They're also fascinating examples of normal teenagehood. And as individuals, some of them are just pretty damn cool.
4. I'll admit it. I'm thankful that pirated DVDs are really cheap. By extension, I'm thankful for Prison Break, Grey's Anatomy, Veronica Mars, 24, Lost and the first few seasons of Six Feet Under which are coming my way very soon.
5. Along those lines, I'm also very thankful for the fact that there are frequent flights to Beijing, and that they are very cheap.
6. I'm thankful that my friends and family have thus far been tolerant with the fact that I'm almost never in touch, either by phone or email. (Incidentally, there's a rumour that we'll have internet in our apartments by tomorrow evening. I've been hearing that it would be in on Friday every week I've been here, but this rumour seems to hold a little more weight. So, with a little luck, I'll have responded to everyone and Skyped a few more by Monday. Hell, I may start updating this more regularly.)
Now that I'm on a roll, I could probably go on...but I think I'll stop at what feels like a Chinese library miracle.
7. The city of Shenyang, so I'm told, turns the heat on in November. I've heard both November 1st and November 15th and believe me when I say I hope it's the former. This is because it is already quite cold. For reasons that I've yet to understand, all of the doors to the school seem to be perpetually open, letting in all kinds of critters who are seeking warmth. The school itself stretches from East to West, and faces North and South. Those who are unfortunate enough to spend their time in the North facing rooms are already layering up pretty heavily. The library, however, faces South. Not only that, but the entire large South wall is window. While everyone else is freezing, I am still in cool summer clothing. And for this, above everything else, I am really truly beyond words thankful.
"I'm thankful that the water is turned on between 6am and 7am and not 4am and 5am."
"I'm thankful that I haven't had a nervous breakdown yet."
"I'm thankful that beer is so cheap."
"I'm thankful that my apartment isn't as bad as yours."
"I'm thankful that I haven't gotten seriously ill yet."
"I'm thankful that I haven't gone postal."
"I'm thankful that I haven't been hit while crossing the road."
"I'm thankful that my ceiling hasn't fallen down on me yet."
... you get the picture.
Certainly, there remains a lot to complain about. I've been thinking about it a bit over the last few days, though, and it occurred to me that there must be a few things that I am really and truly thankful for.
My first few attempts were, I think, just half-hearted efforts to put a good spin on a bad situation. I can try telling myself that the fact that my hair is starting to turn to dreadlocks from lack of showering is a good thing, but, really I've never liked dreadlocks, never wanted them and never will. Experimental hairstyles resulting from poor hygiene are not something I'm really thankful for. Similarly, I can try telling myself that it's a blessing to be experiencing living on a waterless, cold compound in the middle of Nowhere, China, but the reality is, I'm not. It's great to have experienced it. The continuation of it really kind of sucks.
Still, there's got to be something keeping me here, right? What follows is a list of things I really am thankful for.
1. The incredible professional opportunity that being here affords me. How many of you have started ordering from scratch? How many of you have ordered your own furniture? From the carpenter? In Chinese? Set up a web portal? Set up a catalogue? Trained volunteers? All of the above?
Bring on any interview question you can think of. I not only have an example or an opinion on the subject, but I can probably talk your ear off.
2. Much as it's a mixed blessing, I really like the size of the school right now. There are very few students and I know all of the staff very well; the fact that we all currently live with in a minute of each other and are all suffering through this together creates a really unique bond. Myself, three other teachers and two of the students made moon cakes in the cafeteria last weekend. Sure, the only working oven on campus were the teachers teeny, tiny ones. Still, it was a lot of fun. It's unlikely that it would have happened in a working cafeteria at a school with dozens of teachers and hundreds of students.
3. By extension, I'm thankful for the time I get to spend with these kids. They're an incredible insight into modern China, the culture, and the future. They're also fascinating examples of normal teenagehood. And as individuals, some of them are just pretty damn cool.
4. I'll admit it. I'm thankful that pirated DVDs are really cheap. By extension, I'm thankful for Prison Break, Grey's Anatomy, Veronica Mars, 24, Lost and the first few seasons of Six Feet Under which are coming my way very soon.
5. Along those lines, I'm also very thankful for the fact that there are frequent flights to Beijing, and that they are very cheap.
6. I'm thankful that my friends and family have thus far been tolerant with the fact that I'm almost never in touch, either by phone or email. (Incidentally, there's a rumour that we'll have internet in our apartments by tomorrow evening. I've been hearing that it would be in on Friday every week I've been here, but this rumour seems to hold a little more weight. So, with a little luck, I'll have responded to everyone and Skyped a few more by Monday. Hell, I may start updating this more regularly.)
Now that I'm on a roll, I could probably go on...but I think I'll stop at what feels like a Chinese library miracle.
7. The city of Shenyang, so I'm told, turns the heat on in November. I've heard both November 1st and November 15th and believe me when I say I hope it's the former. This is because it is already quite cold. For reasons that I've yet to understand, all of the doors to the school seem to be perpetually open, letting in all kinds of critters who are seeking warmth. The school itself stretches from East to West, and faces North and South. Those who are unfortunate enough to spend their time in the North facing rooms are already layering up pretty heavily. The library, however, faces South. Not only that, but the entire large South wall is window. While everyone else is freezing, I am still in cool summer clothing. And for this, above everything else, I am really truly beyond words thankful.
Wednesday, October 4, 2006
What doesn't kill you....
I'm back from Beijing. Aside from the pollution, which is substantial, I can't imagine anyone having much negative to say about it. It's beautiful, it's cultured and cosmopolitan, the history is palpable. The shopping is amazing. The touristy sites are incredible. We were able to go to the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and - a highlight- Tianamen Square on October 1st; the Chinese equivalent of being on the Mall in Washington on July 4th. Life is all about perspective, though, isn't it? As much as I hate to admit it, the history was far less important to me than the creature comforts :
1) the hotel beds were soft. Really soft. Chinese television advertisements show tanks rolling over mattresses. I'm not sure why this is a draw, but I'm pretty sure the one I have could hold it's own against an entire fleet.
2) people spoke English. Beijing is still China and most people speak Chinese, but there was still enough English knowledge that we were able to figure out where we wanted to go, get from place A to place B, order meals, shop, buy tickets, etc. I cannot describe how incredible this is. In Shenyang, I rarely go anywhere that I do not know of specifically. Want to buy some cds? Don't know where a good music shop is? Well, then, you're out of luck unless you're fluent in Mandarin. Want to go somewhere you've already been? Say, a bank? Better make sure you have their business card with the address written in Chinese characters. Otherwise, good luck getting a cab to go there 'cause your whole month of Mandarin isn't going to cut it. Want to order food? Forget what their menu says...you're not that good at reading the characters yet. Better make sure you have a book with translations. That way, you can point at dishes that sound good until you and the waiter agree on something that you want, and they can make.
3) they still drive like crazy people in Beijing, but only crazy like your embarrassing Aunt May. In Shenyang, they're certifiable. Here, I keep my eyes closed and sit in the back...in Beijing, I ride with my eyes open. It was a nice experience.
4) the highlight, though, was the food. Since I've gotten here, I've eaten Chinese food. Almost exclusively. Shenyang has a Pizza Hut, a few McDonald's and KFC's and one Subway (that I've seen). I've eaten at all of these, but, as I may have mentioned, I don't get into the city very often. I shop for vegetables and tofu at the local market, what is sold there is grown locally. I have two propane burners. Consequently, even at home, I cook Chinese food. The two local restaurants that we've scoped out as being hygienic are a hot pot place, and a traditional Chinese food place. The big 'Western' store in town carries a few things (hello coffee grinds!) but the range of Western foods isn't extensive and, really, Ritz crackers only go so far.
There were 8 of us from Shenyang in Beijing this week, staying at 3 different hotels. And there were two differing camps in terms of eating. One camp thought that it would be a waste to go to Beijing and not sample the Peking duck, the various street foods, the excellent Cantonese and Szechuan foods available. The other camp thought it would be a waste to not take advantage of the cosmopolitan nature of the city and eat anything other than Chinese food. If you've met me, you can probably guess which camp I was in...
Yup. I've had Chinese food for a month. I only seem to cook Chinese food for myself. I will eat Chinese food until my next break which is in January(!). Honestly, that's a whole lot of Chinese food. Think about your own eating habits for a second. Have you had Italian food lately? Chinese food? Maybe gone out for Vietnamese? Or Cajun? Or Mexican? Bet you haven't eaten the exact same flavours, textures, vegetables for three months straight. So...damn right I took the opportunity to have Mexican food. The opportunity to have Indian food. The opportunity to have Thai food. The opportunity to have Greek food. The opportunity to have brie cheese. Or cheese of any kind. Or bread that doesn't taste like sponge cake. Or a Caesar salad (and, seriously, if you're ever in Beijing, check out Paul's Steak and Eggs!)
It was extremely hard to come home. I'm a city girl, and the bigger the better. The rural life doesn't suit me, and never will. Beijing is much more my style. But, again, it's all about perspective. On our last night in Beijing, I and some of my traveling companions went out for coffee and dessert. We started talking to the waitress; in conversation, we mentioned that we were from Shenyang and how much different and wonderful Beijing was. None of us were looking forward to returning home. But, the waitress had a very different viewpoint. She was very impressed with us. She said she finds it very annoying that people come to China, settle in Beijing, get comfortable and never leave; yet they feel that they 'know' China. And, she's right. I didn't choose it; to be honest, I'm not sure, given full disclosure, that I would choose it, but I'm getting an experience that is priceless.
1) the hotel beds were soft. Really soft. Chinese television advertisements show tanks rolling over mattresses. I'm not sure why this is a draw, but I'm pretty sure the one I have could hold it's own against an entire fleet.
2) people spoke English. Beijing is still China and most people speak Chinese, but there was still enough English knowledge that we were able to figure out where we wanted to go, get from place A to place B, order meals, shop, buy tickets, etc. I cannot describe how incredible this is. In Shenyang, I rarely go anywhere that I do not know of specifically. Want to buy some cds? Don't know where a good music shop is? Well, then, you're out of luck unless you're fluent in Mandarin. Want to go somewhere you've already been? Say, a bank? Better make sure you have their business card with the address written in Chinese characters. Otherwise, good luck getting a cab to go there 'cause your whole month of Mandarin isn't going to cut it. Want to order food? Forget what their menu says...you're not that good at reading the characters yet. Better make sure you have a book with translations. That way, you can point at dishes that sound good until you and the waiter agree on something that you want, and they can make.
3) they still drive like crazy people in Beijing, but only crazy like your embarrassing Aunt May. In Shenyang, they're certifiable. Here, I keep my eyes closed and sit in the back...in Beijing, I ride with my eyes open. It was a nice experience.
4) the highlight, though, was the food. Since I've gotten here, I've eaten Chinese food. Almost exclusively. Shenyang has a Pizza Hut, a few McDonald's and KFC's and one Subway (that I've seen). I've eaten at all of these, but, as I may have mentioned, I don't get into the city very often. I shop for vegetables and tofu at the local market, what is sold there is grown locally. I have two propane burners. Consequently, even at home, I cook Chinese food. The two local restaurants that we've scoped out as being hygienic are a hot pot place, and a traditional Chinese food place. The big 'Western' store in town carries a few things (hello coffee grinds!) but the range of Western foods isn't extensive and, really, Ritz crackers only go so far.
There were 8 of us from Shenyang in Beijing this week, staying at 3 different hotels. And there were two differing camps in terms of eating. One camp thought that it would be a waste to go to Beijing and not sample the Peking duck, the various street foods, the excellent Cantonese and Szechuan foods available. The other camp thought it would be a waste to not take advantage of the cosmopolitan nature of the city and eat anything other than Chinese food. If you've met me, you can probably guess which camp I was in...
Yup. I've had Chinese food for a month. I only seem to cook Chinese food for myself. I will eat Chinese food until my next break which is in January(!). Honestly, that's a whole lot of Chinese food. Think about your own eating habits for a second. Have you had Italian food lately? Chinese food? Maybe gone out for Vietnamese? Or Cajun? Or Mexican? Bet you haven't eaten the exact same flavours, textures, vegetables for three months straight. So...damn right I took the opportunity to have Mexican food. The opportunity to have Indian food. The opportunity to have Thai food. The opportunity to have Greek food. The opportunity to have brie cheese. Or cheese of any kind. Or bread that doesn't taste like sponge cake. Or a Caesar salad (and, seriously, if you're ever in Beijing, check out Paul's Steak and Eggs!)
It was extremely hard to come home. I'm a city girl, and the bigger the better. The rural life doesn't suit me, and never will. Beijing is much more my style. But, again, it's all about perspective. On our last night in Beijing, I and some of my traveling companions went out for coffee and dessert. We started talking to the waitress; in conversation, we mentioned that we were from Shenyang and how much different and wonderful Beijing was. None of us were looking forward to returning home. But, the waitress had a very different viewpoint. She was very impressed with us. She said she finds it very annoying that people come to China, settle in Beijing, get comfortable and never leave; yet they feel that they 'know' China. And, she's right. I didn't choose it; to be honest, I'm not sure, given full disclosure, that I would choose it, but I'm getting an experience that is priceless.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Apology
I've been working crazy hours trying to get my library in order. Clearly, I have very few books and am barely functional. Ordering more, however, is a maze of confusion that I'm not sure I will ever be able to navigate comfortably. What I do know, though, is that our primary book vendor is out of Shanghai. The process of finding books I want, sending off a list to him, getting a quote back, putting together a P.O. and then receiving the materials takes about three months. This is the cheap version, and is preferable. Ordering from Canada is slightly different. I, again, figure out what I want, put together a list with prices from Chapters and then fax it off to the Vancouver office where it will be purchased immediately. The rub, though, is that it will not be immediately sent over. Rather, it will be received and then brought over as school officials travel from Canada to China. This could be months...this could be October 12.
In fact, it is October 12. So, on top of still dealing with all of the technical issues (and, oh, there are so many...) in Chinese, trying to get furniture ordered, in Chinese, training my unwilling teacher volunteers to catalogue, staff meetings, classes coming in and out, and helping (babysitting) kids on computers, I've been madly trying to decide what I need, and what to order. Seriously - it takes more time than you would think. Increasing the problem is that while their are guides to help with collection development, the kids here are so far below the English level that they should be that most guides are useless. And really, not that it's an excuse, but I've been working here for less than a month now. It's a bit overwhelming.
You're thinking that there's still a little time to get the order in, though; no need to panic. Someone comes over on the 12th, but Chapters orders don't take too much time, I could probably push it another week. But, actually, there isn't. Tomorrow, I'm leaving for a week celebrating "National Week" in Beijing. A week long celebration to, uh, celebrate the creation of the People's Republic; the whole country shuts down and shows some civic pride, including Canadian librarians, or so it appears.
So, I got everything that I want sent off yesterday. If I've done a good job, I should be getting a collection which covers, barely, all the subjects and reference areas. I'm exhausted, I never want to look at Booklist or Chapters again (and I'm stunned that I'm even thinking it) and I promise that I will write more regularly upon my return. In fact, I've even got a few ideas. In a few weeks, if you don't know all, or more than you wanted to, about 'my first Chinese massage', 'my first Chinese tantrum', or my thoughts on television in China and in general...yell at me.
In fact, it is October 12. So, on top of still dealing with all of the technical issues (and, oh, there are so many...) in Chinese, trying to get furniture ordered, in Chinese, training my unwilling teacher volunteers to catalogue, staff meetings, classes coming in and out, and helping (babysitting) kids on computers, I've been madly trying to decide what I need, and what to order. Seriously - it takes more time than you would think. Increasing the problem is that while their are guides to help with collection development, the kids here are so far below the English level that they should be that most guides are useless. And really, not that it's an excuse, but I've been working here for less than a month now. It's a bit overwhelming.
You're thinking that there's still a little time to get the order in, though; no need to panic. Someone comes over on the 12th, but Chapters orders don't take too much time, I could probably push it another week. But, actually, there isn't. Tomorrow, I'm leaving for a week celebrating "National Week" in Beijing. A week long celebration to, uh, celebrate the creation of the People's Republic; the whole country shuts down and shows some civic pride, including Canadian librarians, or so it appears.
So, I got everything that I want sent off yesterday. If I've done a good job, I should be getting a collection which covers, barely, all the subjects and reference areas. I'm exhausted, I never want to look at Booklist or Chapters again (and I'm stunned that I'm even thinking it) and I promise that I will write more regularly upon my return. In fact, I've even got a few ideas. In a few weeks, if you don't know all, or more than you wanted to, about 'my first Chinese massage', 'my first Chinese tantrum', or my thoughts on television in China and in general...yell at me.
Monday, September 18, 2006
For those of you who care about such things...
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I've posted a few pictures from my library. Let's play a game, shall we? What does your standard issue library look like? What does it have? Now. What does this one look like, what does it have?
By my estimation, I have got :
-several student computers that are a) not networked to the ILS, and b) not networked to the printer. Until I resolve a few communication problems with the IT people (and you think dealing with them in English is bad), I don't think this will be changing.
-2 desks pushed together to make a large-ish work space. Not fantastic, but manageable.
-a water cooler. This took me 3 weeks of fighting for, and represents a major victory to me.
-a book case. Already packed to the gills.
-dictionaries for sale. I currently have as many of these as circulating books.
-assorted gym equipment. Why? Because until the gym is completed, the library is the most logical place to store a few basketballs, of course.
-6 tables, not nearly enough chairs
-roughly 600 books, 24 of which have been catalogued.
Now, what I would like is
-more storage space for my various binders, files, manuals, the eventual publisher catalogues I will have...
-stands for the magazines that I will order
-paperback stands
-newspaper racks for the newspapers that will eventually come in
-book carts
-a return book area, preferably in a nice workable desk
-vertical files
-an atlas/dictionary/thesaurus stand
-some reading themed posters
-some plants
and, it probably goes without saying, but
-more books.
I've been told that the furniture may or may not have been ordered. Someone is in the process of finding out who may have been responsible for this and then tracking down when the furniture may or may not arrive. Until then, I make do. What is more difficult for me at the moment is finding the time to catalogue 500 books, order an entire library's worth of books and learn the Mandarin words for 'network' and 'OPAC'. Let's hope my librarian sea legs kick in soon.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
The Surreal Life
Last week was Terry Fox Day, and being a Canadian school, we of course had a Terry Fox run. While being a truly Canadian institution, the run highlighted everything that is Chinese about my life.
I live in a Chinese 'Development Zone' - the New & Hi tech Agricultural Development Zone, in fact. This means that I live on the very, very outskirts of the city, in an area that was likely completely rural until a year ago. Now, the rural life is slowly being overtaken by busy roads, massive industrial parks and rows and rows of luxury apartment buildings. Since this is China, this is not happening necessarily in an orderly fashion; rather, fields are interspersed with apartment buildings and major complexes are directly across from old village streets and markets. The school I am at, a huge compound in it's own right complete with apartments, a school, dormitories, a massive (and uncompleted) gym and food court, and a large courtyard, is directly in the middle of this. The route of the run, our track not being finished yet, consisted of leaving the school gates, turning right onto a small but busy road and then right again onto an extremely busy, major roadway. Right again on to another busy road, loop around a reservoir.
Being part of the teaching staff, instead of running, (thank god) I got to stand on the side of the road along the route to help direct and cheer the kids on. It's not a long route, but as I was leaving the school I got a lift from one of the school drivers. Through a very complicated game of charades, I managed to get him to drop me off in the middle of a busy road not more than a 15 minute walk away. Complicated in part because he doesn't speak English, and my Chinese is limited to basic numbers and a few bargaining terms, and in part because there was no way to explain to the poor man why on earth I would want to be dropped off so close to school, yet so much in the middle of nowhere.
Since I was early, I had about a 15 minute wait before the race began. So, I sat myself down on the side of the curb and took in the Chinese experience. Old people and young people riding by on bikes. The sound of construction behind me and a vast empty space in front. Expensive cars with tinted windows. Trucks that may have come from the 1960's. The sightseeing was not one sided, though. Every single person who passed by turned and stared. Cars slowed down. One man on a motorcycle actually turned around and drove past me twice. If I think China is strange, the feeling is returned doubly.
On the other hand, kids are kids everywhere. The race started and the keeners webt jogging past. Next came the ones who were trying but not really enjoying it. And finally, at the very back of the pack came groups who clearly had no interest in anything other than a leisurely stroll and a good chat with their friends. More than anything, what I'm finding is that once the layers are peeled off, people really are the same everywhere you go.
I live in a Chinese 'Development Zone' - the New & Hi tech Agricultural Development Zone, in fact. This means that I live on the very, very outskirts of the city, in an area that was likely completely rural until a year ago. Now, the rural life is slowly being overtaken by busy roads, massive industrial parks and rows and rows of luxury apartment buildings. Since this is China, this is not happening necessarily in an orderly fashion; rather, fields are interspersed with apartment buildings and major complexes are directly across from old village streets and markets. The school I am at, a huge compound in it's own right complete with apartments, a school, dormitories, a massive (and uncompleted) gym and food court, and a large courtyard, is directly in the middle of this. The route of the run, our track not being finished yet, consisted of leaving the school gates, turning right onto a small but busy road and then right again onto an extremely busy, major roadway. Right again on to another busy road, loop around a reservoir.
Being part of the teaching staff, instead of running, (thank god) I got to stand on the side of the road along the route to help direct and cheer the kids on. It's not a long route, but as I was leaving the school I got a lift from one of the school drivers. Through a very complicated game of charades, I managed to get him to drop me off in the middle of a busy road not more than a 15 minute walk away. Complicated in part because he doesn't speak English, and my Chinese is limited to basic numbers and a few bargaining terms, and in part because there was no way to explain to the poor man why on earth I would want to be dropped off so close to school, yet so much in the middle of nowhere.
Since I was early, I had about a 15 minute wait before the race began. So, I sat myself down on the side of the curb and took in the Chinese experience. Old people and young people riding by on bikes. The sound of construction behind me and a vast empty space in front. Expensive cars with tinted windows. Trucks that may have come from the 1960's. The sightseeing was not one sided, though. Every single person who passed by turned and stared. Cars slowed down. One man on a motorcycle actually turned around and drove past me twice. If I think China is strange, the feeling is returned doubly.
On the other hand, kids are kids everywhere. The race started and the keeners webt jogging past. Next came the ones who were trying but not really enjoying it. And finally, at the very back of the pack came groups who clearly had no interest in anything other than a leisurely stroll and a good chat with their friends. More than anything, what I'm finding is that once the layers are peeled off, people really are the same everywhere you go.
Monday, September 11, 2006
It was a good day
It's funny how a few little things can change your whole perspective. China's a tough country to move to. The sensory overload alone can be incredible. Almost everything that we take for granted in the West requires extra effort or doesn't exist. Part of the problem is mine. Without the correct words, everything can take longer than it would normally. Sometimes, things just don't exist. I had no idea how much I used an oven until I didn't have one. Without the internet, the last few weeks have left me feeling like I've landed, alone, on the moon. Yesterday, I was unhappy and lonely. And then, a few things happened to change it around.
Internet access arrived and I was able to cursorily catch up on email and read the news. Paris Hilton was caught drunk driving and ipods are so ubiquitous that they are no longer cool! Once again, I am part of the real world.
I've been stressing out about work alot and putting in a lot of overtime. Coupled with the fact that I'm still trying to figure out a) what those funny looking vegetables are good for, and b) how to make a proper meal on only two propane burners, or c) how to order something that doesn't involve meat, I haven't been eating too well. I wonder if that's been contributing to my mood? But, yesterday, the wife of one of the teachers here brought over a wonderful, delicious, nutritious and fully prepared meal for me and we had a really nice chat while I ate it. The kindness of new friends is better than Ativan and Xanax combined.
And. And. To top off a good day, the building manager and the maintenance man, Bill and Richard respectively, dropped by to fix all the little things that are wrong with my apartment. Now, I have it pretty good. I've had a lot less problems than other people. But laundry has been a bit of a challenge in the last few weeks. Washing machines function similarly to those in the West. You put the clothes in, the water goes in, cleans and drains in four cycles. Not too bad. However, there appears to be a fair amount of concrete in the pipes so instead of draining away into the plumbing ether, the water from my machine drains onto the bathroom floor. This means that instead of putting in a load and going about my business, I have been spending my laundry time sitting on the bathroom floor next to a bucket, poised to grab the hose the second I hear the drain cycle begin. When the bucket is almost full, I pause the machine, dump the water into the bathtub, and begin the refilling of the bucket. Each drain cycle, of which there are four, involves four full buckets. And at least once during every laundry day, I manage to miss the beginning of the drain cycle and the hose goes flying out of the bucket, spraying me and flooding the floor.
Since the school is still essentially a construction zone, my house is also very dusty. A wet floor means a very dirty floor. The mop lives in the bathroom, and, since I'm already mopping I may as well do a little extra cleaning. Laundry has become a serious chore. Now, I'm not big on cleaning. I'm not a total slob, but I'll let things slide sometimes in the name of leisure time. I'm beginning to think that the cleaning gods are having a good laugh at my expense; the laundry situation is part of some sort of karmic retribution for my past level of slack.
But, as of last night, I can now do laundry like a normal person. I dump the clothes in and walk away. No more sitting on the floor. No more spontaneous showers. No more mopping. No more cleaning. It was a very good day. I'm sure my emotional state will be a merry-go-round for a good while to come, but at least I'll have clean clothes. And believe me...that goes a long, long way.
Internet access arrived and I was able to cursorily catch up on email and read the news. Paris Hilton was caught drunk driving and ipods are so ubiquitous that they are no longer cool! Once again, I am part of the real world.
I've been stressing out about work alot and putting in a lot of overtime. Coupled with the fact that I'm still trying to figure out a) what those funny looking vegetables are good for, and b) how to make a proper meal on only two propane burners, or c) how to order something that doesn't involve meat, I haven't been eating too well. I wonder if that's been contributing to my mood? But, yesterday, the wife of one of the teachers here brought over a wonderful, delicious, nutritious and fully prepared meal for me and we had a really nice chat while I ate it. The kindness of new friends is better than Ativan and Xanax combined.
And. And. To top off a good day, the building manager and the maintenance man, Bill and Richard respectively, dropped by to fix all the little things that are wrong with my apartment. Now, I have it pretty good. I've had a lot less problems than other people. But laundry has been a bit of a challenge in the last few weeks. Washing machines function similarly to those in the West. You put the clothes in, the water goes in, cleans and drains in four cycles. Not too bad. However, there appears to be a fair amount of concrete in the pipes so instead of draining away into the plumbing ether, the water from my machine drains onto the bathroom floor. This means that instead of putting in a load and going about my business, I have been spending my laundry time sitting on the bathroom floor next to a bucket, poised to grab the hose the second I hear the drain cycle begin. When the bucket is almost full, I pause the machine, dump the water into the bathtub, and begin the refilling of the bucket. Each drain cycle, of which there are four, involves four full buckets. And at least once during every laundry day, I manage to miss the beginning of the drain cycle and the hose goes flying out of the bucket, spraying me and flooding the floor.
Since the school is still essentially a construction zone, my house is also very dusty. A wet floor means a very dirty floor. The mop lives in the bathroom, and, since I'm already mopping I may as well do a little extra cleaning. Laundry has become a serious chore. Now, I'm not big on cleaning. I'm not a total slob, but I'll let things slide sometimes in the name of leisure time. I'm beginning to think that the cleaning gods are having a good laugh at my expense; the laundry situation is part of some sort of karmic retribution for my past level of slack.
But, as of last night, I can now do laundry like a normal person. I dump the clothes in and walk away. No more sitting on the floor. No more spontaneous showers. No more mopping. No more cleaning. It was a very good day. I'm sure my emotional state will be a merry-go-round for a good while to come, but at least I'll have clean clothes. And believe me...that goes a long, long way.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
On why the internet is so important, or, a down note during the transitional phase....
I left home on the 22nd of August. Today is the first day that I have reliable internet access.
More and more, I think that we've begun to see the world as very small. With the internet, we are able to keep in touch with friends across the globe in real time. We know and are able to see what is happening in distant countries as it is happening. Let me tell you...the world is not really all that small physically. I left Edmonton on the morning of the 22nd and took a flight to Vancouver. A few hours later, I was on a 9 hour flight to Tokyo. After a 14 hour overnight layover, it was on to a three hour flight into China. And then, a 5 hour bus trip to my new home. Not including layover time, that's a total of 18 hours. Not a small world after all, if you ask me.
Since then, it's been an incredible rollercoaster. Moment to moment, I have no idea whether I've been happy to be here or not. There are moments when I'm incredibly grateful to be experiencing this. Professionally, I'm in the best position of my life. I am in charge of setting up and running a library from the ground up, complete with a staff of three volunteers; I am gaining experience that would take years to reach otherwise. I live in a beautiful 1600 foot apartment with a study and a large kitchen, and it's costing me the ridiculously low price of $300. I've already picked up a few Chinese words (granted they involve shopping and the one that rolls of my lips most easily is "that costs too much" - gotta love the bargain system) and am learning more all the time. And I live in a remote, development area of a city which allows me to mix with the locals in a way I would likely never get to in a more cosmopolitan area. The local village comes alive at night and it is truly a gift to be able to wander through
On the other hand, I think I might be a cosmopolitan kind of girl. I like the bustle of the city. I like the diversions - restaurants, movies, the bustle - that it offers. I live in an area where the water and occassionally the electricity go off as regularly as, I'm told, they often did 30 years ago in China. I have buckets of water in my kitchen stockpiled; even when the water does flow, I can't seem to get my laundry washer to hook up properly. I more or less live on a construction site which ensures that even though I sweep every night, there is a visible layer of dust on my floor every morning in which I can track my footprints. And this area is fairly remote. I'm an hour ride from the centre of the city. The village is incredible. But I'm a city girl and I'm not sure how long I will be able to entertain myself with the women dancing in the square. Am I callous and colonial for saying that?
However, these things will end. The area will be built up and will begin to run efficiently. More than these things though, which are temporary and frustrating but ultimately manageable, I feel isolated. Hopefully, internet access will change this, but I miss my friends from home, and I miss the comfortable bubble of likemindedness that library school provided. I like to think that this too will change. But, to be honest, at this moment, I'm homesick and I don't like China all that much.
More and more, I think that we've begun to see the world as very small. With the internet, we are able to keep in touch with friends across the globe in real time. We know and are able to see what is happening in distant countries as it is happening. Let me tell you...the world is not really all that small physically. I left Edmonton on the morning of the 22nd and took a flight to Vancouver. A few hours later, I was on a 9 hour flight to Tokyo. After a 14 hour overnight layover, it was on to a three hour flight into China. And then, a 5 hour bus trip to my new home. Not including layover time, that's a total of 18 hours. Not a small world after all, if you ask me.
Since then, it's been an incredible rollercoaster. Moment to moment, I have no idea whether I've been happy to be here or not. There are moments when I'm incredibly grateful to be experiencing this. Professionally, I'm in the best position of my life. I am in charge of setting up and running a library from the ground up, complete with a staff of three volunteers; I am gaining experience that would take years to reach otherwise. I live in a beautiful 1600 foot apartment with a study and a large kitchen, and it's costing me the ridiculously low price of $300. I've already picked up a few Chinese words (granted they involve shopping and the one that rolls of my lips most easily is "that costs too much" - gotta love the bargain system) and am learning more all the time. And I live in a remote, development area of a city which allows me to mix with the locals in a way I would likely never get to in a more cosmopolitan area. The local village comes alive at night and it is truly a gift to be able to wander through
On the other hand, I think I might be a cosmopolitan kind of girl. I like the bustle of the city. I like the diversions - restaurants, movies, the bustle - that it offers. I live in an area where the water and occassionally the electricity go off as regularly as, I'm told, they often did 30 years ago in China. I have buckets of water in my kitchen stockpiled; even when the water does flow, I can't seem to get my laundry washer to hook up properly. I more or less live on a construction site which ensures that even though I sweep every night, there is a visible layer of dust on my floor every morning in which I can track my footprints. And this area is fairly remote. I'm an hour ride from the centre of the city. The village is incredible. But I'm a city girl and I'm not sure how long I will be able to entertain myself with the women dancing in the square. Am I callous and colonial for saying that?
However, these things will end. The area will be built up and will begin to run efficiently. More than these things though, which are temporary and frustrating but ultimately manageable, I feel isolated. Hopefully, internet access will change this, but I miss my friends from home, and I miss the comfortable bubble of likemindedness that library school provided. I like to think that this too will change. But, to be honest, at this moment, I'm homesick and I don't like China all that much.
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