Qingdao Chatter -- The Beauty of Qingdao: Moving Right Along

Well, I am finally getting around to adding another post about my time in China. I meant to post the logo for Ocean University on my entry - so I thought I would start my post with it.

Below is a picture of Dad in one of his classes. He was reviewing with his class to help them get ready for the final. His students got together and bought him this Chinese jacket.

Receiving the jacket was perfect timing because both Pat and Dad were emcees at a Christmas party hosted by the university. There were 2 undergraduate students that translated what Dad and Pat said.

There were a number of other “Foreign Experts” (that is what they call the English teachers) at the party. I wonder if the menu was planned to be “Western-ish” so the guests would feel like they were at home. We could not figure out what the ‘meat’ was (we thought pork chops) and the fries tasted like they had been taken out of the freezer and served up on the plate. What I thought was especially cool was how the ketchup and pepper were placed on the plate, a little dollop of ketchup and a little pile of pepper. The best part was eating all of this with chop sticks while listening to Christmas music in the background.

Ah, Christmas Eve. My luggage arrived that night – the best Christmas present EVER! Dad and Pat had a tutoring session at 6:30 and when that was done we went to the little restaurant down the street. It literally is a "hole in the wall" type of place. There are were only 4 tables in the whole place, a lot of customers came in for take-out.

A picture of the outside of the restaurant. If you look on the right hand side of the photo you will see a dark brown, metal gate. Just inside this gate is where the food is cooked – yes – outdoor.

Christmas day was on the cool side, but not too cold to keep the ‘Americans’ from venturing out for some "Western" food. A number of the BYU teachers met up to celebrate together. We went to a place that serves non-Chinese food - things like fish and chips, pizza, roast beef and apple pie were on the menu. The couple sitting next to Pat live in the same building as the parents. They also teach English at Ocean University.

When you look up Qingdao on the internet you will often find a picture of the following sculpture:

This is the May 4th monument built to remember the May 4th Movement. I had no idea what the significance of this day was. Dad was disappointed that I didn’t know this important piece of history. Here is a little excerpt I found on the internet explaining the significance of this day.

May Fourth Movement
Chinese intellectual revolution and socio-political reform movement (1917–21). In 1915 young intellectuals inspired by Chen Duxiu began agitating for the reform and strengthening of Chinese society through acceptance of Western science, democracy, and schools of thought, one objective being to make China strong enough to resist Western imperialism. On May 4, 1919, reformist zeal found focus in a protest by Beijing's students against the Versailles Peace Conference's decision to transfer former German concessions in China to Japan. After more than a month of demonstrations, strikes, and boycotts of Japanese goods, the government gave way and refused to sign the peace treaty with Germany. The movement spurred the successful reorganization of the Nationalist Party and gave birth to the Chinese Communist Party.

There are a lot of cars (modes of transportation) in China, but I think Dad’s favourite is the Cadillac because he pointed them out whenever he saw one.

We also came across this fancy little car:

This bike comes equipped with a motor on it and is being used to deliver KFC. Dad enjoys eating the fish sandwich there - the chicken does not taste very good in China - they like dark, grisly chicken. Behind the delivery person you can see a line of delivery bikes.

Here is a 3 wheeled vehicle. I think it is some sort of taxi.

These 2 motorcycles were parked next to each other. There is a lot of fancy schmancy stuff and then just barely road worthy stuff.

Here is a motorized bike delivering propane. I can't remember how much he gets paid, but I know it isn't all that much. He certainly couldn't live off of what he makes delivering propane - he must have another job.