Dalian - Happy New Year

16th January 2011

Happy New Year / Happy Spring Festival,

The last 3 weeks have been very busy with tests, revisions and exams - followed by the task of marking 100 test and 100 exam papers in 3 days! As always the humdrum of reading so many similar papers, this time about something Australian, has had its light relief:

• My favourite was a description of Australia's, indeed the world's, deadliest snake: the Inland Taipan - it read "The Inland Taipan is the most venomous snack in the world". Well, I could hardly mark him down for that, because he's probably correct!
• Another was about Australia's Crocodile Hunter - it said "Steve Irwin's family were related to reptiles".
• Finally, a good example of Chinglish translation was about Lleyton Hewitt's romantic relationship with Kim Clijsters: "The end of a love relationship can be completed in the flames of calcium carbide".

Note that I do not laugh at these students but with them, once I have explained their error.

Weather report: although we didn't have a White Christmas, I continue to be very impressed with the weather in Dalian. Even though we've only had 2 days of snow so far, and the temperature is often below zero, almost every day there is bright sunshine. Feeling cosy inside my warm apartment, this has been one of the few winters where I haven't come down with a nasty cold or cough.

On Christmas eve, the teachers threw a party for the 200-odd students who attended. Santa Claus (aka the head teacher in the red and black striped shirt in the Xmas-lunch photos) is an excellent pianist, and the only female teacher is a talented singer. My contribution was to explain a typical Western Xmas, followed by two pertinent Christmas cartoons (MIckey Mouse, Pluto and the Chipmonks + Tom and Jerry) which the students thoroughly enjoyed. The following day, teachers, staff and friends had a Western-style Xmas lunch at a 5-star hotel (refer photos): sad to say that the beautiful young lady cuddling up to me belongs to the tall, young American teacher, who is my friend and colleague.

Possibly my highlight in Dalian was to have attended an invitation-only classical concert by the Berlin Philarmonic Orchestra, courtesy of my contact. The first night was for the Mayor of Dalian and other dignatories; the second, which I attended, was for staff and family of the orchestra's sponsor "China Construction Bank" - my only real connection was that I bank with them! Apart from being a world-renowned orchestra, the enjoyment was in listening to them perform 14 popular pieces from a variety of composers.

Well, I am now preparing to go back to Melbourne for my regular half-yearly visit. Unfortunately, it's a sad time for all Australians due to the devastating floods in Queensland: I hope the rest of the world responds to their plight in a similar way that Australians generously gave to the Sichuan earthquake of 2008.

For all you guys in Melbourne I hope to catch up with you soon; for those in China, have a happy and enjoyable Spring Festival.

Renzo

PS: After more than 2 years of these chronicles, and an ever-increasing distribution list, it's probably time to determine who is still interested in receiving these reports.
Hence, please reply with a simple YES (to keep receiving them) or a NO. I will assume a non-response to mean NO.