Category Archives: Jack

Photography and comments by Jack Porter of Guiyang (site administrator).

Jinxiu Project in Qinzhen, May 18

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“Beautiful Things” project last Saturday featured a lot of minority people’s fashion. The styles are modern and  the cloth was local. The venue was the “Time Town” which is a new/old city. The Time Town is a new city that has been build with old European styles to simulate an old city. It has a lot of art, restaurants, and statues. It also features a very large park area and can handle a lot of people.

Speakers at the event featured designers from around the country, including Beijing, as well as the President of Guizhou Normal University.

China Ranks #1 on Student Testing

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http://www.businessinsider.sg/china-has-a-major-issue-with-its-educational-system-2015-5/#.VVKVJPmqqko

This article references China’s performance on  the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test. In comparison to China, the US scored 36th in math, 28th in science, and 24th in reading on the last PISA ranking.

The article concludes by suggesting that the US system remains better, but that the US is moving toward the Chinese system. So which is better, Yin or Yang ?

Update on Teachers Needed post

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Mr. LiLi Pan at lilipan@ymail.com is paying teachers $20 per session of Skype instruction. Each session is 40 minutes, with a 10 minute break between sessions. That means that in an hour and a half, a person could earn $40, deposited in his/her bank account in the USA or elsewhere. I’ve taught these sessions and they are charming,

Guizhou is, except for Tibet, the poorest province in China. Mr. Pan’s schools are serving the remote areas of Guizhou. The students really do appreciate having a foreigner to talk to, even if it is via computer. Please contact Mr. Pan if you have the time. Classes run during weekdays from 4:40 AM Eastern Time to 9:00 AM.

See http://www.tourguizhou.net/archives/10217 for more details.

See

Jack

 

Irregular Verbs, Study Guide

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The following irregular verbs are required for the Freshman classes. Here are some examples:

Irregular Verbs Study Guide: Class B/C

  1. Class has always begun at 8:00 am.                                                   BEGIN.
  2. Class is always beginning at 8:00 am.
  3. Class began at 8:00 am.
  4. Don’t break the pencil.                                                                         BREAK
  5. You broke the pencil.
  6. This pencil has been broken by you.
  7. I bought a book yesterday.                                                                  BUY
  8. I can buy a book anywhere.
  9. I like to buy books.
  10. He likes to drink beer.                                                                         DRINK
  11. He is drinking beer every day.
  12. He drank beer yesterday.
  13. He has drunk beer every day this week.
  14. I gave him something to eat.                                                               EAT
  15. He ate yesterday.
  16. He has eaten every day this week.
  17. They fell in love.                                                                                     FALL
  18. They have often fallen in love.
  19. They are falling in love right now.
  20. I have forgotten many names of classmates.                                    FORGET
  21. I forgot your name.
  22. Don’t forget my name.
  23. I gave him food yesterday.                                                                   GIVE
  24. I am always giving him food.
  25. I have given him food every day this week.
  26. He has been gone for three days.                                                        GO
  27. He went there yesterday.
  28. .He is going there now.
  29. I have given him food.                                                                       HAVE
  30. I had given him food the day before.
  31. I have known about the exam for three days.                                   KNOW
  32. He is usually laying down at 2:00 pm.                                                LAY
  33. I haven’t learned enough irregular verbs.                                          LEARN
  34. I have met him today.                                                                          MEET
  35. The bell is ringing now.                                                                         RING
  36. I have often run to class.                                                                      RUN
  37. I can see a dog.                                                                                      SEE
  38. Shut the door.                                                                                        SHUT
  39. My classmates and I have often sung songs at the KTV.                     SING
  40. My classmates and I are often singing songs at the KTV.
  41. Don’t talk to me.                                                                                   SPEAK
  42. We took a break at 3:30 pm.                                                               TAKE
  43. The teacher taught us well.                                                                  TEACH
  44. The book’s page has been torn.                                                           TEAR
  45. I told him that I would be late.                                                           TELL
  46. I have often thought about the test.                                                  THINK
  47. He has worn the same clothes every day this week.                        WEAR
  48. I have written the letter over and over again.                                   Write

Teachers Needed

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 NOTE: The following was provided by Mr. Pan, who is working hard to bring education opportunities to remote areas of Guizhou Province. I have discussed his project with him several times and wish him success.  ….  Also, I have listed this post under categories of  Education, Do-Gooders, and Jack, which I believe to be appropriate. . .  Jack

 

YY English Learning Center offers English language services to children and youth in remote areas in Guizhou Province, China.  Our mission is to bring equal opportunity of education and exposure to children and youth of remote regions in Guizhou Province.  YY works together with local schools to bring quality English language instructions to children of minority ethnic origins, and to children that are “left behind” by parents who find jobs in coastal areas in search of a better life.  More than 80% of our student population are ethnic minorities, and more than 70% of our student population are “left-behind” children.
 
YY English Learning Center currently operates in Luodian County, Duyun District. We are also in the process of expanding to other regions including Weining, Pu’an, Shuicheng, and Libo. We are providing supplemental English classes focusing on listening and speaking.  In Luodian, we have enrolled more than 400 primary school children ages from 6 to 12, and close to 100 middle school children ages from 12 to 15. The numbers are still growing!  
 
Our classes are structured to bring out the best of Chinese style classroom teaching, native speaker classroom teaching, and native speaker on-line teaching.  While the Chinese teacher provides the basic structure and drilling of the English language, the on-line teacher provides the authenticity and accuracy for the class.  The native speaker brings in the dynamic effects of the language learning process and a level of connectedness.  Our approach has proven to be effective.
 
We are in dire need of native speakers that can do on-line teaching through Skype Monday through Friday afternoons.  Classes are 40 minutes each with some 20 students, focusing on elementary listening and speaking.  The class schedule for each day is 4:40 – 5:20, 5:30 – 6:10, 7:30 – 8:10, and 8:20 – 9:00. YY can compensate teachers up to RMB120 (USD20) per class. The classes are assisted by an assistant teacher for the best results.
 
We are also looking for guest native speakers on weekends to visit Loudian, a beautiful place in the Southern part of Guizhou.  We will provide transportation, accommodations, and stipends for speakers.  And we can arrange sight-seeing and family visits if requested.
 
If you are interested, please contact Mr. Lili Pan at +86-189-7496-7777, or email him at lilipan@ymail.com.  

Tea Party at Wenchang Ge

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Hua Jie had a tea party at Wencang Ge, the ancient fortress guarding the East gate of the City. There were many people in traditional dress and a fine time was had by all.

Learning Chinese

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Here are the sentences I am learning. They are from 250 Essential Characters.  My teacher/student reads them to me, and I read them to him/her.  It is great fun and good practice.

 

 

A. Lawrence Jenkens, PhD of UNCG Comes to Guiyang

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Professor Jenkens, Department Head & Professor of Art History at The University of North Carolina, Greensboro came to Guiyang in the end of March to recruit Guiyang students of art and design to come to Greensboro for one week of intensive art and design experience. Professor Jenkens is has an AB, from Harvard University and an
MA, and Ph.D, from the  Institute of Fine Arts, NY University. See: http://www.uncg.edu/art/faculty/jenkens.html

The summer camp will accept 8th to 12th grade students for college level studio art instruction and exciting interdisiplinary arts experiences at the UNCG campus. Actually three camps are scheduled:

  1. Visual Art Camp
  2. Interior Architecture
  3. Film Making

The $520 tuition fee covers room, board, and college level instruction for six nights and seven days.  There are medical check requirements and parent permission paperwork, however, it is possible for students to attend these camps at a very reasonable price.

Here is a copy of the flyer:

This seems to be a great chance for Guiyang students to get a taste of college life in the USA, and have access to the University’s faculty and guidance councilors. I have often been asked what university requirements are for Chinese students, and I am not qualified to speak on behalf of actual universities in the USA. This is a chance for students to get answers to there questions, as well as college level training in an area of the arts that they are interested in.

The summer camp goes from July 12 to July 18. Questions can be directed to Dr. Jenkens at:  aljenken@uncg.edu .  If I can be of help, please contact me at johnsporter@gmail.com .

Detailed information and an online application form is at: https://store.nexternal.com/uncg/summer-art–design-camp-2015-c243.aspx .

It is my hope to go  to see this camp during the summer, so I may be able to cooperate with local people that want to go.

Jack

Buying a cell phone – Tips for Expats in China

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I paid about $17 for a little Samsung phone, a pay as you go, in the USA. I thought it would work in China. Further, knowing the expertise of Chinese technicians, I thought if it was locked, that a Chinese technician could unlock it and allow me to use it. No. Even though it was a prepaid phone, the ATT Corporation locked it as if it belonged to them. I couldn’t get it unlocked in China.

Imporant lesson – If you buy a phone in the USA, make sure that the provider you choose unlocks the phone before you bring it to China.

The Iphone is recognized as about the best phone, but it is pricey. It also doesn’t have an open system. If you want to use your phone like another flash drive, connecting to your computer, or add memory with and extra sim card, you may want to pass on the Iphone. Android phones are probably better. The top end Androids are probably better than the Iphones.  The Iphones won’t permit expansion, but the best Androids will accept SIM cards that can expand your memory to 128 Gigs. Iphones don’t accept Micro SD cards.

Most android phones are good around the world. You need to make sure that the frequency of the phone will work.  The GSM is a 2G phone and will work everywhere, but internet is limited. The most flexible Android phones are WCDMA. These will usually work in the USA, Europe, and China.

Android phones are not all the same.  Many companies change the Android system with proprietary user interfaces.  Sometimes this interferes with access to the local system. Accessing Google is a hassle in China.  There are VPN programs that allow the cell phone to connect to Google, but these are added after purchase.

When you buy a phone in the USA, it should have 3G and 4G frequencies that will work in China and elsewhere. When you buy a phone in |China, it needs to support WCDMA or CDMA2000 in order to work in the USA.