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Published: March 16th 2006
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Stuart and Erica with MSW class
This was the day that Erica came to teach Qualitative Research! We have now begun our fourth week here and the routine remains “dynamic”. We have a teaching schedule, which has me in class on Monday and Tuesday and Ellen in class on Monday and Friday. We each have some additional responsibilities that require a fair amount of additional time during the week.
For Ellen, it is supervising the students who are working on the Chinese Working Women’s Network (CWWN) bus, which each Saturday parks in an industrial area about an hour from here. She has some social work students, for whom this is a field placement and some staff and volunteers for the CWWN. This is important work, one that nourishes the tendrils of an independent labor movement here in the PRC with Ellen’s considerable experience and acumen. She has also been going with the bus on its weekly visit, witnessing the process up close.
The first snafu came this week in a meeting with the social work department chair. She told us that the word had been passed that the presence of the foreigner on the bus was unwarranted. The message had been passed, indirectly through several people, at no time being directly attributed to any individual or
On the campus of Zhongshan
All the photos on this posting were taken by Erica! organization; the message, nonetheless, was clear. No waigouren (foreigner) on the bus, so off the bus she is. Be assured, she has found ways to spend the time.
We have had a great weeklong visit with our dear friend Erica, who lives in Montpelier. Erica is a public health consultant and taught two classes in Qualitative Research. She was well received and has, for sure, changed the lives of some young Chinese students, with her clear description of an inclusive process to solicit the needs of health care consumers. Step by step, all our efforts here are to make some small cotribution in the building of a transparent, civil society, notwithstanding great institutional resistance and inertia.
With Erica’s presence, we gave ourselves the opportunity to do a bit of touring in Guangzhou, which is not noted for its sites. A lovely folk art museum one day, a Buddhist temple and pagoda the next was about the extent of it. Oh, and lots of eating; the Chinese in general and the Cantonese especially are quite attentive to food. The recent two decades have seen a large increase in the quantity and quality of food here and the centuries old
Erica and Ellen at Chen Family Temple
This was a large restored residence, filled with traditional Chinese craftwork, much of it of very high quality! food attentiveness has only flourished. Food is everywhere (there are 8000 restaurants here in Guangzhou) and people spend vast amount of time eating. It is about the only thing they do slowly and with measured steps. We did Sichuan one night (excellent but a bit too hot for some), a Buddhist vegetarian another, I cooked one night (!), and lots of great street food (scallion pancakes, baked goods, fruit of all descriptions).
We are now having a visit from a young friend from Vermont, who has just spent the past year teaching English and helping migrant workers organize in Korea. Devon is an organizing colleague of Ellen’s and she has already gotten her hand in on the CWWN project. No one visits without lending a hand, the project is vast and time is short. Next up is a two-week visit from Eli, who will surely be pressed into service, in many different ways.
A new project has appeared to gain our attention; during the last two weeks of February, four students and one teacher leaped to their deaths at a neighboring university. In customary Chinese fashion, little news was available, leaving room for rumors and innuendo to flourish.
When a news story finally appeared, it served to blame the deceased, absolve the university of any need to act, and close off lines of communication that students had attempted to establish outside official channels. After talking with some of our Master’s students, we decided to draft a proposal for a suicide prevention project, using the social work students as the “staff”. Our department chair will be taking the proposal to the university Vice-President tomorrow, once we get it translated into Chinese. There is official recognition of the suicide problem here in China and there are some organizations focused on addressing the problem. We hope to draw some of those established efforts into our initiative.
We are also using our class time to discuss the issue, Ellen from a community organizing perspective, while I am using it in my Chronic Conditions course as an example of planning and implementing population-based responses. All very exciting! Best of all, it gives the two of us much time together working along with very earnest (and naïve) students.
The weather remains cool (mid 50’s) and cloudy/smoggy. We are in a routine, the scallion pancake vendor recognizes Ellen when she appears for her
Stuart and Roy at Buddhist Temple
Roy is our very energetic Chinese tutor who accompnaied us on a day of touring daily hit! More to come and thanks for listening.
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Don Rhoades
non-member comment
Thanks, Stu!
Thank you so much for keeping me updated. I have three sisters, plus nieces and nephews, plus my own two daughters and their families who are also fascinated by your adventure and who get everything you send forwarded to them. What a wonderful opportunity you have created for yourselves! Question: Who is the person referred to as your "Master?" Is this a spiritual master or an administrative supervisor? Thanks again and keep sending the updates. Don