Dunedin Branch NZCFS Newsletter MAY 2015

Z
NZ China Friendship Society
Dunedin Branch
NEWSLETTER MAY 2015
IN THIS NEWSLETTER…
* Mandarin Assistants and Mt Cargill
* Beginner Mandarin Lessons
* Barock to Shanghai
* Next Meeting - …Through the
Decades June 17
And more…
APRIL ACTIVITY REPORT
Our goal was to Welcome a group of
Mandarin Language Assistants in Otago. We
were thrilled to meet not only six Mandarin
Language Assistants from the Confucius
Institute working in schools in Dunedin and
Clutha, but also four from other parts of the
South Island who were enjoying Dunedin during
the school holiday period. Dunedin members
including family members and children and
MLA hosts enjoyed the ‘organ pipes” on the
Mt Cargill walk, and a great tea and chat at the
home of our member Haixin Jiang.
For the walk we chose the last day before winter
arrived. For the talk, the MLAs shared their
experiences of how they were chosen, their
reflections on New Zealand schools, their plans
for the future.
One of the MLAs commented: I really had a
good time today. Thank you very much for
inviting us there. This afternoon you asked us
are there any moments that we suddenly want to
be a teacher. I'd say yes. Students here are very
lovely and sweet. I remember one day one of my
students gave me a piece of paper after class, it
says "Thank you for teaching us Chinese". And
another student drew a picture of me and her
together...Those are the moments that I want to
be a teacher. I like all the students here, really.
And I think all MLAs have some moments that
they want to be a teacher. We really enjoy the
time here.
Other comments:
…Our family had great time on Saturday!
…a great gathering on Saturday! Our family
enjoyed it immensely!
…it was lovely to meet you all
…Last Saturday was so lovely and we really
enjoyed it. Thank you all very much for your
warmth and friendliness. We are really happy to
a part of you and help in any way we could.
Beginner Mandarin Lessons
Interested in learning Mandarin?
6.00pm Thursdays from
18 June
$20 for 8 one hour lessons. Branch members free.
If you want to receive info, send your expression of
interest “Please send me info about the Beginner
Mandarin Course” (for those not at school or
University Mandarin course).
Send to Course Facilitator, Dunedin NZCFS Branch
member Martha Bell:
bell3patman@orcon.net.nz 021 067 1858
Jing ma (Luna) is one of the MLAs, working in
Milton Schools. Here is an extract from the
recent Milton Primary School Community
Newsletter:
“The schools in Milton are very
lucky to have Luna visiting each
week to teach our children
Mandarin. Luna comes to Milton Primary every
Tuesday. Check out our Mandarin Blog on our
website to see what the children have been
learning.” ,You can check it out too:
http://miltonmandarin.blogspot.co.nz/
BAROCK TO SHANGHAI
The Barock Choir, conducted by Karen
Knudson, is composed of members from Otago
Boys’ and Otago Girls’ High Schools. In 2014
they were selected for the NZ Choral
Federation’s Big Sing National Finale. They
were joint winners of the Auahe Kore Award for
the best performance of a song with Maori text.
Shanghai Trip
Members of the Dunedin Branch of the NZ
China Friendship Society and the Dunedin
Shanghai Association have been encouraging
and supporting Barock’s endeavours to
participate in the 2015 Choral Arts Week of the
Shanghai Spring International Music Festival.
They have been given financial support from
NZCFS – Simon Deng Li and Rewi Alley
Friendship and Exchange Funds.
After visiting Beijing, Barock arrives in
Shanghai on 14 May. They perform at:
The opening ceremony of the Choral Arts week
on the 15th at Shanghai City Theatre.
In the following days they perform at:
Minhang District Mass Art Center Plaza,
Meilong Town Plaza Show,
Xinhong Campus of Wenlai Middle School,
and visit their sister schools :
Eighth Middle School in Shanghai and
Guangming Middle School.
This is a wonderful opportunity for our youth to
celebrate this 20th anniversary year of the
Dunedin-Shanghai Sister City relationship.
Dunedin NZCFS is proud to support them.
Barock Shanghai in rehearsal
8am Wednesday 22 April at OGHS
One of the choir members has composed a piece
as part of their repertoire to celebrate the theme
of peace at the Choral festival.
See Page 6 for translation.
Ed. Let me repeat that time - 8.00am!
Tues-Fri most weeks.
Coming Up: In May: National
NZCFS Conference in NelsonMay 22-24
ACTION NOW: Sign up
to NZCFS Facebook page
for up-to-date info, articles
and links.
http://nzchinasociety.org.nz/18050/2015-nzcfshttps://www.facebook.com/NZChinaSociety
From our National Website:
conference/ You Banfa – There is a Way
COMING UP …our next meeting
WEDNESDAY
June 17
Check your diary now!
China Connections … Through
the Decades
A FORUM OF GUEST SPEAKERS
SHANDAN BAILIE SCHOOL TEACHER
REQUIRED: The NZCFS seeks suitably
qualified people to fill this position each year.
Nelsonian Jane Furkert is there until July, and a
new teacher is sought to start the new school
year in late August, 2015. Shandan Bailie
School has a unique nature through its legacy
with Rewi Alley, and the educational approach
of ‘hands and mind together’ - combining
academic and vocational training. NZCFS has
had a long term relationship with this school,
and teachers living and working here can enjoy
the benefits this brings.
Poetry
recital class
1970’s: Yvonne Fogarty - NZ Champion
Table Tennis Player: “Ping Pong Diplomacy”
1980’s: Thelma
Fisher: “Meeting
Rewi Alley”
NZCFS China Tour
Dec 1983- Jan 1984
for nurses and educators - how an intermediate
school teacher
from Oamaru
caught a
glimpse of life
and society in
China,
including
meeting Rewi
Alley for afternoon tea.
1990’s: Jim McRae – the 80’s - oilfield
technology in remote areas, and again in the 90's
for 2 years as GM of a joint venture company
and also as GM of one of the first wholly
foreign owned enterprises in China….
1930’s: New Zealand nurse Kathleen Hall
established a hospital in Sonjiazhuang. Visited
by Colin and Viv Child in 2015.
Tree pruning class
For further information about this position,
contact Dave Bromwich at dbchinz@xtra.co.nz.
http://nzchinasociety.org.nz/1127/englishteacher-for-shandan-bailie-school/
Latest newsletter from Shandan Bailie School
Dust storms, snow,
spring blossom, ‘Tomb
Sweeping” holiday.
Spring Blossom at school
http://nzchinasociety.org.nz/20298/shandan-in-april-2015/
RESEARCH – CAN YOU HELP?
MEMBERS’ NEWS
A request from Yulia Pchelina. I am a PhD
student at the Management Department
University of Otago. The title of my project:
Factors Affecting Immigrant Professionals’
Work Adjustment: a New Zealand Study.
Report from Branch President
Paul Fawcett
"As I'm sure you all agree it's great
that the Barock trip to the Shanghai
Spring Festival is on track after the
I am seeking 15 Eastern European immigrants
great effort put in by Rob Duffy and Annie
(including immigrants from ex-USSR), 15
Zong. The choir is working hard on their
Chinese immigrants, 15 UK immigrants and 15
musical items and I have no doubt the choir will
NZ participants (as a control group) for my PhD
more than justify the support received from the
project interview.
RAFE Committee and Simon Deng Li Fund of
NZCFS. It is clear that the choir's experience
What is the Aim of the Project?
fits in perfectly with the "You Banfa" theme of
this year's National Conference and it will be
The aim of the project is to explore how immigrant
my pleasure to present a talk entitled "Singing
professionals from different ethnic groups adjust to
our way to Shanghai: From discord to harmony"
their work in work in New Zealand. This study will
the Conference in Nelson at the end of May. I
identify the key characteristics (and their interactions) ofatthe
look forward to hearing from the students on
individual, their working environment and their
their return and trust they will be enthused to
culture that are influential in the work adjustment
continue to build their interest and relationships
process.
with China.
What will Participants be Asked to Do?
It was a great pleasure to meet this year's
contingent of MLAs at the recent local Branch
Participants will be invited to take part in a
meeting and to feel their passion for the
series of interviews to describe your adjustment
valuable job they perform. We were all very
process to life in New Zealand and answer
grateful to Haixin Jiang for the enjoyable
questions on a questionnaire.
afternoon and on behalf of you all I wish her a
What Type of Participants are being sought?
rewarding and enjoyable trip to Japan and
Europe.
This study seeks immigrant professionals, who
It's time for me to get organised for the
possess a qualification or degree; and are living and
forthcoming National Conference and for the
working in New Zealand not longer than 2 years by
the time of the first interview.
NZCFS tour to Mongolia and North East China
in July. I look forward to telling you all about
[This project has been reviewed and approved by
the University of Otago Human Ethics Committee.
them. Baochi shenti jiankang"
Reference: 14/133]
Please feel free to contact me by Email:
yulia.pchelina@otago.ac.nz or ph: 022-41-32-572
* Become a member There are advantages in membership of the
branch.
Translation of Abby’s poem – by branch
member Annie Zong:
亚特兰蒂斯
NEW ZEALAND CHINA
FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY
“Building New Friendships on
Solid Foundations”
Learn more about the aims of
NZCFS, its history, its current projects
http://nzchinasociety.org.nz/
Contact the secretary for a membership form.
作者： Abby Knudson-Hollebon
你能否感觉到？
你能否感觉到你的未来正在沉沦？在这片大
地上
你能否看到我的双眼，你能否听到我？
听到我对你的呼唤？
在这片大地上
For information about the Dunedin
Branch NZCFS Contact:
President Paul Fawcett
paul.fawcett@otago.ac.nz
Treasurer Vivienne Child
vivholmes1@gmail.com
Secretary Colin Child
cchild@clear.net.nz
021 02222 679
你能否听到我的哭喊？
你能否感觉到
潮汐正在涌起，涨过古老的海岸线，时间这
般短暂，
既然如此，我们必须要干。
纵火，在这已经被我们变为垃圾场的土地
Reminder:
灰烬之中，新的世界诞生冉冉
NEXT MEETING Weds 17 June 2015
你能否感觉到？你能否感觉到你的未来正在
沉沦？
在这片大地上
你能否看到我的双眼？
你能否听到我在这片土地对你的呼唤？
你能否听到？你能否听到我的哭喊？
你能否听到？