China

Over, under or through the Wall

/ edebock / 10 Comments

One thing we absolutely must do while we’re in China is visit and walk on the Great Wall but it’s not that wall that’s been bothering me.

The Great Firewall of China, or the Golden Shield as it’s officially known, is a censorship and surveillance project operated by the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China that prevents access to websites that are deemed undesirable. I’m pretty sure I can learn to live without Facebook but what would I do if I couldn’t blog?

I know that there are ways to get over, under or through the wall; things called VPNs (virtual personal networks) but I’m not overly computer savvy. I was a little worried about whether or not I’d be able to figure out how to access and use something like that especially considering the fact that I’ll be in a country where I won’t speak the language.

Then, a couple of days ago, I was searching the WordPress site looking for something entirely different when I came across a series of instructions entitled Generating a Post by Email. We’ve been assured that we’ll be able to use our gmail account so it would appear that my problem has been solved! In fact, this post is my test case. I’m actually writing it as an email to make sure that this works and that I have it all figured out.

I may not be able to lay things out exactly the way I’d like to and I haven’t figured out whether or not I can include a link but apparently I can add photos and tags. In fact, I’ll test those features with this post too.

I always receive an email notification when one of you leaves a comment and I’ve already figured out how to respond to those via email so even that won’t be a problem if I’m not able to access the blog directly.

So why not pack your virtual suitcase and come along with me? We fly to China one month from today and you won’t even need a visa!

photo credit: http://www.dgreatwallofchina.com/

Our next big adventure!

/ edebock / 8 Comments

ENGLISH TEACHING IN CHINA. Just retired and seeking adventure and or change? Five cities to choose from: Beijing, Nanchang, Yantai, Dalian and Chongqing. Accommodation is provided. Half year and full year contracts (airfare paid). University students. Curriculum provided and full staff support. Chance to travel. Short teaching hours. Contact…

The ad appeared in the Fall 2012 issue of News and Views, the quarterly publication of the Alberta Retired Teachers’ Association. It caught my eye as I flipped through the magazine at breakfast one September morning. I pondered it for a bit before bringing it to Richard’s attention and asking if he was interested. He was and so a new journey began!

Everything was put on hold for awhile when Dad became ill and we headed off to Vancouver to put Operation Parent Care into motion. Now that he’s had his surgery and is recovering well, we’re moving on. We signed the contracts this morning!

We’re going to spend one semester (February 25 to June 30, 2013) teaching English at Liaoning Normal University, a teacher training university in Dalian, a coastal city in northeastern China! We’ll have our own fully furnished apartment right on campus and will have the option of preparing our own meals there or eating in the university cafeteria.

I know, college cafeterias aren’t known for quality food but I’m thinking that not having to grocery shop, cook and clean up  and having the opportunity to sample local foods while mingling with students and fellow staff members doesn’t sound like such a bad idea. We’ll definitely try it out.

In case you’re wondering, no this is not a mission trip. The People’s Republic of China is a communist country that has traditionally been quite closed to Christianity. In fact, our teaching contracts contain a clause that says The Teacher shall respect China’s religious policy, and shall not conduct or engage in religious activities incompatible with the status of a foreign teacher/expert. What does that mean? Upon inquiry, we’ve been told that we’re welcome to bring our Bibles with us and to read and study them in the privacy of our own apartment. We also know that there are Christian churches in Dalian and have been assured that we can attend one if we want to. While this isn’t a mission trip per se, I firmly believe that our mission field is wherever we happen to be; that God can use us anytime, anywhere. He’s done it before and I’m sure he’ll do it again.

Censorship is also an issue that we’ll have to learn to live with. According to Wikipedia, internet repression is considered more extensive and more advanced there than in any other country in the world. The government not only blocks website content but also monitors individual internet use. Facebook is blocked but we’ll be able to use email as well as Skype to keep in touch with family and friends. China has also been known to block WordPress blogs but I’m already looking at ways to get around that if it happens. I can’t imagine not being able to share our experiences with all of you this way! After all, that’s how Following Augustine started in the first place.

The next step and one that I hope goes quickly and smoothly is getting our visas. We’ve submitted the many documents that were required so that the recruitment staff in China can apply for visa invitation letters for us. Once received, we’ll take them to the closest Chinese consulate, which is located in Calgary, to arrange for the visas. Then there are travel arrangements to make and packing lists to be made!

I’m excited and just a wee bit overwhelmed but first comes Christmas! By the time the fun and family time is over my feet will be back on the ground and I’ll be able to begin seriously preparing for our next big adventure.

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