On Monday October 11, Dr. Luke Fetters, associate professor at Huntington University, presented his current research about English teachers working in southern China. His presentation titled, “Ordering Chinese: How English Teachers in Southern China Rank the Relative Importance of Traditional Chinese Values” revealed the results of data gathered in 2008 during teacher training in Zhuhai, China.

This event was sponsored by the Centre for Non-Western Studies and the Focus on Excellence colloquium. The Centre for Non-Western Studies supports inter-disciplinary research and teaching linked by a shared common interest in non-western politics, culture and society. Begun in 1998, the “Focus on Excellence” colloquium runs twice a year in an effort to showcase excellence as presented by university faculty or members of the Huntington community.

A Five-Year Agreement!

As it turns out, our efforts this summer seem to have been received well. In the few days since returning to the States, I have been in contact with Jumbo and Mr. Li in Doumen. The Doumen Education Academy has signed an agreement for us to bring teams to Doumen to train 80 teachers each of the next five years. We enjoy a special relationship and have had many meaningful conversations with teachers in Doumen. What an opportunity!

I am so thankful for each team member and the various support networks that allowed each one to be in China this summer.

An interesting note - Charles Chapman traveled with the team each of the past three years. He took a year off this year, but stayed involved by posting our blog entries and helping to edit the camp newspaper. He did some of this work while on vacation with his wife. As he and Kim were returning to Fort Wayne from their vacation, waiting at a gate in Detroit Metro Airport, our Delta group (Greg, Terry, Mary Ellen, Donna, Susie, Nancy, Johanna and Holly) walked up to the same gate for their flight to Fort Wayne. So, Charlie traveled with the team this summer after all. A fitting end to a trip characterized by Providence.

Home again!

Some of our team are still traveling but the largest group is now home. Holly hugs her mom.














Susie is met at the airport by her children (plus one).

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts while our team worked in south China. Remember to return for a wrap-up - coming soon!

A note from Luke.

Piers and I are at the Hong Kong Airport ready to depart.













We had our farewell dinner with Jumbo, Adam, Canaan and Mr. Zhang on Friday night on our way out of Zhuhai. It was great to celebrate a successful venture with old friends.

We had our team debriefing yesterday morning at the hotel. Joanne and Luke left yesterday noon for Beijing. The rest us enjoyed a day in Hong Kong. We walked around, ate dinner at Spaghetti House, went to Victoria Peak, and shopped at the Temple Street Market. We left in several shifts this morning - Rob and Ken left the hotel for Tokyo at 5:30 AM, the Delta folks left the hotel for Detroit at 6:30 AM. Piers and I had breakfast with Jana, Jenaya and Jeff and then left the hotel for Chicago at 9:30 AM. Jeff will fly out tomorrow morning. Jana, Jenaya and Bridger stay in Asia.

It's been a great trip, with an outstanding team. Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts.














The team pauses for a moment in front of the Booth Lodge in Hong Kong before departing.













The Fetters boys enjoy the "Peak" in Hong Kong.

Heading home.

The entire team (Yung Wing and Doumen) arrived back in Hong Kong late Friday evening. We are sleeping in a bit on Saturday, then meeting to debrief with one another an share about good conversations we had.

Later this afternoon, we begin to disperse - Joanne and Luke B to Beijing, Rob and Ken in the morning to Tokyo, Bridger to Macau. Most of the team flies back to America on Sunday. We appreciate your thoughts about our safe travel.

Jeff

Doumen Camp Annual

This posting contains the third edition of the English Camp’s newspaper. This issue of the “Doumen Camp Annual” is by far the best and contains the most content of any paper written for the camp. Jeff Sherlock led the activity this year.

The first two years saw two papers published during the camp, one for each week. These papers focused on informative articles about the staff in the camp. This year’s edition of the camp paper is a bit different. Because the structure of the camp changed a bit this year, Jeff decided to publish one large paper and challenge the students to do more than in past years. I think you will see that the students met the challenge with a couple of very interesting essays. Please remember these are middle school students writing in a second language.

NOTE: As you may have noticed, I have provided support to the team by posting content to this blog. Because of the demands on time combined with the challenges of blogging from China (it is easier to email than blog), I volunteered to be the funnel for the team for posting to our blog. Also for this year I was able to help with the camp paper. Jeff emailed me the student’s writings and photos. I assembled the material and emailed the completed paper back to Jeff.

For viewing - click on the paper - then click again to zoom in.

The trip is starting to wind down. . .

Maryellen and Terry pose with Jumbo (left), his wife and Adam and his family.

We had a good meeting with Doumen government and education officials this evening. Things look positive for a five-year contract for teacher training in Doumen. Thanks for your keeping us in mind.

At the same time, the Doumen team had a closing dinner with their hosts. It was "hot and lively" - a rough translation of something that sounds very nice in Cantonese!

Plans have changed at Yung Wing again. We'll be accompanying kids to a movie in the morning and having lunch with the head of English education for the school at noon. We'll say good-bye to the kiddos at 3:00ish.

Jumbo will bring the Doumen team to Zhuhai tomorrow evening and swing by to pick us up at Yung Wing on their way to supper and the boat to Hong Kong. We really are winding it down.
Luke