My Diary    (I'll try to update this each week, usually on a Tuesday)
 Email: jdwomi@hotmail.com  or john@china8.org 
 Phone: (00...)- 86-758-2903261  - best time to phone: 8am -9am (Zhaoqing time, same as HK)
Mail address: Canadian-American School, Zhaoqing, Guandong. 526040. China
 School Website: www.cas.net.cn       Map/location of Zhaoqing in China
FAQ/Information for people interested in teaching at CAS      Poverty Map

Tuesday, December 30, 2003: Dear Friends

End of Year hello from Zhaoqing. So much has happened this year....seems to have been more like 36 rather than 12 months.  Good example is the past week - so many happy Christmas experiences:

* Wednesday December 24:  Christmas Party for all 330 primary students + 20 staff (including Aron, Garth, Kieran, Megan, Michael ....taking a break from giving Oral English exams in secondary)

* Thursday Dec 25: Beautiful Christmas Dinner for overseas staff....and evening Christmas Party for Go Abroad students, all English teachers and principals

* Frid-Mon Dec 26-29 Visit to Zhaoqing, Yunfu and Xinqiao by Hong Kong teachers' group

* Sunday Dec 28: Welcome (back) Charlotte, Mark, Elizabeth.  Same day Kieran on a CAS promotion to Yunfu

* Monday Dec 29: Night promotion shopping visit to "Good World" by CAS Primary Four, accompanied by Aron, Garth, Kieran, Megan, Michael and Rosemary

 + February 2004 Overseas Staff : Anne (Wales), Doris (Sydney), Erin (Canada) Francis (Sri Lanka), Rosemary (NZ), Steve (Brisbane), JW (Brisbane).  Also John & Linda (Melbourne....for work outside CAS)

Calendar: 

+ Many articles have pointed out how similar sized earthquakes last week in California and Iran had death tolls of 3 and 30,000+ ....reason being poor building standards & in Iran..(...e.g. Guardian - excellent)....but how could we not do something for the survivors?   I made a small donation via internet to an excellent British group: RapidUK 

+ Middle East File update by David Hirst of the Guardian - if only the "West" better understood the complexities of the "Middle East" . See also letters from US soldiers in Iraq at Michael Moore

Thank you for a prayer, not just for me but for all people on prayer list please...

DG for all the blessings of 2003.  Peace/protection please for the world in 2004

Wishing everyone - all students/friends/family/OMI confreres - in China, HK, Australia, other countries - 
a Happy New Year!

God bless!

John W omi

p.s.   I'm due to go to Hong Kong January 23, staying at Notre Dame (852) 27157263, returning to Zhaoqing with some new teachers  February 6 

Tuesday, December 23, 2003: Dear Friends  (update 10am Dec 24: Baby is back DG!)

Christmas Week hello from Zhaoqing.  Hope this is a time of peace for you below the surface.....no matter what is going on in the waters above.  People in Australia are having a very hot Christmas. Not so here: lovely sunshine in day, but c-o-l-d (sometimes 3 degrees) at night!  This old man has taken to wearing his cap to bed!  Another concession to old age: no early morning walks (6.30am in dark) ....now sleep till daylight near 7am....then go for walk in beautiful sunshine after lunch (instead of a siesta). 

Christmas in Zhaoqing is not as prominent as in larger cities like Guangzhou where so many shops/restaurants/hotels have decorations and staff in Santa hats....but CAS has its annual crib ...and local village bread shop has Santa hats (...not forgetting blazing lights around door of Kieran's unit...)
And there will be a Christmas Concert tomorrow morning for all 330 primary students, and one for the secondary "Go Abroad" group on the night of Dec 25 - using some of these Christmas Songs

Which reminds me: we have had a theft here....first in my time: Baby Jesus has been stolen/babynapped from our canteen crib. What was that old song? "Steal away (to) Jesus"? 
I asked Mary and she said it was premature to have put J in the crib before he was born.....Joseph said Baby has nothing to do with him.....donkey, sheep and cow all claim to have been asleep....angels and shepherds reckon  they were entertaining Wise Men.  Suspect kidnappers  are kids in middle school.  Primary school vigilante group has been set up....cleaning and security staff are on high alert.
Reserve baby is warming up on the bench.  Praise you Lord for disappearing.....please come back, like today or tomorrow! 

Also during the past week:

* Friday December 19: a very special CAS trip to Deqing!    (+ True story...and not the first time this sort of thing has happened.....I usually phone Mum in Australia every Friday morning at 7.30...staff have her ready at nursing home reception desk phone. For some reason I got mixed up last week and phoned on Thursday....only realised I had wrong day when nurse said "we are getting her".  I felt stupid and for an excuse I thought to myself "O well, maybe something would have stopped  me from phoning tomorrow". Five hours later, after lunch, CAS principal Mr Ma said: "I want you to come with me to Deqing tomorrow. Please be ready to leave at 7.30am"!!!)

* The same night: final English Corner at village OME cafe for this year.....with final classes/parties on Sun/Mon/Tue/Wed/Thur for other groups.   Cafe group classes will re-open DV in March 2004

* Sunday Dec 21: CAS promotions in Zhaoqing (Megan and Michael) and Xinqing (Garth and Kieran). 
Some Xinqing familes visited CAS for lunch as part of the promotion. Same afternoon saw Aron again accompanying Seniors at Drama contest in Zhaoqing

* The same day: Paddy & Rebecca (aged 14 and 13) joined me for walk/talk around the areas of poverty (+ photo updates)

+Sincere sympathy to dear HK friend and CAS pioneer partner Peter Barry and family in loss of his dear 93 year old Mother in UK who went home to heaven on December 10....farwelled by her whole family gathered round her bed praying the Rosary.  No undertaker employed for funeral...family themselves did all the arrangements

+Sincere sympathy also to dear HK Notre Dame friends Daisy, Fanny and families in loss of their dear Mother in HK who went home to Heaven on December 21. "Most peacefully just went to sleep". 

May the Baby of Christmas give his special peace to both sets of families...and eternal life to both dear Mums...."And man will live for ever more because of Christmas Day"

+ Phoning another country?  A great site to check the other country's phone code and local time - Country Calling Codes.com

+ Poverty File has challenging Christmas update from Pope John Paul ...can I/we do a little more for the poor people in our area?

+ Middle East File has update from Amnesty International (& Michael Moore) re Saddam - his trial is a can of worms if justice takes an honest course

 + February 2004 Overseas Staff so far: Anne (Wales), Doris (Sydney), Francis (Sri Lanka), Rosemary (NZ), Steve (Brisbane), JW (Brisbane).  Also John & Linda (Melbourne....for work outside CAS)

+ Unit right next to CAS - available from Feb 04 for HK/Overseas volunteers

Calendar: 

+ FAQ/Information for people interested in teaching at CAS has recently been updated

Thank you for a prayer, not just for me but for all people on prayer list please...

Wishing everyone - all students/friends/family/OMI confreres (China, HK, Australia, other countries) the unique peace of Christmas ("the happiest event in history" JP2) and a Happy New Year

God bless!

John W omi

p.s.   I'm due to go to Hong Kong January 23, staying at Notre Dame (852) 27157263, returning to Zhaoqing with some new teachers  February 6 

Tuesday, December 16, 2003: Dear Friends

Hello from Zhaoqing after a long weekend (for CAS). This semester is rapidly running down...oral English classes finish in primary school this Saturday December 20...exams are in the secondary air....and the air itself  is about as cold as it gets...last Sunday night the coldest this year and as cold as I've known in my three years here.  Hope you can read this ....HK server was "down" yesterday afternoon...no access to China8, JT, OneMinuteEnglish, Tung Chung.com etc

On the "up" side: telephone company representative due this morning to install free ADSL in all overseas teachers' units (+ free local phone calls). Also available from Feb 04: a computer for your unit (if you don't have a laptop), your own TV and your own lounge chair (if you'd like these) + Y200(?) subsidy for  water, gas, & electricity   ....not to mention a minimum salary of Y4,000 (instead of Y3,000).
Why?  Because Steve is coming back? .... Well....because....CAS  now realises you can't get 'em to come down on the Zhaoqing farm while nearly all other insitutions around the province are offering higher salaries and the above facilities as standard. (p.s. this is really next  week's news: above realisation has to be ratified at higher level before becoming practice....and many details have to be worked out: e.g. if "you" are a couple do you roster the lounge chair or do you get two lounge chairs?!)

* Thursday Dec 11: welcome to Rosemary from New Zealand via Surfers Paradise (Gold Coast, Australia)...here for a look-see with a view to working in kindergarten and primary next semester. Rosemary is used to playing golf twice a week and tennis once a week....so fitness is on her side... she is keen to check out our school driving range. ....will need to be fit for kindergarten....the longer I am here the more I admire kindergarten teachers....anyone can sort of get by in primary and secondary, but in kindergarten you just have to have some very special skills!

* Sat/Sun Dec 13-14: Trip to Guangzhou for Aron, Garth, Kieran, Megan, Michael and myself. See link for  report on AITECE meeting, Handal's "Messiah", cathedral Mass...and progress in Guangzhou

+ Great "Guardian" report of London's Rugby Union World Cup celebration: England 750,000,  Australia 0 

+ February 2004 Overseas Staff so far: Anne (Wales), Doris (Sydney), Francis (Sri Lanka), Rosemary (NZ), Steve (Brisbane), JW (Brisbane).  Also John & Linda (Melbourne....outside CAS)

+ Good news: Jock & Hazel due back for a visit in April (2-21), after going to Thailand, Vietnam & Australia

+ Unit right next to CAS - available from Feb 04 for HK/Overseas volunteers

Travel Calendar: (Lunar New Year Jan 22; next semester begins Feb 9)

+ FAQ/Information for people interested in teaching at CAS has recently been updated

+ Middle East File update: Melbourne Justice & Peace Commission....harsh words about Australia in Iraq.
...and what do I think about Suddam's capture?  Nothing short of international kidnapping by a force that has illegally occupied a country.  It's Bush who should be on trial.  Saddam is no angel....but international law has been trampled on to imprison him.    Michael Moore's comments

Thank you for a prayer, not just for me but for all people on prayer list please...
Every good wish for Christmas ("the happiest event in history" JP2)

God bless!

John W omi

p.s.   I'm due to go to Hong Kong January 23, staying at Notre Dame (852) 27157263, returning to Zhaoqing February 6 

Tuesday, December 9, 2003: Dear Friends

Good morning from Zhaoqing where Winter has set in....and getting out of bed in the morning is becoming more and more difficult!

Has been a busy past week:

* Wednesday December 3: visit by HK OMI's (very appropriate date, anniv. of Eugene's canonization 1995)

* Thurs Dec 4: busy schedule for Cafe secretary Rosa whose jobs today included bulk buying clothes for mountain people, helping a poor family shift home, and enrolling two school-less children at local schools (Helen, aged 11, will go into Primary One, and Sam, aged 12, into Junior One....in February next year DV...thanks to kind help of HK friends)

* Friday Dec 5: Evening promotion at local KFC for Garth, Kieran and Luke.....while rest of overseas team/visitors  was/were  at village cafe for English Corner....where Paddy's Mum came with request to help  young man and his 7 week old baby girl ...wife/mother had left them....Paddy's Mum noticed the man crying at the railway station (where she now has a part time job...and where many people in distress can be found on any given day). We helped the man buy a train ticket to his parents' home town a few hours away....he had come to Zhaoqing by train, climbing up on goods' carriage...baby in one hand, bag of belongings in other...

* Sat Dec 6: Feast of Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas)....all primary students by now have learnt song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" as preparation for Christmas. 

* Sunday Dec 7: Farewell at station for Anita, Keith & Luke, after which Aron accompanied Junior & Senior students for successful participation in drama contest at Zhaoqing No. 1 Secondary School.....while Garth, Kieran and Megan took part in local CAS promotion....and Michael found himself doing a TV advertisement that is due to be shown on Zhaoqing TV at 8pm tonight (Dec 9)!

+ Also on TV.. former CAS teacher Ulrike whose recent email said: "Our (September) debate (in Beijing) was  shown on TV ..as well as  our team singing a German Folk Song in Chinese. The song had everyone in tears.. If you want to check the debate out in detail, go to www.cctv.com 
Then it´s right at the bottom under the category education (jiaoyu). The whole competition was called 国际大专辩论会 2003&#12290"

+ Near CAS I have identified 8 areas of poverty ...and have contacts/base in each area to launch little projects on behalf of the people there. A pleasure to show visitors these areas/projects

+ Middle East File has update on the Geneva Accord plan for peace....prepared by Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev & 56 other world leaders. Excellent

+ China now has 2.7 million couples using the Billings Ovulation Method + 37,000 trained teachers + success rate of 99% + 32% of infertile couples able to give birth (..babies are called Billings Babies..). A beautiful report  ....and see the Billings Home Page (with info in Chinese and many other languages)

+ February 2004 Overseas Staff: (Anthony & Petrina now unable to come because of new ED rule)

+ Have just finished re-reading "Prison to Praise" by Merlin Carothers. Highly recommended for everyone. Over 15,000,000 copies of his books in print.

+ Someone recently asked me what I thought of Opus Dei.....my answer in Church file update (recommend all Catholic friends read this)

Thank you for a prayer, not just for me but for all people on prayer list please...

God bless!

John W omi

p.s.  I'm due to go to Guangzhou Sat-Sun  Dec 13-14  for AITECE meeting ...and for historic evening performance of Handel's "Messiah" in the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall!!.    I'm due to go to Hong Kong January 23, staying at Notre Dame, returning to Zhaoqing February 6 (or possibly earlier, depending on confirmed arrival times of new teachers). Thank you Garth for pointing out that the Messiah performance is advertised in www.thatsguangzhou.com 

Tuesday, December 2, 2003: Dear Friends

Good morning after a very cold night in Zhaoqing.....needed extra blankets on top of eiderdown. Lovely and sunny in daytime. 

* Latest on "no degree, no job" rule: looks like it will be applied probably maybe with some likelihood perhaps play it by ear ..... on a case by case basis

* Tuesday November 25: Garth, Kieran and Michael joined Senior 1-3 students for excursion to a theme park in Zhongshan (four hour bus trip). Photos on school website

* Wednesday Nov 26: Garth's first class since his return....all the young ladies were wearing lipstick! ...turned out color was not for Garth but for a school performance (...and ladies were in primary 2, aged c.7!)

* Thursday Nov 27: Michael's dear Mum & Dad and beloved brother arrived for visit...here till Dec 7. Welcome Keith, Anita and Luke! (same link has photo of Garth with Primary 5, preparing for Christmas).

* Thursday Nov 27 - Friday Nov 28: Visit by 39 teachers from Oblate Primary School in Hong Kong! Thank you Pierra, Maria and staff for arranging the visit. Please come again!

* Sat Nov 29 - Sun Nov 30: Aron, Garth & Kieran took part in CAS promotions in Gao Yao & Jingli (across river from Zhaoqing) ...old hands at promotions now...qualifying for show biz anytime

* Sat Nov 30: Welcome dear Hong Kong friend Rosa,  here for a few days to check local projects helping poor people, especially school-less children. Rosa started her visit by joining me for afternoon classes at Xinqiao Primary School ....and thank you  Xinqiao Wa Qiao Secondary School for kind invitation the next morning Sun Nov 30 to attend your beautiful  20th Anniversary celebrations

* Sun Nov 30: Afternoon tour with Rosa of the 8 or so poor areas near CAS. Tour continued on Mon Dec 1 with a few photos.   Same night rest of overseas teachers & Michael's folks enjoyed BBQ at home of becoming very famous "Little Fish"!

* Mon Dec 1: Michael's family + Aron and Megan had happy day at Ding Hu National Park

This morning, Tuesday, I went to local railway station to farewell Rosa...who is due to attend meeting tonight in HK of friends interested in helping the 8 poor areas. Thank you Rosa for your visit....hope you can join group coming at end of month for further update

+ February 2004 Semester Staff:

Thank you for a prayer, not just for me but for all people on prayer list please...

God bless!

John W omi

p.s.  I'm due to go to Guangzhou Sat-Sun  Dec 13-14  for AITECE meeting ...and for historic evening performance of Handel's "Messiah" in the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall!!.    I'm due to go to Hong Kong January 23, staying at Notre Dame, returning to Zhaoqing February 6

Tuesday, November 25, 2003: Dear Friends

Hello from Zhaoqing where "a week is a long time in politics" and "to every action there is an equal and opposite re-action".   The Education Department's new rule ("no degree, no job"...see last week's diary) has prompted CAS (and I presume most educational institutions) to re-double their efforts to retain and find overseas teachers......re-doubling as in a salary increase for degree teachers (in future a minimum of Y4,000), optional participation in promotions, better communication/consultation etc. 
At the same time it's been heard on the grape vine that there's a move to have all overseas teachers in China attend a compulsory 2 week course + written exam ....in Beijing....all paid for by individual teacher...before getting a work visa ....a move opposed by many (most?) Beijing educational officials. 

Also in a long week:

* Wednesday November 19: Aron, Kieran, Megan and Michael joined Junior 1-3 students for excursion to a theme park in Pun Yu (not far from Guangzhou). Photos on CAS website

* Saturday Nov 22: my heart was partly on the Gold Coast for afternoon wedding of John and dear niece Louisa (attended by Pam & Bruce)....and in Sydney for evening Rugby Union World Cup final (well done England...deserved to win....congrats Hazel and John!....great articles in Guardian over the past week..e.g.  An English newspaper report that makes me proud to be an Australian!).  Meanwhile the rest of my body (on a school holiday) was visiting several homes in poorer areas of our neighbourhood....finishing with an evening visit to the Kwok home (see updated October 18 file). 

* Sunday Nov 23 saw A, K, M and Michael on promotions in Sihui and Deqing....while this old man spent Sunday night and last night in police custody....: CAS teacher robbed (handbag snatched) on Sunday night....a few minutes before I came up hill after class at cafe...went with her to police station for lengthy report (just as professional and detailed as in any other country)....then last night a police/security branch basketball team came to CAS for game and meal....after which it was a pleasure to welcome back cousin  Garth (..photo in previous link..)...has just finished first  year at Sydney Uni and will spend uni holidays in China

* HK dear friends Anita and Grand back home after tour to Europe

Also:

+ Mr Bush's handling of world affairs is matched only by his understanding of the home economy: USA budget out of control (ABC)

+ Middle East File update re news blackout in USA....2004 or 1984? (...more and more people are getting their "real news" from the internet)

+ Updates in Poverty File: (1) "Pros and condoms"; (2) Inspiring address by Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor

+ New ThinkTank file: The Church (...growing concern the ship is veering too far to the right....)

+ Idea for best sellers: "Stupid White Australian", "Stupid White Englishman".....exposing Australian/UK governments in the same way as "Stupid White Man" exposes US government.  Is it just a co-incidence that ultra-conservative groups in society (media, government, business, church,   etc) are grabbing power?? 

+ February 2004 Semester Staff:

Josie now not coming....her dear father's health is failing rapidly, as he approaches his 100th birthday. May he make his century!
Pam & Bruce happy to say that former CAS volunteer teachers Stephen & Melissa recently stayed at their home on the Gold Coast and now are in Sydney (...even though Wales wasn't in World Cup Final...)

Thank you for a prayer, not just for me but for all people on prayer list please...

God bless!

John W omi

p.s.  I'm due to go to Guangzhou Sat-Sun  Dec 13-14  for AITECE meeting ...and for historic evening performance of Handell's "Messiah" in the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall!!.    I'm due to go to Hong Kong January 23, staying at Notre Dame, returning to Zhaoqing February 6

Tuesday, November 18, 2003: Dear Friends

Good morning from Zhaoqing where goal posts have suffered a seismic shift in past few days....China Education Department has decided that from now on "no degree, no work visa / residence permit / paid job" (..one exception I know of so far, a fine organisation called GAP (Global Action Program)  that sends young non-degree people to China, working for a tiny stipend...). Which means CAS can no longer offer a job to anyone without a degree....and means that hundreds of institutions and thousands of overseas teachers at present in China will be affected (...unable to finish their contracts from next semester?...)...not to mention the hundreds/thousands of others  preparing to come to China for next semester (...having already paid for airline tickets /insurance /injections etc...).  Not sure how all this will pan out....one for the Man Upstairs....

Downstairs this past week:

* Thursday November 13: Cafe meal for CAS administration, primary English teachers and overseas staff

* Saturday-Sunday Nov 15-16: Aron, Kieran, Megan and Michael took part in CAS promotions in Sanshui and Zhaoqing....Michael & Megan hitting the jackpot on Saturday in Sanshui with a massive lunch meal ...in company of Senior 3 students Joyce, Grace and Francine (..home for long weekend). The girls had been to the young Australians' homes during recent Australia tour....and the meal was a thank you....with one of the girl's Dads forcing(?) Michael to drink a record amount of Cognac...

* Also Sat Nov 15: special English classes at Xinqiao Primary School

* Yesterday Nov 17 (a long weekend holiday).  I spent afternoon doing jobs re some of the many new shanty town dwellers in our area.... had thrill of my first ever ride on a walking tractor...and joy of seeing Helen attend class with Rosa...(..have designated pockets of poverty near CAS  as area A, B, C etc...c.f. U.N. Report: "The number of people living out their days in the squalor of a slum is almost one billion - one-sixth of the world's population. Without radical changes... that number could double in 30 years")

+ Have finished reading Michael Moore's "Dude, Where's My Country" (thank you Kieran for getting a copy from Australia).  I wouldn't agree with every word on every page....and Moore's language and style can be a bit off-putting at times, but the main points in his book make it really worth reading....I'd recommend it and its predecessor "Stupid White Man" to everyone from  last years of school upwards. See also Moore's website

+ Middle East File: 3 updates condemning construction of the wall...

+ February 2004 Semester Staff:

Thank you for a prayer, not just for me but for all people on prayer list please...especially for John and my dear niece Louisa ...being married this Saturday Nov 22 on the Gold Coast. Congratulations! 
..And may England win the Rugby World Cup that same night!...they deserve it...

God bless!

John W omi

p.s.  I'm due to go to Hong Kong January 23, staying at Notre Dame, returning to Zhaoqing February 6

p.p.s.  FAQ at top of this page needs quite a bit of updating....will wait for more news before surgery

Tuesday, November 11, 2003: Dear Friends

Remembrance Day good morning from Zhaoqing.....in 60 minutes will be the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.... 1918

Moments to remember from the past week:

* Tuesday November 4:  Kieran won the overseas teachers' Melbourne Cup sweep. Kieran has also just received mailed-from-Australia copy of "Dude, where's my country?". See Mike's diary message

* Friday Nov 7: Farwell to Matt at Friday night English Corner. Matt to HK on Sat Nov 8, same night to Australia.  Thank you again Matt for coming to China. God bless!

* Saturday Nov 8: Aron on CAS kindergarten promotion at Guang Sun Tai Yuan Agricultural Garden (about 30 minutes from Zhaoqing....2002 photos)....and back there again with Megan on Sunday Nov 9 for another promotion

* Same two days: CAS promotion disguised as excursion to Wuzhou

+ Number plates in Guandong Province: starting with A = Shenzhen; B = Zhuhai; H = Zhaoqing

+ Goal posts have been shifting again lately....overseas staff being Panda-ed a bit too much. See explanation in  FAQ which has just been updated (.."E"...paragraph beginning "The school is like..")

+ February 2004 Semester Staff:

Thank you for a prayer, not just for me but for all people on prayer list please

God bless!

John W omi

p.s.  I'm due to go to Hong Kong January 23, staying at Notre Dame, returning to Zhaoqing February 6

Tuesday, November 4, 2003: Dear Friends

Hello once more from Zhaoqing...where CAS students and staff are recovering after a long weekend...on this Melbourne Cup day (which we hope to watch at 12 noon local time). Starters and riders over the past week:

* Wed (Primary), Thurs-Frid (Secondary)  Sports Days. Photos on CAS website.  Aron, Kieran and Michael took part in a staff/student relay, after which we farewelled Charlotte (whose agency lent her to CAS for 2 months). Photos of Charlotte going ...and relay runners.  Thank you Charlotte for coming to CAS...God bless!

* Also running .....away...."Terry" and "Jude".  Hong Kong visitors  helped get Terry (aged 12)  into Zhaoqing's only Deaf School on October 20, but he ran away not long after.  Jude (aged 13) was found in beggar's clothes near railway station last week....had literally been sold by his solo Mum in Guizhou 2 years ago....to a couple in Maoming....from whom he ran away after beatings (.. his claim..)..and spent the past few months traveling around on the top of goods carriages....as far as Shenzhen.  Paddy's family helped Jude clean up, get new clothes, have a bed for a few nights...but your man bolted on Saturday and "caught" a train....might come back

* Saturday (a CAS holiday) saw Aron speaking to 200 teenagers at a school across the river, and myself again visiting Xinqiao.....then in the evening having a very special meal with our new neighbours, some 30 people (men, women and children)  living literally on the side of the mountain behind CAS, logging  trees (a job done every 10 years).  Three weeks ago a baby was born in a tent on the hill (mountain-bred like the Man from Snowy River)....parents too poor to afford doctor/hospital... baby has one side of head/face badly reddened by some sort of blood disease (...not uncommon in these parts...not sure of technical name...).
This morning Rosa (English cafe secretary) and I took parents and baby "Jimmy" to a city hospital....doctor says 5% chance redness will go away...otherwise baby will need some  radiation treatment in a few years time. Photo of Rosa and family

Rosa (whose husband is a judge!) is turning out to be not just a secretary, but a tutor, social worker, Saint Vincent De Paul case consultant.  DV there will soon be some volunteers based at the centre to share/expand the work....as we try to put these words of Fr Steckling into practice:

Christ's love of the poor, the abandoned - is this not the motor that drives our Congregation? ... Today we need to ask whether the Oblates are everywhere where the poor and the most abandoned are. Are we identified and rightly known for our commitment to the poor? Or better still, we may ask: Do the poor recognize us as their friends?  (Full text)

* Sunday Nov 2: Matt arrived back for a break before continuing on to Australia....after his very trying stint in Shandong Province in Northern China.  Thank you Matt for going to Qingdao. Wishing you a safe trip back to Brisbane!

+ The Story of Joe, aged 16, hit by a train at our local station...

+ Thank you Pam & Bruce and Irek for new Smiles

+  More early Iona College photos

+ Beatification process has been started for Matteo Ricci, who lived in Zhaoqing 1582-89  (scroll to bottom of link)

+ Reflections on situation of Catholic Church in China, with new phrase  "one church, two faces" to describe official/unofficial complexity (...thank you, CathNews, for links.....China8 had 700+ hits last week!)

+ Starters & Riders for February 2004:

Late scratchings: Pam & Bruce ....doctor has advised Bruce against flying for the time being.
Hope they can run in September 2004 CAS Plate.

Melbourne Cup will be on TV here in two hours. My tip: Mamool.   Last year's photos

Thank you for a prayer for this poor punter

God bless!

John W omi

p.s.  I'm due to go to Hong Kong January 23, staying at Notre Dame, returning to Zhaoqing February 6

Tuesday, October 28, 2003: Dear Friends

Good Morning from Zhaoqing where we've had another full week:

* Tuesday-Wednesday October 21-22:  OMI visitors from Hong Kong. Thank you John, Irek, Luke, Slawek for coming....hope you can return soon

* Saturday-Sunday Oct 25-25: CAS excursion for 60 Primary Two students + about 20 staff to "Little Guilin" and Fengkai....including stopover at "the world's largest rock?"....Aron, Kieran and I on tour... Charlotte, Megan and Michael on class duty at school

* For most of last week, 70% of HotMail accounts in China were "down"/off-line.....mine ok this time but some of the other overseas staff and many local staff not so lucky.......c.f. reminder re email at end of this week's diary...

* Middle East File update: Bishop Pat Power's courageous address outside Parliament House during Mr Bush's visit 

* Interventioning update: First America, now England. Rupert Murdoch first attacked PBS, now he's going after the BBC - By Dame Anita Roddick

* Last Friday I watched and heard the live broadcast of President Hu's address to the Australian Parliament. Thank you ABC Internet News.  May the friendship between China and Australia continue to grow.

* Thank you HK dear friend Raymond for great joke re the Preacher's Donkey

* "The Law is an ass"?..... Thinktank update on "Growing Cost of Mandatory Celibacy"

* February 2004 teachers in pipeline (school needs only 8 at this stage): Doris & Petrina from Sydney; Josie, Pam & Bruce from the Gold Coast; Anthony & Steve from Brisbane; JW
Because of visa/residence application complications: CAS is asking that teachers without  a degree please apply in HK for a six-month (not one-month) tourist visa....school will get residence permit etc in Zhaoqing. Teachers with a degree, please get one-month tourist visa in HK....school will get residence permit  etc in Zhaoqing.  Getting residency and extending visas is very complicated....but easier if you have a degree.
Many schools in nearby towns looking for "volunteers" (= free accommodation but no salary/airfare). See inside links on Oct 21-22 link above...

Big week coming up: All Saints (Nov 1), All Souls (Nov 2) and....the Melbourne Cup (Nov 4)!

Thank you for a prayer 

God bless!

John W omi

Tuesday, October 21, 2003: Dear Friends

Hello from Zhaoqing after a very interesting week:

* Thursday October 16: Visit by dear Hong Kong friends Daisy, Fanny, Grace & Maria. Thank you for items for children at evening cafe English classes!

* Same night:  other overseas staff + many local staff   attended annual school camp, run by the army, for our Senior One students.  Aron, Charlotte, Kieran, Megan, Michael had 300 students (CAS & others) doing the "Makerina"(?).  Photos coming.  Last year's photos

* Saturday Oct 18: Funeral for dear friend & neighbour A-Jan who went home to Heaven Oct 13 after traffic accident near local railway station.  Thank you Peter and Ling for coming for the funeral....and thank you A-Jan for helping Peter, Ling and me find original jobs here at CAS in 2001

* Saturday  Oct 18 - Monday Oct 20: Visit by Hong Kong teachers' group. Thank you Theresa, Rosa and friends. Hope your visit leads to a team being formed soon to work with poor people in local and nearby areas. Good news that John & Linda from Melbourne might be part of such a team in February 2004 DV

+ Beautiful true story of a 6 year old boy who has done something really well for Africa

+ Fascinating study of possible link between Chinese characters and early Bible writings. Great for anyone interested in Chinese language/characters. Thank you Francis!

Thank you for a prayer

God bless!

John W omi   (.. on way to meet visitors on boat from HK...)

Tuesday, October 14, 2003: Dear Friends

Good morning from a cool Zhaoqing....blanket/bed cover last night....light cardigan today....cool change yesterday after a warm week where the highlight was a weekend excursion for 40 primary three students and about 20 staff to the city of Deqing.  A wonderful experience....the waterfalls at Deqing have to be among the most beautiful in the world.  Saturday photos of visits to temples and shopping centre. Sunday photos of waterfalls (with Aron, Kieran, Megan & Michael dancing on water stage!) and ancient village.  Many new friends on both days......

Evening cafe classes continuing....latest photos 

Tip for teachers from latest AITECE newsletter: 
"With the cooler weather on its way I hope you are taking good care of your health. They say the best way to build up your immune system is by good eating and sufficient rest, plus keeping warm."

Same teachers now enjoying Rugby World Cup....especially after discovering an internet site with loads of free TV channels: wwitv.com    (not www, but wwitv!).

And a media change for myself.....have gone back to www.abc.com.au  (with www.guardian.co.uk ) for my daily news.  Used to get Australian news from www.news.com.au but have dropped it because of its excessive junk content + blasphemy in sports report last week .... and it's dishonest and one-eyed pro-war policy (.....owned by RM...)

Happy 80th today Fr HJ McF....and Happy 25th on Thursday JP!

God bless!

John W omi

Tuesday, October 7, 2003: Dear Friends

Good morning from Zhaoqing....students due back late this afternoon on this  last day of a holiday week for National Day.  Many people here....including several of us overseas staff....have spent most of the week trying to shake off colds/flu (...caused by:  change of season....really bad air pollution...dust etc...). 

What we need is an anti-virus like the ones that fix computer illnesses...worms such as OPSRV  that has afflicted my PC for several months (in the guise of Brasil/Scrsvr/Instit/Alevir/Marco ..then Speedy)...now finally stopped DG by a firewall called BlackICE (from www.iss.net)

Also in the past week:

* Wed October 1st:  visit to Mini's home

* Frid Oct 3: farewell to Aron's parents Annie & Mike, and brother Alister....left today for HK, then Australia tonight, after 2 enjoyable weeks at CAS.   Alister returned to school at Iona yesterday....no doubt wishing Iona was co-ed like CAS!

* Sunday Oct 5: Hike to Bei Ling Mountain.  Also ascending today, in Rome: canonisation of Fr Joseph Freinademettz S.V.D.,  a Ricci-type German missionary in Shandong Province...home of the famous  Tsingdao/Qingdao Beer.    Matt, now working in Qingdao...could you please check the popular story that the SVD  missionaries helped start the brewery (...I've tried a quick check using www.google.com , putting in Qingdao/beer/history/SVD, but can't find any info...).    Trivia: Fr Joseph was beatified with OMI founder Eugene de Mazenod on Oct 19, 1975, but had to wait till yesterday for canonisation along with his founder Arnold Janssen (....not allowed to be canonised before your founder...). Eugene canonised Dec 3, 1995. 

* Evening English classes in local village continued each night of the past week.  Public Holidays are holidays for students, but not for the vast majority of adults who must work as usual, so most people don't/can't go anywhere ...and want  their staying-at-home children to keep attending class.

* I'm in process of contacting people for jobs at CAS for next semester (Feb 04)....and lobbying has started that policy of "white faces only" is no longer acceptable..

* Update in Poverty File: Details  of United Nations report  - warning that about a sixth of the world's population – nearly a billion people – live in slums, and that number could double by 2030. Several hundred such people in our vacinity. 

* Michael Moore is now in UK launching new book "Dude, Where's the Country?". Guardian reports make me think how people like MM, despite their slightly eccentric style, are needed urgently to stop government and media from getting away with "murder"....as happened in case of the Soong Family deceiving China/USA and stealing billions of dollars in "Lend-Lease" funding, while millions of Chinese starved to death....made possible by corruption in China ...and a deceptive US media (as in TIME/LIFE)... and a misled/weak/corrupt FDR  US administration. Full story in National Best Seller "The Soong Dynasty" by Stirling Seagrave (his real name!) , which I have just finished reading.

In c. 1972, when Taiwan was kicked out of the UN and replaced by China, I remember thinking this was a disaster, a tragedy for the world.  Now , after reading books like the one above, I know how wrong I was, how brainwashed I had been by the Time/Life-type people....the same sort of people who brainwashed most Americans (and Australians) into thinking that the Iraq invasion was a necessary thing.  If only MM would go after the Time/Life people....but even he is scared of this, as one Guardian review of "Dude" points out (..."why so little about the US/Israel connection?"...because he might not get his books published if he does?...)....bit like questioning the US/Taiwan connection in the 50's and 60's.

+ Eternal rest to two dear friends who went home to Heaven recently: Paddy O'Dwyer (Sep 17 in Melbourne, learnt of his death only this morning  in OMI international news bulletin) .....  and "Gregory", a mentally handicapped 15 year old street sleeper who died recently after being hit by a car on highway in front of local railway station. I tried many contacts (govt/police/private) to find a home for him, without success.  For nearly a year I paid a local canteen to give him a Y5 rice box each night. Now he has the Best of All Homes, at the Eternal Banquet. Paddy, please introduce him to a few of your many friends!

Thank you for a prayer

God bless!

John W omi

p.s. Safe trip today (maybe his last?) JP2 to Pompeii today

Tuesday, September 30, 2003: Dear Friends

Last day of September good morning from Zhaoqing. Excitement in the air here as everyone prepares for October National Day holiday week (Oct 1-7)....many people reviving their travel plans which were cancelled at last long break (May Day holiday week) because of SARS

Highlights of the past week at CAS:

* Tuesday Sep 23: Primary 6 Oral English....where the girls said that Alister is more handsome than Aron

* As a follow up to his international conference speaking last week,  Kieran  has been offered a Y15,000(!) per month job at another school.....but his heart & empty wallet are at Y3,000 per month CAS

* Wednesday Sep 24: Notice board  display of Australia Tour photos...complete with Oct 19 advt of Mother Teresa's beatification by John Paul II

* Evening English classes at village cafe now in their 3rd week.  A delight.  Sep 24 photos  &   Sep 26 photos

* Saturday Sep 27 - well done Brisbane Lions!  We enjoyed listening to Grand Final on Radio Australia and 4BC/internet.  Think about it: Leigh Matthews' greatest achievement was not being player of the century or winning grand finals as a player...or coaching Brisbane to 3 successive premierships.  His greatest miracle was....coaching Collingwood to their only flag in 45 years!

* Also Sep 27: English Corner for secondary and Australia tour students (after re-union dinner)

* Sunday September 28: Happy Birthday Aron!

During the week several goalposts more or less returned to their former positions. School now requires 8 oral English overseas staff for February 2004:  six for secondary, one for kindergarten, one for primary (myself...+ kind visitors..).  Interested in the 7 vacant  positions are quite a few intrepid souls, among them Josie, Pam &  Bruce, & Steve (who all played in previous premierships at CAS) ....and Petrina, Desmond & spouse, Linda & John, Joseph & Suki, Joy & Dan.  I'll be trying to contact you all by email in the next few days to finalise our team

Happy National Day. Thank you for a prayer

God bless!

John W omi

Tuesday, September 23, 2003: Dear Friends

Good morning from Zhaoqing where weather is starting to become cooler....straight after Mid-Autumn Festival as usual.  But Summer has not gone ....it will make many comebacks before finally giving up.

Last Thurs-Fri-Sat Sep 18-20 Kieran and CAS primary English teacher Winnie attended an International English Teaching Conference in Guiyang, 8 hours from Zhaoqing....at which Kieran gave a short address...now an international conference speaker...

On Sunday Sep 20 Aron's Mum, Dad and brother arrived for a 2-week stay: welcome Annemarie, Mike and Alister.  Thank you for helping out with oral English classes at CAS

Thank you Chris for more photos from your time here a few weeks ago.

Evening English / Scripture classes at local village cafe had good first week.  Cafe secretary Rosa also helping school-less children....including  Joe the 16 year old with only one arm.  Reason for only one arm: he was hit by train at our local crossing in December last year. A dangerous crossing that causes several accidents each year.  Joe now has computer at home to help him study.

Middle East File has disturbing new article "War Game" on background of Iraq invasion

September is traditional wage/conditions bargaining time at CAS....goal posts seem to be going back to last semester's locations...will know in next few days. 

And...well done Brisbane Lions on courageous win last week. Every good wish  for this Saturday against Collingwood in AFL Grand Final!

Thank you for a prayer

God bless!

John W omi

p.s. Happy Birthday tomorrow Louisa!

Tuesday, September 16, 2003: Dear Friends

Hello from an showery Zhaoqing....lovely rain the past two days....needed by thirsty ground and trees.
Beautiful full moon was visible for Mid-Autumn Festival...for which we had a long weekend ..and as is often the case....after a long weekend many students and staff are very, very  tired!

Thursday September 18 photos  recall Michael's birthday.... and a visit to Zoe's home. 
Recent visitors included 2 of Charlotte's friends  who are teaching in Dongguan (half way to HK)... and Imelda & Wendy from HK (interested in helping at village English cafe in the future). 

Which reminds me....evening classes started at cafe last night...a lovely little group of primary 1 & 2 students....with a group of 3's & 4's tonight....a group of 4's & 5's tomorrow night....a group of 5's & 6's on Thursday night.....and secondary/adults on Friday and Sunday night.  Rosa the cafe secretary is also starting daytime lessons for children without a school, including one 13 year old girl who has never been to school, and one 16 year old boy who is housebound (has one good arm, one arm cut off at elbow, two legs cut off at knees.....we are getting an old computer for him...and hopefully a special chair that will enable him to get out of the house)

On the theme of poor people / poverty, I've combined a few former files/reflections/links  into one: poverty. 
Strikes me that more and more people are becoming successful/rich in this world by keeping a low profile, not rocking the boat, avoiding strong language, fence-sitting etc (..all or some of which qualities can be good/desirable at times..) .......but this strategy sure doesn't work for the growing majority of people in this world at the bottom of the pile. They need to speak out ...or have someone speak out for them....which is what happened this week  at Cancun in Mexico at the W.T.O. meeting (c.f. Guardian article in above link)

Here in the area around our school we have identified 10 pockets of poverty....10 groups (most groups have 50-200 people)  of poor people....squatters...new arrivals....jobless/school-less etc.   They are our priority for reach-out programs from the English cafe.  If only the cafe had a few more full-time helpers....

Also reaching out is AITECE a wonderful organization that this semester has a record 60 teachers in China.
Thursday September 19 update: watch this space....there's movement at the station.... now a  possibility of  9 overseas oral English staff for next semester... goal-posts returning to previous location....

But here at CAS our halcyon days (10 overseas oral English staff last semester) have gone for the time being. Only 5 this semester (mainly due to SARS)...and the number for next semester is now being kicked around a ground with shifting goalposts.....which explains why usual advertisement at top of this page has been removed.
Deal thrashed out last year, after much blood/sweat/tears/protests, was overseas people (unqualified teachers) would be here for small group conversation work ...with groups of no more than 8.  As the 20 overseas people who've been here the past two years know, even 8 in a group is a challenge (read "very, very difficult at times").  Administration now wants only one teacher in primary (= myself....that's not a problem for me as a trained teacher with a large stock of movies, songs, word games etc). But admin also now is falling back into its old something-or-other ways and wants only 4 in secondary, with the same 4 covering kindergarten.....doing more classes than in contract....and having up to 14 in secondary groups (= useless for helping students practise conversation, and unfair / close to impossible for maintaining law & order for an untrained teacher.  So.....at this stage I am not willing to ask/encourage kind/generous friends to come here next semester (February 2004)  into a most frustrating no-win situation. 
Associated with the above reflection is the somewhat sickening feeling that we overseas people have been used to build up the school numbers (having foreign staff is the school's no. 1 drawcard) and now that the numbers are up (from 800 last academic year to 1,100 this year) we are not so needed as penny-pinching principles prevail.
We'll see what happens. The school is still a great base for working in Zhaoqing....if only the goal-posts would stop running around!

Goal posts....of another sort....well done Lions last Friday night....c'mon this Saturday night!!

God bless!

John W omi

Tuesday, September 9, 2003: Dear Friends

Good morning from Zhaoqing on day before Annual Teachers' Day...placed at start of academic year to encourage respect for teachers....very moving to receive cards from students at start of school year!

Last night at the Dynasty Hotel there was the annual start of year staff dinner....to coincide with Teachers' Day....overseas staff table conspicuously dry until near the drawing of stumps. 

Teachers and students pretty tired now as we/they work for the 9th consecutive day....with one more tomorrow....before a four-day break for Mid-Autumn Festival (..tomorrow night...hope there's a clear sky to see full moon...>>> Moon Cakes....)

Chris, Rosemary and Robyn (see last week's diary) got away by train ok last Wednesday morning ...but not so David whose favourite saying is "No dramas":  I went with him to the ferry...only to find boat had been cancelled because of typhoon in HK (whose wind and rain also visited Zhaoqing)....so school van diverted to hotel where a daily bus leaves for HK... and David was able to get a ticket on that.....only to find at the border that the driver refused to enter HK (...no insurance for buses/taxis etc when typhoon signal 8 or above hoisted...and that day it was signal no. 9!)).....driver demanded HK$20 from each passenger if bus was to enter HK without insurance cover....so a one-hour heated discussion by (mainly HK) passengers....who finally were given a HK$40 refund and left the bus...to walk in squalling rain to train station for remaining trip from HK border to Kowloon etc....and  after an overnight stay at our usual guest house....David was able to get flight next day to Perth...where he is now  no doubt relating many tales about "those folk up in Iron Bark".   Thank you again David for coming to CAS. 

My own dramas over the past week have revolved around my beloved computer (pc)....many fruitless hours of home surgery, two trips to "doctor" in town, one home visit by ADSL specialist....and now more or less back to normal DG.  "They're great when they work"...

Am now reading, make that devouring, a book called "The Soong Dynasty"...a National Bestseller...by Sterling Seagrave (..surely not his original name..)...about the family whose wealth and power dominated China - and USA policy towards Asia - last century...one of Charlie Soong's daughters married Sun Yat-sen, another married Chiang Kai-shek.  The role of the US media is this saga is like a tragic preview of 2003/Iraq etc: "...Henry Luce, publisher of Time Inc., provided the distorting lens through which many Americans came to see events in Asia".  A book also full of insights into Chinese culture, language and history....fascinating. (Garth...you'll love it!)

Old man's reflection: Our dear lovable modern world (every country) is not only increasingly apathetic to family/common sense / life/ caring/sharing /good values....it's now leaving the apathetic stage and entering the hostile stage.....so that any individual/family/group which tries to practise/promote a "culture of life" (Pope John Paul)  is now often likely to experience isolation/ridicule/opposition.......resulting in, for e.g....more and more parents/teachers "giving up" and letting children/students do what they like (...stay up all night playing computer games.....sleep in class....). What chance do parents/teachers have against the  largely "culture of death" (JP)  media/entertainment/tv Juggernaut of junk ideas  to which young people are now subject? 
Urgently needed: a dedicated, determined, daily antidote  of good ideas/values/examples....as found in The Bible  (..instant reaction:... "no time/interest"..)...which is why my village English classes in the evening (from next week) are all going to include a more explicit Gospel segment...for Primary 1-4 using Gospel artwork to generate English words and games.... for Primary 5-6 &  secondary using games based on Gospel Stories  ....and for adults using  Bible Quiz passages for study and discussion.  Can't help feeling what every country/diocese/town/parish needs is a Bible Study program whereby as many people as possible of all ages get together at least once a week (preferable every night in family groups) for Bible Study...leading to a rediscovery/protection/growth of Life values....values that lead to action/sharing/caring...locally and globally. 
Dear Lord, let it be....

God bless!

John W omi

p.s. There's a free on-line extra chapter to "Stupid White Man" on Michael Moore's Website...but don't read it if you plan to catch a plane in the USA....

Tuesday, September 2, 2003: Dear Friends

Good morning from Zhaoqing!  It's good to be back.  Academic year began yesterday ...with more than 200 new students at CAS, making a total enrolment of 1,100 (k'garten, primary, secondary).   CHS!

When I returned on Aug 28,  I found my phone was disconnected (..lack of funds....reconnected night of Aug 30)...sorry for any inconvenience.  Hotmail chose same time to go down....could not access my account Aug 28 - Sep 1: sorry for slow replies. See note in red below re email.

2003-08-28 to 2003-09-01 photos:

* Thank you NSW teacher-visitors Robyn, Rosemary and Chris for spending a week at CAS,  helping with oral English classes....starting with Bobo & Freddy on train!  Chris a good friend of Fr James Kane who stayed at Notre Dame in HK many years ago

* 2003-09-01 CAS Primary Start of Year Ceremony .. & ...Primary 3A Oral English

* 2003-09-01 Muslim Restaurant Dinner to farewell David  &  to  welcome Charlotte & Megan. Charlotte is from UK and will have the joy of working with 5 Australians. Megan is from Brisbane, a very, very  good friend of the 3 Iona boys. Welcome to both of you!  David has been recalled for work duties (in W.A. Police Force) and will be missed greatly. Thank you David for your 7 months in this part of the world....and... still a most eligible bachelor....ladies  here really should have tried harder....wishing you every blessing for the future!  Not forgetting Erin from Brisbane who was due to join the team  .... spent a month in Northern China working in a Summer School...loved every minute of it..... but had to enter hospital with a dangerous allergy...then return to Australia...ok now....joined tour group for Wynnum Beach meal Aug 9 ..... Wishing you Good Health!

* Overseas team for Semester One: John, Aron, Charlotte, Kieran, Megan, Michael.  Visitors & I are in Primary, others teachers looking after Secondary (Charlotte taking "Going Abroad" Class) & K'garten

At last night's dinner,  secondary teachers remarked how the older Australia tour group students  were literally bubbling with English in class yesterday....very different from un-corked behaviour before tour. 
Another pleasing aspect of tour was the way parents and friends here in China were following each day's activities by checking the tour photos....China8 having 60-70 hits per day during the tour.  Actually more than that: CAS website also had many hits through its tour link www.cas.net.cn (click red below " Mr John")

Little English Cafe in local village getting ready for start of evening classes on September 15 DV.  

Middle East File has  powerful Guardian article re likelihood of civil war and the disintegration of Iraq

Thank you for a prayer

God bless!

John W omi

2003 Diary for May, June, July, August