Ni hao (hello in Chinese) ! China, the 1st or 2nd most populous nation in the world w/over 1 billion and growing-wow! That is the first thought that comes to me when I think of China. I've (Sal) met people from China all over, but I never really got a chance to really know anyone that I could think of as close. While attending UMM, I've gone to know some individuals. I remember one lady I met that studied here and she was always busy in her school work. I'm not trying to steretype any particular people of China, but probably the people I've indirectly interacted are the many Chinese restaurants you find all over. You can find one even in Morris of all places-we had a 3-5+ year "drought" of not having one. While I was attending school from 95-99, I think the current local Chinese restaurant just opened towards the end of my years attending UMM.
Yes, there is no perfect government, nation, etc...We have to remember, that we don't live in a perfect world. The only perfect place will be eternity-Kingdom of God. Where Jesus is King
[1 Samuel]
Now, look at this quote from a scene that got my attention while previewing another movie while writing this.
Missions Conference: Missionaries Testimony
I attended the Hossana Worship (church in Morris) Center's Mission Conference this past Saturday, April 17th of 2004. I was enlightened by the testimonies of this missionary. Particulary a miracle of the "key that fell from the sky" that a Chinese non-believer asked God for, which made him a believer thought this. There are many cool stories he share, which is name is forbidden for privacy-safety issues.
....to be continued!
Largest Number of Students from China at UMM 06'-07
Academic Year
I had a chance to meet some of the large number of Chinese residents from Morris' sister City this summer at the annual Talent Show at East Side Park. They were here for less then a month to see the city. This Fall of 2006', we had the largest number (#17 estimate) of students from China come to UMM. I met a lot of them at a local Chinese restaurant before the school year started. I got to know them more when 3 of them needed a ride to the Twin Cities during the Labor Day weekend.
I got the chance to take them (Snow, Suki, and Shin?) to Alexandria last weekend (November 3rd of 2006). Here is a picture of them eating at Arbys (just opened recently in Alexandria, MN) for the first time...
Here is recent (Friday, April 13th of 2007) picture I took with Suki, Snow, and Danke Z. Suki and Snow love KFC, so I took them to another or even a better "chicken place"...
Popeyes on 310 W Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55408 (612)825-5129
Student Liubing Chen reflects on her UMM experience
Posted by Bekah Deutl '08, Anoka on Sunday, May. 6, 2007 "
In early 2005, the University of Minnesota, Morris and Capital Normal University (CNU) in Beijing, China, began exploring student exchange opportunities. That summer, 12 UMM students and two advisers traveled to China�s Jiashan County to jump-start an exchange program, the first with the United States in that region of China. This academic year, 2006-07, UMM welcomed 19 students from China, including Liubing Chen.
Chen is a senior English language and literature student from CNU, and editor of CNU�s magazine. She chose to study at UMM because of the agreement between the two universities, UMM�s excellent liberal arts education, and to improve her English.
�It�s great to be a student here!� says Chen. �It�s totally an English environment, and I have to use English to communicate every day, so it�s really helpful for my improvement. It�s much easier to learn English here than in China. What�s more important is that the people are very friendly and helpful, so I feel very happy to be here.� Chen lives in the on-campus apartments, a great location to hone her English skills.
While CNU is a very large university, with four different campuses and more than 20,000 students at her campus alone, Chen finds UMM comparable. �Both of the universities are very good. CNU emphasizes teacher training. It has great school spirit and pays much attention to moral character. The professors are all very nice and responsible. UMM students are all very diligent and cultured. The professors at UMM are at high levels in their subjects and fields, and they treat students very well, helping a lot in our academic area.� Because of UMM�s liberal arts emphasis, Chen has been able to take many different courses, which she enjoys.
Chen treasures her experiences at UMM: �I would definitely recommend for people in China to study at UMM. It�s a wonderful place to study and live. You not only make progress in your academic career, but also in your personality.� Chen is interested in a career involving American-Chinese communication. �I think it is very important work, and I�ll be very satisfied if I can use my language skills to help people,� she comments.
This is Chen�s first experience in the United States. The native of Beijing, population nearly 15 million, is really enjoying the small town of Morris. �I come from a big city, so I don�t have many chances to enjoy the peaceful country life. I love the fresh air in Morris! The most impressive thing is the tolerance among people. In Morris, people from different countries can get along with each other very well. I have lots of friends here, not only Americans but also students from other counties. I think the best word to describe Morris is �harmony,�� she observes.
Reflecting China�s one child policy, Chen is an only child. Her mother and father, both college graduates, are a designer and a manager of a company, respectively. �I feel really lucky to be their child because they are open-minded parents who love me very much. We three get along very well.� Chen appreciates her parents� encouragement to study abroad. It is as invaluable to her as the support she has received at UMM. Chen is very thankful for all of the help she has received through orientation, from the Center for International Programs staff, and from the tutors who aided her throughout the year.
Chen and Payne
Chen and Tap Payne, professor of theatre, at UMM's International Country Fair.
"Before Sara Lam �03, a native of Hong Kong, completed an elementary education major at the University of Minnesota, Morris (UMM), she knew classroom teaching would not be in her future. In fact, Lam considered dropping out of the program, but her UMM professors encouraged her to finish. They recognized in her a quiet but exuberant passion for children and a profound awareness of social inequities. Lam�s UMM degree became the groundwork for studying international education policy at Harvard University and then co-founding the Rural China Education Foundation, the manifestation of a lifetime desire to help children.
From Hong Kong to Morris
Lam's mother grew up in St. Paul, so she knew Minnesota through summer holiday excursions. She was introduced to UMM by Jen Anderson �01 and Chaz Rice �00 who through the UMM English Language Teaching Assistant Program (ELTAP) taught in her Hong Kong high school. The two UMMers shared their enthusiasm for their college. When it was time to choose a college, she chose UMM.
Opportunities beyond the classroom deepened Lam�s desire to work for social change through education. She herself became an ELTAP participant, teaching English in Czech Republic. She completed a teaching practicum in Chicago and at the Tiospa Zina Tribal School in Agency Village, South Dakota, and she student taught in Chile through the Global Student Teaching Program.
�Through these opportunities,� states Lam, �I began to fully realize the relationship between education and social justice. The typical view of education is �work hard and improve your life,� but I�ve experienced first hand that it is not that simple. Seeing school kids going to homes with drugs, alcohol, and poverty confirmed for me the need for a more nuanced view of education in disadvantaged communities. Education doesn�t solve all the problems. Sometimes, change is needed in a whole system.�
From Harvard to China
After completing a master of international education policy at Harvard, Lam earned a fellowship to work in rural education in China. Even though she grew up in a bordering city, she didn�t know much about mainland China when she began her research with Diane Geng, a fellow Harvard graduate who earned a master of arts in education in human development and psychology.
�We witnessed difficulties and disparities in different rural areas, a very structured curriculum without individual student focus,� shares Lam. �But on the other hand, we saw rural teachers who despite the difficulties were passionate about their work and really cared about their students. They made extra efforts to shape the curriculum, although they are encouraged not to do so. There�s a great need in rural China but also a great hope because of those wonderful teachers.�
The two women observed a disconnect between typical curriculum in rural schools and the educational needs of individual students and the greater community, which they believe directly affects the staggering drop out rate. Only 20 percent of rural students attend high school. Eighty percent do not continue after middle school. �They lose hope, and they don�t see the value of education,� states Lam.
In response to their fieldwork and research, Lam and Geng, along with other young Chinese scholars and professionals, established the Rural China Education Foundation (RCEF). The nonprofit organization�s mission is to �promote education for people in rural China that empowers them to improve their lives and their communities.� In 2007, RCEF received a substantial grant from Echoing Green, a noted philanthropic organization with the vision to �spark social change by identifying, funding, and supporting some of the world�s most extraordinary emerging social entrepreneurs and the organizations they launch.� The grant allowed Lam and Geng to try new approaches and establish in depth projects. �With the support of Echoing Green, we can really help in a hands on way, become more connected, more responsive,� shares Lam.
RCEF�s strategies support rural teachers and assist in creating innovative, relevant curriculum for rural students. Current projects include a teaching fellows program called the Integrative Rural Education Program, a summer volunteer program, and a rural teachers network. Integral to each project is RCEF�s objective to integrate education and rural society, for students to become involved in their communities.
Empowering individuals and their communities
�One of the projects I worked on was a course for kids who dropped out of middle school,� shares Lam. �The students received money for a community-related project to purchase books for the village library. They had to agree to buy books that the villagers would be interested in reading, and they had to figure out how to be fair to all the members of the village. The students created survey forms then made their way around the village to talk to people about their wishes.�
It was an eye opening experience for Lam because, at first, it appeared that the project might fail. Community members were wary of the young people knocking on their doors. The students felt marginalized.
But the project turned around. With coaching, the students assessed the situation and regrouped. Shares Lam: �The students needed to chat with survey participants, tell them about the project, and share their excitement. The kids got motivated, and the villagers saw them in a new light.�
While their educational venture provided hands on academic learning�library skills, computer skills, statistics, spreadsheets, and accounting�Lam notes that the students� most important accomplishments are less tangible. �This project helped the students build confidence in dealing with others. They are better communicators, more confident in their futures. They figured out how to get things done in their community.�
While creating RCEF collaborations in China, Lam also networks with UMM faculty members. Currently, she conducts comparative research with Pam Solvie, associate professor of elementary education, who studies international perspectives on education.
Photo above: Sara Lam �03 teaching a computer class with students in a village in rural China."
Language
Tong Hua
"Originally by Guang Liang. Covered by the 2009-2010 Chinese I class of the University of Minnesota, Morris."
Related Sites: UMM students excel in national karaoke contest for language students UMM students excel in national karaoke contest for language students, Published November 17 2010 morrissuntribune.com
University of Minnesota, Morris students in Beginning Modern Chinese have placed in the 2010 Cheng & Tsui SuperStar Karaoke Contest for Chinese Language Students and Teachers
By: Judy Korn, UMM News Service, Morris Sun Tribune
"University of Minnesota, Morris students in Beginning Modern Chinese have placed in the 2010 Cheng & Tsui SuperStar Karaoke Contest for Chinese Language Students and Teachers. The students, taught by Nan Gao, teaching specialist in the Division of the Humanities, created videos for their entries. They were top-10 finalists in both the solo and group categories of about 150 entries. The students have been learning Chinese for about three months.
Dia Lee won first place in the solo category singing “All the Things You Never Knew.”
The Chinese I class received second place in the group category singing "Tomorrow Will Be Better."
Restaurant
Grand Buffet, lunch buffet only $5.95
Morris delegation to ratify Sister City agreement in China
(04/12/2006 Morris Sun Tribune)
"
Morris Mayor Carol Wilcox and University of Minnesota, Morris Chancellor Sam Schuman will be among 16 people with ties to the area and UMM traveling to China on Thursday.
The group will be involved in the formal declaration of Morris and the Chinese city of Jiashan partnering through the Sister City program.
"I'm excited, and I'm sure everyone else is excited," Wilcox said. "I think it's a great opportunity."
Schuman first proposed the Sister City connection last year because of Jiashan's growing ties to the University of Minnesota, Morris.
The trip also will include the signing of academic exchange documents, Wilcox said.
After Schuman suggested the Sister City program, the city readily agreed to join in. The Morris City Council in February approved a resolution entering into a Sister City agreement.
Enrolling in the Sister Cities International program is $140 per city per year, and Schuman offered to pick up the fee for both Morris and Jiashan.
The Sister Cities idea was born after Schuman and several UMM students visited Jiashan.
The University of Minnesota, which has a center devoted to Chinese students and study, has more graduates from China than any university in the U.S., Schuman said.
Schuman visited China twice recently, taking tours of the area and universities in Beijing and Shanghai.
"It was an astonishing experience about which I could speak for hours, hours and hours," Schuman told the Morris City Council last year.
At the request of Chinese officials, 12 UMM students spent a couple weeks in Jiashan and surrounding areas last summer.
UMM eventually would like to establish an exchange program with Chinese students, according to Schuman.
Chinese students, the mayor of Jiashan are planning to visit Morris this summer, Wilcox said.
The Jiashan officials are planning a formal banquet at which the Sister City documents would be signed, Wilcox said.
"It's quite formal and big," Wilcox said. "It'll be real fancy. I don't know if I'm fancy enough for it, but I'll give it a shot."
The rest of the trip involves tours of Jiashan, and the rest of Zhejiang, the province in which the city is located. The group will visit manufacturing facilities and academic institutions, and take in many cultural sights and events, Wilcox said.
The group also will travel to Beijing to visit with Chinese commerce officials, and sightsee, she said.
They will return April 23.
"It will be the only time I'll be there, I'm sure, so I want to see it all," Wilcox said. "It should be fun."
"Those who traveled to China along with Schuman and Wilcox are Falzerano, Jaime Moquin, UMM Office of Admissions, Michael Korth, chair, UMM Science and Mathematics Division, Tap Payne, chair, UMM Humanities Division, Margaret Payne, Morris resident, Jooinn Lee, chair, UMM Social Sciences Division, Claire Lee, Morris resident, Pam Solvie, faculty, UMM Education Division, Mary Ann Scharf, Morris resident, Linda Schmidgall, Morris resident, Neil Schmidgall, Superior Industries, Michael Sparby, AURI and LaVonne Droegemueller, teacher, Morris Area High School.
Along with student exchanges for study abroad, the possibility of faculty participating in this program is undecided. UMM students have the opportunity to attend classes for an entire semester at either Shanghai University or Capital Normal, or to attend the May Term where they will spend two weeks at Capital Normal, five days teaching English in Jiashan, and the last five days visiting Shanghai.
"
The bridge between cultures
By Jo Colvin, Life Reporter, Alexandria Echo Press
Published Friday, June 22, 2007
"
To the land of 10,000 lakes from a city of 14 million people � Yue Schneiderhan�s recent move to Alexandria was quite a change.
Born and raised in Beijing, China, Yue moved to Alexandria a year and a half ago. Though she left behind the hustle and bustle of an international city, the capital of China, she did not leave behind the love and passion she has for her native country.
China has a 5,000-year history, one of the richest cultural countries in the world,� Yue said in her heavily accented, yet eloquent English. �I love the culture. It�s beautiful.�
Yue Schneiderhan donned Chinese attire for her recent traditional wedding ceremony in Beijing.
Yue Schneiderhan donned Chinese attire for her recent traditional wedding ceremony in Beijing.
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Her plan is to bring some of that culture to Alexandria by teaching Mandarin Chinese, the official language of China, to interested residents.
Yue earned a bachelor of arts degree in Chinese language and literature in Beijing. She lived in London for three years, improving her English and learning its culture. She later returned to that country to earn her master�s of business administration (MBA) degree in international business.
So many are interested in the Chinese market,� she said. �China is becoming more global. I realized that it was a great opportunity to develop my career internationally. That is why I want to get my MBA. I studied to update my knowledge. I like to challenge myself. I enjoy cultural differences and learning new things.�
For several years she ran her own company in Beijing, and was a journalist for Construction Economy magazine. In that capacity, she says she �introduced foreign business to how to develop their business in China� and helped them �get contact with government, businesspeople and companies.�
Having visited 20 foreign countries, and having been to America four times, Yue was open to a move to the U.S. with her husband, David.
After a visit to Alexandria, she �fell in love with the natural beauty� of the area and with the �warmhearted people.�
It's a huge difference from an international city to a small town,� she said. �People are so friendly. They say hello to everybody and make eye contact. It�s totally different from the city.�
A few months after moving here, a meeting with a couple who had adopted a baby from China set in motion her plans for what she would do with her new life in the U.S.
I was really touched by the people who have such a big heart to adopt Chinese children. I thought I should do something, too,� Yue said. �I feel a responsibility from the bottom of my heart and a strong connection with them.�
She decided that she would offer her teaching services free of charge to adopted Chinese children.
According to Yue, Mandarin Chinese is the most popular and fastest-growing language in the world. In a recent study, it was found that it ranked first on the list of most widely-spoken languages, at nearly 14 percent of the world�s population, followed by Spanish at slightly more than 5 percent and English at almost 5 percent.
China is playing a significant role in the world,� she explained. �That�s why I want to teach not only the language, but the culture and the customs. It�s a great opportunity for me to do my part.�
In addition to the free course for adopted Chinese children, she is offering a course to others interested in learning Mandarin Chinese. The schedule is very flexible and is tailored to each individual�s needs. She will teach one-to-one, two at a time, or in small groups of six or less. A tuition fee will be charged.
For information about Yue's course, e-mail yuehao@hotmail.com.
I'm very passionate about Chinese culture,� she concluded. �I will be very happy to help. I want to be the bridge between the two cultures."
I went to a music festival called Sonshine Festival in Wilmar, Minnesota back in the summer of 1999/2000. A group called Jars of Clay had a memorable share on how big God is after a mission trip to China...
Jars of Clay on China
"I went to a music festival called Sonshine Festival in Wilmar, Minnesota back in the summer of 1999/2000. A group called Jars of Clay had a memorable share on witnessing how BIG God is after a mission trip to China..http://www.goodnewseverybody.com "
..see music concert video on "World Apart"
".... at Phalen Lake Park, St. Paul, showcase cultural heritage of the local Asian Pacific Islander communities, it also will include cooking demonstrations of Asian street foods on Saturday, July 11, and special make-up tips sessions for Asian women on Sunday, July 12!
The annual two-day family-oriented Dragon Festival kicks off at 10 a.m. on July 11. The event’s all-volunteer planning committee is proud to promote the 2,400-yr-old tradition and sport of dragon boat racing. There also will be colorful displays of cultural heritage and performances in an effort to increase cross-cultural understanding. The year-round planning will result in a weekend of exciting festivities featuring:...
-CHINESE-AMERICAN CONTRIBUTION TO TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD, from Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum "Without the efforts of the Chinese workers in the building of America's railroads, our development and progress as a nation would have been delayed by years. Their toil in severe weather, cruel working conditions and for meager wages cannot be under appreciated. My sentiments and thanks go out to the entire Chinese-American community for its ancestors' contribution to the building of this great Nation."
SAINT PAUL — In the 1980s, retired missionaries home from China offered Chinese students at the University of Minnesota opportunities to practice English, visit American homes and learn about Christianity.
As church volunteers assisted, services expanded. The Hospitality Center for Chinese (HCC) became a nonprofit organization in 1992, renting space in the Lutheran Campus Ministries building on Cleveland Avenue in St. Paul. In 2005, when the Lutherans decided to sell, HCC sought a partner to share the facility. After they prayed and fasted, China Service Ventures (CSV), a ministry serving China, came seeking an international headquarters. The building was renamed China Place.
HCC and CSV are connected through having the same founders. Several missionary families that lived and worked in China, with deep roots there, created the second nonprofit in 2000. CSV builds relationships between Christian individuals and communities in the United States and China through education, community, health and Good News Ventures.
Kelly O’Brien, director of U.S. Operations, said: “Henan Province, among the poorest, most populated provinces, is where CSV works most. In Christian witness, we strive ‘not to be served, but to serve.’ Lives are transformed through our Bo Ai (‘Boundless Love’) Program, [which] provid[es] scholarships for underprivileged rural youth. Each summer, American counselors from a Wisconsin Lutheran Bible camp pack their bags and travel to China, helping co-host summer youth camps there. Keeping a low profile, we also send English teachers, nurses and other professionals who accomplish much.”
CSV welcomes involvement and project partnership. They pray Tuesdays at China Place for missions and ministries. Praying Christians may join or request weekly or monthly prayer emails.
HCC’s March 31 third annual Friendraiser banquet saw 50 Chinese volunteers serve dinner to 350 guests, who also enjoyed entertainment, stories and riveting testimonies. In addition, the evening honored the transition of Jennifer Gerth, HCC’s executive director of four years, to Janeé Wells.
With an extensive non-profit background, Wells had volunteered at HCC for four years.
"In my first months on staff, I realized that HCC is well named: We are a center where lots happens spiritually daily, weekly and monthly,” she said. “A visiting scholar’s wife who had been Confucian told her HCC English teacher she wants Christ in her life. A university student, participating in an HCC Bible Study, dedicated her life to Christ. Our morning cooking class attendees stay long past lunch for answers to their questions about God.”
One woman who had been helped by HCC said: “When my husband and I came to Minnesota, we received help from HCC who provided furniture and invited us to Friendship Meals. By hearing Christian testimonies, I learned about the Christian faith. Before coming, I had never heard about Jesus. I was an atheist … confused about faith because I could not see God with my eyes. As I started to pray and read the Bible, I understood the love I received from so many Christians. I cannot see God with my eyes, but [now] I feel God and receive joy from Christ all the time, no matter what. I decided to confess my sin and let Jesus direct my life …. Thank you for caring about me and my Chinese brothers and sisters."
"Volunteers from 15 Twin Cities churches and financial donations are key to our ministry,” said Wells. “Wonderfully, Friendraiser donations were doubled by a kingdom-minded businessman, letting us focus on ministry, not fundraising."
Gerth still volunteers at HCC weekly. She received an email from a college friend living in China concerning a rural Chinese girl who became a rape victim upon moving to Beijing. Gerth used HCC contacts to find friends and a Christian counselor. When the young woman met the counselor, she immediately gave her heart to the Lord.
The wife of one of last year’s visiting scholars became pregnant with their second child while visiting here. Recognizing her pregnancy following her return, the Beijing hospital where she has worked as a nurse for 17 years fired her, ordered her abortion and took her to the clinic. After a close call, her husband put her on a plane to Minnesota. He emailed China Place: “My wife is coming; can you help?”
The woman—now a mother for the second time—daily attends China Place cooking and English classes and receives rides to her doctor’s office.
China Place is a home away from home for many.
"A variety of groups use our facility,” said Gerth, “including the Twin Cities’ largest Chinese choir, a Chinese homeschooling group and students for various social gatherings. We do whatever possible for whoever God brings to our door.”
HCC is served by a student leadership group given official recognition by the University of Minnesota. Led by HCC’s Program Director Dr. Peter Hao, 12 impassioned officers include undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral leaders who build meaningful relationships and bridges between the two countries through providing services to Chinese students and scholars.
Summer is HCC’s busiest time.
"Hundreds of new Chinese students arrive in July and August needing rides from the airport, host families, donated furniture and help getting settled,” said Wells. “The personal involvement of caring Christians greatly changes the lives of tomorrow’s leaders in China."
ACTIONPOINT: The Hospitality Center for Chinese is located at 1407 Cleveland Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN 55108. They can be reached by phone at (651) 659-9740 or on the Internet at www.hcchinese.org. The China Service Ventures U.S. Headquarters is also located at the same address. They can be reached by phone at (651) 659-1396 or on the Internet by visiting www.chinaserviceventures.org.
