Arrived

24 hours door to door, arrived in Chongqing tired but not too bad! Looks as though blogging is also blocked here now so am trying via email log.

Having a snooze then off to the gym and then some food.

Time to go!

All documents have come through, family's visa application going off today so hopefully I'll be meeting them off the plane in Changsha a week next Sunday. Preparations for Wales week are going well with Bangor University joining in now so Wales is going to be very well represented. I'm not looking forward to the 13 hours flying and x hours waiting to fly but I CAN NOT WAIT to get to Chongqing!

Countdown the clock is ticking.

12 hours to go before I board the bus to the airport, I'm still waiting for the final document I need to get family visa applications off! Every time I go there's a visa drama! Fortunately I have amazing people willing to help out. Worst case I'll be on my own in China for two weeks! Let's hope the email comes early......

The Welsh Dragon Roars

My dear Chinese and non Welsh friends, you may not know but China and Wales are two of very few nations that share the same emblem of power and strength. Today the Welsh Dragon roared! "what do you mean?" I hear you ask (my English friends will not be asking this as they already know) well today the Welsh Rugby Team defeated the English Rugby Team by 19 points to 12 at Tickenham,the home of the English Team and Headquarters of English Rugby, for the Welsh people this is akin to having all your greatest wishes come true, like a child receiving the gifts they only dreamed of on Christmas Day ( in western culture) or on New Years Day (in Chinese Culture). If you would like me to explain this in more detail please come and see me at the "Wales Week" event in the Harbour Plaza Hotel in Chongqing on the 1st and 2nd of March. Huitou jian

Not the best of days today, had to give some tough news to a hard working group of colleagues. Not the best way to start the weekend for any of us!

I've just realised that it couldn't be a better year for me to go to China, I was born in May 1964 that makes me a Dragon and 2012 is the year of the Dragon!

It really is all coming together now,  a bag full of Wales / China flag friendship badges have arrived, useful little gifts for people I meet, I've picked up some University gifts as well from my  excellent colleagues in the International Development Office, all flights have been confirmed for all of us, the  hotel in Beijng is booked too. I Just have to sort visa application for the family and then all sorted, so I can sleep a bit easier.

We've also been working on a promotional video for our  teacher training provision ('Careers not inflatable chairs' is worth a read) which  is nearly complete for me to take with me too, big thanks to Pete Hanratty for all his hard, diverted, work here and Peter Neville for the footage.

Apart from that, today, I have;

1. been approached by 3 workmen from a building contractor asking where I'd like the 10 ton of earth to be put!( Isn't it wonderful , that no matter how long I work here the place never ceases to amaze, surprise and make me laugh out loud), apparently ELTS is to have a sustainable vegetable garden planted in the open quadrangle at the centre of the building. This is the first that any of using the building has heard of the plan! that will be built 2nd of March.
2. discussed and made plans for a visit to Kurdistan two weeks after I get back from China.
3. met with colleagues from a big University College to organise delivering a team building event for an upcoming restructuring there.
4. worked until later than I wanted to!

Tomorrow is another day, I wonder what it will bring?

Woohoo! Visa came today, transport to airport organised, flights organised. Wales Week...........getting organised, presentations complete, video reaching finalisation. Toilet signage sorted, long meeting on that subject today. Family flights booked for mid March, it's all looking pretty good. Chongqing see you next Tuesday.

Flights confirmed today, flying out on the 27th!! Chongqing here I come, see you on the 28th February!
Need to start thinking about what to pack, 4 weeks away 2 working and 2 of which will be holiday, and only small baggage allowance. I always travel light but have never done a work / holiday trip and what about the  weather? Looking like early UK summer temperatures.

Not a day without variety again! Visited University of Glamorgan this morning to meet colleagues to push on with the plans for China visit. It looks like a busy time, we're now possibly delivering the event as the main organiser has suffered a bereavemment! Discussed a student crisis on my return to the department, considerations of safeguarding etc, all very serious stuff. Then took part in our staff student committee and had our wonderful students negotiating with me to organise a kitchen area for them! Finished the day off with organising a meeting to discuss the issue of toilet signage that has made the national press over the last week! Is it any wonder I love my job?

Quite an uneventful day today...apart from a surprise drop in visit from the Omani Cultural Attaché!!! He just called around to see if we could offer any pre university English programmes for scholarship students who have just graduated high school in Oman. We, of course, can. The day ended with a really peaceful yoga Nidra session 17.15 - 18-15.

Confirmation

My 'letter of comfort' arrived today! I'm assisting the Welsh Government it would seem! My first Hot Pot of the year is getting closer!

Preparations are zooming ahead now, it looks like I may be in China for a month in total! First of all visiting some students and staff at a few universities in Chongqing, then attending  Wales Week with colleagues from other Welsh institutions on the 1st and 2nd March at the Harbour Plaza  . After that I'm moving on to Changsha and Zhuzhou City.  If plans go well I may take some annual leave and fly my family out for 10 days after my work has finished.  My son and wife will love China!

Well it looks like a good time to be starting my first post on this new blog, I'm planning a trip to Chongqing, China . I'll be part of a delegation from Wales, visiting for "Wales Week" from 28th February. I was in Chongqing last September and met students and staff from Chongqing University of Technology who gave me a great warm welcome and introduced me to the famous and deliciously spicy food of the region, I can't wait to return!