China Exchange 1999 - International Programs @ TCC

I arrived in Beijing on Thursday evening. I was met at the airport by a driver and by Xiong Yan, whose English name is Diana. Many Chinese people have English names that they use when dealing with English speaking people. I took a Chinese name upon coming to China. It is Ge De Hua. Diana was very gracious and welcoming, on the drive to Beijing Broadcasting Institute she gave me some details about my staty. I was settled into my apartment by about eight that evening. My accommodations are very nice. The apartment has a living room, bedroom, office, kitchen, bath, and a sun room. It is very spacious and well appointed.

The International Center

A view of my apartment

It is located in the new International Center that houses foreign students and teachers. Right now there are four foreign teachers at BBI. On Friday morning I woke up early, jet lagged, and a little nervous about what I had gotten myself into. At 11:30 Diana called and came by to escort me to a welcoming banquet by the President of the Institute, Liu Ji Nan. There were a number of officials of BBI at the banquet, including Wang Wei, who will be my immediate supervisor. Any tension that I was feeling earlier melted away after a few moments in the company of these wonderful people. Everyone was kind and gracious and very welcoming. Eating a banquet (or any) meal in China is quite an experience. There is much good natured conversation and laughter and much food. Course after course was served. When you think that the end has come, more courses arrive, then more. All wonderful. At the end of the banquet I presented the President with a gift, a book of early color photographs of the U.S. taken by William Henry Jackson.

From left to right, Cai Guofen, Chairman of the Foreign Language Department; Wang Wei, Vice-Chairman; Hu Zhengrong, Dean of Study; President Liu Jinan; myself; and Liu LiQun, Director of Foreign Affairs.

Gift presentation and banquet meal.

I will end for now as I want to get this posted. I think that future pages will be in the form of daily journal entries that I will upload every two or three days. I have some catching up to do as it is now Wednesday and I have been here almost a week. Lots of wonderful things are happening daily.

NEXT: 3/6 Bike trip into Beijing

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ED GIBBS
egibbs@tcc.edu