Introducing Seer Farms Animal Sanctuary

I want to introduce everyone to an organization that is truly inspirational. Founded by an amazing lady, Laura Pople, Seer Farms Animal Sanctuary is truly unique. It's goal is to keep families together as they navigate various life crises and challenges.

For instance, a family's house is severely damaged in a fire, forcing them to rely on the kindness of friends and or family or hotels for housing while their home is rebuilt. But, they have several pets that can't be accommodated...instead of being forced to surrender the pets to a shelter that will try to place them in a new home they leave at Seer Farms. Seer Farms cares for the pets as long as it is needed. The family can come visit at any time. When the family is ready, they are reunited with their pets.

A woman feels trapped in an abusive relationship because the cats that have been her emotional rocks can't go with her to a shelter. She can't leave because her husband threatens to kill her cats every time she tries. Seer Farms can provide sanctuary for the cats until she is safe and in a position to take the cats back.

A family loses it home to foreclosure...
An elderly widow needs emergency surgery...
Flooding destroys home...

Seer Farms Animal Sanctuary is there to help smooth transitions. This unique program has been featured in People and the Star Ledger. Check it out at: http://www.seerfarms.org/

Keep in tune to this page too, because Seer Farms is gearing up for some major fundraising efforts.

Decisions, decisions, decisions about the blood drive

Actually, it really is only one major decision that I have to make about the blood drive. Do I organize it for near my house in the Morris County area or do I find a location down near Edison?

Obviously, near my house is more convenient for me, but I know a lot of people that live closer to central Jersey...

To some extent, it will depend on who will lend us space. I'm planning on approaching a couple of malls about using empty storefronts. Whoever donates space first might be the winner. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

Did it again - and this time I need your help

Hey Everyone,

I did it again - bit off more than I can chew. I have volunteered to organize a blood drive. (I really should never be allowed to get bored.)

Seriously, NJ is facing a blood shortage - and not a minor one. Winter storms and colds cause cancellations of donation appointments leading to increased strain on a system that is already falling short of meeting our needs. More can be read about this at http://videos.nj.com/star-ledger/2011/01/new_jersey_facing_severe_and_c.html (I would embed the video, but I don't remember how to do this...will have to work on that.)

We count on the blood to be there when we need it. Most of us don't even think about it, but what happens if we run out? The thought is terrifying for people like me that rely on the generosity of donors to keep us alive.

So, I volunteered to try an help correct this. So, how can you help (beyond donating blood)? I need people to help me pre-register donors. I need help spreading the word.

The first step falls to me - finding a location. It's going to be about two months out. So, anyone that could give me a hand....

Getting back up to speed

Hi Everyone,

I know - a long time has passed since I posted last. I've decided to resurrect my blog in order to highlight some of my favorite causes and events. Here are some topics that I'm sure will pop up.

Seer Farms Animal Sanctuary - http://www.seerfarms.org/ Seer farms is a truly unique concept founded by my good friend Laura Pople. The fundamental goal of the program is to keep families together - both the human ones and the furry/scaled/feathered ones. You'll hear lots more about them as we gear up our new fundraising program.

Equality/Diversity - Whether it is LGBTI * rights, gender rights, disability awareness, anti-bullying...everyone has the right to be who and what they are and without persecution ...what's that sentence on our Declaration of Independence?

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

Blood Donations - Do you ever think about what would happen if you needed blood in an emergency and there was none available for you? I do, mostly because it is the generosity of blood donors that has been keeping me alive. Guess what - NJ is having a shortage of blood. So, I am encouraging everyone to donate (I would if I could). I'm also starting the process of organizing a blood drive. Details to come.

Enough for the moment. I'm off to organize something.

*LGBTI = Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Intersexed - sometimes a Q is included for either the term Queer or Questioning.

Returning Home

Hey Everyone,

It has been a while since I posted and I apologize for that. However, I am going to be returning home, so you can beat me up next time you see me.

Talk to you soon.

Elizabeth

Vastly Different Study Styles

Today's photo is from yesterday's trip to see the Palace-Temple of the Old Mother, Laoma Gong. I just love these little guys!

This is just an initial impression, but it seems that I have a vastly different study style than the Chinese students that are in my class. Admittedly, my study style is also very different than many American students; I have a very strong geek gene - Thanks Dad!

None of the students really take notes in class. They might scribble a few things in their textbooks but that is about it. I also have yet to see any of them take notes from the book, but that could be that I haven't yet talked to the right students. Index cards! They don't seem to be readily available here...I have yet to find any and I am down to my last 10 cards. They are key to my studying.

I was talking to one student about how they study and he just didn't seem to understand how using multiple tools helps you learn material. He told me he just reads the book, comes to class and reviews the PowerPoint slides. He did say that sometimes he reads aloud, but that is it. I can't imagine learning without using all of the tools available to you, listening, writing, reviewing, drawing, practicing, diffusion...

The gentleman that invited me here also said that he wanted his students to learn more abut self-study and critical thinking. There has been little discussion in classes - they have been almost pure lecture.

I am going to continue to look into this, for a culture that has a reputation for being overachievers, this is very perplexing.

Palace-Temple of Old Mother

So today I snuck off to the Palace-Temple of Old Mother. Shantou is a seaport and appropriately they have a gorgeous temple to the Goddess Matsu. She was a sea goddess that cared for sailors and fishermen; unlike many of the other sea gods, she was supposed to be compassionate. This temple is dedicated to her. I can't put all of my pictures up here, so I am figuring out how to put them up in an album on Picassa.

I had a little trouble getting there. First, I tried to walk, but I kept getting confused. Then as I was walking back to my start point this little old begger guy started harassing me. He wouldn't leave me alone for about two blocks. I wish I could help them, but I can't help them all, how do I pick?

When I made it back to the downtown campus of Shantou University, I ran into a fifth year gentleman who was very kind and helped me tell a "taxi" driver where I wanted to go. Look at the picture, I rode in a couple of them today. My new friend also wrote out a note for me in Chinese that said "Please drive me to Shantou Univeristy Medical Center" so that I could show it to a taxi driver and get back.

Off I go, it turns out I was heading the right way. I should have trusted myself, but then the taxi driver pulls off at a Christian Church. He took me to the wrong temple! So, I was pointing on my map to where I wanted to go and the driver didn't understand...he flagged down a gentleman on a moped. This gentleman happened to be an English teacher at one of the high schools and a graduate of Shatou University. He gave me a lift to the temple. It was the first time I have ever been on a moped. I exchanged emails with both of the gentlemen that helped me.

The temple was amazing. They used mosaic tile relief to create these pictures of a sea serpent and a tiger. Everywhere was covered in ornate reliefs and carvings depicting different battles and sea creatures. I can't describe it. Each item was covered in this amazing carved and gilded artwork. There were two sides to the temple, much of the artwork was similar. There were also these stone columns with serpents wrapped around them. In amongst the sea serpents coils where different men and women. Look at the pictures.

When I was done, I flagged down another of the "taxis" and went back to the college. The only downside of my day was that I lost my notebook...the zipper on my backpack is breaking and sometime pops open...I must have dropped my notebook when it did that. This means that I lost the emails of my two new friends...I gave them mine, I hope they email me.

If this works, there should be a slideshow of my photos from today...

Boring Posts

I have decided that posts without pictures look quite boring. Therefore, from now on, at least until the site tells me I'm out of room, I am going to put a picture up with each blog. Since I have no decent photo editing software, this may prove interesting.

Today's photo is aimed at my nephew. I saw a whole bunch of Chinese firetrucks on campus so I snapped a photo. The only real difference between US and Chinese trucks seems to be the writing on the side, which you can't really see in this picture. I have no idea why they were here. There was no drama or action around them and I didn't see any event. Perhaps they were just there to give me a photo op?!

Tomorrow I should have an interesting post for everyone. I finally found a map of Shantou that has enough English on it for me to navigate. I am going sight seeing. (No classes tomorrow.) My overall goal is to see Laoma Gong, or the Palace of the Old Mother. I also want to see some of the historic district. Oh, and find a diet Pepsi!

Meeting people

I have had some very strange interactions with people here in China. First, even though it is considered very rude to stare here, people stare at me (and any other alien) all the time. I watched a lady on a bicycle almost ride into the gutter because she was staring at me so hard. Unlike the US, it is pretty unusual to see people of different races here. So I guess novelty rates over rudeness. Most of the time I don't mind. I smile and wave at people. Occasionally, like when I am trying not to make a fool of myself on roller skates, it really bothers me.

Yesterday, I had a strange interaction. A mom and a little girl came up to me. The girl, about 6, was on a scooter. Mom said something to her and she stuck out her hand and said, "Hi, how are you?" I was a bit surprised, but when I shook her hand and said, "Hi, I'm fine. How are you?" She scootered away as fast as she could! I think mom must have been making her practice.

I had another child, a boy probably about 3, take one look at me and start crying. Now, admittedly, a bee could have stung him, or something, at that exact moment; however I suspect he just thought I was terrifying looking. My father might be used to reactions like that, but I'm not.

I also made a new friend yesterday. A girl in the 2008 all English medical class came up to me, introduced herself and told me, "I would like to be your friend." The directness was unique and pleasant. So, I now officially have a Chinese friend. She later emailed me and said that her friends want to be my friend too, so it looks like I will soon have more friends. This is wonderful, since I could really use some help with translations...I cannot tell you how hard it is to find the right cleaning product when you can't read the labels.

Diet Pepsi

I have not seen any diet Pepsi since I arrived here in Shantou! At this point I would do almost anything for one.

The vast majority of Chinese people seem to be very slender, or at least the sample of them that I see around campus. I guess their metabolisms don't mind regular sodas. I have looked in every store near the campus. I have found, Coke, Sprite, ginger ale, 7-Up, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, orange soda, grape soda, juices of a million different types...no diet Pepsi. I did find one bottle of Coke Zero, which I bought (for the equivalent of 50 cents in USD). But it is not the same!!!!

The first person that can tell me where to find a bottle of Diet Pepsi in this town will earn my unending devotion! On Tuesday I am going to go into Shantou proper to do some sight seeing and shopping. The first thing on my list is going to be diet Pepsi.

Some Flower Shots

It's been kind of calm around here, so I haven't had much to type. Those of you who are trying to follow what is happening on this side of the planet should check out the other pages of my blog (links are on the left).



I have been given some options to try and resolve some of the issues that have come up since I arrived. I have promised that I won't make a decision about which option I am taking for a few days, until the school dean returns from a conference.



In the meantime, I have been wandering around campus, roller skating and taking pictures. I was trying to get some shots of birds for my sister and father, but I haven't had any success. Instead here are some flower shots.

English Program - in Chinese

Yup, that's right, in Chinese.

Today I had Human Anatomy. For that class we have two professors. One is from China and one is also international, but not a native English speaker. For the first 45 min or so the international professor presented some very basic material, in English. I was even feeling pretty impressed with myself because I was able to understand most of what he was saying.

Then, they switched professors. At first I thought maybe it was just my hearing, I couldn't understand a thing, then I realized that the gentleman was speaking Chinese! Having been promised that this was a fully English program, I was very shocked. As the lesson progressed, I could tell that this professor was going into a lot more detail than the first professor because of his gestures and what he was pointing to in the PowerPoint slides. Needless to say, I am very disappointed. The greater part of the class, more than 2 hours was in Chinese.

I did talk to the one professor and he pointed out that these students, although studying in English, have to complete their Chinese exams in order to practice medicine in China. It is a very good point.

I did have the opportunity to meet a student that is in the sixth year of the regular medical program, not the fully English program. (The full English program is only two years old.) She was very good in English. She had just returned from residency overseas. She was very impressive, so they must be doing something right.

Writers block

So, this is what, my third entry, and I have no clue what to write! It is way to early to have writers block.

I have now attended a couple of classes, nothing exciting really. Because of the differences in the American school system and the Chinese school system, I have only two classes. The Chinese students that I am taking classes have 9 classes that include things such as histories, computers and chemistry.

Compared to the average American student, Chinese students have a very full schedule. Each day they spend about 6 hours in classes. After classes are done they have other scheduled study activities. They also have scheduled studies on the weekend. I don't believe that the weekend studies are formal classes, however I have no information about them as of yet. I know that I am a geek and often scheduled heavy course loads for myself, but I always valued my weekends for studying on my own.

At any rate, I'll try to come up with some more interesting topics for future posts.

Campus Shots

Shantou University Campus is very beautiful. In the center of the campus is an artistic and peaceful park. Bamboo and trees for which I have no names are abundant. I thought some people might be interested in a few shots of the campus.

The first is the Main Administration Building, it is the first building seen as a person enters the campus.

The second is the Medical Building; this is where I will be spending much of my time over the next few years.

The other shots are of the park.

View from dorm room

Here are the views from my dorm room. The buildings you see are under construction. I don't know what they will be yet. It was interesting, yesterday I saw several people climbing on the roof, all of them were wearing at least some red. Red happens to be the Chinese color for luck. I wonder if there is a relationship. The other side is a view od the city of Shantou.

I have not yet started attending classes. There is some question about what they will do with me. However, I did join one of the English mentors for her English class this afternoon. All of the students were very nice and very curious. It was very enjoyable. I have been asked if I could help with the class, though I have not yet accepted since I am not certain what my situation will be.

In China

Hi Everyone,

So, I am in China now. I arrived on Tuesday.

Things here are not quite what I expected in some ways and exactly what I expected in other ways.

My room in the dorms is just like any dorm you might find in the US. Though the view from my room is beautiful. I will try to take a picture later.

At any rate, lets see if this works. The other blog I had set up from home isn't, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Light,
Lee