Sue Hogan: China Study Tour 2012 - The Last Blog

It’s May 21 at 5:30 in the morning Vancouver time, and 8:30 that same evening China time, and we are somewhere over the Pacific.  And we arrive in Vancouver before we left Beijing!

I have too many thoughts in my head to sleep, and feel honoured to have “the last word”.  We shared some adjectives, describing the trip, during our final group debrief last night.   We were all closely connected, sitting under the red lanterns in the courtyard of our lovely little hutong (alleyway) hotel, in the depths of ancient Beijing.  Those descriptive adjectives ranged from “awesome to extraordinary, educational, raw, unexpected, and fun”.  I agree with all of those descriptors, and although most of us feel ready to go home, there is a sense that we will miss China, and our amazing China Study Tour 2012 “family”.

We have spent the last three weeks on a journey that took us from Vancouver to Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Beijing and back.  We have been Capilano and Canadian “ambassadors”, business people, teachers and learners, a “tour group”, networkers, guests, hosts, and each others’ guardians, family and friends.   We have worn multiple hats and “flipped the switch” as required among our various roles.  We have tried to act professionally when required, stay awake when hot and exhausted, ask the right questions, use chopsticks correctly, and be flexible about the fact that “this is China”, and things are not the same as at home.   We have also tried (very successfully) to have some fun, and make some friends.   We seemed to have a “magnetic force” that allowed our group to move cohesively through crowded subways and tourist attractions, with no one getting too lost or side-tracked.  We have shared incidents that made us laugh (Segway races in the Olympic stadium... really?), as well as our “ah ha!” moments of great insight and learning.

We share the feeling that we understand China, and its people, far better than we did a mere three weeks ago; the trip provided an excellent balance of academic, business and cultural experiences.  The students had the chance to get to know local students of some of our university partners, and found those students to be truly interested in Canada and “Western” ways.  We have a much greater understanding of the Chinese students we see in our classrooms back at Capilano.   Also, particularly in Guangzhou and Beijing, we stayed in neighbourhoods which allowed us to really “see the locals” and understand the way the Chinese people live.  Many happy hours were spent walking the streets and shopping for bargains, or eating noodles or dumplings, often hand-made right in front of us.   Small children pointed and laughed at us, because many of them had seen few white people, particularly very tall ones, or very blond ones!   We saw the entrepreneurial spirit of a proud and ancient people, who are struggling with dramatic economic change, and the desire for “stuff” that we take for granted (like cell phones, washing machines and cars.)  There is so much dichotomy between old and new, rich and poor, traditional and modern.   There is so much to see, hear, smell, and attempt to comprehend.

Each journey comes to an end, but for many of our students, this trip is just the beginning.  Some of the students are considering doing business in or with China and see the incredible opportunity there, and others are considering further travel options.   There was enormous growth and learning for all of us.

A trip like this does not happen without a lot of planning and energy, so a “thank you” is required to many people who support the international experience, and particularly to Yvonne Leung, whose organization, clear-headedness and unfailing good humour helped make this trip so wonderful.  (And her Asian modesty will not want me to publish this... but I get “the last word”J).  Also thank you to Jorge Oceguera, our guest faculty, who provided excellent support during the time he was with us.  (Next year’s tour will be great!)

And... to my China Study Tour “family”... thank you for the wonderful journey (with all of its twists and turns, hills, and valleys).   Each and every one of you played a part in making this an extraordinary experience.  You all have enormous potential, and a whole world of opportunity!   And I’ll say it one last time... “Be good, be safe, have fun, make good decisions!”