Then lunch with the Dean, associate deans and a few other people including the president of the Chinese Nursing Association who sat next to Melanie. Did we mention that there are 2.5 million nurses in china. Can you imagine being the president of that big of an organization?
She clearly was a special person, but not above pulling up photos of her daughter studying piano in Boston. Most all of the conversation took place in Chinese much of it profession related and most of it generated by this woman and the dean. There was clearly a pecking order at the table and it was interesting to observe the conversations. From time to time Yu Ling would translate a synopsis if she thought relevant or when questions were being addressed to Melanie. One that caught my fancy was a quote from an ancient Chinese healer who said: there are three types of happiness. 1. Being able to see the sky, 2. Children, and 3. Being able to teach.
Everyone got a kick hearing i was a musician. We were told that our children must be very smart with us as parents. I one point late in the meal I learned that on the final toast one was expected to down their glass. Everyone kept shouting to me the equivalent of "bottoms up". I was happy to oblige once it was translated.
And we haven't even talked about the food! We ate this meal in a private room off the cafeteria for the hospital staff. We sat around a large round table with a huge lazy susan in the middle. It was the best food of the trip ( to date)
So much of what we learned about Chinese culture we forgot when we got here. When someone hands you their business card you take it with 2 hands and don't put it in your pocket. You treat it with respect. The first card I got went right in my pocket. But I've remembered since then. David remembered that you should leave food on your plate or it looks like you didn't have enough to eat. He forgot that whenever you finish a drink its automatically refilled. And he was drinking beer. He finally just stopped drinking.
I haven't posted about my lectures because i needed time to process. It is so different for me being here then home.
Yes people stare at us. But what's difficult is I'm treated as some kind of god. Think 3CPO in the episode with the Ewacks. I've had a hard time with it. I visited the Icu and a cardiac surgery ward plus the skills lab for nursing and medical students.
Everywhere I went someone followed me taking picutres. And not one or two but many many pictures. I wasn't doing anything. In the ICU the doctors asked my opinion. I've been out of the Icu now over 20 years. At the lectures students would clap and come up to me after and thank me and ask me to help with their research. I know I'm good but i also know I'm not that good. It was surreal and freaking. Finally I talked to David and he put it in perspective. Being from the US I bring them prestige.
So it was the fact I am American not the "american expert" which is how I'm introduced. It made the lectures and visit to the hopsital easier. I just ignored the paparazzi and went about my business.
The truth of this was when one of the head nurses kept grabbing me and actually pushing me to place me where she wanted so she could take a picture of me with the background she wanted.
Also for my third lecture my friend told me the students don't speak English as well as she thought and they had a translator. I felt better because American students don't understand when I talk about theory and research (its a different language) to the US students so how could I be that great a teacher that the Chinese could.
Btw, at the airport leaving Harbin, David asked if i had my boarding pass. I was totally confused that there wasn't a minion taking care of the mundane tasks for me.
More on Harbin later.....
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