connie's space

Yes, I’m starting off the New Year with a rather tragic tale, this one posted from my home along the Yangtze. However, this last day of 2013 will allow me to begin 2014 on a happy high note, hopefully with photos of all the fun I’ve been having these past 10 days.

A WHIRLWIND WEEK OF HOLIDAY CHEER

As you know, I returned to Luzhou (loo-joe) to enjoy the Christmas holiday for a week. I expected to have more time to write and post my stories but it’s been so busy!

There was cleaning the school apartment after 2 months away, putting up some favorite sparkly decorations and lights (couldn’t be without them), baking my delicious holiday cookies to give away, attending the PC (Peace Corp) party for the Chinese teachers, Christmas Eve at church, gatherings with Chinese friends and then a potluck hosted here by Geoff and Angela, our PC teachers, who invited several other foreigners to attend with their Chinese guests.

AN EXPLOSION OF GREAT PROPORTIONS

That last event, the potluck, was to be held on the Friday after Christmas. The day before, I prepared the only thing I can really cook well ( a humongous pot of homemade vegetable soup) to allow the many herbs to sit for a day. I had debated doing it the day-of but something nudged me into remembering why that old, wise adage, “Don’t put off today what you can do tomorrow,” has been going around for centuries.

Because it is so true.

Sure enough, Friday morning I awoke to find the electricity was off and no gas. The electricity came back on within 30 minutes, which was fine, but not the other.

In my apartment, as in most in China, the gas is used to both heat water (I have an electric gas water heater for my shower) and the range. No gas, no hot water for showers and no ability to cook.

Often times, we receive notices posted on our apartment buildings of times when any of our utilities will be off for awhile due to repairs or safety checks. Those are planned. But we sometimes get unannounced cut-offs due to unforeseen problems or difficulties.

Doesn’t happen very often but this last Friday, it was obviously so.

It wasn’t until later in the day that I found out why, when I picked up on all the news buzzing around the campus.

“Did you hear about the big explosion downtown?”
“I heard it was terrorists!”
“So many people died, hundreds! The hospitals were overflowing!”

THE FACTS EMERGE

Obviously, our gas lines were affected due to this explosion. It did come back on at 4:30 p.m., allowing me to shower and heat up the soup, but all the important details of what exactly happened weren’t revealed until Saturday newspaper articles appeared. Even we foreigners, sitting around our table of plenty that Friday evening, had all sorts of semi-accurate, gossipy stories to share about what had happened.

Here is the best article so far that I came across, putting this smaller river city, Luzhou, on the national map.

THE ARTICLE POSTED ONLINE

Huang Zhiling
China Daily/Asia News Network
Saturday, Dec 28, 2013

A fire caused by a blast of natural gas at a shopping mall in the busiest commercial street in Luzhou, Sichuan province, on Thursday night, killed four and injured 40 people as of press time on Friday.

The dead included three men aged 22, 45 and 55, and a 25-year-oled woman. One of the men was a security guard at the shopping mall. The woman had been watching a movie an d died after inhaling toxic gas in the aftermath of the fire.

Xiao Zhe, another moviegoer, said many in the theatre thought the sound of the blast came from a 3-D film and did not get up to leave.

The fire, which broke out at about 10:40 pm, disrupted the natural gas supply in the city of more than 5 million people for 14 hours.

The cause of the blast was under investigation, although some believed it happened when workers were repairing natural gas pipelines, according to Wang Tianquan, an information officer in the city.

According to Huang Cheng, an employee of the Huitong Department Store opposite the Mo’erma Shopping Mall: “I was preparing New Year’s gifts for VIP clients of our store when I heard the deafening sound of a blast. Somebody shouted, ‘Mo’erma Shopping Mall had a blast, and it caught fire,’ I fled and saw flames and black smoke coming from the first three floors of Mo’erma.”

Liu Kunfu, a resident of the city, was passing by the shopping mall with his 4-year-old grandson. Shattered glass from the six-story mall buried him up to his waist. He was rescued about a half-hour later when firefighters and ambulances arrived.

“My grandson was unscathed, as I covered and protected him with my body,” said the 49-year-old, who received treatment for bruises and lacerations in the lobby of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital attached to Luzhou Medical College.

As of late Friday, smoke was still coming from the shopping mall, whose windows were gone. Onlookers gawked outside caution tape around the darkened mall. Fire engines surrounded the centre.

“After the blast, firefighters arrived at the scene and used water blast guns to extinguish the flames. The water from the guns shattered all the glass,” said Wu Jie, 27, a cleaner.

Dozens of cleaners were sleepless Thursday night waiting for the order to clean up the glass, he said.
The injured were being treated in four hospitals in Luzhou.

Tan Zhiping, 28, was one of 12 injured people taken to the Hospital Attached to Luzhou Medical College. She suffered a fracture on her right hand.

OUR NOSTALGIC MOU’ER: THE FIRST MODERN SHOPPING PLAZA IN THE CITY

It is a sad thing when the first big shopping plaza in the city is destroyed. The Mou’er used to be the place for Chinese to go to do their fancy shopping. When I first came here over 10 years ago, no place else boasted such a one-stop shopping spree as Mou’er. There was the basement grand grocery, Western style with gleaming floors, wide aisles and carts to haul your goods around in. Then all the departments to follow on the next 3 floors: kitchenware, electronics, bedding, small furnishings, jewelry . . . not to mention very elegant clothes that could only be found in the bigger cities.

Over the years, the Mou’er became out-classed by the newly built, city central 6-story shopping malls and well-known cheaper chain stores, similar to our Walmart, like Ren Ren Le (Everybody’s Happy). But despite that, Mou’er held fast to its clientele who didn’t want to wander 6 floors for what was needed or bother getting lost in an expansive shopping area. Whizzing directly from the main street sidewalk into downtown Mou’er for a 10-minute purchase or a 2-hour wander was as convenient as it gets.

Also to be mentioned is the fact that this was one of the only stores in town that had butter consistently. For us foreigners, that made it all the more special since a trip to Chengdu (3 ½ hours away) was usually needed to purchase such a treasured item.

Saying farewell to our nostalgic Mou’er is, indeed, very sad, at least for me, anyway.

A 1-DAY HOLIDAY NEARLY UPON US: 2014 ARRIVING!

Now that New Year’s is almost upon us, the shock of last week’s explosion is fading. Everyone is getting ready for their 1-day off tomorrow before the true countdown begins to the Year of the Horse, Jan. 31st. Stores and shopping malls across the country are already highlighting huge sales, some being open to midnight or later, to welcome in 2014. Should be a very busy night in the downtown districts.

As for me, I have no immediate plans other than to meet up with friends and enjoy a pleasant evening in the rivercity, Luzhou.

Here’s hoping your 2014 arrives with great hope and joy for the new year, and here’s sending you blessings and Ping An (peace) from China this last day of 2013!

After over 2 months in the big city, Chengdu, this weekend found me alighting back on my doorstep along the Yangtze River at Luzhou Vocational and Technical College. And an even bigger surprise awaited me in my apartment, other than lots of dust and rat nibbles on my bar of soap in the bathroom. My Internet hook-up with the city is still up and running! Although my payment of 1 year is no longer in effect, it seems someone has forgotten to erase me from the system. Thus I get to actually post a blog from Luzhou since I am still struggling with this in Chengdu.

A WEEKEND VISIT of RELAXATION

Daily Chinese language classes at Sichuan University have been quite tiring, not to mention busy, so having a weekend away is wonderful. I am especially missing my holiday lessons which I’d be teaching at this time of year if I were still on a work visa.

Halloween has passed but Thanksgiving and Christmas are yet to come. Sitting here in my cozy school apartment, having just turned on last year’s Christmas lights still adorning my outdoor balcony security bars, brings back a lot of wonderful winter memories from 2012. Today’s Sunday worship at the Luzhou Protestant church, listening to Pastor Liao’s sermon and the choir, made me wish us all to speed ahead a year so I could once again be included in choir practices and the big Christmas celebrations yet to come.

I have actually made plans to return for Christmas and miss a few days of classes next month. At Sichuan University, only Chinese holidays are celebrated. That certainly does not include Christmas. While I could stay in Chengdu and easily attend the huge city church services there, I’d much rather be back in my home here with friends and Christians I know and care for. It is more meaningful and will truly make my holiday a bright and special one.

MY MOM’S 80th PRE-BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

Aside from China news, one bit from America I want to mention concerns my mom’s 80th birthday surprise, held at our hair stylist’s salon, Stephen’s.

Stephen Glendenning, in Martinsville, Illiniois, has been cutting my family’s hair for years, including my mom, myself, my brother and even at one point my sister-in-law. This summer, Stephen gave me the idea of having something special planned for my mom’s November appointment, already booked and ready to go. Her 80th birthday is November 23, which obviously places me in China and not in the US. What something special could be arranged for her even though I wasn’t there?

For my mom’s 75th, I had enlisted the help of my mom’s best friend, Karen Heighton, for a church afternoon reception with friends and family present. This was not a surprise but just a birthday gathering to wish her happiness for her upcoming birthday. I remember my mom had originally said she wanted no such thing, and certainly not a surprise, but after it came together, she was very happy that we’d done something special for her.
For her 80th, I asked if she’d like anything planned. She once again insisted there shouldn’t be a fuss, no reception such as 5 years before. It was just enough for cake at home and presents from whomever.

But this summer, talking to Stephen about making her November appointment something to remember, the birthday pre-party plan was hatched.

Directly across the street from the salon was a cake shop, Darcy’s. After visiting there, I discussed with Darcy herself what was needed. A cake was ordered with my mom’s photo, from when she was 3 years old, to be placed on the top. I also headed off to the Dollar Store to stock up on decorations and party favors which Stephen would be in charge of using for her special hair day. I paid for her cut, of course, and handed over the duties to Stephen for her November 1st party day in his salon.

Naturally, Stephen and I have been looking forward to this day since August. We’ve had a couple emails back and forth as November 1st came closer, both of us anticipating what a surprise this would be.
But leave it to my mother to decide, 2 days before the appointment, to change it to the next week. Fortunately for Stephen, she gave enough heads-up time for him to call Darcy to change the cake-making day to November 5 (Tuesday).

Whew!

Yet our well-designed scheme went into crisis mode a second time when my mom called again to change the date to November 7. The church chili supper was on Tuesday and she’d already signed up to help. Stephen managed another cake date change without penalty fees and, finally, my mom had her 80th pre-birthday surprise.

According to her reports, Stephen and staff hid behind the counter. When she entered, they popped up, showering her with confetti and shouting, “Surprise! Happy Birthday!”

Stephen had decorated the entranceway wall with birthday banners. Her cake, ready to be shared with everyone, was positioned on a table nearby. She was requested to wear her party hat and lapel ribbon, “The Birthday Girl,” for pictures before blowing out the candles and cutting the cake. My mom also wrote in her email Stephen enjoyed the telling of the tale how the party’s many date changes had everyone wondering if ever the surprise event would take place.

Well, it did, much to my mom’s delight and everyone’s relief.

After many “thank you”s to Stephen for helping out, I did say that for her 90th, we’re definitely not going to try this again!

BACK TO CHENGDU TOMORROW

Tonight will be spent a bit with our Peace Corp volunteers, Angela and Geoff, to catch up on their new teaching lives here in China. After that, I will pack up things to return to Chengdu tomorrow. This week is review week for mid-terms so I’m not missing much on Monday. November 18 we start up again on new lessons before finals the week of January 13.

Time certainly goes fast!

Until then, I might be giving Christmas reports next month from Luzhou if the Internet continues to be connected. We can always hope!

From China, here’s wishing you Ping An (Peace) for the week and your upcoming Thanksgiving Day holidays.

Arriving at our Luzhou Airport. The airplane taxies right up to the building and off we go!

         One of the highlights of this last trip to America was flying from and into our little Luzhou Airport.
         I have never done this before in all my years working here, although taking off directly to Shanghai would have been a lot easier than traveling the 3 ½ hours to Chengdu. The reason I always left from Sichuan’s capital city was because Little Flower’s sitter was located there. I’d go by bus, drop her off with Mrs. He and then take off the next day on my journeys to the States from Chengdu’s International Airport.
         But this time around, I had no need to travel to Chengdu with no Little Flower to care for. This time around, it was conveniently load my luggage in a taxi, pay the driver 50 yuan ($9) and in 15 minutes, I was outside of the city, in the middle of farmland, at a sweet little airport with limited departures and destinations.

The Flying Tigers and Luzhou

          The history of this air transportation service is amazing.
          The runway was built solely and painstakingly by Chinese hands in the very late 1930s, the first real runway in China that was not dirt and pebbles. It was specifically crafted with American backing for modern aircraft,  and was later used specifically by the Flying Tigers whose planes were not able to land on such tough terrain as it destroyed the wheels of their aircraft.
         As a reminder to those not familiar with the name Flying Tigers, here’s a little extra information which I found from the Internet:
         “The 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Chinese Air Force in 1941–1942, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was composed of pilots from the United States Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, recruited under presidential authority and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault. The ground crew and headquarters staff were likewise mostly recruited from the U.S. military, along with some civilians.
          The group consisted of three fighter squadrons with about 20 aircraft each. It trained in Burma before the American entry into World War II with the mission of defending China against Japanese forces.”
         This airport has a more personal connection to me because I actually know the daughter (Jean Woo) of the Chinese engineer who worked closely with the Americans to create this runway.
Jean Woo and her husband, Rev. Franklin Woo, are Presbyterians who worked many years with the NCC (National Council of Churches) as the China experts. Before their retirement, the U.S. part of Amity orientations were led by the two of them.
Jean’s father, a native to the country, was sent to Luzhou as the head Chinese engineer of this runway project. Believe it or not, I do believe he is still alive! Over 100 and now living in the States.
I have bits and pieces of the story, as told to me by Jean from her father’s memoirs.
          The building was done by hand, including hauling rocks from the Yangtze which had to be crushed to make the foundation of the runway.   Assembly lines were made from the distant river to the airport, and buckets of rock were passed along or carried by single haulers to where the heavy stones were needed.  

           Huge, concrete rollers that weighed over a ton were used to smooth over the runway layers. These were pushed by the Chinese laborers. According to Jean’s reports, several died on many occasions when the rollers accidentally ran over them.
        Along with the laborers, as was the custom in China, the families came to live on the site as well. Hundreds of tents covered the area to accommodate the thousands who were building the airport’s runway. Both men and women contributed to the construction. Extended family members living there would be in charge of preparing meals. Children were racing about as well, playing and helping with chores. This was not a time when kids went to school, wartime and this being the lowest class of Chinese, those not educated and referred to as “peasants.”
         The conditions of the camp were a problem. Many hundreds died of sickness due to sanitation and just close quarters. Disease spread quickly. This was something Jean’s father had to deal with as the Chinese overseer of the project.

More Details Unknown

        I wish I had more details to share.  Jean can easily fill in the gaps.  I will have to contact her to receive more information.

        I do know that Jean and Franklin visited Luzhou over 5 years ago when I was still here. They came during an Amity Foundation anniversary celebration, with a group of interdenominational guests, to visit Amity’s many social service projects in Sichuan.
When the city officials learned who Jean was, the grand-daughter of the chief engineer responsible for building the runway, the two were treated as honored guests. They received an impressive VIP banquet by the Luzhou mayor and then a private tour of the current airport. It was the highlight of their first trip to Luzhou, which will probably be their last. They are in their upper 80s now and it’s getting more difficult for them to travel overseas. How wonderful that they were finally able to see the incredible results of Jean’s father’s work after so many years.

My Own Exprience

           My own experience of flying in and out of the Luzhou airport wasn’t quite as moving but knowing a bit of the history did give me a twinge of great respect and pride in the Chinese people for such an accomplishment.
          While small, this airport certainly deserves to be noticed and written about, if only via my little article published here.

         Until next entry, here’s wishing you Ping An (peace) for your day.

The first “real” runway built in China, with distant Luzhou in the background.  While restored many times, the foundation has remained as it did over 70 years ago.