So. Today was our Orientation at Fudan, which started with a welcoming ceremony for incoming graduate students (all 4000 of us) at Zhen Da Stadium. As it was conducted in Mandarin, what we can tell you about it was it included much enthusiastic welcome clapping (热烈欢迎 - re lie huan ying), the presentation of academic awards for previous student and faculty achievements, the singing of the school song (which we intend to learn - all we know now is “Fu-Dan, Fu-Dan, Fu-Dan-Dan-Fu-Dan!”) and what seemed to be the school pledge accompanied with raised right fists. It was an interesting introduction, although the significance of the fists is lost on us.
After lunch, we made our way to the Journalism School where KJ and Prof. Hong Bin gave us the lowdown on what is in store for us for the coming term. Let’s skip over the academic details now - WE ARE REALLY EXCITED about the upcoming class trip to Qian Dao Hu (Thousand Island Lake) next week. It’s been barely a week since handing in our dissertations in London and moving to China, and a mini-break is just what we need (sigh of relief and happiness). It’s brilliant that KJ and the school organised this.
Later that evening was a reception for journalism school students. Unfortunately, the three of us had to miss it thanks to a rudely burst pipe in our kitchen. One of us had gone home to change her shoes for the reception and walked through the front door to be greeted by a piercing PING! and ensuing carnage. See photos. Luckily, as three resourceful young women faced with a quickly escalating volume of water resembling the Yangtze River in their living room and a repairman with a convenient phobia of said water, we managed to use every absorbent material to dam the flow. Needless to say, we missed the reception, missed dinner (x+0! a.k.a. #(@(#)Q#!!!) and spent 2 hours sitting in the dark (had switched off the mains in fear of electrocution) waiting for yet another plumber (with no phobia of water) to arrive. Did we mention today is the 4th? Hmmm…
So, the joys and woes of starting life in a foreign country. Take the bitter with the sweet lah, after all, today was also a day of accomplishments: figured out campus, got introduced to J-School, met Brendan Smith (LSE Rep for China) who was encouraging us through our pre-studies jitters, and we now sit here on a dry, clean Dettoled floor with electricity and Internet and a new pipe on its way.
Love,
Kate, Chris, Marta
Tags: 4 Comments
4 responses so far ↓
Great post, China sounds exciting! And thanks for keeping the rest of us Globals updated about Fudan!
As to the raised fist… clearly, you have not yet been educated in the glorious history of the proletarian revolution (but I’m sure the university has classes for that).
To quote Wikipedia:
“The raised fist (also other names, including clenched fist) is a salute most often used by political and social activists of a leftist, anti-fascist, or simply anti-capitalist orientation, such as Marxists, anarchists, communists, pacifists, trade unionists, and black nationalists. Generally the fist is regarded as an expression of solidarity, strength or defiance.”
So exciting! I’m a little jealous.
(My favourite part was Deanna’s skirt.)
Thanks Christine for great post. Good to know you guys are settling down and everyone seems to be in good spirit. Esther’s message about being patient is very sensible indeed, for finding your way in a country with 1.3 billion people. And BTW, Friedrich, great explanation about the fist!
Awesome post. Thank you for sharing this great post.
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