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NZCFS Wellington Branch June 2015 Newsletter

NZCFS 2015, NelsonNext Branch Meeting

Wednesday, 17 June 2015, at 5.45pm
The NZCFS Wellington Branch will speak on
The NZCFS National Conference in Nelson

The NZCFS National Conference was hosted by the Nelson Branch and members of the Wellington Branch attended this conference. The theme chosen was “有办法 YO BANFA: There is a way!” based on the title of a book from Rewi Alley. There was a strong focus on initiatives being taken to pursue society goals in fresh ways, especially relating to youth work. There were a number of presentations by branch members on the activities and events that have been going on throughout the year. At the next branch meeting, members who attended the conference will give an overview of the events and initiatives that have been going on around New Zealand.

Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace, off Hill Street, Thorndon, Wellington (see map)

map of Connolly Hall
Connolly Hall

(Car park up Guildford Tce beside Hall)
An optional Chinese buffet meal, supplied by the Fujiyama Café, will follow the meeting at 7pm. Orders for the $12 meal (please pay at the door) will be taken up till 6pm. If you think you may be arriving late, please let the Secretary know in advance.

ALSO COMING UP THIS MONTH
May – June      RED Exhibition by Madeleine Slavick. L3, Main Library, Kelburn.
3 – 14 June    Documentary Edge Festival, Roxy Cinema, Miramar.
10 June    ‘Who is Xi Jinping’ lecture, 5-7pm, HMLT 103, Victoria University
13 June    Mandarin Corner at 3.15-5.00pm on Saturdays
14 – 20 June    ACC Paid Photographic Job.
16 June    Table Tennis on Tuesdays, 7pm, 26 Barker Street, Te Aro.

SUBSCRIPTION RENEWAL REMINDER
Please remember that 2015 membership subscriptions renewals are now due.  We will endeavour to contact any members who have not yet renewed.

MEETING DATES FOR 2015
The dates Connolly Hall has been booked for monthly meetings this year are July 19 (Sunday), August 19, September 16, October 21 and November 18.  Speaker for the July 19 meeting is Madeleine Slavick on Photography, poetry, writing and teaching: Twenty Years of China.

NEW NZCFS MEMBERS
The NZCFS would like to warmly welcome Sally Russell and Mike Earle as new members of the Wellington Branch. We look forward to your attendance at our events and meetings.

WELLINGTON BRANCH MEEETING – WEDNESDAY, 13 MAY 2015Confucius Institute MLA
On Wednesday 13 May 2015, the New Zealand China Friendship Society welcomed four Mandarin Language Assistants (MLAs) to speak on their experiences working and living in New Zealand so far. The New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement allows MLAs to temporarily work in New Zealand, and the initiative aims to promote the learning of Mandarin and raise the quality of Mandarin language provision in New Zealand schools. The role of a MLA is to assist the teaching of Mandarin more effectively, provide information and insight into Chinese culture and language, model accurate pronunciation and intonation and assist the classroom teacher.
Branch President Michael Powles welcomed He Yue (teaching at Te Aro School), Wang Lu (teaching at Queen Margaret College), Cheng Xinghua (teaching at Wellington Girls’ College) and Miao Yanbei (Chilton St James School). All MLAs are currently studying a Master’s Degree in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language at Xiamen University, while Yanbei studying the same degree at the East China Normal University. As a result of their studies, the MLAs applied for this programme to gain practical work experience assisting in the teaching of Mandarin in schools, colleges and universities in New Zealand.
Each of the MLAs spoke about their work and the activities they were involved in at each of the schools. The four teaching assistants were involved in assisting and preparing Chinese focused courses for their classes, and may give four to six classes per day. Their classes can involve learning and practising vocabulary, learning about Chinese culture through song and dance, to preparation for the Chinese Bridge Speech Competition, depending on the age of the students.
In addition to the formal classes, the MLAs have also been involved in after school or lunch time classes. These classes focus on cultural activities, such as performing arts, calligraphy, dancing, as well as sports and dumpling making. The MLAs have been involved in organising, preparing and conducting these classes, and have seen a growing number of students attend. The number of Mandarin language classes and the number of students learning Mandarin have also increased over the past few years, and this trend is likely to continue in the future, and additional MLAs coming to New Zealand will assist in this growth and popularity with the language. The MLAs also assist the weekly Mandarin corner hosted by the Confucius Institute at Victoria University of Wellington.
Confucius Institute 2015 MLAsThe MLAs spoke of their life in New Zealand, and that they enjoyed living here. When they first arrived, some found it quite overwhelming coming to Wellington, as life here was different than in China. This included difficultly communicating in English, especially with the Kiwi accent, and getting used to the workload. A main difficulty was getting involved in the local community and learning more about the New Zealand culture. Each MLA wanted to learn more about life in New Zealand and interact with the local citizens, and it could often be difficult to begin this process. However, the MLAs were able to stay with a local home stay, and the family helped them adjust to life in New Zealand. This included helping with transportation, translations, explaining parts of New Zealand culture and supporting them during their week. Going travelling, joining church groups, and attending local events helped them meet new people and feel more at home in New Zealand. Activities the MLAs have done so far including travelling around New Zealand, going tramping, skydiving, camping, and travelling to Australia and Fiji.
Overall the MLAs enjoyed the friendly community that welcomed them to New Zealand, and aim to learn about the education system in New Zealand so it may help them in the future careers. Questions for the MLAs included asking about the teaching system in Mainland China and the methods used in schools, and the challenges they faced coming to a new country. An attendee asked each of the MLAs what was a different aspect of life they noticed in New Zealand compared with Mainland China. Their answers included: some local New Zealanders brushed their teeth after eating breakfast, some locals not knowing about fruit salad, locals not rinsing dishes with water after being washed with detergent, and locals hugging and giving a kiss on the cheek when greeting each other. At the end of the presentation, all MLAs attending the branch meeting sung a couple of Chinese songs, with help from the audience. If you would like to learn more about the work of the MLAs in New Zealand, please visit the VUW Confucius Institute homepage at: www.victoria.ac.nz/ci.

2015 NZCFS NATIONAL CONFERENCE   Report from Kirk McDowall, branch delegateNelson Conference 2015
From 22 to 24 May, the NZCFS hosted its National Conference in Nelson, which was held at Tahunanui School. The theme chosen for the conference was “有办法 YO BANFA: There is a way!” based on the title of a book from Rewi Alley.
Dave Bromwich, NZCFS President, began the conference on Friday by giving a welcoming speech, and in attendance were Archdeacon Andy Joseph as Kaumātua, Hu Jianhuai from Youxie, Consul-General Jin Zhijian, and members of the NZCFS throughout New Zealand. Nelson ConferenceThere was also a Kapa haka performance by Tahunanui School students. On Saturday there were presentations from various branches, focusing on the events and youth initiatives that have been running through the past year. There were also presentations from the Christchurch Confucius Institute (including a martial arts and magic show), and a cultural expo that showcased aspects of Chinese culture such as Taoist tai chi and calligraphy. There was artwork on display by Professor Xinmeng Zhao Chen of Auckland and Jifang Black. That evening all members attended a Chinese Banquet at a local restaurant.  
On Sunday morning was the Annual General Meeting.  Congratulations to Wellington branch Treasurer Luke Qin on being elected the National Vice President North Island (Central).  The elected National Executive members are:
President: Dave Bromwich; Vice President North Island (Northern): George Andrews; Vice President North Island (Central): Luke Qin; Vice President South Island: Dave Adamson; Treasurer: Chris Goodwin; Secretary: Heiko lade; National Executive Members: Ross Shanjiu Cao (Christchurch), Miao Fan (Hamilton), Ken Liu (Auckland), Deborah Rhode (Christchurch) and Ann White (Timaru).  
We would like to thank Christine Ward, President of the Nelson Branch, and all members of the branch for their hard work and effort organising a wonderful conference. At the next Wellington branch meeting, we will give a presentation on this conference.

Mandarin Corner, Wellington, NZMANDARIN CORNER 汉语角 Saturdays 3.15-5pm
Seminar Room, 20 Kelburn Parade, Victoria University of Wellington.
Mandarin Corner (Wellington), established in 1995 by NZCFS, is a weekly event where students learning Chinese meet with native speakers of Chinese for conversation and cultural activities in a friendly, relaxed setting. Mandarin Corner is currently run by a core team of Mandarin Language Assistants.  If you wish to improve your Chinese language skill, share your China experiences or talk to someone who has been or lived there, this is a great place to go.  Snacks and drinks are provided.  For more information contact Flora Hao at [email protected].

Red ExhibitionRED EXHIBITION BY MADELEINE SLAVICK – The Red exhibition by Madeleine Slavick runs from 26 February to 30 June on Level 3 in the main library. A collaboration between the VUW Library and the Confucius Institute, this art space showcases contemporary works that respond creatively to Chinese culture, history and society.
Red is the quintessential Chinese colour – double happiness, the national flag, Chinese New Year, Dream of the Red Chamber. But red is not just one colour – there are as many shades of red as there are ways of looking at them. Madeleine Slavick has lived on the outskirts of China for twenty-five years. She has on occasion ventured inland and brought back photographic memories, many tinged with reds: a shop window in Yunnan, a courtyard in Beijing, worn carpets at a hotel in Xinjiang. In this exhibition, a suite of eight photographs, entitled RED, is juxtaposed with one of Madeleine’s poems, also entitled ‘red’.

PUBLIC LECTURE : WHO IS XI JINPING? – WEDNESDAY, 10 JUNE, 5-7PM
The New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre welcomes you to attend a public lecture by Professor Bo Zhiyue on ‘Who is Xi Jinping?’. Chinese President Xi Jinping has been in power for almost three years, but the question remains: Who is Xi Jinping? In this lecture, Professor Bo will provide an historical framework for understanding China’s politics and introduce Xi Jinping from both historical and international perspectives.
Venue: HMLT 103, Hugh Mackenzie Building, Kelburn Campus, Victoria University
For enquiries, please contact Lai Ching Tan at [email protected] or 04 4639549.

Documentary EdgeDOCUMENTARY EDGE FESTIVAL
From 3 – 14 June, Documentary New Zealand Trust is organising the 10th edition of the Documentary Edge Festival in Wellington. A number of local and international films will be shown during this time at the Roxy Cinema in Miramar. The Land of Many Palaces is a Chinese related film that will be shown (Mandarin with English subtitles).
The Land of Many Palaces (2014, 61 minutes) Directors: Adam Smith & Song Ting
A documentary following Yuan Xiaomei, a young government official, who is responsible for the relocation of thousands of farmers to Ordos, a new city under a government plan to relocate an estimated 250 million rural people to new cities in the next 15-20 years.
Screening times: Thursday 4 June, 5.45pm. Saturday 6 June, 10.15am. Friday 12 June, 5.30pm. For more details visit: documentaryedge.org.nz

NZCFS SOCIAL MEDIA
Remember to check out the NZCFS Youth Website www.nzcfsyouth.org and Wellington Branch Facebook page www.facebook.com/NZCFSWellington for more information on the Society. It contains articles, upcoming events and information. If you would like to learn more or contribute, feel free to contact Kirk McDowall at [email protected].

TABLE TENNIS – TUESDAYS 7PM, 26 BARKER STREET, TE AROTe Aro table tennis
If you’re interested in playing table tennis, the Korean Community Hall hosts casual table tennis matches each Tuesday from 7pm at 26 Barker Street, Te Aro. All equipment is provided and all levels are welcome. Free entry but donations are welcomed. To RSVP and find more information on these events, please visit www.meetup.com/Playing-Table-tennis/.  

RETURNING WELLINGTON MEMBER LOOKING FOR ACCOMMODATION
Full-time working professional, female, late 20s, enjoys music, arts, yoga, healthy living. Mature, sociable, tidy and responsible. Socially minded, has a longstanding interest in Asia. Looking for a furnished, sunny room (small-medium size) and like-minded flatmates in Wellington city, ideally outside of the CBD area. Can move in late June/early July. Owns a vehicle and a cello. If you can help please get in touch with Ms Cao 022 210 5762.

ACC PAID PHOTOGRAPHIC JOB – WELLINGTON
ACC is looking for people who are interested to apply for a casting role in an upcoming photographic shoot from 14 – 21 June 2015 in Wellington. The photo-shoot will take approximately one to two days, and the participant will receive $400 – 600 talent fees per day. It will involve recreating real life scenarios and will be based around scenarios around a work place and the ACC process of patient care. No previous experience is required. ACC is looking for a female between 35-45yrs of Asian ethnicity. Additional information can be found at: www.nzproduction.co.nz/info.php. Casting form: form.jotformpro.com/form/51398551685972.

Wellington Martial ArtsCHINESE MARTIAL ARTS CLASSES
For those interested in attending Tai Chi & Guang Xuan Qi Gong, Shaolin Kung Fu: Traditional & Wushu, and Gloves Boxing, classes are available most days in Mount Cook, Thorndon, Johnsonville or Khandallah. To register your interest or to find more information, visit www.wutaichi.org.nz/ or contact   [email protected].

ENGLISH TEACHER FOR SHANDAN BAILIE SCHOOL
SBS 2015NZCFS seeks suitably qualified people to fill this position each year. Currently the position has been filled until July 2015, and a new teacher is sought to start late August 2015. A degree or teaching qualification is required. Salary offered is 3000 rmb (around US$450 per month).  Airfares and accommodation are provided as part of the package. A one year position is preferred. However one semester placements will also be considered. Semesters start in late August and late February.
For further information about this position, contact Dave Bromwich, NZCFS at [email protected]. Please note that teachers are regularly required to teach at SBS. If you are interested in this position, but the timing of this vacancy does not suit you, please indicate your interest in future vacancies to Dave. This position is filled by New Zealand applicants whenever possible.