Mercatorial Librarian

35/35/15-50

2011-11-11T15:07:00.000-08:00

35/35/15-50

Nope, it's not CrossFit jargon. Or my measurements (well... if you took out the 15. Yikes! Maybe I shouldn't make fun of CrossFit.).

It's a goal.

My 40th birthday passed in the fog of a sinus infection, annoying and uncomfortable yet providing a certain soothing insulation from CERTAIN BIG QUESTIONS, contemplations, regrets. But one wiggled through: There's not enough time and money for me to go everywhere while I'm still healthy enough to do so.

I have to make this happen.

35 unique countries in 35 years, from the age of 15 to 50.

Luckily, and with deep gratitude, I'm already half-way to my goal:

Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
China
Denmark
England
France
Georgia
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Mexico
Netherlands
Nigeria
Russia
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Vatican City

What's next? 16 countries in the remaining 10 years. Somehow.

Christmas in Spain (20.) near Barcelona with my brother, within easy driving distance of Andorra (21.). And in 2012, I'm going to try hard to get to Cuba (22.).

Wish me luck!

**Update 12/1/11: After a thoughtful debate over Thanksgiving dinner, JW and Brice convinced me I can in fact count Hong Kong separately. Yay for intelligent friends with minds like lawyers.

More captions

2011-10-25T12:53:00.001-07:00

Finished captions on the set of fotos from Wuyishan:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/woogapdx/sets/72157625365876056/with/5108554749/

Facts & figures

2011-09-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to let you know I have finally finished captions on one of the foto sets from China.

Hong Kong - Lantau

... Yeah, that's one of, uh ... six.

... And it took 10 months.

Hopefully now I'm in a groove, they'll happen more quickly.!

Time passes

2011-07-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

Ten years. Ago.

Only two months before the world would change, Darrell and I participated in a library grant project in the predominantly Muslim north of Nigeria. Along with two professors from Emporia State University, we visited three universities in Kano, Zaria, and Maiduguri.

Darrell set up internet labs with donated computers, while I trained library faculty and staff on email, online research, etc. We all delivered lectures on various topics. Mostly we spent our days in the lab and at our house, talking with anyone about, well, anything. "Anything" and librarians. Think about that for a few seconds. And drinking tea.

It was awesome.

Here is my online journal (in the days before blogging):

http://heracles.com/nigeria/journal/index.html

Meh

2011-03-07T11:14:00.000-08:00

So. Dot dot dot.

Not awesome. This, my second visit to ER&L, was much like the first.

Positive: No other conference is dedicated solely to issues & problems of managing electronic resources in libraries. Should be a great resource. A few really good presentations.

Negative: Most speakers not very good at presenting, didn't manage their time well. Presentations didn't match descriptions. Information often incredibly specific, not possible to apply to different situations or bigger picture. Attendees insular & clique-ish, even a little a rude. When I tried to make small talk, was met with "What are you doing here?" (as in, public librarians have no place at an "academic" conference) followed by a blow off.

Mixed feelings. Not worth the time & trouble to attend. Perhaps if it were nearby, but not when it takes all day to fly there and back.

R-evolution!

2011-02-23T21:08:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed a few changes around the blog.

(What, did you think I was going to talk about the riots raging around the world? I'm on a break from stressing about things I can't change.)

Just a few small changes here. Transitioning the blog from its sole focus on the now past China trip to something broader. I hope to add content from past library-related trips to Bulgaria and Nigeria, and also new adventures.

In a few days I'll be attending a conference in Austin, Texas -- Electronic Resources and Libraries -- and will blog from there. Well, if it's awesome I will. ;)

And still more China to come as I go through my notes and fotos.

Year of the Rabbit

2011-02-07T12:25:00.000-08:00

Some months have passed since I returned home from China, and during that time two New Years' celebrations took place.

foto by Kim V.

First, a small gathering of friends celebrated the Western New Year in my home on December 31. We had yummy cocktails (thanks to Danni D.), a generous helping of sparklers (one of the few legal fireworks in Oregon), and a surprise appearance by a bottle of Moutai.

Darrell received a bottle of the well-known baijiu from two Chinese grad students a couple of years ago. It was the same brand served to us on the Horner Exchange. Baijiu is called a liquor but "moonshine" is closer to the truth. Naturally we indulged in a few rounds of toasts and cheers, but champagne is still our drink of choice for New Year's.

Second, in early February, JW and I celebrated Chinese New Year at Portland's Lan Su Garden. Quiet, with only the tiniest signs of Spring -- an edgeworthia with a few open blossoms, daphne buds with a hint of pink showing -- the garden was decorated everywhere with red lanterns.

In addition to the traditional lanterns, a display from HiiH Gallery graced one room.

Mum's the word

2010-11-16T18:50:00.000-08:00

Mao's Little Red Book

What surprised me most about the trip to China?

Candor about controversial topics. I had been told and read in various resources that the people I met in China would not talk about certain topics, and I should not ask. So, I didn't.

It's not an exaggeration to say that I was shocked when I heard some speak openly and negatively about specific government policies, about limitations on freedoms, and about the Cultural Revolution.

No one said anything negative about Mao, but no one said anything at all about Mao. I never saw a prominent portrait of him anywhere. That omission seemed like a criticism to me.

Home

2010-11-08T17:52:00.000-08:00

Home. And well into autumn, chilled rain and fallen yellow leaves. A few holiday lights already shining at night.

The China trip is over. But in some ways it never will be. As I organize my fotos and notes, I will continue to post about the trip, and through the years this trip will reverberate through all others, just as my previous library-related trips to Nigeria and Bulgaria found their place in this one.

Was it amazing? Yes! Was it exhausting? Yes! Will I do it again? Every chance I get.

Thanks for reading!

Old vs. new vs. old

2010-11-03T02:30:00.000-07:00

I expected the concept of time in a civilization that is quite possibly older than time itself to be different than my own. But I must confess it perplexes me here.

A grand library built in 1998 is old.
A temple built in the 1800's is new.
A hotel built in 2003 is old.
A river dammed in 1955 is new.
A poem written in 990 is.... well, that's Song Dynasty.

Time is not linear here. It's measured in relation to various milestones that shift, some personal or unique to a community. Measured against some things that have not yet happened, hoped for future events.

I don't ask if something is old or new; I ask when it was built or happened. And if dates really matter to you, learn your dynasties.

Tulou Round Houses

2010-11-02T05:01:00.000-07:00

Horner Blog post about Tulou: http://horner2010.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/the-amazing-fujian-tulou/

Don't look down

2010-11-01T07:20:00.000-07:00

My aforementioned health problem has mostly behaved, but developed a new symptom: mild vertigo. Fun. I'm sure, though, that Kaiser Permanente in their infinite wisdom is totally right that I just have acid reflux because I'm overweight. Certainly. Because all my other symptoms are easily explained by... pretending they aren't there.

Which is why I'm performing Canalith repositioning on a hotel bed in the middle of the night in China.

What's that you say? Why, that is a series of head maneuvers which move the loose particles that cause vertigo into an area of the inner ear where they are no longer a bother.

Yay for library databases with remote access! Yay for the awful & awesome power of the Internet! Yay! Yay! Yay!

Ooh, I'm a little dizzy.

--

p.s. Save aghast comments about the interwebs for someone who isn't a Rock Star Librarian.

p.s.s. Save comments about "advocating for yourself" re: Kaiser for the nearest pile of horseshit.

Fellow Traveller

2010-10-31T17:24:00.000-07:00

The population is immense, no doubt, but I have yet to experience the claustrophobic crowding of bodies mentioned in all contemporary writing about China. The 200-or-more-story high rise apartments sprouting all over town hint at more people. Somewhere.

There are a very few foreigners like me. On a chance encounter in hotel lobby or incense-filled temple, we tend to politely but tensely ignore each other. So we don't shatter the notion that we're starring in the role of exotic unique foreigner in our private film.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

Halloween so far in China has consisted of one department store display, accompanied by a Chimpunks-esque (with schoolgirl voices) rendition of The Monster Mash piped through the PA system. And two little kids in costumes. Though maybe those two kids just like to play dress up. Hard to tell.

The new money interest in all things American hasn't quite embraced Halloween, likely because Chinese culture does not make light of the dead, believing that unnecessary discussion of the topic might invite death to visit.

So, while my friends are carving pumpkins, I am eating them stuffed with mushrooms and pork neck.

Gulangyu - Island without cars

2010-10-30T06:49:00.000-07:00

Gulangyu Island -- although I'm guessing some part of that word already means "island" -- lies such a short distance off the coast of Xiamen that it takes longer for the ferry to load & unload than it does to cross the water. Once there, you will immediately notice the lack of cars, though pedestrians should still beware of motorized bikes and the army of bare-chested men carrying goods around the island in carts.

Once the preferred location for foreign embassies, the island retains a European feel but there are many Asian-style gardens, and temples. There are also a lot of pianos, from which the island derives the nickname Piano Island. I would have called it Stair Island.

We also had an opportunity to tour the Sun Yat-sen Library, and visit with staff who hosted us with cold tea (unusual in China but perfect on a particularly hot, humid day) and yummy Xiamen sweet cakes from the island's best bakery.

South Pacific

2010-10-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

It's before dinner and we find ourselves oddly at a seashore boardwalk, complete with games and rides and slightly sweet Chinese popcorn.

That's when it hits me. That's the Pacific Ocean right there. My Pacific ocean. From the other side.

I'm running towards the water. Remembering a time when Donna and I ran on a moonless night towards the distant sound of the surf, more distant than we realized, peeling off clothes that only the best of luck allowed us to find again later, shivering.

I had to touch this water. From the other side.

It was a little warm and a little brown and I felt a little silly. But pleased.

Trash

2010-10-24T03:24:00.000-07:00

During a visit to one library we were shown several rooms full of books that had been donated by American libraries. I was going to say "well-meaning" but deleted it. Going for the jugular instead.

I was embarrassed by what I saw. What a load of crap. Moldy books, dime-store romances falling apart, incomplete Worldbook sets from 1982, a coffee-stained Commodore 64 manual etc etc.

Are you kidding me? What consummate arrogance! That we think our trash would be someone else's treasure.

"Oh, they're just learning English so it doesn't matter."

It matters.

/end rant

Brandon jumping over the wall

2010-10-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

So, the food. The food, the food, the food. It's a never-ending banquet of one delicious dish after another. Our hosts are making sure we have the best impression of Chinese cuisine and hospitality.

bamboo shoots, sauteed

Yeah, yeah, there was some frog soup and some turtle feet and something bearing a strong resemblance to the visage of a certain carrot-eating fuzzy friend, buck teeth and all staring at me from my plate.... but mostly it's fresh vegetables, delectable meats, and an amazing array of seafood. All local, and much of it organic. Even something as seemingly simple as broth knocks me out.

crispy duck skin

There is one local specialty we have yet to try -- "Buddha Jumping Over The Wall". The story goes that the Buddha was walking along, and smelled something so wonderful and enticing, that he lept over a wall to find it. We asked, What was in this dish?

Every delicious thing. Every one.

Tea age

2010-10-19T02:12:00.000-07:00

Wuyishan is famous for its oolong tea, reported to prevent cancer, lower blood pressure, and at the very least make a nice cuppa. Government officials are currently petitioning UNESCO to recognize tea as the third heritage in Wuyishan's designation.

Tea here is about more than a beverage, more even than the rituals (everyday and formal) around sharing that beverage. Tea is spirit, is life, is love.

A stone marking the path of wisdom reads "Spirit of Tea" so that you may walk the path with the spirit of tea.

The tea master and owner of the Liang Xiu tea factory demonstrates an oolong tea ritual.

Mr. Yang, the director of the Wuyishan library, shares tea from his own collection (like a wine cellar) with us.

They say, "May you reach the tea age." The Chinese character for tea includes strokes that resemble numbers adding up to 108. May you live so many years, with spirit, life, and love.

River of Nine Bends

2010-10-18T05:13:00.000-07:00

While our hosts attended meetings of their library association, we were treated to a day of sight-seeing. The highlight was an extensive tour of the Wuyishan State Nature Reserve, including a 2-hr bamboo raft ride down the River of Nine Bends. I counted more than that.

The area is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a coveted double heritage designation, meaning that it meets two sets of criteria, for natural wonder and cultural heritage.

More fotos on Flickr...

Hong Kong - Lantau

2010-10-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

After a day of relaxing in my hotel on Lantau, I set out on an adventure today. Flying through the air over sea and mountains.

I opted for the "standard" car instead of the Crystal Cabin -- with a see-through floor. Maybe next time.

It was a breath-taking ride, up and up and up over the sea, and over the mountain, and still more. The car carried us deep into the middle of the island. Below we could see hikers climbing the Lantau trail, many struggling in the humidity. The trail goes all over the island.

Just as we crested the last ridge, the Tian Tan Buddha came into view. The cable car ends near the Po Lin Monastery, and it's a short walk through a tourist area and up a very long flight of stairs (many thanks again to Samara for teaching me the rest step!) to the Buddha.

More fotos on Flickr....

Packing

2010-10-12T16:20:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow.

I leave tomorrow. Today, I pack. Today, I check the weather one last time, take the umbrella out of the pile and put it back again. Today, I second-guess my socks, my shoes, everything. Today, I miss having a kitty to shoo out of the luggage.

As my close friends know, I've been struggling with a minor (well, in the scheme of things, doesn't always feel minor) health problem for a few months now. Dealing with it daily while fighting my HMO has definitely distracted me, and clouded my anticipation of this trip with worry instead of enthusiasm. Getting a nasty cold over the weekend didn't help.

But, I know, I really do, that my memories of the next few weeks will be of the best things. Just like when I look back on this summer and remember parties and camping with friends, laughing and love with JW, and a dozen beautiful moments, and I can't remember at all how I was feeling right then, whether the problem was better or worse that day. I only remember the joy.

To remind myself of that I'm taking along my One Good Thing bracelet, a memorial to Hudson, my friends' child who passed away in May but who taught us all to see the one good thing, to "to enjoy and cherish what is rather than worry about what should or shouldn’t be."

Portland's Chinese Garden - Early Fall

2010-10-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

JW and I timed our Fall visit for the Autumn Moon Festival. It was a lovely clear, cool night and the garden was decorated with red lanterns. No sign of the full moon until later. There are a couple of skyscrapers that will have to go to improve the view.

Some plants still flowered and only a few trees were tinged with yellow. Green persimmons hid among still green leaves. We'll just have to go back in November. :)

Hmm, what to read?

2010-09-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

What am I going to read? Answering that question is one of the most fun aspects of planning for any trip, especially a big one.

For 5 weeks in Africa I brought along the Lord of the Rings trilogy, wanting to get them finally read before the movies began coming out later that year. Finished them all, but imprinted the story on the Nigerian landscape. Forever in my mind, Mordor will be Zaria's broken mountain, and Sam our elderly, disabled housekeeper at the Kano Guesthouse.

So, what am I going to read in China? My strategy:

2 slim volumes for the long flights from Portland to Hong Kong (via Tokyo), engaging somewhat quick reads that will keep me awake
1 slim volume for 3 days in Hong Kong and the flight to Fuzhou, something topical/local
1 large, dense read to last the whole 3-week exchange, something very not-Chinese, for contrast and enjoyably odd imprinting
1 slim volume for the flight Fuzhou>Hong Kong, and the long flight home (on which I will try to sleep)

My selections:

The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson, and Gentlemen of the Road: a Tale of Adventure by Michael Chabon
When China Ruled the Seas by Louise Levathes
The Hakawati by Rabih Alameddine
Amsterdam: a Novel by Ian McEwan

Whew. That was hard. Good thing I'm a librarian.

Absolut Mandarin

2010-09-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

My language plan remains the same: winging it. However, I do need to familiarize myself with the phrasebook so that I can flip to the appropriate page quickly.

Which, by the way, is the perfect activity for the 12-minute bus commute to/from work.

Which, by the way, is why the teenagers on said bus were bemusedly inquiring (ok, they were laughing at me*), "Who's that lady talking to?!" as I rattled off counting to ten, with hand gestures -- I may not get the tones right, but I can make a duck face with my hand (7).

*I'm going to China; they're going to Algebra. Suck it.

Amo, Amas, Amoy!

2010-09-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

Xiamen, also known as Amoy, is one of the two main cities we will visit during the Horner Exchange. As an important port for centuries, including one of the first to trade with the West, and as a winner of environmental and urban planning awards, Xiamen has a fascinating story that I'm looking forward to learning more about.

For those playing along at home, today I've been exploring this quirky website: Amoy Magic

Part personal travelogue, part book promotion, part community report, it reminds me of what people (myself included) with a handful of html used to do before Facebook.

They call it brindle

2010-09-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

Some loyal, long-time readers will recall that my very first real post to this blog was about shoes: First Steps

And indeed, Keen was a good place to start. Behold, for China and beyond, a new pair of walking shoes, in a browny grey - but not in that awful taupe way. They call it "brindle".

**Update: After wearing the new Keens all weekend, I have decided that while they are indeed comfy and versatile, they do not breathe. My feet were far too warm, even using the famed wicking merino socks. And that will not do.

Plan B: My trusty fluevogs. Various vogs (from the Sara to the Gibson) have kept my feet happy on several other international adventures so it seems fitting that my current pair of studded vogs should come along this time.

Unless I change my mind again. In 29 days anything could happen.

Dot. Dot. Dot. And it did.

After a 3-day test run of the vogs I decided they weren't comfortable enough and allowed no room for cushy inserts. Back to Keen for the mary-jane version of the shoe I bought before. The open panel allows for breathing and I get comfort too.

Don't ask me about socks.

Hanging in there

2010-09-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

Fresh from my HMO's travel clinic, JW and I hopped a bus to Portland's Old Town. Although many of the neighborhood's long-time residents and businesses have moved elsewhere in the city (mostly around 82nd Ave), Old Town is still Chinatown. And Chinatown is still the Hung Far Low.

Hung Far Low was the site of my 21st birthday party and countless other crazy fun nights. I never ate the food, and never used the restroom, but I always raised a deadly Singapore Sling to the giant wooden Buddha in the corner. It was nice to see the sign re-hung, as it were, after its restoration.

Earlier that afternoon, I took care of one more "to do" before I leave for China -- vaccinations. Some countries require certain vaccinations for entry, but China does not. My HMO had several recommendations, and from those I chose to get a tetanus booster and a "just in case" prescription for cipro (for severe travellers' tummy). Arm was super sore for a few days, but better than the alternative.

I left my heart in San Francisco

2010-08-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

My passport is in San Francisco. I am not. But that's a good thing.

Amy, one of my fellow Horner delegation members, has a dear good friend who travels to China frequently, and often assists groups travelling together. As it happened, he was going to San Francisco to take care of the visas for his group and was happy to add our applications to his.

The Chinese Consulate does not process visa applications through the mail (much less online), but they do allow for another person to handle your visa application in person if you cannot. It's how the visa services operate, for a profit of course.

I'm happy to have someone with extensive experience handle this for us, and it saves a little money too. Many thanks to Amy's friend!

Review: Travelers' Tales China

2010-07-25T18:25:00.000-07:00

Traveler's Tales China
edited by Sean O'Reilly, James O'Reilly, Larry Habegger

Bras, buddhas, and beers. This is exactly the sort of book I love for travel prep.

A collection of stories, essays, and excepts, peppered with sidebar quotations, it covers a wide range of topics, from various perspectives and time periods. Plenty of flavor without the bulk of readings lots of different books.

Not quite yet . . . . . Ok, Now

2010-07-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

For months, friends and co-workers bounced joyfully "You must be sooooo excited!!!!!!!" I felt a little ungrateful mustering an untruthful "Um, yeah, loads" or an honest "No, not really, not yet, I'm sure I will later, closer to the trip." Didn't seem real yet, I suppose. Too many distractions at work or fighting my HMO, I suppose.

Then it happened.

That sort of ohmygod sinking feeling in my tummy, like right before you go over the steep hill of a roller coaster and yell "Wheeeeeeeee!"

We received a tentative itinerary today, with entries like "ancient lanes", "Gushan Mountain", "Mawei shipyard". These are simple words, but suddenly I felt the spark. I wanted to know more. How ancient are these lanes? How tall is the mountain? Does it have snow on top, or jungle all around? What kind of ships? Can I sail on one? Suddenly I felt the rush.

I'M GOING TO CHINA! Wheeeeeeee!

Portland's Chinese Garden - Summer

2010-07-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

Summer took a long time to arrive in Portland. So JW and I quickly took advantage of a lovely summer evening, and the garden's policy of closing late on Monday nights.

It was a special treat for me because I've never been there in summer. Perhaps I was expecting the austerity of a Japanese garden, but it was all lush, life, and color. Gardenia, dragonflies, and rainbow koi.

And no kids!

Horner Exchange blog

2010-07-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

13 weeks til departure. 13. Pause for a moment and think about how fast one week flies by.

After the lull -- that time before a trip where it's too late to do anything that requires long-term preparation (I think I'll lose 40lbs and become fluent in 2 dialects), but it's too early to begin doing all the little stuff (the black bag with the red details, hmm, or the red bag with the black details??) -- we are beginning to gear up.

First, we've created an official blog for the Horner Exchange 2010 (this here mercatorial blog is my personal travel blog and will cover old trips and new adventures too).

http://horner2010.wordpress.com/

Second, ... well, my half-page To Do list turned into 4 pages. Our group had a nice lunch meeting yesterday where we compared notes, made plans, and reviewed information regarding the presentations we've been asked to make. My topics are RFID, and the management of electronic resources.

Third, I have begun the preliminary packing list. My light packing foo is legendary, but could not be possible without the packing list, the clothes matrix, and several other mystical logistical charts and forms. I'll post more about that soon.

Or, maybe I won't. A girl has to have some secrets.

....

**Update: the final packing list

Easy does it

2010-05-26T15:00:00.000-07:00

Though it is possible to transport oneself from Hong Kong to Fuzhou via a combination of buses, trains, and ferries, I've opted for the easy way out.

Difficulty -- with both the frustrations & the adventure it spawns -- will no doubt abound. Needs no help from me. So, I will fly 1hr 40min on Cathay Pacific.

from ecclesk

And I have 2 1/2 days in Hong Kong to do as I please -- ie, get over jet lag. My previous inclination (Poll closed) to stay on Lantau is looking more and more likely. Death-defying cable car transport, ancient mountain-top monasteries, pirate coves, pink dolphins, and opium war forts.

Why not?

Yay Daddy!

2010-04-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

While he's no Up in the Air, my dad travels a lot for work and builds up a mountain of frequent flier miles that my brother and I chip away at from time to time. Which is how I'll be flying from Portland to Hong Kong for free.

Yay Daddy!

Which also means I need to arrange transport from Hong Kong to Fuzhou -- the functional equivalent of getting from Portland to San Francisco.... If Portland, Ashland, Redding, and San Fran were the centers of Special Economic Zones with their own rules & regulations, and customs control. Flying would be easiest.

Which is why I'm looking at ferry tables and cruise lines. ;)

Fuzhou is an important port for China, both historically and in the modern era. Arriving by boat seems fitting. Any of my avid -- all 5 of you -- readers know anything about a slow boat to Fuzhou?

Midnight train

2010-04-21T22:29:00.000-07:00

Our guests leave tonight -- tomorrow really, on some crazy early morning flight that makes me fall down just to think about it. Their time with us was all too brief. But, as I said with great joy at the farewell banquet last night, "In October!"

I'll see my friends again in October!

Sleepless in Seattle

2010-04-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

After touring four libraries in two days, we devoted Saturday to sight-seeing. The cold & windy weather was a hindrance, but we bundled up as best we could and stopped for tea/coffee every hour. Ok, ok, *I* stopped for coffee every hour*.

High-lights of the day were:

Riding the monorail
"Duck Tour" - tour bus becomes tour boat
Walking tours of Seattle - everything is a story, adventure through new eyes
Hand-shaved noodle dinner at Shanghai Garden

What I enjoyed most was explaining all the different flowers and vegetables at Pike Place Market. It was fun to figure out how to explain rhubarb or radicchio in a few simple words, and as a gardener I could talk endlessly about flowers. Our guests enjoyed every single bloom, as did I.

*Mark my words, this will come back to haunt me. Our guests, having observed my coffee-drinking habits, will no doubt attempt to accommodate me in China in October. I foresee many pots of percolation. Really, I like tea, I really do! :)

From Friday

2010-04-10T15:23:00.000-07:00

So much happened today, I don't know where to begin. If only I could generate a tag cloud from my brain.

The morning drive to Issaquah was uneventful. ;) Misty forests and snow-capped mountains lined the way to King County's sort center -- a warehouse-size automated sorting facility. It was a great tour, packed with interesting and useful information. Speaking well in a translation situation is a skill few possess, much less master. Tour leaders Tony and Steve are rock stars!

Sunshine appeared for our afternoon at the beautiful University of Washington campus. A thorough tour of the East Asian Library was conducted by the director, gracious at our sudden appearance -- our emails had been thwarted by spam gnomes. After exploring the main library, we wandered around the campus, where everyone was friendly and every tree was blooming.

Then we ate pizza.

Then it snowed

2010-04-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

It was Bad Luck Morning. Enterprise was late and confused with the rental, 2 miles into Washington State I got pulled over for a speeding ticket -- my first and only in 23 years of driving -- and at milepost 54, at the rest stop, the plastic fob for the minivan stopped working (dead battery) with *everything* locked in the van.

Then it began to snow.

Actually, everything turned out fine and we laughed a lot about all the "bad luck". We ate bananas and candy for lunch, but we made our 1:30 appointment at Seattle Public Library. Staff gave us a full tour with many behind-the-scenes views.

Besides the dramatic architecture and intriguing color choices, our guests were most interested in the public access computers, the virtual services, and the auto-sort machinery.

p.s. So, not everything was in the van. JW's trusty iPhone was in his pocket. Eventually we got through to the Enterprise help line who explained the plastic fob breaks apart to reveal an emergency key. Good to know. Destroying the fob would not have occurred to me.

Dragon takes Swan

2010-04-07T23:23:00.000-07:00

Today, we toured the behind-the-scenes staff areas of Central Library. Our guests had many questions about how we do what we do, moving books, answering questions, managing special events, keeping up with technology. A lot of good discussions and amazingly friendly staff. Our guests felt very welcome!

Later -- after more picture taking and shopping -- we continued the tour at Multnomah's Administration building, where Technical Services is located. The director Vailey Oehlke hosted the delegates with tea and cookies -- and more conversations.

Both the hosts and the guests are learning a lot about how we manage libraries. We face many of the same challenges, but often reach different solutions. I hope to see more of this when I visit Fujian in October.

("Dragon takes swan" was JW's response to my text: "Our guests have conquered Swarovski!")

One more word

2010-04-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

Today I hosted the delegation for a tour of Central Library. High-lights included:

Central's eco roof
Rare book room
Artistic details: leaf ceiling sculpture, children's tree, fresh flowers
Me setting off the security gates to demonstrate RFID

Then we walked through downtown Portland for sight-seeing, shopping, and dinner at Todai. I've learned one more Mandarin word -- bringing my grand total to 3 -- "lei". Tired. It was a good day!

Gift ideas - a repost

2010-03-31T22:14:00.000-07:00

Reposted from January:

I need your collective brain power again my friends.

It is customary on these professional exchanges to give and receive gifts. So I'm puzzling over gift ideas. Here are the complicating factors that stymie me. The gifts need to be:

Within my budget (maybe $100?)
Small, lightweight, and preferably flat (packing)
Nice, something a person might actually like
Reflective of Oregon
Not "Made in China" because, I mean, c'mon!

Help ? Take the poll or comment below. Thanks!

Horner Exchange Visit - Oregon

2010-03-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

Received word that the Chinese delegation obtained their visas and plane tickets, and will arrive in Portland on April 3.

We have about 20 days of planned events, mostly library visits but some sight-seeing, around the Willamette Valley and the coast. And a 3-day trip to Seattle!

I hope our visitors find their their time with us useful and enjoyable. We're all looking forward to it!

Timing

2010-03-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

Today, Google opened full access to its site in China.

Today, China began blocking some Google services.

Today, the Chinese delegation went to their appointment at the US Consulate to obtain their travel visas.

And so we wait...

Poll closed

2010-03-02T18:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks for participating in my "After China?" poll. The results are:

Hawaii - 7 votes
Vietnam - 6
Macau - 5
Brunei - 1
Portland - 1

I guess everyone wants me to take a break after three weeks in China. I'm inclined to agree -- though the one Brunei vote was mine.

Here is my current thinking. Given that I will likely use Hong Kong rather than Shanghai as my gateway, how about getting over my jet lag before the Horner Exchange for a few days on Lantau Island (where the HK airport is)? If I'm feeling adventurous, I can pop over to Macau from there.

Then after the exchange, stop over in Hawaii for a few days to relax before coming home. Perhaps I can talk some friends into joining me? It's sort of near-ish my birthday -- the last year in my 30's!

Portland's Chinese Garden - Spring

2010-02-28T17:08:00.000-08:00

JW and I hurried to Portland's Classical Chinese Garden -- which seems to have been quietly renamed the Lan Su Chinese Garden -- for our Spring visit this weekend. With Portland's very early warm weather, we might have missed real Spring if we waited for calendar Spring.

Nearly all the plants that can were blooming: daphne, quince, cherry, edgewothia, camellia, and more. The Lunar New Year celebratory red lanterns added more color.

The garden seemed excessively crowded today. Winter's quiet emptiness was more a treat than we realized, and have decided to plan our Summer and Fall visits at times when we can hope for more solitude -- which is really a polite way of saying times when swarms of screaming, running children will be less likely.

Review: River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze

2010-02-25T13:03:00.000-08:00

River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze
by Peter Hessler

Within days of announcing this trip, four different people suggested this book, and I wasn't disappointed.

Written as narrative non-fiction, the book covers two years when Peter Hessler taught English in Fuling as a Peace Corps volunteer. I was a little slow to get into the story, which in part reflected the experience of the author. It takes him some time to hit his stride in Fuling, and once he does, the story picks up too.

Although I won't be going near Fuling, general lessons can be learned from Hessler's experiences. For example, here are his two very useful ways to handle any questions or topics that might be sensitive.

"Americans do not have much information on this subject. I would like to learn more."

"I do not know if it is true, but I have been told..."

I also recommend the book if you have any interest in the topic of damming the Yangtze. I do not know if it is true, but I have been told the dam may cause environmental problems.

February Horner Meeting

2010-02-22T15:50:00.000-08:00

Today the US host committee for the Horner Exchange met over coffee and cinnamon rolls. I imagined our Chinese counterparts meeting somewhere over tea and almond cookies. Then I imagined them setting off lunar new year's fireworks. Americans have boring meetings.

We learned that the visiting Chinese delegation will be delayed by at least one week, shifting their trip to April 3 - 23. Which means they will miss the PLA conference, a disappointment on both sides.

However, it left a few days open in the tentative schedule. My supervisor (and first alternate) Pat suggested we fill that time with a side trip to Seattle. But who would go with them?

"I can do that." Did I say that out loud? I imagined something involving a minivan from Zipcar, throwing fish, and a bridge troll -- but no fireworks. Well... maybe...

Capturing China, 1913-1929

2010-02-16T19:58:00.000-08:00

My local library (and employer) Multnomah County Library is hosting the exhibit Capturing China, 1913-1929: Photographs, Films, and Letters of American Diplomat John Van Antwerp MacMurray from February 19 to April 2.

The exhibit includes photographs from the chaotic time period following the fall of the Qing Dynasty. At the opening reception MacMurray's daughter will give a short talk about living in China with her father.

Opening reception: February 23
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Central Library's Collins Gallery

Good luck with that

2010-02-12T12:45:00.000-08:00

Another ah-ha moment, thinking about the trip to China. Chopsticks.

Chopsticks, chopsticks. Maybe I should practice that. I could get a lot of practice in the remaining 8 months before departure. It's not like I'm a complete loser with them.

In fact, I'm quite adept -- for the first 30 seconds. Then like the Coyote running in air after the Road Runner, some how I see the world dropping away below me and it all falls apart.

Practice will help me not overthink it.

Or, I could take JW's suggestion, and wear a big fork on a ribbon around my neck. Can I get one with an American flag?

Language barrier

2010-01-27T19:22:00.000-08:00

I do not speak Chinese.

Largely because there is no such thing. China's citizens speak anywhere from 30 to 300 different languages depending on your inclination towards pedantitude. Mandarin is the most spoken language, although it doesn't carry the same expectations and usefulness, say, as standard High German does throughout Europe.

Mandarin is not the primary language of Fujian (the area I will visit during the Horner Exchange). It's Min. Yet, most language learning tools I've found only cover Mandarin.

Normally, before any trip, I study the language, dip my toes in the water at least enough to say Thank You and Where's the bathroom? I also rely on my, if I do say so myself, strong ability to learn a language in situ and communicate via a combination of clowning and telepathy.

But China... What I've heard from friends who have gone before me, is that no matter how much or how little they studied before the trip, once there, it was if they had done nothing. If that's the case, I'm seriously thinking about just winging it.

Thoughts?

San Fran anyone?

2010-01-20T19:24:00.000-08:00

Spent the better part of tonight wading through the labyrinth of online info regarding the entry visa to China. Apparently, there's an exit one too, but I'm still working on that. Good thing I left crumbs to find my way out (not good for the laptop).

Conclusion: I must present myself to the Chinese Consulate which has jurisdiction over my state of residence -- that would be San Francisco. Not Seattle, no, not that lucky this time. Or, even Los Angeles, where my parents live. Nope, San Francisco, Oro en Paz, Fierro en Guerra.

Although I could use a visa service, the money kind of comes out even if I take into account frequent flyer miles and other deals I could leverage.

Visas must be obtained no more than 90 days from departure, so.... sometime in late July... anyone want to go to San Francisco?

A gift for you

2010-01-15T20:38:00.000-08:00

I need your collective brain power again my friends.

It is customary on these professional exchanges to give and receive gifts. So I'm puzzling over gift ideas. Here are the complicating factors that stymie me. The gifts need to be:

Within my budget (maybe $100?)
Small, lightweight, and preferably flat (packing)
Nice, something a person might actually like
Reflective of Oregon
Not "Made in China" because, I mean, c'mon!

Help ?

(At this point, I don't know how many gifts I should bring. 30, probably, -ish.)

Now... or not

2010-01-11T19:41:00.000-08:00

Sunday found myself and JW combining our stupendous (or perhaps some other word that starts with "stup") brain power to figure out how to actually get inside the China Design Now exhibit at the Portland Art Museum.

Two entrances and four lines later, we climbed a staircase through a blindingly (cliche alert) red light towards the red lanterns marking the entrance along the big red wall.

I had been super excited about this "Now" exhibit of contemporary design since many of the materials I've found so far in my research are dated from 2007/08. Not quite good enough, imo, to examine a society that's changing so rapidly (ask me about the difference between Bulgaria 2000 and Bulgaria 2002 some time).

Unfortunately I must admit to being disappointed. Two medium-sized rooms of exhibits. Two. One is devoted to art & design from Shenzhen, which was a little interesting. The other room was divided between Shanghai and Beijing, with the Beijing exhibits largely turned over to information about the Olympics.

Considering the expense, logistical hurdles, and paucity of the exhibits, I say save your time and your $16 and look at this art and design on the web.

Review: Lost on Planet China

2010-01-05T22:30:00.000-08:00

Lost on Planet China: One Man's Attempt to Understand the World's Most Mystifying Nation
by J. Maarten Troost

The first book I read for this trip, before I even knew I had been selected for the exchange, almost... well, it gave me pause.

Troost's book is an informal and exceedingly honest account of his recent exploration of China. As I read, I thought of the ways I would have edited the same experiences, would have tried to be polite or worried about offending my hosts. Yet, I appreciated the honesty, and Troost does a good job of not allowing his open treatment to become negative or overbearing.

And, he's hilarious.

That said, I am concerned about some of the difficulties he experienced, namely pollution (general air quality, pervasive cigarette smoking), crowding (personal space, spitting etc), and the eating of live squid ("live" as in "alive and squirming").

No one ever said adventure was easy.

Citation Surfing 2.0

2010-01-03T16:52:00.000-08:00

You're familiar with the concept of citation surfing? Yes, skip ahead.

In research, if a book is useful for your needs, pay attention to its "Works Cited", footnotes, or bibliography, etc. Why? Because this author you find so useful didn't invent his book all by himself. He used other resources which are potentially useful to you. Use his research, follow the trail, surf the citations from resource to resource to aid your research.

Here's my 2.0 twist. I also look the useful book up on Amazon.com. Not for the obvious "also bought" and "also searched" features. That data is too often muddied by gift purchases or tangential info-meandering. Instead, I search the Listmania. These lists are deliberately put together for a described purpose by people who offer up some idea about who they are via their profiles.

If the vagabond physicist/gardener put said useful book on a list called "Essential China for Travelling Smartypants", then I suddenly have a whole list of books from someone who I like or respect (in that special Internet way) to review for my trip.

And this is just one example. You can also mine Goodreads.com (all the good stuff is behind a (free) membership) or other social networking sites with book/info components.

My first read for this trip was Troost's Lost on Planet China. His brief bibliography also gave me:

Mao: The Unkown Story - Chang & Halliday
The Search for Modern China- Spence
Mr. China - Clissold

I've put all three books on hold at my local library. Using the Amazon List method with Lost on Planet China, I found these lists to explore further:

After I've reviewed the three books from the library, I'll check the sources for the ones I like, place more holds and do more citation surfing 2.0 to lead me to more resources to put on hold. And so on.

The trick is to do this part quickly so I have plenty of time to actually read all the cool stuff I find.

And then what?

2009-12-18T15:02:00.000-08:00

The Horner Exchange is 3 weeks of travelling and working around Southeastern China. After the exchange program, what do I do next? I'm already there, and I've never been one to waste a grueling 18-hr flight, replete with airport hassles and really-super-fun security measures.

Planning the after trip before I've planned the actual trip may seem a little cart before the horse, but with rough dates chosen, researching plane tickets is a logical next step. So, I need to know where I'm going.

I have no idea.

Considerations: Cost, of course. Climate, if I want to pack light I need to stick to one kind of weather. Comfort, after working for three weeks, I'll want something relaxing, easy, with a little rejuvenation before I dive back into my woefully neglected job.

A stack of travel books from my local library have helped me winnow the choices -- though I am still open to other ideas. Help me out! Comment on this post or take the poll. I know how you love polls.

p.s. Portland is on the list as a kind of recover-cation choice. Be home. Do laundry. Deal with jet-lag. Smooch JW.

Timeline

2009-12-15T19:21:00.000-08:00

Two recent official meetings have resulted in some tasty information, succulent facts, delicious.... sigh, *when* will dinner be ready?

Tentative timeline, dependent upon visas and plane tickets, all disclaimers apply:

March 3 - April 3, 2010: Chinese librarians visit Oregon

October 17 - November 6, 2010: Oregon librarians visit Fujian

Halloween in China, eh?

Portland's Chinese Garden - Winter

2009-12-08T23:22:00.000-08:00

In preparation for the trip to China, I plan to visit Portland's own Classical Chinese Garden once during each season -- also known as another excuse to look at plants and drink tea because I am an old lady librarian.

JW (my boyfriend) and I braved rare bitter winter weather for a Sunday visit. A strong wind pushed ripples across the part of the pond not yet frozen over. A persimmon added color to the dormant garden, and I sipped a Strong Fire Oolong in the teahouse.

It's never too early

2009-11-30T19:10:00.000-08:00

Tiga Lake, Nigeria - July 2001

A few folks have commented how early I've begun blogging about this trip. As you'll see, there's lots to do!

The last time I travelled (you'll pry the ll-ed/ing from my cold dead typing fingers) somewhere with a semi-tropical climate and pollution isses -- Nigeria 2001 -- I learned what a pain in the... neck long hair can be. But worse, how utterly impossible it is to keep bangs clean.

Therefore. I am officially growing my bangs out -- and I'll need the whole year to do that.

Brainstorm

2009-11-18T22:34:00.000-08:00

Ever since I got the call -- "Brandon, this is Captain Panda. Do you? Bamboo?" -- I've been carrying around a piece of paper to jot down all the things I need to ponder, figure out, plan, and strategize before the trip to China. Gave me something to do during those enraging meetings that go on and on blah blah snore...

Here it is. The List. In no particular order. Imagine my scrawled penmanship, coffee stains, voodoo doll doodles:

language
research/prep
books about
books to read there
work etc proposal for Multnomah
cell
blog, twitter -> bamboo curtain?
clothes, shoes
gifts
Kaiser travel clinic/shots - NO LARIUM
snacks
stickers for kids
camera tech, wireless memory card, backup
self defense
travel insurance
savings account - my expenses (SmartyPig?)
sightseeing/vacation afterward (meet brother?)

Exposition

2009-11-14T11:15:00.000-08:00

So, you may be wondering, how exactly is Brandon going to China? As part of the Horner Exchange. Read on...

"The Horner Library Staff Exchange Project is an exchange of library staff between Fujian Province, China, and Oregon, for the purpose of sharing professional knowledge about library and information science. It was established through a generous gift from the late Dr. Layton Horner to the Oregon State Library, and continues through a partnership between the Oregon State Library and OLA’s International Relations Round Table. Our international partners are the Fujian Provincial Library and the Fujian Library Association. Fujian is Oregon's sister province in China and the Fujian Provincial Library maintains a sister library relationship with the Oregon State Library."

The last exchange took place in 2007, and the delegates blogged: http://hornerexchange.blogspot.com/

Spring 2010, a delegation of library staff from Fujian will visit Oregon, and in turn the Oregon delegation will visit Fujian in October or November of 2010.

First steps

2009-11-12T22:34:00.000-08:00

A good librarian, upon being selected for an international exchange, would first create a bibliography of appropriate resources.

Me? I started researching shoes. Obviously I'll have to buy some new shoes for this trip. And in keeping with my rigorous standards for packing light, I can only take ONE pair. They need to be:

comfortable
professional
versatile
appropriate for a warm, humid climate
provide protection from, uh... environmental factors

I'm thinking Keen is a good place to start my quest. Suggestions?

This time next year ...

2009-11-12T22:08:00.000-08:00

I'm going to China!