Coronavirus in Xi'an update

I have now completed my first week of giving assignments to students via an online tool. Both students and teachers are now scattered around the world. Many have recently returned to their home countries or have gone to nearby countries such as Thailand or Japan. Some are stranded in the country they vacationed in, due to travel restrictions.  Others have decided to try (at least for the time being) to stick it out in Xi'an. I intend to remain in Wisconsin until school is reopened, travel restrictions lifted, and the situation is stable.

The Xi'an airport

Those recently flying out of Xi'an encountered a virtually deserted terminal. Mask-wearing was mandatory, both at the airport and in the airplanes. All passengers are screened. People white wearing hazmat suits were present at the airport.

Bags of veggies to be delivered

For those living in apartment complexes that have had a person who tested positive for the coronavirus, they are put on lockdown. So far, 54 buildings or complexes are under such restrictions. (Considering that my complex currently has 18 high-rise buildings with around 34 floors, that's a lot of people!) No one is able to leave at all. (In other complexes, one person from the unit can leave every 2 or 3 days IF they don't have a fever).  Temperature and other monitoring are done upon exit and entry. For those in lockdown, vegetables are delivered to them. Imagine opening up the door and seeing your delivery person wearing a hazmat suit!

Taking no chances when delivering

According to the "official" numbers, there currently are 31,213 infections in China. Of those, 184 are in the Shaanxi province and 80 in Xi'an.
Current restrictions in the area:

• Those returning will immediately be quarantined for 14 days at a designated hotel. They may not first go to their apartment.
• Once they are able to return to their apartment, they must register with their apartment's management and follow all guidelines.
• No long-distance bus services.
• Over 106 local bus routes are suspended.
• Subways are still operating under limited hours and only some entrances. Registration is required.
• Several train lines are suspended.
• No Didi (China's equivalent of Uber) services.
• Wear masks when taking taxis, any public transportation, and in most any public place
• Taxi drivers must disinfect their vehicles at least 2x a day.
• Carry your ID/passport when taking public transport, in case they ask you to register your information
• Several shopping malls and hotels are closed.
• Supermarkets may be open but under limited hours. Some larger chains will have price-stabilized veggies and meat to prevent price-gouging.
• No large gatherings or events are permitted.
• Schools will remain closed at the direction of the Ministry of Education, and will likely remain closed until at least March 2. 

*Photos courtesy of my colleague, Jenna Dolman

Tweet

Teaching in China during the Coronavirus

On January 18, I departed Xi'an for what I thought was a short 12-day stay in Wisconsin, with my little brother's wedding being the highlight of the trip. As I write this, a calendar reminder popped up, reminding me that my flight to Xi'an was to happen in 15 minutes. And yet I am writing this from the couch at my condo in Madison, WI.

At the O'Hare airport on December 19 (one day later than planned due a flight delay and then missing the next flight), I saw a small sign that urged those traveling from Wuhan to self-report if they had a fever or cough. Because it didn't apply to me, I didn't give it much thought. Then I waited in the long line with the HUGE number of Chinese students returning to Madison for the start of the second semester. The at-capacity bus I was in, along with the other two buses, contained virtually all individuals from China.

Just a day later, the city of Wuhan became known to the world. I began thinking of those 16 hours I spent on the plane and then a few more hours on the bus with people from China. Had any of them been in Wuhan? An administrator from my international school in Xi'an contacted the faculty querying about where we had traveled and if we had any contact with those in Wuhan. On Monday, after hearing that school would be closed for at least two more weeks, I contacted my principal, requesting that I remain in Wisconsin until the re-opening date is definite.

 Map showing the current number of reported coronavirus infections

When I look at this map and see how the numbers continue to escalate every day, I am grateful that I arrived prior to the major outbreak and thankful that I did not have to return on the 30th, as originally planned. Friends in Xi'an reported store/mall closures, reduced store inventory (especially of produce), and the inability to find any masks and hand sanitizer. Getting around by public transportation is severely impaired, with the suspension of service, limited routes/hours, or long delays due to the screening of passengers. Several highway exits are also closed and health checks are being conducted at those open. Many flights are also being canceled. Didi (the Chinese equivalent of Uber), the most popular way for foreigners (and many locals) to travel within the city, has now suspended its service. People are strongly urged to stay home, cooped up in their high-rise apartments. All those entering the apartment complexes are checked for fever and cough.

Currently, there are 87 confirmed reported 9,742 cases in the Shaanxi province; of those, 32 are in Xi'an. Even the "small" town where a Chinese friend of mine has been cooped up in her family's apartment now has some infections. She is especially concerned for her grandma, who already has health issues. I pray for the health and safety of all the hard-working, kind citizens of this populous country.

Starting on Monday, I am to be giving art assignments to my students online. I can't use any resources that require the use of a VPN, in order to accommodate the Chinese students. So that means no Google apps, no YouTube, Vimeo, Pinterest, and even many seemingly innocent sites. Art supplies will have to be kept at bare minimum as well. If anyone has had experience or advice on teaching upper elementary art (particularly PYP) under these restrictions, I'd love your insight.

For now, be assured that I am safe and healthy in Wisconsin.

Tweet

Winter ❄️ wonderland in Wisconsin

via Instagram

Tweet

My Weaving experience at the Ock Pop Tok Center

After a wonderful lunch overlooking the Mekong River with fellow workshop participants, I began my 1/2 day weaving experience. The warp on the floor loom was already set up with 400 black dyed silk threads. Likewise, the supplementary heddle was already in place. This is the "program" that helps establish the patterns seen in the weaving.

Silk colored through natural dyes

Natural materials for dyes

To start, I chose the color that I wanted for my main weaving and for the design. Both the dusty rose dye and the cream color were created from the fresh leaves and bark of the teak tree; the light color was only briefly dipped. The skeins of silk were then wound onto spools, a process that also separates the silk and makes them smoother. Due to limited time, I only did a couple spools.

My weaving in process. The Naga design is at the bottom.

Most of the weaving was a simple tabby weave (over-under-over-under). I quickly got in the groove of which bamboo foot pedal my right foot should be on, scooting the shuttle through the opening, and the correct even pressure needed on the beater. For the design, I chose the naga - a mythical protective water serpent that I had seen in many local Buddhist temples.

The magic behind achieving the Naga continuous supplementary weft (kit) design comes from the supplementary heddle. Once a row of the design was woven, that string on the supplementary heddle was moved upward. Had my weaving called for a repetition of the Naga design, the supplementary heddle was already set up for this. In this complex part, the instructor was directly involved. Thankfully, she was also there when one warp string accidentally broke; she patiently attached some extra black thread to make the warp thread tight again. 

The loom with the supplementary heddle pictured on the left.

  Due to time constraints, the instructor removed the weaving from the loom after weaving several rows of thread. Multiple strands of the black warp threads were moistened, grouped and then two groups twisted together. The end was then knotted.

My finished weaving

I am pleased with my finished piece. I'd love to go back and try the more complex discontinuous supplementary weft (chok)  weaving. That is a 3-day course though. At any rate, the experience gives me a greater appreciation for the time and skill it takes to create such beautiful textiles. 

Tweet

Hmong Batik Experience in Luang Prabang, Laos

During my Christmas vacation, I participated in a half-day workshop on Hmong batik. The instructor was Mae Thao Zu Zong. This petite 66-yr old from the Striped Hmong (Hmong Lai) group is the remaining Hmong batik artist in Luang Prabang.

Mae Thao, Hmong batik artist

With a photo of her in the background, Mae Thao demonstrated how to hold the tjanting tool and make straight lines with the hot beeswax first on a small piece of woven flax. The locally harvested wax was tinted slightly with indigo to make it easier to see on the cloth. While she confidently formed straight lines in rapid succession, I found holding and controlling the tool (the metal part is near the heel of your hand) with the correct amount of wax (and at the correct temperature) a bit awkward. The weave was rather coarse, which sometimes made my movements a bit jerky.

Backstrap loom with hemp fibers

Thankfully, the less-than-perfect grid lines were camouflaged when additional details and symbols were added. Symbols included natural items such as cucumber seeds, pumpkin seeds, animal teeth, and ferns. For the curves of the center design, the tjanting tool was held more like a traditional drawing tool. 

Mae Thao demonstrates how to do the spirals

Instructor and student

Once I was finished with the wax part, I asked Mae Thao to pose with me. I stepped down so there wouldn't be quite the height difference in the photo. Because I wanted my piece to be dyed indigo, I had to leave it at the center. The following morning it would be dunked in a vat of indigo dye and the wax removed. Because it was only dipped once, it didn't get the deep blue color seen on many Hmong works that may be dipped up to 20 times.

My completed batik

Tweet

COPE Center in Laos

COPE Center, Vientiane

This morning I walked to the COPE Center in Vientiane, Laos. The visitor center is part of a larger complex that is focused on the continuing victims of a war that ended nearly 50 years ago.

Sculpture made from cluster bomb materials

Walking past buildings dedicated to supporting those disabled by unexploded ordnances (UXO's) such as a special gymnasium and wheelchair fitting, signs pointed me to the visitor center. In front of the building was a sculpture made from different components of cluster bombs. Next to the entrance, a cluster bomb casing was repurposed as a planter.

Inside, one of the video displays played this (above) video. Posters listed some staggering statistics of the horrible bombings that occurred in Laos from 1964-1973.
A few statistics:

• Over 270 million "bombies" (small bombs contained within large cluster bombs) were dropped over Laos during this time period.
• 580,000 bombing missions were conducted
• Between 10-30% of all "bombies" (over 80 million) failed to detonate and are still dangerous
• From 1996-2009, nearly 1,100,000 unexploded "bombies" were destroyed by UXO Lao.
• Laos is the most heavily bombed country; more bombs were dropped here than in all of WWII. 

The center had a small theatre for watching a selection of videos. The one I watched featured some of the victims of these unexploded munitions, particularly the small "bombies." Examples of some victims' stories included a mother whose leg was blown off when the heat from her cooking fire detonated a bombie. Or a rice farmer who when using a tool to plant rice accidentally hit a bombie.. Having lost vision in one eye and one leg amputated, he no longer is able to support his family. His children have had to drop out of school in order to help farm in the same fields that may contain more UXO's. The video also showed children using metal detectors to find scrap metal left from the bombing raids, irrespective of the real dangers of encountering UXO's. 

Prosthetics "wall"

The COPE center also helps fit victims with more lightweight prosthetics; these give victims more mobility than even the clumsy, heavy ones they may have fashioned themselves in their villages. The organization also provides community outreach, going directly to remote villages to provide equipment, repairs, medical assistance, etc. Funding is also provided to enable victims to come to rehab centers, receive surgery, etc. 

While in Luang Prabang, I visited a similar visitor center. Posters there described how programs continue to occur in educating villagers of the dangers of UXO's  - what they look like and what to do if they encounter a UXO. Specially trained people are working at locating and destroying the UXO's, enabling the cleared land to be safely used for farming or residences.  Due to the large numbers of UXO's remaining despite continued efforts at locating and destroying the bombies, it is estimated that it may take nearly 100 years for Laos to be free of this scourge that continues to negatively impact the economy of Laos and its citizens.

Tweet

Miao Woman with Silver Headdress. Fenghuang, China

via Instagram

Tweet

The Calligrapher of the Temple of Literature. Hanoi, Vietnam. Pastel ©2019 Melissa Enderle

via Instagram

Tweet

Rice terraces of Ping’an, at sunrise 🌄

via Instagram

Tweet