As I sit sipping coffee in the Air Canada Lounge I’m wishing I was/were back in my father-in law’s living room. I had been fully relaxed in the 6 days I spent out East. Not sure what it is about the East Coast of Canada, or Don’s living room but it is akin to fishing for me. There are no horns honking, no “chores” to be done, no well to dig, just pleasant conversation about world events and Canadian politics. For me it’s a time to catch up on reading and looking back at the larger picture of life. A place for reflection I guess. So as I’m wrap up my holidays and head back across the Atlantic, I should bring you all up to date on the last month. I’m not much of a writer, let alone a speller, so for give me for not updating this for over a month.
Qi, Ben and I took a little quick trip to south China. Nanning and Guilin to be exact. The first story is about Smile China. Google it, it’s a great charity. It’s about a team of Doctors from all over the world who help train Chinese doctors in new techniques in cleft palate surgery. They perform countless surgeries for those that can’t afford it and encourage the younger Chinese surgeons to look at volunteering and helping others. Something that the Chinese aren’t known for.
After a full day of full access to the surgeries and patients, (access I’ve never seen in Canada due to privacy laws,) we went out for a tour of the night market and had a great local meal with street food.
Next morning it was a seven-hour drive over the mountains and into the tropic of Cancer to Guilin to meet story number two. A gentleman whom felt his son was becoming “soft” due to his excessive Internet use (6-hours on the weekends) signed his 15 year old up for an Internet boot camp.
The young lad was introduced to the $1000 a week camp with a task of running laps. He collapsed after 70 laps in the 40 some odd degree heat. He was able to get up after being beaten with a chair for a while and ran 15 more laps before collapsing again. He was dragged into the shower and beaten some more.
He was taken to the hospital later that night when he could not be woken up, but he died from internal injuries. The doctors say they might have been able to save him had he been take to the hospital earlier.
We also spoke with a 10 year old whom survived 4 week at the same camp. She was beaten on the hands, as she couldn’t stand at attention in the blistering heat.
Several councilors have been arrested but not much has come of the court process. We usually don’t hear about trials and sentencing until after it has all happened. The Chinese justice system likes to keep the media guessing. I’ll post that video when we get that item finished but not the most pleasant story.
What else, what else. Hmm. Oh yes the Philippines.
About a week before my vacation home we went to see the second round of typhoon Parma that was threatening Manila.
After a minor hiccup of almost missing the flight due to someone (not me) miss reading the tickets and sending us to the wrong terminal we had the Tibetan gods smiling on us and made the packed flight. The Tibetan reference is strictly to see if the Chinese are reading this.
Hold the egg rolls batman, I almost skipped over the 60th anniversary of China.
October 1st China turned 60. What better way to celebrate then have a parade. Would you love to see the military might of the Chinese followed by the Peoples parade? I know I would. Trouble is I wasn’t invited. Actually no one was invited other than a select few special loyal Chinese.
Believe it or not but people where not allowed on the street. Seems the Chinese authorities want this showcase to go off without a hitch. So they banned spectators. Unless you where participating in the parade (which meant that you were most likely wearing a diaper as once lined up, people couldn’t fall out of line until it was over many many hours later). The government, or the party, would not allow anyone on any balconies or allow any rooms to be rent that faced the street or the square where the festivities would take place. Apparently an NHK Hong Kong based news crew was beaten and had there tapes taken while try to shoot one of the rehearsals in the week leading up to the big day.
Well the big day arrived and I didn’t get a phone call at midnight inviting me down to the square like my friends at other media outlets, so I watched on TV like most from the office.
As a bunch of us where winding the day down with some dinner and beers several of us where informed of the Manila trip. So ended my October 1st celebrations as I was on a plane the next day for the Philippines.
Now where was I? Right Manila. Upon arrival we where greeted by Edgar. Edgar seems to have done it all. National Police, VIP security driver, and now he and his brother run a little company that can be best be described as “Anything for a buck”.
Edgar was armed with a pistol most of the time, and a machine gun stashed in the truck. I never felt threatened anywhere we went, but I’m told that there can be some violence in Manila.
Now Ben and I where able to file Friday, Saturday and Sunday thanks to the Internet. Long days, from 7 am to 3 am but that’s the way it goes. Most of the storm passed North of us but we where able to find lots of destruction and meet people as they where trying to put there lives back together. A gentleman we met on Sunday as he left church with his family summed it up best; “I use to like the rain, now I’m not so sure. Perhaps I will again but it will take time.”
Well I’m awaiting the courts to decide who owns what and whether or not I have a job at the end of it, I will sign off and see if I can come up with something else to write about. Cheers!
Here is the Smile China story. It's a large file so you might have to wait for it to load.
