September 9,1998 MeredlHh HerakI
Campus News 3
Two students learn all about China
Christina Holder
Staff Reporter
Just the word “China” con
jures up images of the majesty of
the Great Wall, the courage of
Tian An Men Square, the melan
choly of pandas, and certainly
the intrepid nature of Dr. Carolyn
Happen Nikki Ellingworth and
Melissa Bishop. These three vis
ited the nation through the
Meredith Study Abroad program
the summer of 1998.
Meredith College offered that
option in China for six weeks
beginning May 19 and ending
June 29. Participants in the pro
gram (limited to 10 students) are
selected each year via an applica
tion process. If chosen, the stu
dents will receive six academic
credits upon completing the six
week course study.
While staying in China, Ihe
student studies for four weeks at
sister institution Dongbei Uni
versity in Dalian, spends two
weeks traveling and sightseeing,
builds timeless friendships,
grows in understanding of a new
culture, and gains experience in a
new way of living all for approx
imately the same expense of a
semester at Meredith.
Ellingworth, a senior this year
at Meredith, said that she heard
about the China study abroad
from her German professor, Dr.
Rey, last year.
“She was so enthusiastic. I
thought ‘I’ve got to check into
this,"’ said Ellingworth.
Bishop, also a Meredith
senior, had already traveled to
Europe and wanted to explore
something new. She said that,
when she first decided to go,
enquirers would say, “Why do
Library renovation complica
tions and the departure of Mered
ith's cable administrator have
delayed the return of Meredith
programming channels 5. 10 and
13, but the system should be
back up in another week, said
Carlyle Campus Library person
nel.
The head-end, which is the
office where the mechanics of
channel programming takes
place, had to be broken down
and stored before construction in
the library could take place
you want to go there?”
Now that she has returned, she
hears another question: “Would
you go back?”
“Yes, definitely,” Bishop
answers. Thus began the exciting
semester delving into Chinese
culture.
Happer and the students spent
four hours with a Chinese
teacher in classes such as Chi
nese language three days a week
and two hours in a Chinese Cul
ture class twice a week. While
the classes focused primarily on
basic training of the language
and culture, six weeks was just
not enough time to get acclimat
ed. Said Ellingworth, “Just when
I was beginning to pick up the
language, 1 had to leave."
In addition, two or three trips
were scheduled per week to visit
various factories, schools, farms,
historical sights, and parks with
their fellow Chinese students.
Happer also taught her own
class. Development of Christian
ity, at the university 16 hours per
week. In fact, when not teaching
“Do-Re-Mi” or “So Long.
Farewell” to her classes, she
also picked up a few phrases.
Her first phrase? It can be trans
lated into, “Please help an old
lady," which she said she uses
frequently in her classes here at
Meredith.
Ellingworth and Bishop were
given the opportunity to teach
some of their own classes at the
university as well. They held
question and answer sessions at
Dalian where they were chal
lenged with questions such as,
“What is America like?” or
“Have you seen Tiianic, and if
so, will you sing the song to us?”
beginning May 9. Library per
sonnel could not enter the library
until Aug. 19 due to possible
hazards during construction. For
the summer, the library operated
out of Stringfield dormitory.
Also during the summer, cam
pus cable administrator Cindy
Bowling, who was responsible
for the administration of campus
programming, left Meredith in
order to take a teaching position
at Central Carolina Community
College in Sanford, NC.
Bowling, who gave two
weeks’ notice, effectively
resigned July 24 just as John
According to Ellingworth and
Bishop, the Chinese pupils were
convinced that "life in America
was like the movies.”
“What makes the trip so excit
ing is that the Chinese are so
warm, so hospitable, so anxious
to please you.” said Happer.
“They assist you in every way,
and the students are so anxious to
learn. Just crossing the street is
exciting. Everywhere you go,
you make a friend.”
Out of the classroom, the stu
dents were popular with the Chi
nese who rarely saw Westerners.
They posed for photographs at a
kite festival which appeared in
the paper. They saw the terra
cotta warriors of Xi’an and the
Buddhas several stories high in
Datong. They found themselves
lost in Beijing lugging their
heavy suitcases with them to
arrive at their elevator-less hotel
extremely late, which was one of
a few troubles they encountered.
Yet the students insist the grand
images of China outweighed any
negative aspects of their travel
ing.
Kincheloe, media specialist, was
returning from his vacation.
Cable Administration falls under
the library's Media Services
department where Kincheloe
works. Little could be done
before Bowling left in order to
prepare the system for reinstaila-
tion because it was securely
stored away in a sealed room in
the library.
"If we had had a cable admin
istrator there, the system would
have been up and running by the
time the library opened back up,"
said Kincheloe. "A good oppor
tunity for Cindy set us back a
"The Great Wall of China
was really overwhelming,"
said Ellingworth. “I would try
to describe it, but I could not
give it justice.”
As far as cultural differences
are concerned, Chinese life
seemed more structured to
Ellingworth and Bishop.
“As a whole, the Chinese
have a problem understanding
how we can be friends with
someone for a long period of
time, and then suddenly
change our minds,” said Bish
op. “When they are friends,
they are friends for life.”
The academic structure in
China includes strict guide
lines. with exams required to
enter high school and college.
At the end of the six weeks,
Happer, Ellingworth, and Bish
op were reluctant to say good
bye to their newfound friends
and a way of life they had
adapted to so quickly. China
was left behind, but on this trip
each one of these women look
a part of the culture, the lan
guage, the life, and the heart of
bit."
Bowling will return this
weekend, as a contractor, to
reinstall the system.
Courtney Duncil, a senior
who has been involved in
MCTV since her first year at
Meredith, said, “MCTV is an
information source for the
whole campus. We want to get
it running again as soon as pos
sible.”
"People have been under
standing and cooperative," said
Kincheloe. "I appreciate that
See MCTV page 5
Campus
Briefs
Interior I)esi};ii
Kducntors (''oiiiicil
FBOt.'. THf Orfice Of MASKUrjNG
COMMONICAnCSA
Mcrvdilh College iRivrior
L^caian tvtil be hosting tiw Interior
]>esign Edu.ators Council '9^
Soulhent and EasierA Rej^ional
ConifoFencv. The ct»ifei«nce wiH
be- lield at the RdiiHulu Inn on
Rkige Roud and ulsn mthe Mered*
tth Wainwright Suite. U vnil begin
on Oct 1 tit 7:30 p.>n. aitd con
clude on Oct. 2 at 5 p.ia.
The regional confcrence for
iTTterior Design Ed«ii:at».i Ls held
Etnnu4illy ami Offers thi^ upportuni-
ty fw papers, roimdtablci, teach-
uig fciniins. and poster acssioas
The crtflterence title ks “Intertof
Design Curriculac - Save, Delete,
Rcpiace” >or more
call Dr. ManliA Buq>itt nt 7(>0 -
85.10. i>r e-mail h«r
biitpittfn mrrcdiUvcdu
Special OlvnipK's
Si'LaAi. Oi,Y.w-tc^
Raleigh LS hosting «‘nc of the
largc.st sporting event's in the
wurM next year—the Special
Olynipics World Summer G-»mes-
-fromJune 26 ■ July 4. Over 7,000
athlcte.s will travel irtim (SOcoun
tries utid territories compete in
19 sporting events Mort than
3.^.000 volunteers will coine
together in welLOine the
i.'oachcs, iind 15,000 family Tnem-
bcra from around (he world.
Before the '99 Gdme.'^ competi
tion begins in the Trwngle
ciitcs and townj a.ms3 th‘l^rheef
state wi|] welcomc coaches and
athll^lt^ fiom different coun
tries through a Ht^^t Town pro-
gram. The Host Twn J>Mgram
will provide a cultural cxcitai^e,
wheie athletes will *xperi«nce
Southern hospitality, meet new
fiiends. reit, acchtnate to N'orth
Can>Iina> sumnter heal and prac-
Ucc tfieir sp«)rt prii,>r H> coroprtf-
tir>R. Inivmational coaches and
ttthletes will ^lend five d.iyv prior
tt> Opening C'ercmonie^ with llieir
hosiU'wn.
For volunteer applications and
jddliionai iRforitmtion on the
19‘J9 Spcdal Olympics World
Summer Giimcs. visit the official
weh.iitc at www.99gaines.coru or
call 1-8SS-767-1999.
Pictured left to right: Nikki Ellingworth, Professor Che
LiJuan, Melissa Bishop, and Dr. Carolyn Happer.
Photo submitted by Carolyn H*ppeii
Want your MCTV? Gotta wait,
Beth Hall
News Editor