MAY 2011 - Qingdao Expat Group

MAY 2011

The Qingdao Expat Magazine is searching for volunteers to help with our
community publication.
Article submissions for the following topics will be considered:
Out & About in Qingdao
Places of interest to expats and things to do in Qingdao
Choices in Qingdao
Comparing several varieties of goods or services in the Sailing City
Doing Business in Qingdao
Expats give some background on the work their company is doing in QD
Expat Stages
From arrival, short-term stays, long-term stays, and repatriation, expats share
their own experiences at various stages of the expat existence
Expat Travel
Info about places to travel to within China
Living in Qingdao with Children
Tips and advice for others with little ones
Did U Know
Info that‘s good to know, tips and tidbits
What’s Cooking in Qingdao?
Recipes submitted by expats for expats, with ingredients readers
can find easily at grocery stores & markets in QD.
Have a great photo of Qingdao you would like to submit for the cover of
QEM? Send it in for consideration!
E-mail your submission to:
info@qingdaoexpat.com or
qingdaoexpateditor@yahoo.com
Qingdao Expat Magazine 2

Editorial Team
Cathy Ben-David, Preeti Chaudhary
Creative Director
Marcela Lickova, Anna James
qingdaoexpateditor@yahoo.com
Finance & Communication
Peiyu Sun
qingdaoexpataccountant@yahoo.com
QEM Assistant
Alina Zhang
qingdaoexpatassistant@yahoo.com
Events, Website & E-Communications
Preeti Chaudhary
info@qingdaoexpat.com
Contributors
Judy Herde, Marcela Lickova, Jeppe Mortensen, Gabriele Wassermann,
Anna James, Alina Zhang
.
Cover Photo:
May 4th Sqaure, Qingdao
To get on to the mail list to receive current
community, events and activity
announcements,
please join by registering at:
www.qingdaoexpat.com/Register.php
Qingdao Expat Magazine 3

With the arrival of
the spring/
summer season,
Wednesday
lunches are
re-commencing
this month!
They will run every
2 nd Wednesday
until October
Lunches begin at 12pm
May 11:
Din Tai Fung
118 Marina City
88 Aomen Lu
Ph: 6606.1319
May 25:
The Diner 22
19 Zhangzhou Er Lu
( Central Plaza )
Ph: 8577.1222
May Events
Qingdao Business Leaders (QBL)
Wednesday, May 25th at 7 pm
QBL meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month
Crowne Plaza 3F
Cocktails 6:30 to 7:00 pm. Meeting @ 7:00 pm
For more info contact qingdaobusinessleaders@gmail.com
“Culture Club”
Thursday afternoons 1pm - 4pm
Walk Inn Japanese Restaurant
4F Xinwen Zhongxin Building, 50 Hong Kong Middle Road
Fun & Cultural Entertainment whilst learning this Chinese
ancient game. Each player donates 20 rmb each week for
the Qingdao Expat Charity.
For more info contact eileenlamb@hotmail.com
Book of the Month
Wednesday, May 4th at 6 pm
The Book of the Month Club meets on the
1st Wednesday of each month at LUIGI'S PIZZA (next to
McDonald's in JUSCO)
Questions? Contact John at studentsonly@yahoo.com
Running Evenings
For everyone who's interested in running but is tired of running
alone, come along.
Tuesdays evenings at 7:15 pm
For an easy run of about 60 minutes.
Meeting place alternates between Red Sculpture on May
4th Square and Shi Lao Ren SPR. For more info or to get
onto the mail list contact qingdaohhh@gmail.com
„Robin Hood‟ the Pantomime
Friday, May 6th — Sunday, May 8th
More info on page 8 & 9
2nd Chinese German Organ Concert
Sunday, 22nd May
More info on page 10
Summer Dance
Saturday, 28th May
More info on page 12
International Day for biodiversity
Sunday, 22nd May
More info on page 13
Qingdao Expat Magazine 4

Weekends in QD
Qingdao International
Christian Fellowship
All foreign passport holders welcome!
Sunday Mornings 10am—11:30 am
InterContinental Hotel Auditorium 3F 98 Aomen Lu
海 尔 洲 际 酒 店 , 三 楼 , 澳 门 路 98 号
For More Details visit www.qicf.org or
email info.qicf@gmail.com
Qingdao Hash House Harriers—
runners and walkers
Regular HHH runs
Saturday afternoons at 2pm for 60-90 minutes
Meets in the lobby of the Crowne Plaza.
Cost: 10 rmb to cover beer and bus
More info can be found on www.qingdaohhh.com
To get onto the mail list qingdaohhh@gmail.com
The Book Nook Reading Club
Sunday afternoons 3pm– 4:30pm
@ BOOK NOOK, 100 Nanjing Lu
more info @ www.thebooknookqingdao.com
For those who want to improve their English reading,
to discuss what are you reading, to make reading
English books more enjoyable
English Corner
Tuesdays 6:30pm — 8pm
Saturdays 3pm — 4:30pm
@ BOOK NOOK, 100 Nanjing Lu
YCIS Qingdao Youth Soccer Club
Saturday mornings in May
YCIS Qingdao Campus, please contact
cathyb@qd.ycef.com
Events for Little Expats
Qingdao Playgroup
Tuesdays 10am — 11:30am
e-mail: qingdaoplaygroup@gmail.com
MUSICAL MONKEYS!
Fridays 10:30am — 11:30 am
e-mail: qingdaomusicalmonkeys@gmail.com
Storytelling
@ The BOOK NOOK, 100 Nanjing Lu
Saturdays 10am — 11:00 am, and 11am — 12:00 pm
Sundays 11am — 12:00pm
Qingdao Expat Magazine 5
These Expat
Representatives
Will Answer YOUR
Questions about
living in QD!
Gerd Burkard
(Germany/Business Related)
139.6395.6259
burkard.g@ger-lin.com
Pia Vinchon-Tahon (France)
139.6398.5712
piavinchon@yahoo.fr
Alex & Christiane Lawo Fu
(Germany)
deutscheinqingdao@hotmail.de
Sharon Weston (UK)
186.6978.2922
sharonweston9@googlemail.com
Preeti Chaudhary (India)
150.5322.7805
preetichaudhary1@gmail.com
Leo Van Echelpoel (Belgium)
136.7889.8189
leo.vanechelpoel@gmail.com
Bertha Marie Tamez (Mexico)
150.5320.3349
btamez890@aol.com
Misao Kunisada (Japan)
130.0642.9732
misao3rdhouse@yahoo.co.jp
Hubertien Doldersum (Netherland)
159.6497.9271
doldersumfamily@live.nl
Quentin Polosky (USA)
152.5428.1399
qfpolosky@yahoo.com

Creative Director role changes hands
This month sees the Qingdao Expat Magazine change hands as Marcela Lickova moves on to Shanghai.
Since taking over the reigns as creative director in September last year, Marcela has put in countless hours
organising contributor‘s articles, sourcing information on local activities and presenting them to the local
expat community. She has volunteered her time so that you have a comprehensive resource on what is going
on in Qingdao and what it‘s like to be an expat living here; most importantly, this magazine shows that
you are not alone! There are other people living in Qingdao who experience similar cultural shocks or a
sense of isolation and it is a lot more comforting knowing that there are activities for you and your family to
do where you can meet fellow expats.
This issue has been put together in collaboration with Marcela and myself, the incoming creative director.
Hopefully I can continue the great work that Marcela and the rest of the team have been doing! If you have
any suggestions or articles for the magazine (guidelines on Page 2), please do not hesitate to email me at
qingdaoexpateditor@yahoo.com
The following is an interview between Marcela and myself, Anna James. It‘s just to introduce me and give
you a little information about where I‘m from and why I‘m now living in Qingdao.
A rare ‗normal‘
photo taken of
me celebrating a
friend‘s birthday
in Thailand
Being silly...what
most photo‗s of
myself look like!
This is also taken in
Thailand towards
the end of last year
Marcela: Who are you, where are you coming from? What did you do before coming to Qingdao/
China?
Anna: I'm an Australian from Melbourne. After I finished my Masters degree in architecture I spent 10 months
working and saving money. I left home at the end of August 2010 and spent seven months travelling
through South East Asia before coming to China to live and work. I spent 3 months in Thailand, 2 months
in Cambodia and 2 months in Laos combining backpacking with some volunteer work helping out in exchange for
food and board.
Marcela: What do you do in Qingdao?
Anna: I work at a university lecturing and tutoring in architecture and urban planning. I also sometimes work at a
language school teaching English to children.
Marcela: Where can people meet you?
Anna: You might run into me downtown, I am pretty much there everyday. I'm quite hard to miss; being blonde I
stand out like a sore thumb! Generally though, it's best to send me an email and arrange to meet up for coffee or
a drink. As an Australian I am extremely good at drinking beer and wine, and coming from Melbourne – the European
capital of Australia – I am a complete coffee snob. I would love to find the best places in Qingdao to get a
REAL coffee!
Qingdao Expat Magazine 6

Marcela: How do you like Qingdao so far, how long are you planning to stay here?
Anna: I love Qingdao, after being in remote parts of South East Asia for a while it's really nice to have the
'creature comforts' that we get in the modern world. I will be here until the end of July 2012 at least for now...who
knows I might stay longer! I plan to slowly make my way around the world travelling and working. I want to experience
the world, not just see it. So if that means I see less countries, but get to really experience the countries
that I go to, it's definitely worth it for me as I believe I'll gain a lot more from it. I plan on being away from home
anywhere between 5-10 years...but again, who knows, I might get home sick in a year and want to go back!
Marcela: Is there already something you really miss from your home country?
Anna: My son; well he's a cat, but I am one of those pathetic animal lovers and I love
him so much I call him my son. I miss him more than anything else! My parents
are looking after him for me and continuously shove him in front of the computer when
I Skype them, making it so much harder! I have had vivid dreams where I am snuggling
up to him. If there is one thing that is going to lure me home, it will be him!
Of course I also miss my friends and family, but modern technology has relieved any
sense of loneliness. I am in contact with my parents via Skype or email every few days
which is extremely important to me because they are my rock, my support, my inspiration
and my best friends. I am very close to them and technology means that I feel as
though they are only a click of a button away!
Facebook is also the greatest invention to the internet in the last 10 years. At first I
was a sceptic, but Facebook means that it‘s so easy to keep in contact with all my
friends and perve on their lives!
The love of my life
Marcela: Is there something "challenging" for you while living in China? (language, eating with
chopsticks, food, ...)
Anna: The language is definitely a big thing. I am surprised at how many people don't speak English. I was very
surprised in South East Asia at the level of English spoken and how many people spoke it. I expected China to be
at the same level or higher as it is more modernised. I suppose due to tourism it is very important to speak English
in South East Asia; more so than in China. Due to my experiences, I am already used to not understanding all
the signs and the language being spoken around me, so I don‘t find this particularly hard. I do struggle in my
communication sometimes though. I am taking Chinese classes every day from Monday to Friday, but I am struggling!
It is an extremely hard language to get your head around, by far the hardest language I've ever studied.
With pinyin and the characters it feel as though I am learning two languages at once!
Marcela: How did you find out about Qingdao Expat Community and magazine itself?
Anna: When I was researching cities that I might like to live in in China I would look for expat information to try
and get an idea from local expat's what it was like to live in a particular city. I came across the Qingdao Expat
Magazine and website when I was looking into Qingdao. As it was a city I was interested in I bookmarked the
page and came across it a week or two before I was moving here. I then went back onto the site to see what
events where happening and joined the mailing list.
By working on the magazine I not only hope that I will gain a better understanding of the city, places of interest
and things to do. I also hope that I will meet people from all over the world who are having similar issues with living
in a foreign country, or even just like-minded people who enjoy a beer or a coffee!
At the 12 Apostles, Great Ocean Road,
Victoria, Australia
- The middle of winter, July 2010,
a few hours from my home town!
Qingdao Expat Magazine 7

Qingdao Expat Magazine 8
May 6th—7pm
May 7th—2pm & 7pm
May 8th—2pm

Interview with Simon Fox
Prince John of ‘Robin Hood’
The following interview with Simon Fox was conducted by Qingdaonese. Simon Fox plays Prince John in this
year‘s pantomime production of ‗Robin Hood‘ (see previous page for details). Proceeds from the show will
go to the Qingdao Expat Charity, an important organisation that helps disadvantaged families and children in
the Qingdao area.
How did you become involved with Qingdao Panto?
I was in the audience of the 1st Qingdao Panto ―Rumpelstiltskin‖ in 2007. My daughter [Lianne] took part in
2008′s production ―Aladdin‖ and through ferrying her to and from rehearsals I got to know Tamara the director
and other members of the cast and crew. When audition calls for ―Robinson Crusoe‖ came up in late
2008 I could resist no longer!
Can anyone participate in the Panto as actor or crew member?
Absolutely, everybody is welcome at the auditions, whether you want to help behind the scenes or tread the
boards yourself. There is a limit on the size of cast and crew required, so attending auditions doesn‘t guarantee
a part or position… it‘s a meritocracy. We try to have a broad range of ages and nationalities, but obviously
for acting roles good spoken English is very helpful.
What has been the biggest challenge/satisfaction you‘ve personally felt while working on the
Qingdao Panto?
The biggest challenge is juggling my workaday life with the demanding rehearsal schedule. It‘s a great feeling
to be part of a big team bringing the show together and, hopefully, inspiring other cast members to push
themselves to do their very best. During and after every show I‘ve attended or performed in the audience
have shown genuine joy and appreciation. It‘s wonderful to know that you‘ve been part of something that
has brought laughter and joy to people‘s day. Last, but by no means least, knowing that the money raised
will improve, enrich and possibly even save the lives of children less fortunate in and around Qingdao..that‘s
the icing on the cake!
Early traditional panto productions were held outside – how does this year‘s venue compare?
From an audience perspective, this year‘s venue is by far the plushest, most luxurious and comfortable in
the history of Qingdao Panto! In terms of performance it presents a few challenges.. there is no curtain or fly
system and the stage isn‘t as deep as would be ideal. But we have been truly blessed by the generosity of
the Intercontinental Hotel Qingdao who have made their auditorium available free of charge and have bent
over backwards to accommodate our rehearsal schedule and technical requirements.
What can the audience expect in this year‘s performance of Robin Hood?
Each Qingdao Panto is different to the last, by its very nature its influence and structure are both organic
and transient. We yet again find ourselves with a lot of new talent, both on and off stage, which brings vibrancy
to the show. We have a great live band, very cool choreography, plenty of action, bizarre plot twists,
multiple realities, corny jokes and suspect humour, bad guys, good guys and just plain silly guys… oh and a
few surprises too. All in all it should be a lot of fun and a great way to support the Expat Charity.
You may purchase your tickets at:
REDSTAR
LPG
Terrazzo
QISS
Canvas
The Book Nook
Qingdao Expat Magazine 9

2 nd Chinese German
Organ Concert
St. Michael’s Cathedral
Sunday 22 nd May
14.00 hours
Performed by Prof. Shen Fan Xiu
- Associate Professor of the Central
Conservatory of Music, Beijing
Piece
Composer
Ave Maris Stella Nicolas de Grigny (1672 – 1703)
Praeludium et Fuge BWV531 J.S.Bach (1685 – 1750)
Ave Maria J.S.Bach / Gounod (1818 – 1893)
Concerto a-Moll BWV593 J.S.Bach (1685 – 1750)
Air J.S.Bach (1685 – 1750)
Suite Gothique Leon Boellmann (1862 – 1897)
Tickets: RMB 50
- Proceeds go to the
Reconstruction
project at the Catholic
Church
Qingdao Expat Magazine 10

Qingdao Expat Charity
U
Qingdao Expat Charity
Cookbook
Where does the idea of the cookbook come from?
My daughter, Leonie, previously attended a Kindergarten in Hong Kong where they
produced a cookbook to raise money in order to help kids suffering with Mucoviscidose.
Why has this cookbook been created here in Qingdao?
I first visited the local school in Laixi in September 2010 and it touched me so much
witnessing the circumstances in which these school children learn in. It makes me
more thankful for what we are able to provide to our own children.
Who will benefit from this - how will the money be used?
The children attending the local Laixi Primary school will benefit directly. With the
money I would like to buy new school furniture and some books for the Kindergarten.
It has been a big project for us but we are so happy to have created something people
can enjoy whilst knowing the money has brought new life to others‗ educational environment.
What kind of recipes will be in the cookbook?
We collected all kinds of recipes, from starters, to main courses, desserts and even
some recipes our children can cook.
What languages are the recipes written?
The recipes have been kindly provided and suggested by parents of my daughter‗s current
school. Therefore most of the recipes will be in English, Chinese and Korean.
Who are the people of the "team"?
A few mums and dads from YCIS liked the idea and supported me a lot.
So far we outlined key people involved with the idea but where does the financial
support come from - are there sponsors?
Intercontinental Hotel Qingdao, Crowne Plaza, Garden Hotel, Bellagio, Trattoria Verde,
DAB, ADR, Kellogs, Bitron, Eco (Restaurant in Poland). The printing cost was fully paid
by the sponsors which means that 100% of the money raised from sales goes to the
When and where is it possible to buy the cook book?
The cookbook will be available at the Panto in Intercontinental Hotel and at the YCIS.
What is the price?
The price will be 150 RMB
Qingdao Expat Magazine 11

Drinks - 6:30pm
Buffet Dinner and Dancing
7 – 10.30 PM
After Party at Rumba
(RMB 50 voucher free with
your tickets)
Ticket: RMB 290
(non-refundable)
Includes a Brazilian style BBQ
with any 2 drinks from the Bar
(cash bar at special prices for
subsequent drinks)
Sale starts Friday May 6th via email
registration:
info@qingdaoexpat.com
Advance purchase only
NO TICKETS AT THE DOOR
Dress – Summer Casual
The evening programme
includes LIVE band Oriental
Jam and a raffle
…please bring cash!
Many thanks
to our
sponsors!
Questions?
info@qingdao
expat.com
Qingdao Expat Magazine 12

Environmental Page
At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992, "The Earth Summit", in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil a strategy for sustainable development was agreed upon. Sustainable development is a way
to meet the needs of people all over the world and ensuring that planet earth remains healthy and viable for
future generations. One of the most important agreements reached during the Earth Summit was the Convention
on Biological Diversity.
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) came into force on December 29, 1993, and each anniversary
of this date was designated the International Day for Biological Diversity. From 2001 onwards the date of
this celebration was moved to May 22 due to the number of holidays that fell in late December. The new
date was chosen as on this date in 1992, the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted at a
United Nations at a conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
The objectives of the Convention are biodiversity conservation, the sustainable use of biological resources,
and the equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. Within the framework of the
Convention, different sections address various aspects of biodiversity. The CBD focuses its analyses and
activities around ecosystems, and particularly forest, arid lands and marine ecosystems. Some of the main
issues tackled by the CBD include the study of the Convention‘s application; protected areas; biosecurity;
exotic invasive species; and access and benefit sharing of genetic resources.
Each year, the International Day for Biodiversity focuses on a particular
theme. Recently, the themes have been: Biodiversity and
Poverty Alleviation (2003); Biodiversity: Food, Water and Health for
All (2004); Biodiversity: Life Insurance for our Changing World
(2005); Protect Biodiversity in Drylands (2006); Biodiversity and
Climate Change (2007); Biodiversity and Agriculture (2008); Biodiversity
and Invasive Alien Species (2009); and Biodiversity, Development
& Poverty Allevation (2010).
The theme for the International Day for Biodiversity Diversity (IDB) in 2011 is Forest Biodiversity. In 2011,
IDB is part of the ‗International Year of Forests‘. It is a celebration of the huge variety of animals and plants
on earth, the places they live and their surrounding environments. The main purpose of the day is to raise
awareness and understanding of biodiversity issues.
More information: http://www.cbd.int/idb/2011/
Information sourced from the internet
Qingdao Expat Magazine 13

Qingdao Expat Magazine 14

Story Behind May 4th Square
五 月 的 风
Wuyuede Feng
By Alina Zhang
The square is a popular tourist destination, and
is bordered by the city government to the north,
the sea to the south, and residential and commercial
buildings on either side. On pleasant
days May Fourth Square fills with young couples
on the ground and kites in the air.
Today, it has become the symbol of modern
Qingdao.
May Fourth Square (Wusi Guangchang) is a large public
square in Qingdao's central business district. It is located
between the new municipal government building and Fushan
Bay and is composed of Shizhengting Square, the
central square and the coastal park. Named after the
nationwide protest May Fourth Movement that started in
Qingdao in 1919, the square is best recognized by the
large "May Wind" (Wuyuede Feng) sculpture near the
seaside.
The sculpture with the main theme of "May wind" by the
spiral rise wind model and the fiery red color fully manifested
the anti-imperialism movements and antifeudalism
patriotism key spirits and soaring national
strength.
Qingdao Expat Magazine 15
All resources from Internet

What`s Cooking in Qingdao?
Qingdao Expat Magazine 16

Expats Birthdays
U
Expat Birthdays in May
1. Lilian LI
2. Katharina FREY ('02)
3. Jordan CARROTT ('92)
4. Nolwenn ROUAULT ('01), Simon SCHOLZ, ERIC HECKOLV, Maelle ROUAULT ('01)
5. Mary MUI, Carina LE ROUX
6. Gimmler MARIS ('04), Cecil LEE, Alejandro SCHNEITER ('07), Daniel KNAPP, Alessandro
PALA, Adele Lu
7. Evelina THELANDER ('94), Michala MOLLERUP
8. Gisela AMTHAUER, Miho TOBITA, Ki Sook HAM
9. Lisa FREY, Mingjun JIN, Larry JACKSON, Julia KUTTIG ('98)
10. Sook Kyung KIM
11. Giuseppe FASANO, Helen Yu
12. Riki OZ
13. Kristoff SEL, Gee Hoon YOON ('96), Valeria Boyko
14. Aichin LIN BRORSEN, Joshua CARROTT ('89), Annie TAI
15. Chau NGUYEN, Dyung Hwa LEE, Derk Kort
16. Lisa LIU de ZAPATA
17. Kun Hong LIM, Len RAY ('03), Christian GELTINGER, Janne ANDERSSON
18.
19. Craig POWELL, Qiang FU
20. Laura GAULIN ('03), Chih Po CHEN
21. Rick BEREN, Victoria GAULIN ('92), Masahiro OTSUBO
22. Thue BARFOD, Paolo VIVONA
23. Preeti CHAUDHARY, Steve GALBRAITH, Rebien EGUIN
24.
25. Len BAUMANN ('03), Dannen LEE, Mario INCHAUSTI, Margaretha (Maggie)
LUNDGREN
26.
27. Nancy HAYDEN, Jade CHOW ('97)
28. Kyung Won KANG ('92), Weldon CANNON
29. Nick EXNER, Terry GRAZIANO
30. Tim RISHOJ, Ying FOX
31. Chang Won JEONG
Sheng Ri Kuai Le!
Qingdao Expat Magazine 17