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International Profiles: Shiyao Mei & Dr. Graham Mitchell International Education Week Evennts Local Cultural Events What in the World: International Education at NRCC International Profiles: Shiyao Mei is from China. Here are a few things about life in his country and about living in southwest Virginia. What food / drink from your country do you miss most? Chinese dumpling What is your favorite thing to do in your country? Watch movies with friends. What is your favorite place in your country? My favorite places in my country are museums. What was most difficult for you when you came here? The language is such a big challenge for me. What could have made coming here an easier transition for you? Maybe some groups or parties can help us get used to American life and make more friends. What travel advice would you give to persons wanting to visit your country? I come from Shanghai, China. China has a long history. We have lots of famous buildings such as Great Wall, Summer palace. What do you like best about the U.S.? About southwest Virginia? The environment here is pretty good. People here are very friendly. What do you like least about the U.S.? About southwest Virginia? The transportation here is not convenient. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Dr. Graham Mitchell I was born in South Africa in 1951 and first came to the United States in 1970 to complete some theological studies. I met my wife at college and we were married two weeks after graduation and we returned to South Africa in 1974. Because of student unrest, we chose to and then moved back to the States in 1986. Both moves to the United States were to continue education; we settled in Floyd, VA, because we fell in love with both the community and the natural beauty of the county. South Africa is a country located on the southern tip of the African continent. It was colonized by the Dutch in the 17th century. In the 18th century, Britain was ceded the Dutch colonies after several European wars. South Africa declared itself an independent republic on May 31, 1961 beginning the era of official “apartheid”. This policy began to unravel in the 1980’s and finally came to an end in 1994 with the first free elections in this country’s history resulting in Nelson Mandela becoming the first black African to become leader of the nation. South Africa is the 25th largest nation by land mass (471,443 square miles) with a population of around 53 million. The population is quite diverse resulting in the motto, “University in Diversity”. The largest population (80%) is Black African with the much smaller populations, white, Indian, Asian and mixed race peoples making up the balance. There are eleven official languages, reflecting the multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures and religions. The South African economy is the largest and most developed in Africa and ranks as the 28th largest in the world. Unfortunately, the wealth is not equally distributed so a small minority has the largest share leaving the majority of the population in deep poverty. About a quarter of the population remains unemployed and lives on less than $1.25 a day. I grew up at the height of the Apartheid policies and lived totally unaware of the suffering that surrounded me. The government controlled all news media and carefully regulated what books, magazines and newspapers were allowed in the country. People who smuggled in “banned” materials were severely punished as immoral, unpatriotic and subversive Communists who were attempting to overthrow the proper order and thus bring division and anarchy to the country. It was only when I travelled through Europe and the United States that I began to see a totally different way of living and thinking; a real challenge to a very sheltered 20 year old! This exposure challenged what I had grown up with and what I thus assumed to be true for the entire world around me. When my wife and I returned to South Africa in 1976, we found ourselves in society that was now divided; the apartheid system was unraveling, more and more people were clamoring for freedom for the 85% of the populations who didn’t even have the freedom to travel from one jurisdiction to the next. At times the country seemed to be on the brink of civil war; thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and there was a relatively peaceful transfer of power – unusual for Africa. Today, there are still many tensions and there is still a huge disparity between the “haves” and “have‐nots”. Even though crime is rampant, and though wealthier populations live in fear of losing their wealth, and though the government is not known for its integrity or ability to govern well, there are hopeful signs of reformation and better days to come. It is a beautiful country with a great deal to offer. The physical beauty is absolutely breath taking and a visitor to South Africa can indeed see a microcosm of all of Africa in just a couple of weeks. The southern coastline is spectacular with huge, steep mountains cascading into the ocean giving stunning views that cannot be described or even captured on film. There are deserts that have a wild beauty all of their own. There are lush areas of subtropical forests and then the vast areas of “bushveld” (wild bush country) where tourists can travel through the Kruger National Park and other game parks to see amazing African animals in the native habitat. I miss the sights and sounds of Africa. Africans are not quiet people, so I miss hearing people shout cheerfully to each other in the own languages. I miss the bird calls and wild animal sounds and I miss the wide open spaces where I roamed as a teenager. The area where I grew up is now part of the huge metropolis of Johannesburg known as “Gauteng,” and the animal noises now can only be heard in animal preserves. When my wife and I visit, we thoroughly enjoy travelling and experiencing the singular sights, sounds and smells of Africa. My favorite city in South Africa is Cape Town. This city is built around Table Mountain which towers 3558 feet above the city. Table Mountain is not one of the highest mountains in the world; it is spectacular because of its location and its sheer beauty. It is hard to say which foods I miss because South African cuisine is so diverse. Some of the local foods are hard to replicate here in America, as the rich flavors depend on home grown and locally developed ingredients. Also, no one cooks quite like “ouma” (grandma) in her own kitchen! The “braai vleis” or charcoal grilled meats (including a unique “Boerewors” or farmer’s sausage, lamb chops and pork ribs) were at least a weekly treat. I do miss a stew known as “potjie kos” (little pot of food), a meat stew (often with either mutton or lamb) cooked for several hours over a slow open wood fire in a three legged cast iron black pot. Really good!! South Africa is indeed a premier destination for tourists, and I encourage readers to include travel to this country in their bucket list. My wife and I are certainly looking forward to a return trip and plan to visit places even further off the beaten path. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 2. International Education Week (November 17‐21, 2014) is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of their efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States. ‐ See more at: http://eca.state.gov/programs‐initiatives/international‐education‐
week#sthash.FW2WvcgP.dpuf NRCC is celebrating International Education Week on November 18th. Activities include:  International dress is encouraged all day!  11 am – 2 pm: The Cellar food truck will be selling food & the NRCC Multi‐Cultural Club will be selling international goodies  All week, check out the International Education Week book display in the library!  All week, faculty are encouraged to incorporate a global perspective into their lessons. Here are some suggested resources: http://www.nr.edu/y/695 ____________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Local Cultural Events: 
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Friday, Nov. 14 & Saturday, Nov. 15th – The Nutcracker at RU For more information: http://www.virginia.org/listings/Events/TheNutcrackeratRadfordUniversity/ Saturday, Nov. 15th – BeijingDance/ LDX For more information: https://www.artscenter.vt.edu/online/beijingdanceldtx ____________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What in the World, International Education at NRCC: To learn more about international happenings both locally and abroad, please like “What in the World: International Education at NRCC” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nrccinternationaleducation