Information for Delegation

Information for Delegation
Half the Sky: Intersections in Social Practice Art
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Included:
Overview
First email to potential delegates for download
Potential Delegate Update Email #2
Letter to support expedited passport renewals/applications
Official invitation from LuXun Academy to create an exhibition/cultural exchange and bring a delegation to Shenyang
Guide for Filling Out Chinese Visa Application
Schedule
Required Delegate Work
Passport/Visa Requirements
Sample visa assistance company - Travisa
Chinese Etiquette
Money
Travel Aids/General Suggestions
Language

Overview
LuXun Academy has asked WCA to bring a small working delegation of WCA members to Shenyang to interact with Chinese artists there during the first days of the exhibition. With its opportunities for community building, dialogue, and collaborative projects, this will be documented as social practice art. The trip to Shenyang will be a unique and memorable adventure. It is about exploring a new country, expanding your understanding of another culture, developing relationships with individuals in another country, and most importantly, learning to be self-sufficient.

This is not a guided tour with an English-speaking tour guide, American-style hotels and familiar foods. Delegates will be responsible for navigating their own way to Shenyang and are expected to be flexible about limited food and lodging choices, as well as abiding by the host country’s customs and rules.

While we are at the LuXun Academy, we are working as delegates. We are not on vacation. Each delegate is expected to pitch in and help in whatever way necessary to make this a wonderful and memorable event. While we are in Shenyang, we will stay in the Academy dormitories together. We will build community within our group and with the Chinese women through planned events and activities. All delegates are expected to participate.

Before or after the events at the Luxun Academy conclude, individuals are free to vacation in China on their own. We will make sure that all delegates have each other’s contact information ahead of time so that they can decide if they want to travel and explore together. Again, there will be no tour group on this trip.

All delegates must be current WCA members and will be responsible for a significant portion of the creation of these events at the Academy– Delegates will be responsible for their travel expenses and arrangements, though our fundraising efforts have enabled us to cover the costs of room and board at the Academy's dormitories and in its cafeterias for each delegate as well as at least $100 per delegate in travel stipends. The travel stipends may increase if more funding is secured.

A portion of this delegation currently consists of WCA International Caucus members who are actively working on this project. There will be a few additional positions available on this delegation to artists and/or essayists selected for this exhibition. Decisions about additional delegates will be made by December 1st.

Potential delegates should know that dormitory conditions may be similar to a hostel’s. Showers may be communal ones. The water may not be hot. We may wish to bring our own sheets and towels. Remember, we are embarking on an adventure!

First email to potential delegates requesting passport copy and further information to support the delegates' applications

Potential Delegate Update Email #2

Letter to support expedited passport renewals/applications

Official Invitation from LuXun Academy to WCA
Print out for our visa applications. It is in Mandarin first and then English.

Guide for Filling Out Chinese Visa Application

Schedule
October 25, 2013:

Any artists or essayist who submitted to our Calls for Art and/or Essays and wishes to be considered for the delegation, must email Karen or Sherri (see First Email above) a photocopy of her passport valid through at least November 1, 2014

October 28, 2013

Jing Deng leaves for China to take copies of delegates' passports and information about our artists and essayist are to LuXun Academy by in order to register our event with Shenyang Cultural Bureau

November 2013:

Delegate applications reviewed
Delegates selected
Delegate contracts and liability waivers completed
Names of delegates shared among delegates for coordinating travel if desired

December 2013:

Registration of event completed with Shenyang Cultural Bureau
Official Invitation from LuXun Academy including all names of participating delegates and non-traveling artists requested. This document supports visa applications.
Delegates complete flight plans

January 2014

Delegates request visas after Official Invitation from LuXun Academy is received
Delegates send travel plans to Karen Gutfreund, our Administrative/Logistics Chair

April 12-13, 2014:

Arrive in Shenyang

April 13-14, 2014:

Install the exhibition

April 15, 2014:

Interactive events with the Chinese artists and Opening

April 16, 2014:

Interactive events

April 17, 2014:

Interactive events in the morning and delegates begin to leave Shenyang

April 30, 2014:

Close of exhibition

May 1, 2014:

Some delegates will assist with de-installation and boxing up works that need to be returned to the US. This leaves time for exploration of China!

Required Delegate Work
Potential delegates will be asked to identify the work they are willing commit to doing from this list.

Installation of exhibition (requires arriving in Shenyang by April 12 or early April 13, 2014)
De-installation of exhibition (requires staying in China until the end of the exhibition)
Tech support (assisting with setting up videos, sound installation, projectors, computers, DVD players),
Translation (English – Mandarin, Mandarin – English)
Administration and logistics (assisting in keeping track of the delegates itineraries, movement of delegation around Shenyang, knowing the overall schedule, managing the gifts for our hosts, business cards for delegates, communication with and between delegates…)
Event facilitation (leading and/or assisting in interactive events)
Documentation (blogging, photography, video, social media, sending updates to our Indiegogo donors).

Passport/Visa Requirements
More information will be added soon.

To enter China, you need a visa as well as six months' validity remaining on your passport. For us that means a passport valid through November 1, 2014. If you do not have a valid passport and the appropriate Chinese visa, you will not be allowed to enter China, you will be fined, and you will be subject to immediate deportation. U.S. citizens traveling to China may apply for up to a one-year multiple-entry visa. Check your U.S. passport before applying for a visa to make sure that it has one year or more validity remaining; otherwise, you may be issued a visa for less than the time you request. The Chinese embassy and consulates general in the United States do not always issue maximum validity visas even if requested to do so. A multiple-entry visa is essential if you plan to re-enter China, especially if you plan to visit either Hong Kong or Macau and return to China. China has recently instituted some new requirements for tourist visas.

Click here to see the new visa application form. Visas need to be applied for in person or by a trusted person or entity. Travisa (see below) is one such entity. You will need a passport sized photo for the visa application.

Click here to see visa fees

As supporting documents, you can print the official invitation to WCA from Wei Er Shen for us to create an exhibition/cultural exchange and delegation of artists to go to Shenyang. Priscila Otani, will also be creating a letter on WCA letterhead showing the formal list of our delegates.

Sample visa assistance company - Travisa

Sample visa assistance company - CIBTvisas

Chinese Etiquette
The Canadian Trade Commission has a concise overview on etiquette for business travelers in China. Here are some of their suggestions so that we can enjoy ourselves without embarrassing ourselves or our hosts.

1. The Chinese value:

Saving and giving face
Respect for elders and rankings (note that the latter is particularly important when dealing with government officials)
Patience
Politeness
Modesty in behavior and dress
Being on time

2. Introductions:

Addressing others: Seniority is valued in China. It is important to address your counterparts by their title (Chairman, Director, etc.). Find out who the most senior person in the room is, and address him or her first.
Introducing yourself: Say your name clearly, and remember to state both the company you work for and your position. As a point of reference, know that Chinese will refer to their company first, then their title, and then their name when introducing themselves to others.
Handshakes: Meetings often start with handshakes. Ensure that you are not too aggressive with your handshake. Don’t be surprised if you are at the receiving end of a decidedly non-aggressive handshake. If things go well, you may also be on the receiving end of a prolonged handshake: anything goes. Don’t be shy about holding on if your counterpart is enjoying the contact – it is meant well.
Giving/Receiving business cards: Similar to introductions, hand out business cards to the most senior official first. Chinese use both hands when giving and receiving anything of value, including gifts and particularly business cards; you should do the same as this is one of the first points at which you will make an impression. Take a moment to look at and acknowledge the individual’s card. Have your own cards translated into Chinese on one side. Your title is important; this is how your hosts will determine who should be invited to meetings, what weight your words carry, and where you will be seated.

3. Dining:

Beginning to eat: Follow cues from your hosts and start eating when the hosts begin. There will be cold dishes placed on the table when you are seated; wait to be invited before you dig in.
Keeping pace: At formal banquets and high-end restaurants, serving staff may keep up an almost constant rotation of dishes. They will also change your plate frequently with a clean one, so as not to mix dishes and flavours. While at first this may be distracting, accept the rhythm and you will soon cease to notice it. In order to have a sense of what is coming next, know that the meal will proceed with meats of various varieties and peak with a fish course, followed by a staple (rice, dumplings, noodles) and wind down with a sweet or dessert.
Refusing food: The Chinese tend to offer a lot of food, and it is acceptable to refuse food if you have dietary restrictions or allergies. However, it is a sign of politeness to accept some of everything, and sample (even a little of) all dishes served. But don’t eat or drink all of something you don’t like, since this may be taken as a sign that you want more! This is where the rotation of plates can serve to your advantage: a nod to the wait staff to remove a plate will allow for your preferences to be accommodated unobtrusively.
Drinking: While local wine can be preferred at banquets, the Chinese more frequently offer strong distilled alcohol called baijiu or maotai (a very special type of baijiu) for toasts – and there may be many toasts during a meal. Never drink from the toasting glass except during a toast – and don’t let the size of the glass fool you as to the power of the contents! The Chinese know that their alcohol is considered strong for foreigners, and under normal circumstances, they will not push you to drink. Some hosts will provide drinking yogurt to help protect your stomach, which can be helpful to allay the effects of the alcohol. Try to avoid drinking baijiu on an empty stomach as you will feel the effects of the alcohol quickly – it’s a good idea to eat something before the toasts begin. If you cannot or do not drink for medical or personal reasons, this is respected but you should advise your host or your working level contact of this at the beginning of the banquet, or even beforehand. It will be noted carefully by your hosts and arrangements will be made to avoid embarrassing you.
Toasting: Your host will start off the banquet with a toast to your presence / friendship/ cooperation / getting to know each other / clinching a deal. You may choose to reciprocate, toast for toast, or to wait until the host, his or her colleague, and one other member of the hosting party has toasted. Typically, the principal guest is expected to toast a few courses after the host toasts. If you are toasting, your comments should be warm and sincere, and your toast should not be any longer than your host’s. When toasting, the Chinese normally say gan bei, which translates to “bottoms up”. Note that drinking is sometimes expected as proof of a close relationship where partners can reveal their true selves, even in a business context. While this expectation is slowly changing and may vary by region, it is something to be aware of. If the group at the banquet is very comfortable with each other, it is also not uncommon to go around the table toasting each member of the party. Take your cue from your hosts and from your local contact or interpreter.
- Note: There are great differences in dining and toasting customs among different regions in China. When in doubt, ask your host. He or she will be very happy to explain them to you and will be impressed at your interest in and respect for local customs.
Paying the bill: The host pays. If you are hosting a meal, do not show money in front of your guests. Either have someone slip out and settle the tab or wait until your guests have left before paying.
Hosting the banquet: It is not common business practice to be expected to host a banquet at the conclusion of a deal. Certainly if you would like to host a banquet this is your prerogative, but it would be considered bad form in a business context for the Chinese company to insist you do so or provide you with the bill at the end of the meal.
Concluding: There is little lingering at banquets. Formal dinners often end suddenly, when the senior member of the hosting party stands up (quickly followed by staff and subordinates), briefly thanks the guests for attending, and proceeds to leave the room. This may appear abrupt the first few times you witness it, but is simply a decisive and useful way to bring the occasion to a close. If there is a dessert / fruit course, you can expect this to follow fairly shortly before the senior member of the hosting party departs. Gifts (see below) are usually offered at the conclusion of the banquet, prior to departure.

4. Gift Giving

Who: Typically, a single large group gift is presented to the chief person or leader of a Chinese organization. Gifts should be presented from the leaders of our delegation to the leader of the Chinese delegation and vice versa.
What: Gifts should not be too expensive. The gifts you receive will often have strong local associations that are a matter of real meaning (local identity) and therefore pride to the giver. The best gifts to offer in return will be items that are unique to the US or WCA: small paintings, carvings, or books (keep your host’s English capabilities in mind!) are appreciated and reasonable as gifts. The Chinese are fond of dark red, gold or blue, which are all appropriate colours for gift wrapping.
When: Gifts are usually given at the end of an introductory meeting or at a banquet. Delegations visiting China are normally expected to offer gifts to their hosts.
How: Always give and receive gifts or anything of value with two hands. Note that it is common in China for the recipient to refuse the offer of a gift at first. The giver should persist, and the recipient will eventually accept.
What Not to Give: Gifts to avoid include clocks and scissors or other sharp items such as knives or letter openers. Avoid wrapping gifts in white or black, which are colours associated with funerals.

Money
1. Tipping
Almost no-one asks for tips. Tipping used to be refused in restaurants, but now many midrange and top-end eateries include their own (often massive) service charge; cheap restaurants do not expect a tip. Taxi drivers throughout China do not ask for or expect tips.
2. Credit Cards
The Chinese do not typically like to be in debt, so credit card use is much lower than in the US. You might be able to use credit cards at higher end restaurants and hotels.
3. ATMs
Since cash is preferable, it is a good idea to bring some with you. At ATMs, you can usually use Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus, Maestro, Plus and American Express (AmEx).
4. Currency is called yuan or rénmínbì. Paper bills come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100. You also see coins worth 1, 2, or 5 yuán.
5. Conversion. Here is a conversion calculator .

Travel Aids/General suggestions

Water purifier - Tap water may or may not be potable. Here is an article about different water filtering devices for international travel http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/water-treatment-international.html
Point it: Traveller's Language Kit - The Original Picture Dictionary - This is a small laminated booklet with collections of photographs around topics such as dining, hotel, transportation, emergencies. http://www.amazon.com/Point-Travellers-Language-Original-Dictionary/dp/3980880273/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1384048504&sr=1-2&keywords=point+travel
Set of sheets/pillow case
Electricity - Your electronics (computer, camera, iPod) will usually work with an adapter, which is that box along the line of the charging cord. If that box says ~110V-240V, it is designed for travel. You will need a wall plug adapter (see link below). For electrical devices (hair dryer), you will need a converter that switches the 220V that comes out of the wall to the 110V that North American electrical devices require. http://www.tour-beijing.com/blog/beijing-travel/beijing-tour-reviews/plugs-and-sockets-in-china/
Prescriptions - Ask your doctor about any prescriptions he or she would suggest. Some travelers take with them a course of antibiotics as well as gastrointestinal medicine such as PeptoBismal or a prescription strength version.
Katie Morton, our delegate that lives in Beijing, suggests the following as ways to learn more:

The Corpse Walker

The Good Women of China

Movies

The Last Emperor

Beijing Bicycle

Music

The Moon Represents My Heart

here

Language
Mandarin is the language spoken in northern China. Here are some suggestions from Katie Morton on ways to get a basic understanding.

Written Language
Fun children's video with animated Chinese characters.
Understanding the evolution of characters from pictographs.
The artist Xu Bing is a Chinese artist who plays with language. He was forced to carve wooden Chinese characters for slogan posters during the Cultural Revolution. His work still references this background, while cleverly reconstructing language to form new non-existent languages. His Book From the Sky (image here) and his Square Word Calligraphy (see if you can find his name in this "character") are some of my favorite works from a living artist.

Spoken Language
CCTV (Chinese state-run TV programming) has a very good series of videos and small dialogues for learning basic Chinese. Here is what they call "survival Chinese".
A CCTV video series that was to help foreigners speak some Chinese around the time of the Olympics. Yes, it is being taught by a foreigner, but her accent is very good. I sometimes find it helpful to have a native English speaker explain Chinese sound equivalents.