Program Manager Visits WFI Alumni in China

So many photos! Such an amazing trip!
http://web.mac.com/jds2/iWeb/China/China%20homepage.html

Thanks to WFI’s Chinese alumni, WFI Program Manager Angie DiSalvo had the opportunity to visit China in November. Her three-week adventure involved promoting the WFI Fellowship Program, as well as time to visit with past participants and experience China.

Dr. Yanping Zhang of the Chinese Academy of Forestry’s Research Institute for Resource Insects hosted Angie in Yunnan Province. In the capital of Kunming she participated in the International Neem Conference, learning about the neem propagation, plantations, and products, which was the subject of Dr. Zhang’s Fellowship project. Successful meetings were held with SW Forestry College, RIRI, and Zhongke Biological Company. Angie was met by WFI Australian alumnus Tony Scherl, and together they toured Yunnan cities of Dali and Xishuanbanna with Dr. Zhang’s wife. Yunnan is famous for its spicy food, minority cultures, and diverse array of plant life. Chinese hospitality lived up to its reputation, and Angie and Tony were amazed by their gracious hosts.

Moving to the capital city of Beijing, Xiaoli Wang and the State Forestry Administration were most helpful in arranging meetings and tours. Angie also visited with WFI alumnus Jialu Xie and International Educators Institute alumnus Hehe Zhang. Angie met with Hehe’s working group, China’s first environmental NGO, Friends of Nature. Of course, a trip to the Great Wall, shopping, and having Peking Duck on Thanksgiving day were in order as well. There was much talk swapping stories of life in Portland.

After the work portion of the trip was completed, Xiaoli accompanied Angie and husband Jon to SE China to visit Hangzhou, Nanxin, and Shanghai for some rest and recreation. This region of China is famous for its small water towns, beautiful gardens, and booming commerce.

The best part of the trip for Angie was trading places – Angie’s job involves giving tours and guiding Fellows through a foreign environment, and it was humbling to be on the receiving end of this hospitality. It was a wonderful experience to see Fellows “in their element” and to gain a first-hand appreciation for their dedication to their careers and families. Although the return flight to Portland was a sad one, these new memories and connections made a lifelong impression.