Well, I had hoped to share updates from Beijing, but not only was Blogspot.com blocked, but there literally was not enough time in the day to take a few moments to type an update…or even think outside of the next immediate task. After the conference I was off to Vietnam for a side trip, and that being such a short visit and hoping to see as much as we could, I didn’t get to share any updates then either. So as I sit in Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (for a 10 hour layover), I will try my best to recap my time in Beijing and Vietnam – I hope you enjoy:)
To start, I am proud to say that Operation Smile held a successful international student conference in Beijing. After a year of planning, the ISCE (International Student Cultural Exchange) came to fruition on August 1st and once it began there was no stopping it until everyone had departed back home on August 7th.
More than 750 participants from 22 different countries all arrived, most with some jet lag, but also with extremely high energy for the conference – to meet new people, learn, build, grow, and challenge one’s self and each other to push the limits in leadership, service and compassion.
The Operation Smile Student Programs staff arrived in Beijing on July 21st. Though the students had yet to arrive, work and final details resumed as soon as we landed in China. We had numerous meetings with the Marriott hotel, the transportation company, and the local university. The first pleasant surprise were Operation Smile donation boxes that the Marriott had set up throughout the hotel. We knew that Marriott had chosen Operation Smile as its charity of the year, but this was the first time we actually saw Operation Smile information out. The jars were strategically placed throughout the hotel – which will not only help to raise funds but also help generate a lot of awareness. This is just one simple example that when people, companies, corporations, etc. come together and join forces, there is so much more positive impact that can be made from it.
In the days before the conference, we also made frequent visits to places like Kinkos and Walmart. I must say, shopping in a Walmart in China on a weekend is quite the experience and a great opportunity to witness more about another culture. It is so busy, there are different food vendors and smells, and all throughout the store there are shopping attendants with microphones calling out sales of items and trying to get you to sample them.
There are many different brands but also some similar brands that you can recognize through the packaging and logo. Fortunately many labels also had English text so we could confirm what we were buying. What I find so interesting when traveling is the different flavors and the way certain well known items are tailored to the culture. Pepsi and Coke products can be found around the world – for the most part the product is the same but the packaging and branding varies. In China, there were Lays Potato Chips but the flavors were not those we would see in the US, other than original and Barbeque (which they called Texas Barbeque): Cucumber, Blueberry, Fish Prawn Soup, Hot and Sour Chicken, Tomato (tasted like Ketchup on a chip), and many more… Same goes for the Pringles:)
For the past 2 ½ weeks, it is safe to say that I lived in Beijing with my coworkers. Well, we lived in the Marriott. There were days were we would set up shop in the lobby and work online from 9am to past 9pm. The Marriott is quite fancy and in order to get a seat in the lobby you must order something, so we kept the coffee and tea coming throughout the day. I’m not sure that the Marriott was quite comfortable with us utilizing their office as a lobby, especially when there came a point we even brought down a printer, haha. They soon realized that we needed a better work space and we were delightfully appreciative when we received access to the Executive Lounge where we could work peacefully throughout the day with unlimited complimentary water, drinks, snacks and meals. We wondered often how the Marriott would adjust once we had more than 700 people arrive; mostly students, who we knew would utilize the hotel lobby during conference free time to network, share conference experiences and get to know new friends better.
On July 26th, our trusted and devoted student and adult leaders arrived: the Executive Leadership Council (comprised of 14 high school students from 7 states in the US) and our Sponsor Board (an adult advisory board comprised of 5 members from 5 states). We were so excited to reunite with them all – some we had not seen since our Winter Mission Training Workshop in January, and others we had not seen since our Leadership Retreat in early October. However, we were constantly in touch throughout the year working on new initiatives, following up with regions, and planning this conference. They are a huge part of the event and its ultimate success!
Half of the ELC would be leading the Summer Mission Training Workshop where approximately 40 students and some adults would be trained to participate on an Operation Smile international medical mission. In addition to being part of the team and helping where needed throughout the medical mission, the student team has a specific role to educate; they teach patients, parents, families, local students and more about basic healthcare. They specifically teach dental hygiene, oral rehydration therapy, burn care and prevention, and nutrition. All of these may seem like simple topics that would already be well known, but in many places for many people they are not. This knowledge cannot only be useful for their health, but could also be life saving for many. The student team also gets the opportunity to observe in the OR and watch and learn about the surgery for a cleft lip and/or cleft palate. Sometimes they even see a burn patient receiving a skin graft.
This year's trainees were able to get a really unique experience, unlike previous workshop trainees. My coworker, Amanda, worked very hard to arrange it so that the trainees could be split into to groups and go offsite to practice their presentations. Usually presentations are practiced in the conference room to peers in the group, however, this time they were able to either practice presentations at an orphanage or a local academy for disabled. Both groups said that the experience was amazing and helped give them a better since of their role in action on a medical mission. They were able to interact with those at the orphanage and academy and also share the knowledge that the learned during the training. It was a huge success and something we hope to replicate in future Mission Training Workshops. Though I was unable to attend the visits due to more ISCE planning, I had visited the Huiling Academy for the disabled the week before. Though it was a weekend and no students were there, we did get a tour of the facility and were able to see some of the creative projects they worked on. They also perform small plays and even came to the International Party during the ISCE to dance and perform for the participants!
While the Mission Training was being conducted in Beijing at the Marriott, I had the pleasure of spending the last few days before the conference with the other half of the ELC. We were very busy with shopping runs, lists, printing, more lists, planning, organizing, preparing conference materials and stuffing conference gift bags, etc… It was endless planning and preparation, but the ELC were so eager and willing to wrap things up before the conference began that we felt we were as prepared as anyone could be. We were also able to visit the Great Wall section Juyong and test out a lunch site and the Final Party dinner site. We had fun and I not only enjoyed their company, but also enjoyed their feedback at every step. The Sponsor Board had the opportunity to step out and attend the off-sites with us too, which was great! Jenna and Julia were the only two to hit the top of the Great Wall – not only were we all so proud of them, but also inspired to push ourselves to do the same when we returned during the conference.
On July 30th, our College Council members arrived (comprised of 7 university students). This newly created council has made tremendous progress in helping to create and sustain Operation Smile’s new University Programs. Not only have they been working to help establish and grow university clubs worldwide, they have also been helping to solidify new programs and opportunities of involvement for university students – including U-Voice, U-Lead and U-Pave (www.operationsmile.org/universityprograms). These students are truly exceptional in their continued dedication to Operation Smile and their peers. They have showed that beyond high school, you can still continue your passion to help others. A few of them, the 3 ‘bros’ of the group, had decided to travel through China before meeting us in Beijing. They had been traveling since July 18th and other than a few quick email updates; we weren’t sure how their travels were going. Once they arrived they filled us in on some (I am sure not all), and it sounded like quite the adventure. They stayed in hostels, ate in all sorts of places, met other travelers and locals, and really roughed it for a few weeks. It sounds like it was definitely worthwhile, a trip to remember and cherish for a long time.
After a year of discussions and planning, the conference was ready to begin. Whether we felt fully prepared or not, it was happening, and together as a team we knew that not only could we survive the week, but that along the way hundreds of students would leave with a new confidence and stronger sense of commitment and passion to service. Along with many new friends, they would be returning home empowered that ‘Now is the Time’ to make a difference, and knowing that they had officially become part of the Operation Smile family and together we will continue to work towards changing the world, one smile at a time!
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