Concordia Chronicle

Lujiazui was purpose-built to be the financial center of China on a small peninsula extending into the Huangpu River directly across from the old financial center of the city on the Bund. As recent as 1992, the area was a collection of factories, low-rise buildings and even some rice paddies. Read More

There have been some narrow views of parenting shared by many cultures throughout history. One such notion suggests that mothers should be the nurturer and primary caregiver to children, while a father’s role in a child’s upbringing should be relegated to that of security and financial provider. However, as the centuries have progressed so too have the attitudes toward parenting and the very necessary role fatherhood plays in a child’s life. Read More

Concordia’s first ever Homecoming Week was smashing a success, with plenty of memories and connections made. Read More

While it is estimated that approximately 100 million Chinese are fluent in English, that is only about 10% of the population of China and while a fraction of those may be involved in the service or retail industry the vast majority of the people you meet in everyday life will know the word ‘hello’ and little more. This is after decades of English education in public schools and universities as well as countless sums paid in private English... Read More

For 8-10 weeks a year, Shanghai has a lovely climate. Bracketing these two 4-5 week islands is a sweltering humid subtropical climate. When it is not steamy hot in the summer it is surprisingly chilly in the winter with snow occasionally blanketing the city if only briefly. The hottest months of the year are July and August while the coldest are January and February. Local regulations limit public spaces to temperatures no lower than 26°C (78°F)... Read More

If you’ve ever traveled, you can probably relate to the excitement one feels when stepping off a plane into a new cultural landscape. Looking around, senses on high alert, adrenaline rising, we feel alive in the moment as we face the unknown. Some of my most unusual and beautiful experiences have come from my travels. Whether it was spending the night in a mud hut in the bush in Zimbabwe; watching the sun set as cowboys round up cattle on a... Read More

Early Childhood's Tuesday Tips is series of teacher-parent talks designed to help families and students find success in their early years at school and at home. In this article, teacher Anne Gribble shares advice with parents on how to leave the park or playground with no tears. Read More

Everyone’s heard culture shock referred to either in passing or in detail. Initially it’s best to understand culture shock as a natural human reaction to any challenging situation - be it physical or mental. Take any average person and place them in a challenging situation and there are three basic possible reactions: Read More

For seasoned expats that have moved from one assignment to the next, transitions become a way of life. While it may not seem like it to the uninitiated relocating for the first time, there is a method to the madness of moving your life around the world. While it is certainly advisable and useful to do research prior to visiting Shanghai so you can understand the basics that will help orient you within the city, there is simply no substitute for... Read More

The 1980 musical fantasy Xanadu was not what you would call a box office success. But despite its shortcomings on the big screen, its catchy soundtrack has gone on to inspire a wildly popular musical that took Broadway by storm (an ELO thunderstorm). In January of 2019, this far-out production made its way to our very own Rittmann Theatre stage, in the form of Xanadu JR, performed by Concordia's middle school drama class. Read More

Tips for long-haul travelers Moving to Shanghai is going to be an exciting and life-changing experience, not only for what the city and China have to offer, but also for what all of Asia has to offer. Choosing to live on the other side of the world puts you on the doorstep of some of the world’s greatest vacation destinations – think weekend getaways to the beaches of Thailand or shopping trips to Hong Kong and Singapore all in your time zone. Read More

In the “new media” age, we have the convenience of all manner of information and entertainment at our finger tips. For many of us it’s hard to image a time without laptops, smartphones and tablets. That rings especially true for today’s youth, who have grown up using these devices to learn, connect and play. Yet, research shows that too much time in front of their screens can have a negative impact on children’s brains and affect how they do in... Read More

The history of dogs in China goes back so far that historians can only speculate when they were first introduced, but sufficed to say it’s thousands of years. In Imperial China dogs were prized by members of the Imperial Court, specifically the Pekinese breed. Only members of the Imperial court were allowed to own Pekinese dogs and at any time there might be up to 100 of them in the Forbidden City. Read More

What to know and why it’s important to you Upon arriving in China and witnessing what, on first take, appears to be random chaos due to the large amount of humanity everywhere, most are surprised to find out that China is a highly regulated place. And as with other developed countries, people are law abiding for the most part. Developed governments seek an orderly and just society and the improvement of the lives of its citizens and regulations... Read More

For the majority of expats, the affordability of domestic help is a huge plus when moving to Asia. With labour costs being prohibitive at home, many will be experiencing the luxury of having help around the house for the first time. Read More

For many students, a break from school means way more time in front of a screen. But that screen time doesn’t have to be used entirely for computer games and social media. Here are five positive ways for students to use their screens over break. Read More

Technology is ubiquitous and touches all parts of our lives. With it we are constantly connected, more efficient and have instant access to all manner of information and convenience. Technology is especially pervasive in our schools, where, if implemented correctly, it can make the teaching and learning process more meaningful for both teachers and students. Read More

When you hear the word ‘music’, does it bring to mind a song or a particular instrument? Do you picture an album cover or see musical notation? When you see the word ‘tree’, do you think of a picture or a drawing of a tree, or recall a real tree that you used to climb as a child? I’m sure everyone who reads this will have a different answer. That is because we are all unique in how we process information. Understanding how you acquire knowledge... Read More