Yes, yes I know.
There is not much of an excuse for why I haven't been on here and doing things, but there have been a few mild challenges to writing, namely having anything worth any interest to recount. I am back and submerged in Americana again.
I am working at Microsoft, the work is challenging, but doable. The worst part about it is having to watch MSNBC throughout the day. I am considering starting a separate blog that focuses on things that the media reports and is actually incorrect information all together.
For instance, just last week, there were two seperate media incidents that transpired and the wrong information was reported.
First, it was the woman who had the plane grounded in Boston because she had a panic attack on the plane--then, almost immediatly, the press reported that she had various items of contraband on her along with possible terror connections, which turned out to be totally and completly untrue.
Next up we have Jon-Bonet's little love package, the freak from Bangkok who, we are now being told, was just recently laser shaved for his future sex change operation. Hmmmmm, now this guy had many, many, many hours of completly dedicated MSNBC television attributed directly to him and he basically said nothing at all, except that he, like the rest of us, loves Jonbonet. Oh, I too love her. I love her because she brings out what the media is really after, little suburban horror stories. As long as she isn't black and there is ample video of her, they will search and search for the killer--why? Because she is just like all of us, and if people wanted to see the real stories about the dark side of this American Life, they would watch Cops. That's reality.
So, as you can see, I am probably not going to start that blog, because whats the fucking point when it all comes down to it? People are perfectly content with simply adding little pieces of content to their myspace and calling it a day. No one really wants to think about the evil things that are happening in the world....
Read more!
21 August 2006
09 August 2006
Sorry about the delay in communications--there is a lot going on right now.
I accepted the job at Microsoft and have been training and working for the last week. It is a new challenge in an area from which I have little experience and its showing... but most of the people that I work with are very cool and there are a couple of friends of mine from WSU that I work with in the "war room", so they keep me grounded.
In the next month, I will be getting a place and a car. Once these things happen, I am then going to work on the blog--once I get everything situated with the house--there is a lot of work to do--lots of writing to do, but I need to get my own personal space and time to do it. Once that happens, there will be some changes that happen here with the Blog--as to what those things are going to be, I am not sure just yet because for the most part these entries that you see are reminders of things for me to talk about in my current project.
Its nice to be working again and I look forward to the immense overtime that the job will bring. I hope to pay off a lot of the debts that have been hanging around ==but first I need to get a place to rest my head and some decent wheels. Read more!
I accepted the job at Microsoft and have been training and working for the last week. It is a new challenge in an area from which I have little experience and its showing... but most of the people that I work with are very cool and there are a couple of friends of mine from WSU that I work with in the "war room", so they keep me grounded.
In the next month, I will be getting a place and a car. Once these things happen, I am then going to work on the blog--once I get everything situated with the house--there is a lot of work to do--lots of writing to do, but I need to get my own personal space and time to do it. Once that happens, there will be some changes that happen here with the Blog--as to what those things are going to be, I am not sure just yet because for the most part these entries that you see are reminders of things for me to talk about in my current project.
Its nice to be working again and I look forward to the immense overtime that the job will bring. I hope to pay off a lot of the debts that have been hanging around ==but first I need to get a place to rest my head and some decent wheels. Read more!
29 July 2006
On Education Part II
Spending the last couple of days doing research for what I hope will be a book in the next year has taken into one of the pathways that I know will require a lot of research in the coming months.
The subject--higher education in China.
A large part of what I intend to write has a direct correlation to what the purpose of recruiting foreign teachers to teach at the University level in China is really for. From the time that I arrived in China, I was constantly wondering why they choose to spend so much time and effort recruiting foreigners (especially white American and British citizens) and then when we arrive, are not given any training about what we are to teach specifically.
Reading the different opinions about the Chinese educational system holds nearly as much propoganda as researching former Chinese leadership. However, it would seem that the main issue that the Chinese are dealing with when it comes to the aspect of higher education is a three fold issue.
First, the system since the Cultural reveloution has been full of corruption and deceit--which it developed during the Cultural reveloution because the schools were turned into breeding grounds for re-education in the sense of the newly formed Communist party, led by Mao. This system paid little to no attention in educating its pupils outside of its own idealogy. This cessation of education eventually (following the cultural reveloution), led to the discovery of potential gains from the development of a massive commodification of education.
Secondly, where as access was an issue before, the "college reveloution" soon took place and the chinese began to undertake a massive resugence of University development. For what purpose this was, I am still researching but my guess is two fold, First, this commoditification of education can become a cash cow quite easily. Those that sit at the top of the academic ladder in China are rarely academics, but moreso connected to the communist party--schools just become part of the machine. Families of all schools of thought, particularly Confucioun, believe that the way to sucess is through education. This, like it does elsewhere, works on all levels: if you work hard, do well is school, then you become rich. Its just that simple--but the fact of the matter is that its not that simple and will never be again.
Which is point three: The lack of new graduate positions in China is growing faster than ever before, but not fast enough. This past summer, more than 8 million people graduated from Chinese Universities, but there were less than 465,000 new jobs created in the country.
The offical Chinese line is as follows:
Chinese institutions of higher education admitted 5m students in 2005, sending the number of Chinese university attendees to 23m-the highest in the world. In order to maintain low teacher-to-student ratios and allocate the funds necessary to maintain high standards, Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, announced on May 10th that state councillors were mulling plans to reduce university admissions for the coming academic year. China faces a surplus of out-of-work graduates, according to the National Reform and Development Commission, which reports that 60% of students face unemployment upon graduation.
So, for now, this is what I am researching. My interest is to show the development of the educational system in a place like China...
Stay tuned... and try not to fall asleep. Read more!
The subject--higher education in China.
A large part of what I intend to write has a direct correlation to what the purpose of recruiting foreign teachers to teach at the University level in China is really for. From the time that I arrived in China, I was constantly wondering why they choose to spend so much time and effort recruiting foreigners (especially white American and British citizens) and then when we arrive, are not given any training about what we are to teach specifically.
Reading the different opinions about the Chinese educational system holds nearly as much propoganda as researching former Chinese leadership. However, it would seem that the main issue that the Chinese are dealing with when it comes to the aspect of higher education is a three fold issue.
First, the system since the Cultural reveloution has been full of corruption and deceit--which it developed during the Cultural reveloution because the schools were turned into breeding grounds for re-education in the sense of the newly formed Communist party, led by Mao. This system paid little to no attention in educating its pupils outside of its own idealogy. This cessation of education eventually (following the cultural reveloution), led to the discovery of potential gains from the development of a massive commodification of education.
Secondly, where as access was an issue before, the "college reveloution" soon took place and the chinese began to undertake a massive resugence of University development. For what purpose this was, I am still researching but my guess is two fold, First, this commoditification of education can become a cash cow quite easily. Those that sit at the top of the academic ladder in China are rarely academics, but moreso connected to the communist party--schools just become part of the machine. Families of all schools of thought, particularly Confucioun, believe that the way to sucess is through education. This, like it does elsewhere, works on all levels: if you work hard, do well is school, then you become rich. Its just that simple--but the fact of the matter is that its not that simple and will never be again.
Which is point three: The lack of new graduate positions in China is growing faster than ever before, but not fast enough. This past summer, more than 8 million people graduated from Chinese Universities, but there were less than 465,000 new jobs created in the country.
The offical Chinese line is as follows:
Chinese institutions of higher education admitted 5m students in 2005, sending the number of Chinese university attendees to 23m-the highest in the world. In order to maintain low teacher-to-student ratios and allocate the funds necessary to maintain high standards, Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, announced on May 10th that state councillors were mulling plans to reduce university admissions for the coming academic year. China faces a surplus of out-of-work graduates, according to the National Reform and Development Commission, which reports that 60% of students face unemployment upon graduation.
So, for now, this is what I am researching. My interest is to show the development of the educational system in a place like China...
Stay tuned... and try not to fall asleep. Read more!
Last Day in Chenzhou
These are the last photos of China.At least the ones that were taken--as I go through and edit most of this over the coming months, in preparation for the book that I am planning to spend the next year on, I will hopefully be able to bring new pictures that missed the first round.
This is of what could be the ugliest baby I saw all year-- bless him.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Need I say more?
Chenzhou Mommas. Read more!
26 July 2006
First of all, I hate pop up ads.
By this time in the expansion of the net, a few things should have happened. First and foremost, people with pop-up ads should be put on a list and all people who use the net should boycott these products.
Next, I am working for about two hours each day until I start work at Microsoft next Tuesday working on the start of the Chinese experience. Its difficult to write!!!
I will more than likely be posting another blog site to work on it from while preserving this one as I think this chapter of my life is coming to a close. Not sure how its all going to work out at this point, but I am going to continue to post pics and comments to this site, with China specifically being this blog.
So, if you like China, stay tuned-- And boycott pop up ads.
:) Read more!
By this time in the expansion of the net, a few things should have happened. First and foremost, people with pop-up ads should be put on a list and all people who use the net should boycott these products.
Next, I am working for about two hours each day until I start work at Microsoft next Tuesday working on the start of the Chinese experience. Its difficult to write!!!
I will more than likely be posting another blog site to work on it from while preserving this one as I think this chapter of my life is coming to a close. Not sure how its all going to work out at this point, but I am going to continue to post pics and comments to this site, with China specifically being this blog.
So, if you like China, stay tuned-- And boycott pop up ads.
:) Read more!
24 July 2006
Pearl Jam
I have been back in the country for exactly two weeks and I already have my first show completed. Last night, Pearl Jam played at the Gorge, in beautiful George, Washington. (See my previous posting on the Gorge).
2006-07-23
George
Washington
Gorge Amphitheatre
Download
Set 1
Severed Hand, Corduroy, World Wide Suicide, Gods' Dice, Animal, Do The Evolution, In Hiding, Green Disease, Even Flow, Marker In The Sand, Wasted Reprise, Better Man/(Save it for Later), Army Reserve, Garden, Rats, Whipping, Jeremy, Why Go
Encore 1
I Won't Back Down, Life Wasted, Big Wave, Satan's Bed, Spin The Black Circle, Alive
Encore 2
Given To Fly, Little Wing, Crazy Mary, Comatose, Fuckin' Up, Yellow Ledbetter
I will have to admit that from the excitement that had been building over the last couple weeks of the potential of going to the shows that I was slightly dissapointed by the overall experience.
Its not that I didn't like the show, but I have seen Pearl Jam in much better form. Several factors I think heightened this issue, the top factor being the overall heat at the Gorge. Upon our arrival at the gorge, it was well over 100 and didnt really cool down until nearly the end of the show.
Another major factor is that lawn seats just suck for a band like that. Part of the fun in seeing a Pearl Jam show is watching Eddie do his thing. Have a chance to see what hes thinking and doing.
The thing about Pearl Jam that I liked the most is they are near perfection on most of their songs and Eddies vocals don't sound much differently than they did more than a decade ago when 10 was first released.
Finally, lets face it. Seattle has this great, wonderful music scene, but the crowds suck here. There, I said it.
People just don't know how to really let loose at shows here. During Alive, there was not one crowd rider-- Hello? Its the song that really brought the concept of crowd riding into shows. There is nothing like floating through the air as Eddie shouts, "You're still ALIVE!!!"
but the fans last night, we clearly not as Alive as the song would like them to be.
Enviroment is a major factor is concerts and the Gorge just doesn't hold the magic that a solid indoor venue awards you. There are bands that are simply spectacular at the Gorge, like Dave Matthews, but Pearl Jam is all about the Arena rock sound. They would be much better playing a week straight at the Paramount in Seattle than three days at the Gorge.
I will post pics later. Read more!
2006-07-23
George
Washington
Gorge Amphitheatre
Download
Set 1
Severed Hand, Corduroy, World Wide Suicide, Gods' Dice, Animal, Do The Evolution, In Hiding, Green Disease, Even Flow, Marker In The Sand, Wasted Reprise, Better Man/(Save it for Later), Army Reserve, Garden, Rats, Whipping, Jeremy, Why Go
Encore 1
I Won't Back Down, Life Wasted, Big Wave, Satan's Bed, Spin The Black Circle, Alive
Encore 2
Given To Fly, Little Wing, Crazy Mary, Comatose, Fuckin' Up, Yellow Ledbetter
I will have to admit that from the excitement that had been building over the last couple weeks of the potential of going to the shows that I was slightly dissapointed by the overall experience.
Its not that I didn't like the show, but I have seen Pearl Jam in much better form. Several factors I think heightened this issue, the top factor being the overall heat at the Gorge. Upon our arrival at the gorge, it was well over 100 and didnt really cool down until nearly the end of the show.
Another major factor is that lawn seats just suck for a band like that. Part of the fun in seeing a Pearl Jam show is watching Eddie do his thing. Have a chance to see what hes thinking and doing.
The thing about Pearl Jam that I liked the most is they are near perfection on most of their songs and Eddies vocals don't sound much differently than they did more than a decade ago when 10 was first released.
Finally, lets face it. Seattle has this great, wonderful music scene, but the crowds suck here. There, I said it.
People just don't know how to really let loose at shows here. During Alive, there was not one crowd rider-- Hello? Its the song that really brought the concept of crowd riding into shows. There is nothing like floating through the air as Eddie shouts, "You're still ALIVE!!!"
but the fans last night, we clearly not as Alive as the song would like them to be.
Enviroment is a major factor is concerts and the Gorge just doesn't hold the magic that a solid indoor venue awards you. There are bands that are simply spectacular at the Gorge, like Dave Matthews, but Pearl Jam is all about the Arena rock sound. They would be much better playing a week straight at the Paramount in Seattle than three days at the Gorge.
I will post pics later. Read more!
The gorge is a funny place.
I remember going there a decade ago and it was this cool little venue in Eastern Washington. Over the years, I have seen it decline significantly with all of the different rules and policies it produces for the sole purpose of getting more revenue out of the concert goers.
Camping is probably the biggest offender. In the old days it simply used to a first come, first served camping situation and it was reasonable. Now, you can buy the tickets directly from ticketmonster and its expensive. A camping pass is over 30 bucks now for every night and most of the people that camp there do it loudly.
But this year, the other problems seem to have slightly corrected themselves. Last night at Pearl Jam, they allowed cameras and water to be brought it without any problem and there not police everywhere you looked.
Perhaps the gorge is learning that a few small changes might make people that the commute a little more often. Perhaps, I was just lucky and got some of the friendly people. Read more!
I remember going there a decade ago and it was this cool little venue in Eastern Washington. Over the years, I have seen it decline significantly with all of the different rules and policies it produces for the sole purpose of getting more revenue out of the concert goers.
Camping is probably the biggest offender. In the old days it simply used to a first come, first served camping situation and it was reasonable. Now, you can buy the tickets directly from ticketmonster and its expensive. A camping pass is over 30 bucks now for every night and most of the people that camp there do it loudly.
But this year, the other problems seem to have slightly corrected themselves. Last night at Pearl Jam, they allowed cameras and water to be brought it without any problem and there not police everywhere you looked.
Perhaps the gorge is learning that a few small changes might make people that the commute a little more often. Perhaps, I was just lucky and got some of the friendly people. Read more!
23 July 2006
Chenzhou Floods
Chenzhou Floods
Some terrible news has been coming in from my students. It seems that Chenzhou has been hit the hardest out of all of the provinces from the latest tropical storm. The details are sketchy right now, but it seems that the Chenzhou river overflowed and left a slick of sludge throughout the city. The rains were incessant and there were not many causualities in the city, the local townships and countryside seem to have massive caualities. I am trying to get word from my students about the flood, but they have been too responsive about it yet. Seems to be lucky that I got out of there when I did.
I will try to keep information updated as soon as I find out about it.... Read more!
Some terrible news has been coming in from my students. It seems that Chenzhou has been hit the hardest out of all of the provinces from the latest tropical storm. The details are sketchy right now, but it seems that the Chenzhou river overflowed and left a slick of sludge throughout the city. The rains were incessant and there were not many causualities in the city, the local townships and countryside seem to have massive caualities. I am trying to get word from my students about the flood, but they have been too responsive about it yet. Seems to be lucky that I got out of there when I did.
I will try to keep information updated as soon as I find out about it.... Read more!
14 July 2006
Getting back into the swing of things in Seattle can be a little harrowing. Just a week ago from today I was travelling from Chenzhou to Guangzhou to catch a plane back home. I have been home for a week and I am already thinking about what my next move is going to be. Basically, there are two options. The first is to pack my things up again and travel to Seoul, South Korea and become a teacher, again. The other is with Microsoft. At this point, I am attempting to keep myself excited about the Microsoft gig because it seems that I will get the offer any day.
I am currently working on going through the blog and taking notes as I am writing what might be the book version of my work. I will post bits of information from time to time concerning this, so please keep dialed in.
In the event that I do actually go to Korea, I will certainly post information on this site concerning that information. Read more!
I am currently working on going through the blog and taking notes as I am writing what might be the book version of my work. I will post bits of information from time to time concerning this, so please keep dialed in.
In the event that I do actually go to Korea, I will certainly post information on this site concerning that information. Read more!
10 July 2006
Seattle
Ahhh, its feels nice to be back on American soil once again.
Although it is difficult to say how long I will remain here. Already my thoughts are on the next move, which is looking more and more like it will be Korea. There is a big possibility of a job opening up at Microsoft, but if they don't manage to get things moving by the end of the week than I think I will more than likely just sign this contract and go to Korea for a year because it sounds like a nice job and pays well and I think another year out of the country will do me some good.
I can't say that I am overly impressed with being back--the food is nice and the weather is good, but its pretty much the same that it always here in Seattle and that is not such a good thing. After being through a year of such dynamice changes, it is hard to come back here and see that things are pretty much in the same realm as they always were before.
The thing that I keep thinking is that if things haven't really changed in a year, then its not going to be any different in another year.
Anyway, just a brief note to say hello and that all seems to be pretty status quo.
More later... Read more!
Although it is difficult to say how long I will remain here. Already my thoughts are on the next move, which is looking more and more like it will be Korea. There is a big possibility of a job opening up at Microsoft, but if they don't manage to get things moving by the end of the week than I think I will more than likely just sign this contract and go to Korea for a year because it sounds like a nice job and pays well and I think another year out of the country will do me some good.
I can't say that I am overly impressed with being back--the food is nice and the weather is good, but its pretty much the same that it always here in Seattle and that is not such a good thing. After being through a year of such dynamice changes, it is hard to come back here and see that things are pretty much in the same realm as they always were before.
The thing that I keep thinking is that if things haven't really changed in a year, then its not going to be any different in another year.
Anyway, just a brief note to say hello and that all seems to be pretty status quo.
More later... Read more!
06 July 2006
Goodbye Chenzhou
5:08am
It is with mixed emotions that I write what will more than likely be my final blog entry in China. At about 2:30pm Beijing Standard time, I will leave Chenzhou for the last time in my career as a teacher here and head to Guangzhou for my last night in China. At about 830 tommorow morning, I will board Northwest Airlines to Tokyo and then to Seattle, arriving 15 minutes later at 8:45am. It will be the longest 15 minutes of my life.
The last week has been quite bittersweet as the days ticked by at an alarming rate. I watched the time pass before me as I sat and attempted to grade papers and spend time with Lili while she was here. We attempted to plot a course for the future, but only time will tell where we end up.
For now, my eye is focused on getting everything packed up that I have aquired in my year here in China and trying to get it back to America as cheaply as possible. I have not made a lot of money while I have been here, but I have tried to transfer the funds that I did make into things that will help me in remembering the parts of this trip that I really enjoyed.
The Chinese experience is a mixed bag of emotions and I find that any journey is always much more worthwhile if you live close to the edge. My time here has been both the best and the worst of times, but as I come to the end of this road, the most fond memories are what shines.
The part that is unfortunate is that most of the people who I really care for I will never see them again and they will probably never see this blog or any of the stories that I write about them because above it all, China is a closed society that appears to be opening up to the world, but its a seemingly long ways away from the freedoms that we Americans enjoy each and every day.
I have all but accepted another position as a teacher just outside of Seoul, so if everything goes according to plan, I will be in Seattle for about two or three weeks and then it will be off to Korea for another year of teaching. Teaching for the next year is more of a ways to meet an end before coming back to the states and considering what the next move is going to be. When it came down to looking for a position, the Korean transaction was simple. Its amazing how tiresome it gets to send out resume and cover letter after cover letter and not get any response whatsoever. In Korea, there will be good money and a neutral, new ground for Lili and I to explore together. So, hopefully it will all work out.
But for now, the next 24 hours are going to be about completing the final journey in one of the few places on earth that something as simple as catching a flight can somehow become an adventure. The journey itself will be long--4 hours to Guangzhou, 3 hours to check in before the flight and then 24 hours of travel before arriving back in latteland.
And man am I excited to come home. Real coffee, real beer, real food. Salmon, halibut, burgers, steaks, friends, new kids, etc...
Goodbye Chenzhou, I'm leaving today.... Read more!
It is with mixed emotions that I write what will more than likely be my final blog entry in China. At about 2:30pm Beijing Standard time, I will leave Chenzhou for the last time in my career as a teacher here and head to Guangzhou for my last night in China. At about 830 tommorow morning, I will board Northwest Airlines to Tokyo and then to Seattle, arriving 15 minutes later at 8:45am. It will be the longest 15 minutes of my life.
The last week has been quite bittersweet as the days ticked by at an alarming rate. I watched the time pass before me as I sat and attempted to grade papers and spend time with Lili while she was here. We attempted to plot a course for the future, but only time will tell where we end up.
For now, my eye is focused on getting everything packed up that I have aquired in my year here in China and trying to get it back to America as cheaply as possible. I have not made a lot of money while I have been here, but I have tried to transfer the funds that I did make into things that will help me in remembering the parts of this trip that I really enjoyed.
The Chinese experience is a mixed bag of emotions and I find that any journey is always much more worthwhile if you live close to the edge. My time here has been both the best and the worst of times, but as I come to the end of this road, the most fond memories are what shines.
The part that is unfortunate is that most of the people who I really care for I will never see them again and they will probably never see this blog or any of the stories that I write about them because above it all, China is a closed society that appears to be opening up to the world, but its a seemingly long ways away from the freedoms that we Americans enjoy each and every day.
I have all but accepted another position as a teacher just outside of Seoul, so if everything goes according to plan, I will be in Seattle for about two or three weeks and then it will be off to Korea for another year of teaching. Teaching for the next year is more of a ways to meet an end before coming back to the states and considering what the next move is going to be. When it came down to looking for a position, the Korean transaction was simple. Its amazing how tiresome it gets to send out resume and cover letter after cover letter and not get any response whatsoever. In Korea, there will be good money and a neutral, new ground for Lili and I to explore together. So, hopefully it will all work out.
But for now, the next 24 hours are going to be about completing the final journey in one of the few places on earth that something as simple as catching a flight can somehow become an adventure. The journey itself will be long--4 hours to Guangzhou, 3 hours to check in before the flight and then 24 hours of travel before arriving back in latteland.
And man am I excited to come home. Real coffee, real beer, real food. Salmon, halibut, burgers, steaks, friends, new kids, etc...
Goodbye Chenzhou, I'm leaving today.... Read more!
25 June 2006
Red China...
About the only true red that one tends to see anymore is the red eyes from the male dominated Bijuo dinners. China is no longer full of the reds as Americans once feared. No, the reds have been replaced by the almighty capitalists consumption and each time I visit a new city I see more and more of the same thing, rows and rows of shops selling horrible clothes at prices that these people cannot afford, and the shops are not full of the people that are briskly walking down all of the streets.. Lots of window shopping but so little of the real spending that one wonders how the shops actually manage to keep themselves in business.
Perhaps it is like this because of low overhead, but there seems to be something else totally amiss about the Chinese and their idea of socialism. It is just very difficult to quantify all of it together and come up with a valid theory.
Here is what is at issue
1. Most of the people in this country are dirt poor.
2. This system should work that everyone is taken care of, no matter what the cost because it is the People´s Republic.
3. The public officials that are supposed to be providing the services for the people are not poor, but they are driven around in Audi´s, Volkswagon´s and Mercedes.
4. The concept of the amarketplace is being driven out by the mall concept because the less than acceptable merchants are individuals, not corporation.
5. The use of propoganda to the people is of astronomical levels. The World Cup is the greatest example of this. Before the world cup, never any mention of soccer anywhere. The football pitch was usually empty. Now that World Cup fever is here on the tele, it is amazing to see just how these people act like they have enjoyed the sport for all of these years.
And there is more, but I must say good night... Hard to believe its one of my final days here in Hunan. Read more!
About the only true red that one tends to see anymore is the red eyes from the male dominated Bijuo dinners. China is no longer full of the reds as Americans once feared. No, the reds have been replaced by the almighty capitalists consumption and each time I visit a new city I see more and more of the same thing, rows and rows of shops selling horrible clothes at prices that these people cannot afford, and the shops are not full of the people that are briskly walking down all of the streets.. Lots of window shopping but so little of the real spending that one wonders how the shops actually manage to keep themselves in business.
Perhaps it is like this because of low overhead, but there seems to be something else totally amiss about the Chinese and their idea of socialism. It is just very difficult to quantify all of it together and come up with a valid theory.
Here is what is at issue
1. Most of the people in this country are dirt poor.
2. This system should work that everyone is taken care of, no matter what the cost because it is the People´s Republic.
3. The public officials that are supposed to be providing the services for the people are not poor, but they are driven around in Audi´s, Volkswagon´s and Mercedes.
4. The concept of the amarketplace is being driven out by the mall concept because the less than acceptable merchants are individuals, not corporation.
5. The use of propoganda to the people is of astronomical levels. The World Cup is the greatest example of this. Before the world cup, never any mention of soccer anywhere. The football pitch was usually empty. Now that World Cup fever is here on the tele, it is amazing to see just how these people act like they have enjoyed the sport for all of these years.
And there is more, but I must say good night... Hard to believe its one of my final days here in Hunan. Read more!
21 June 2006
Yes, these are Chinese people. The nicest ones, in my opinion. They are the merchants all around China and they are from Xiangjang province. They primarily do a lovely mutton stick BBQ, which I find to be quite lovely. 
This was taken late in the evening at outside one of the pubs following a world cup match.
Have you seen "A Life Aqautic?"
"He got the crazy eye!!!"
Ahhh, sob sob... The farewell banquet.
From the left,
Zhifeng Chen "Bob" Foreign Affairs Director
Mr. Chen Chair of the Communist Party and reigning Bijui Champion.
The Xiangnan University President
Timothy Hogg, ChenZhou Icon
The Xiangna University Vice President
Apple, Head of Another Department simillar to ours.
And the whole gang... Same as before, with Mr. Cable, or Cable Guy as I call him and some random woman I might know. Cable is my official boss and a really nice guy with a heart of gold. He would do quite well in America.
Read more!
This was taken late in the evening at outside one of the pubs following a world cup match.Have you seen "A Life Aqautic?"
"He got the crazy eye!!!"
Ahhh, sob sob... The farewell banquet.
From the left,
Zhifeng Chen "Bob" Foreign Affairs Director
Mr. Chen Chair of the Communist Party and reigning Bijui Champion.
The Xiangnan University President
Timothy Hogg, ChenZhou Icon
The Xiangna University Vice President
Apple, Head of Another Department simillar to ours.
And the whole gang... Same as before, with Mr. Cable, or Cable Guy as I call him and some random woman I might know. Cable is my official boss and a really nice guy with a heart of gold. He would do quite well in America.
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Sometimes change happens so quickly you it is difficult to have much reaction to it all. This week that transistion is certainly happenening to me. I am half way done with my first year of teaching and it seems unreal. The exams are going very well--the students are certainly surprising me with their views on literature and the class and I feel quite accomplished. Its a pretty amazing thing to see the change is people processing skills because of something that you have done for them. Before I began to teach these kids, they knew nothing of literature, they didnt know how to use the internet for anything but talking online and playing games and now, its different and you can see it in their writing and the way that they have prepared their exams. Most of the students have come into the class and have been really well prepared to take the exam.
This makes it more difficult to leave the campus.
Before, I think I was spacing myself from them, finding their faults in order to make it easier for me to just leave and go somewhere else. As the time comes nearer and nearer to come to a close, I begin to see that the reality is that I am going to miss this life.
The other side of the equation is that I am not sure what the next step is just yet. It is seeming more and more like it will be Korea to be the next opportunity, but I am still a little apprehensive about the teaching prospect again. There certainly are pluses and minuses to the teaching trade, I like the freedom of it. However, there is this nagging feeling within me to settle in and get a job doing something where I can establish tenure and benefits. Live the suburban life, just like most of you out there in la la land--but the reality is that it just doesn't seem to be in the cards right now.
I still do not have a plane ticket home yet--mostly because there are lots of options open and available to me at this point and I want to select the right one. A big concern is money, so I am trying to make some of that before I return to the states, even if it is for just a couple of weeks--the problem is that I have not made much in China and it is going to begin to matter very soon as I go back to a country where you need money just to survive.
I have the chance to teach at a couple of summer camps in China and make a little bit of money for a couple of weeks here and there and there is an opportunity to teach in Tianjin in July as well, which is where Lili is. At the end of July, we will head to Chengdu before she goes back to Germany and we figure out the next stages of our lives. Should be interesting.
We will be living together for most of July--in mostly her own enviroment, so it will be a good test to see what we have. Although I am a little apprehensive because I know that my mood in particular is going to be one of stress unless some things develop in the business end.
Regardless, the days are flying by and I find myself looking back at the end of the day wondering what I have actually accomplished and I realize that time has once again defeated my goals.
So it goes...
Read more!
This makes it more difficult to leave the campus.
Before, I think I was spacing myself from them, finding their faults in order to make it easier for me to just leave and go somewhere else. As the time comes nearer and nearer to come to a close, I begin to see that the reality is that I am going to miss this life.
The other side of the equation is that I am not sure what the next step is just yet. It is seeming more and more like it will be Korea to be the next opportunity, but I am still a little apprehensive about the teaching prospect again. There certainly are pluses and minuses to the teaching trade, I like the freedom of it. However, there is this nagging feeling within me to settle in and get a job doing something where I can establish tenure and benefits. Live the suburban life, just like most of you out there in la la land--but the reality is that it just doesn't seem to be in the cards right now.
I still do not have a plane ticket home yet--mostly because there are lots of options open and available to me at this point and I want to select the right one. A big concern is money, so I am trying to make some of that before I return to the states, even if it is for just a couple of weeks--the problem is that I have not made much in China and it is going to begin to matter very soon as I go back to a country where you need money just to survive.
I have the chance to teach at a couple of summer camps in China and make a little bit of money for a couple of weeks here and there and there is an opportunity to teach in Tianjin in July as well, which is where Lili is. At the end of July, we will head to Chengdu before she goes back to Germany and we figure out the next stages of our lives. Should be interesting.
We will be living together for most of July--in mostly her own enviroment, so it will be a good test to see what we have. Although I am a little apprehensive because I know that my mood in particular is going to be one of stress unless some things develop in the business end.
Regardless, the days are flying by and I find myself looking back at the end of the day wondering what I have actually accomplished and I realize that time has once again defeated my goals.
So it goes...
Read more!
10 June 2006
World Cup 2006
World Cup Opening Night in Chenzhou... Where Chris and I were the two celebrities of the night. We were invited for what turned out to be a very nice meal in one of the main hotels and then taken to a new club that was decked out for the event. We painted our faces for the event and were told that we could drink for free the entire night.
No Problem!!!
However I have realized that Free Drin
ks is more costly than paying for your drinks as I discovered the next morning when I woke up with a spliting headache from the previous evenings events.
Last night we watched the games at McDonalds, who are one of the main sponsers of the event and we were invited to go and watch the game for free food and since there was no way I was going to drink, it turned out to be a nice event.
This shot is me practicing my Karate moves with a kid that kept coming over to our table and practicing the four english phrases he knew. It was pretty hilarious.
This is me, about three hours before the opening match, still doing ok.
The opening cheers before the opening ceremony. Typical of the Chinese, the television station was showing some chinese sing-along when the opening ceremony began, so we missed the opening of it and then the pub turned it off so that we could play some dumb ass game. I had a belly full of beer, otherwise I would have complained.
Here I am, teaching them what little Football chants I know. What a jokeshow.
Read more!
No Problem!!!
However I have realized that Free Drin
ks is more costly than paying for your drinks as I discovered the next morning when I woke up with a spliting headache from the previous evenings events. Last night we watched the games at McDonalds, who are one of the main sponsers of the event and we were invited to go and watch the game for free food and since there was no way I was going to drink, it turned out to be a nice event.
This shot is me practicing my Karate moves with a kid that kept coming over to our table and practicing the four english phrases he knew. It was pretty hilarious.
This is me, about three hours before the opening match, still doing ok.
The opening cheers before the opening ceremony. Typical of the Chinese, the television station was showing some chinese sing-along when the opening ceremony began, so we missed the opening of it and then the pub turned it off so that we could play some dumb ass game. I had a belly full of beer, otherwise I would have complained.
Here I am, teaching them what little Football chants I know. What a jokeshow.
Read more!
China bans DaVinci
CNN) -- The government of China has decided to put a halt to the runaway success of "The DaVinci Code," pulling the high-grossing thriller from all of the country's movie theaters, according to the film's distributor, Sony Pictures.
Jeff Blake, who runs Sony's worldwide marketing and distribution division, said he received word late Wednesday from distributor China Films about the government's decision.
The controversial picture, based on the best selling fiction novel by Dan Brown, deals with sensitive issues about the story of Jesus and the Catholic Church and has raised the ire of Christian groups worldwide.
"We're really pleased that we had the opportunity to exhibit 'The DaVinci Code' for wide release in China and that it enjoyed three weeks of tremendous success," Blake told CNN.
"We're obviously disappointed by this decision ... We were not informed as to why the film was pulled," Blake added.
Maoming Chu, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said that he was not aware that the film had been banned in his country and had no comment from his government.
Though its run was stunted, "The DaVinci Code" enjoyed a remarkable run in China, grossing over $13 million. According to Blake, it was one of the top four grossing Hollywood films ever to be released in China. "Titanic" is the number one all time grossing Hollywood film ever to be featured in the country.
China allows, on average, fewer than 20 foreign films to be released in the country each year. Sony Pictures said "The DaVinci Code" release was the largest ever in the country and was highly uncommon in that Chinese authorities allowed the film to debut in such wide release on May 19, the same date the film opened worldwide.
Richard Malish, an associate in Allen & Overy LLP's China Group who has advised clients on media investments in China, said he believed that Beijing's concern was two-fold.
"The Chinese historically have been concerned with those sensitive foreign influences that fall under the banner of 'cultural pollution'," Malish said.
"This concern has, on occasion, extended to foreign religious practice. There has also been a recent tightening of controls on foreign media and domestic investment by foreign companies, which is driven largely by political concerns."
He added, "'The DaVinci Code' is not the first movie I would expect to pass the censors, and I think the real story is that that the movie made it to the screens at all."
Blake said that he did not expect Chinese authorities to give a reason for their decision.
"We'll wait and see what happens, but we don't expect the opportunity to appeal to the government of China," Blake said. "We've accepted the decision with disappointment."
Read more!08 June 2006
Ooooh, Bush must be sooo happy.
Another one of those terrorists are dead... One per year--not bad for the arsenal of weapons, technology and manpower used in the years following 911 to capture the "evil doers". I would like to see what the cost is in order to carry out such a mission.
How many people have died and been wounded for such a victory?
Lets hear how the republicans celebrate their accomplishments!!! Hooray!!! What a victory!!!
Excuse me while my lunch comes up. Read more!
Another one of those terrorists are dead... One per year--not bad for the arsenal of weapons, technology and manpower used in the years following 911 to capture the "evil doers". I would like to see what the cost is in order to carry out such a mission.
How many people have died and been wounded for such a victory?
Lets hear how the republicans celebrate their accomplishments!!! Hooray!!! What a victory!!!
Excuse me while my lunch comes up. Read more!
Decisions, Decisions...
and now, the stress begins.
For the last year, time has been a strange thing. At times, it couldn't click by fast enough, the days dragged on and on, while at other times the days seemed to just fade into the afterlight of memory faster than you could record them.
Every day now gets me closer and closer to the moment when I will finally leave my residency in China and head back to the states for an undetermined amount of time. My ticket has yet to be purchased, my bags are still in a dark corner, waiting...
I expect to book my flight next weekend. I am still waiting to see exactly what is going to happen with the next month--so many variables that I am hoping to make something happen by the end of the week.
We unoffically finish our instruction at the end of the month--and I will be permitted to give my final exams a week early, so that I can spend the correct amount of time grading and marking them and be done by the end of the month. At that time, I will be free to travel. I will more than likely go up to tianjin and stay with Lili for an extended period of time--maybe as long as a month. The time is really going to depend on several different factors, all financially based. I am in a slight pinch financially, so I am looking to possibly teach in a few different summer camps for some extra cash, even though the work is tedious, it will give me a good opportunity to see some other places in China that are still on the list and possibly put enough away to either go home with or go to Tibet--which has always been a dream of mine to do.
--Seems such a shame to not be able to go to Tibet and be this close to it... But we all must live on what we can afford mustn't we?
--Doesnt seem to american to do it, credit credit credit.... but sorry sir, your card appears to be cancelled...
So, it will have to wait until that moment where the American nightmare turns into the American dream... but by then the Chinese will have made Tibet into a giant disneyland and there is no need.
But anyway...
So it goes..
In a couple of months I will be back in American, servicing my debt, just like every other American and Tibet will be a world away and not my neighbor, but none of that really matters does it? Its all perspective.
So, I might have to take a couple of weeks of basically babysitting highschool kids in order to have some pocket money when I come back stateside and hunt down that job that I will need in order to connect the dots together that might put a life together for me. But, I have a lot to do in the next year it would seem--and all the pieces and the dots need to fit nicely together for it all to work...
Lili wants to come to the states and we want to see what happens. It would seem that part of my life is fixed and settled nicely, but all of the shit around it---that is what I must be mindful of...
So, in case you can't understand my hoggspeak, here is the scenerio...
End of June, finished with teaching as Xiangnan University...
July-Not sure
Option #1-Go To Tianjin and live in a dorm for about 5usd a night.
Possibly work in Tianjin for about 12.00 an hour *decent cash* but its not set in stone. There are two options that are in the distant realm of possible.
Work my arse off until about July 18th and head to Chengdu and fly to Tibet for a week.
Tibet, total cost, will be about 500usd, but it would be some of the best experiences I could ever have. So tempting...
Option #2
Go to Tianjin for a week and come back to Chenzhou and teach kids at summer camp for two weeks. Eeeek out a little cash and meet lily around the 21st when she comes back from the Tibet where I wanted to go. Hang out in Chengdu and listen to their stories.
Hang out with her until the end of July and head off to Xian and teach more kids to speak English for another two weeks--get on a flight and head back to Seattle.
Option #3
Head to Tianjin for a few weeks and job search. No job surfaces and I wait for Lili to finish her classes and then debate travelling. Most of this will be directly related to how much money I have.
Regardless of it all, I am coming back to the states for at least two weeks sometime between mid July and mid Aug. Seems fine. If the offer comes to go to Korea, I will more than likely pick up my things and go for another year. In Korea, there will not be a money issue as much as the one here because they are developed and civilized, so I am told.
So, a lot on my mind these days my friends... But in the end, it should all be okay...? At least thats what we hope for... Read more!
For the last year, time has been a strange thing. At times, it couldn't click by fast enough, the days dragged on and on, while at other times the days seemed to just fade into the afterlight of memory faster than you could record them.
Every day now gets me closer and closer to the moment when I will finally leave my residency in China and head back to the states for an undetermined amount of time. My ticket has yet to be purchased, my bags are still in a dark corner, waiting...
I expect to book my flight next weekend. I am still waiting to see exactly what is going to happen with the next month--so many variables that I am hoping to make something happen by the end of the week.
We unoffically finish our instruction at the end of the month--and I will be permitted to give my final exams a week early, so that I can spend the correct amount of time grading and marking them and be done by the end of the month. At that time, I will be free to travel. I will more than likely go up to tianjin and stay with Lili for an extended period of time--maybe as long as a month. The time is really going to depend on several different factors, all financially based. I am in a slight pinch financially, so I am looking to possibly teach in a few different summer camps for some extra cash, even though the work is tedious, it will give me a good opportunity to see some other places in China that are still on the list and possibly put enough away to either go home with or go to Tibet--which has always been a dream of mine to do.
--Seems such a shame to not be able to go to Tibet and be this close to it... But we all must live on what we can afford mustn't we?
--Doesnt seem to american to do it, credit credit credit.... but sorry sir, your card appears to be cancelled...
So, it will have to wait until that moment where the American nightmare turns into the American dream... but by then the Chinese will have made Tibet into a giant disneyland and there is no need.
But anyway...
So it goes..
In a couple of months I will be back in American, servicing my debt, just like every other American and Tibet will be a world away and not my neighbor, but none of that really matters does it? Its all perspective.
So, I might have to take a couple of weeks of basically babysitting highschool kids in order to have some pocket money when I come back stateside and hunt down that job that I will need in order to connect the dots together that might put a life together for me. But, I have a lot to do in the next year it would seem--and all the pieces and the dots need to fit nicely together for it all to work...
Lili wants to come to the states and we want to see what happens. It would seem that part of my life is fixed and settled nicely, but all of the shit around it---that is what I must be mindful of...
So, in case you can't understand my hoggspeak, here is the scenerio...
End of June, finished with teaching as Xiangnan University...
July-Not sure
Option #1-Go To Tianjin and live in a dorm for about 5usd a night.
Possibly work in Tianjin for about 12.00 an hour *decent cash* but its not set in stone. There are two options that are in the distant realm of possible.
Work my arse off until about July 18th and head to Chengdu and fly to Tibet for a week.
Tibet, total cost, will be about 500usd, but it would be some of the best experiences I could ever have. So tempting...
Option #2
Go to Tianjin for a week and come back to Chenzhou and teach kids at summer camp for two weeks. Eeeek out a little cash and meet lily around the 21st when she comes back from the Tibet where I wanted to go. Hang out in Chengdu and listen to their stories.
Hang out with her until the end of July and head off to Xian and teach more kids to speak English for another two weeks--get on a flight and head back to Seattle.
Option #3
Head to Tianjin for a few weeks and job search. No job surfaces and I wait for Lili to finish her classes and then debate travelling. Most of this will be directly related to how much money I have.
Regardless of it all, I am coming back to the states for at least two weeks sometime between mid July and mid Aug. Seems fine. If the offer comes to go to Korea, I will more than likely pick up my things and go for another year. In Korea, there will not be a money issue as much as the one here because they are developed and civilized, so I am told.
So, a lot on my mind these days my friends... But in the end, it should all be okay...? At least thats what we hope for... Read more!
04 June 2006
Shots from the Summer Palace, Beijing. Another giant park in Beijing that the Chinese are repainting and restoring for the Beijing Olympics. Everything looks nice, but I, as a history buff, prefer the theory of preventative restoration as opposed to this kind of restoring the buildings. But it makes for some beautiful shots.
More on this later.
For now, enjoy the pictures. I have two more weeks of teaching in China and then it will be time to make some decisions about where I will be going next. The intention of the latest trip to Beijing and Tianjin was meant to talk with Lili and see where we stood and where we wanted to go--but the usual complications are going to come into play--mostly money.
I will be talking a lot about this in the coming weeks, so no need to bore you with it now.
:)
Read more!
For now, enjoy the pictures. I have two more weeks of teaching in China and then it will be time to make some decisions about where I will be going next. The intention of the latest trip to Beijing and Tianjin was meant to talk with Lili and see where we stood and where we wanted to go--but the usual complications are going to come into play--mostly money.
I will be talking a lot about this in the coming weeks, so no need to bore you with it now.
:)
Read more!
The Summer Palace, Beijing.
This next sequence of photos were taken last weekend from the Summer Palace, in the North End of Beijing. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places in China. As usual it is impressive in its total size.
I am at a loss as to where to even begin describing the scale of the project. It was mostly costructed during the Ming and Qing dynasties and was used by the royal court to escape the heat and humidity and winds of the Beijing summers. When the movement occured from the Forbidden City, it was quite the adventure and most of the royal court--the Emporer and all of his Concubines (more than 3,000 of them at the height of his decadence) would be moved by the eunich servants who would load them into their lavish caravans and carry them on their backs to the Palaces which they resided in, which took weeks.
I couldn't help but think what the Emporer and all of his people would think about it now if they saw all of these people touring their little summer getaway. (Not to mention what they must have felt when the British and the French invaded it and robbed it blind during colonization).
You will see a lot of temple dogs--as it is one of my many obsessions. This, is one such creation that you find in the forbidden city as well. It was really difficult to take a picture of it without a Chinese standing in front of it. Chinese people can not take a picture without being in it all the time. Its simply amazing, but I have never seen them simply take a picture to see whatever it is that they are looking at.
Read more!
I am at a loss as to where to even begin describing the scale of the project. It was mostly costructed during the Ming and Qing dynasties and was used by the royal court to escape the heat and humidity and winds of the Beijing summers. When the movement occured from the Forbidden City, it was quite the adventure and most of the royal court--the Emporer and all of his Concubines (more than 3,000 of them at the height of his decadence) would be moved by the eunich servants who would load them into their lavish caravans and carry them on their backs to the Palaces which they resided in, which took weeks.
I couldn't help but think what the Emporer and all of his people would think about it now if they saw all of these people touring their little summer getaway. (Not to mention what they must have felt when the British and the French invaded it and robbed it blind during colonization).
You will see a lot of temple dogs--as it is one of my many obsessions. This, is one such creation that you find in the forbidden city as well. It was really difficult to take a picture of it without a Chinese standing in front of it. Chinese people can not take a picture without being in it all the time. Its simply amazing, but I have never seen them simply take a picture to see whatever it is that they are looking at.
Read more!
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