After almost two years in China, I've become mostly immune to an awful lot of things that would have offended me prior to my arrival. The rampant "me-first" attitude when it comes to driving, riding the subway, and queue-jumping, for example, no longer phase me. Besides, I've never had what could be described as "delicate sensibilities" anyway. But these things are small potatoes compared to the subject matter of the title link of this post. These "black jails" have existed for years,and I'm sure you'll find them as abhorrent as I do regardless of your personal level of tolerance. If you read the original post's comments, you'll see that Chinese citizens are equally outraged at this particular example of Chinese local government abuse.
I've read numerous testimonials, and have even witnessed for myself, how the government makes liberal use of hired thugs for a variety of purposes. Apparently they play an important role in the operation of these "black jails" as well.
At least a couple of times in the past, I've expressed my my concern that this blog contains more complaints and criticism than I would like, since much of my experience here has been quite positive. But when I encounter something this vile, I think it's only right to make more people aware of it.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
My Olympic Moment
I appear to be the only remaining individual who had occasion to set foot in the Olympic Green while the Games were going on and have not yet blogged about it. Without further ado, then, here was my experience at the 2008 Olympic Games.
First, I sincerely regret not seeing or doing more than I did. As it is, I attended only one event. It wasn’t to see Phelps get his eighth, nor his first through seventh. It wasn’t to see the Redeem Team. It wasn’t to see any of the fantastic gymnastic performances. No, I watched all of those on TV, just like the rest of the world outside of Beijing. What Jade and I attended in person was the men’s marathon, on the last day of the Games. I challenge you to name any event that is less spectator-friendly than the marathon. The runners start and finish inside the stadium, but the rest of the course was on the streets of Beijing. That leaves spectators watching a big TV screen inside the stadium, which, as I said, is something I’d already been doing plenty of from home.
That’s not to say that it wasn’t worth our bother. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The race was a bit over two hours, but we were treated to various performances during that period. (It wasn’t the wú shù tournament that I had been expecting and in fact had been looking forward to more than the marathon. I still don’t know where the signals got crossed that we missed those.) This entertainment alone was absolutely worth seeing; it wasn’t as if we were just sitting there with our thumbs up our butts waiting for the runners to return. Just being in the Bird’s Nest, for an Olympic event, was a thrill in itself; in fact every time I thought about where I was I felt a fresh tingle of exhilaration.
It was when the leading runner appeared and began his victory lap before crossing the finish line that we along with everyone else in the Bird’s Nest realized that witnessing an Olympic race is really a once in a lifetime experience, for most people at least. The winner was from Kenya; I’m sure very few in the stadium had a personal reason for cheering, but I have never heard such a roar from a crowd when he appeared. Jade pointed out the goose bumps on her arm. It was genuinely exciting and thrilling to be there. And, just in case there was anyone left who wondered why they bothered to attend the marathon, the 3rd place runner managed to pass the guy ahead of him with a half lap to go—they’d run 26 miles but we still got to see this amazing finish in the last 200 meters. I think all three medalists also beat the previous Olympic record time, to boot.
So, it was great. Like I said, it really made me regret not attending more events. I had understood that it was next to impossible to get tickets, and that a scalp-proof system was in place, and therefore really didn’t even try. But it turns out that wasn’t the case. They were readily available, from many sources, as well as right outside the Olympic Village entrances. If I had done my homework, perhaps I could be bragging about some of the memorable moments that the whole world will remember. But, I will always remember my marathon moment, even if very few who weren’t there to see it themselves will.
First, I sincerely regret not seeing or doing more than I did. As it is, I attended only one event. It wasn’t to see Phelps get his eighth, nor his first through seventh. It wasn’t to see the Redeem Team. It wasn’t to see any of the fantastic gymnastic performances. No, I watched all of those on TV, just like the rest of the world outside of Beijing. What Jade and I attended in person was the men’s marathon, on the last day of the Games. I challenge you to name any event that is less spectator-friendly than the marathon. The runners start and finish inside the stadium, but the rest of the course was on the streets of Beijing. That leaves spectators watching a big TV screen inside the stadium, which, as I said, is something I’d already been doing plenty of from home.
That’s not to say that it wasn’t worth our bother. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The race was a bit over two hours, but we were treated to various performances during that period. (It wasn’t the wú shù tournament that I had been expecting and in fact had been looking forward to more than the marathon. I still don’t know where the signals got crossed that we missed those.) This entertainment alone was absolutely worth seeing; it wasn’t as if we were just sitting there with our thumbs up our butts waiting for the runners to return. Just being in the Bird’s Nest, for an Olympic event, was a thrill in itself; in fact every time I thought about where I was I felt a fresh tingle of exhilaration.
It was when the leading runner appeared and began his victory lap before crossing the finish line that we along with everyone else in the Bird’s Nest realized that witnessing an Olympic race is really a once in a lifetime experience, for most people at least. The winner was from Kenya; I’m sure very few in the stadium had a personal reason for cheering, but I have never heard such a roar from a crowd when he appeared. Jade pointed out the goose bumps on her arm. It was genuinely exciting and thrilling to be there. And, just in case there was anyone left who wondered why they bothered to attend the marathon, the 3rd place runner managed to pass the guy ahead of him with a half lap to go—they’d run 26 miles but we still got to see this amazing finish in the last 200 meters. I think all three medalists also beat the previous Olympic record time, to boot.
So, it was great. Like I said, it really made me regret not attending more events. I had understood that it was next to impossible to get tickets, and that a scalp-proof system was in place, and therefore really didn’t even try. But it turns out that wasn’t the case. They were readily available, from many sources, as well as right outside the Olympic Village entrances. If I had done my homework, perhaps I could be bragging about some of the memorable moments that the whole world will remember. But, I will always remember my marathon moment, even if very few who weren’t there to see it themselves will.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Hey, I just heard the Olympics were in town!
Actually, of course, the Olympics has been the biggest thing to hit this city since Ghenghis Khan, and the hype has been overwhelming from the day I arrived. I didn't try very hard to get tickets through the standard channels because I figured they'd be easy enough to come by. Unfortunately, I was wrong. All tickets are registered by name, so you can't just show up at the Bird's Nest with any old tix and expect to get in. It's a good and necessary anti-scalping measure, but sadly it's screwed my chance to see Phelps or the Redeem Team or the beach volleyball hotties.
The CCP has done more and spent more to prepare for the big event than any other city ever has, by far. So far things are going pretty smoothly. Traffic is actually much better than normal, because car owners with odd- and even-numbered license plates have to alternate days they are allowed on the road. I actually wouldn't mind it terribly if this was made permanent, although I don't think that will happen.
A lofty promise of blue skies and no rain has, of course, already been broken. Despite a daily fusillade of silver oxide rockets being shot at clouds, less traffic, and mandatory closure of hundreds of factories, the smog is still impossible to miss. It's a little better than usual, to be sure, but pollution is one of several things that, despite their best efforts, the CCP has been unable to sweep under the carpet.
The government's chronic fear of openness is a bit at odds with the whole idea of hosting the Olympics, and the Olympics itself, and because of that they've actually shot themselves in the foot. Restrictions on visas suddenly began to tighten without warning in June, and continued to tighten all the way up to the Opening Ceremonies. Even many expats living here were unable to get their visas renewed. Personally, I had to spend 10 days in Macau and Hong Kong getting mine updated, and let me tell you, it was a bitch to get it done. What an ordeal. Needless to say, many potential Olympics visitors who experienced the same difficulties simply decided to forgo the trip. As a result, the thousands of businesses here who have looked forward to a month of huge profit--hotels, retailers, restaurants, etc.--instead will lose the investment they have made preparing. The number of tourists this summer is actually expected to be lower than it was last year, in fact. It's really a shame.
Anyway, while it looks like I won't be able to experience an Olympic event in person, I will have the opportunity to go to the Bird's nest on the 24th, just a couple of days after the Olympics. There's some kind of children's kung fu performance that I've been invited to. No gold medals, but I'm looking forward to it.
The CCP has done more and spent more to prepare for the big event than any other city ever has, by far. So far things are going pretty smoothly. Traffic is actually much better than normal, because car owners with odd- and even-numbered license plates have to alternate days they are allowed on the road. I actually wouldn't mind it terribly if this was made permanent, although I don't think that will happen.
A lofty promise of blue skies and no rain has, of course, already been broken. Despite a daily fusillade of silver oxide rockets being shot at clouds, less traffic, and mandatory closure of hundreds of factories, the smog is still impossible to miss. It's a little better than usual, to be sure, but pollution is one of several things that, despite their best efforts, the CCP has been unable to sweep under the carpet.
The government's chronic fear of openness is a bit at odds with the whole idea of hosting the Olympics, and the Olympics itself, and because of that they've actually shot themselves in the foot. Restrictions on visas suddenly began to tighten without warning in June, and continued to tighten all the way up to the Opening Ceremonies. Even many expats living here were unable to get their visas renewed. Personally, I had to spend 10 days in Macau and Hong Kong getting mine updated, and let me tell you, it was a bitch to get it done. What an ordeal. Needless to say, many potential Olympics visitors who experienced the same difficulties simply decided to forgo the trip. As a result, the thousands of businesses here who have looked forward to a month of huge profit--hotels, retailers, restaurants, etc.--instead will lose the investment they have made preparing. The number of tourists this summer is actually expected to be lower than it was last year, in fact. It's really a shame.
Anyway, while it looks like I won't be able to experience an Olympic event in person, I will have the opportunity to go to the Bird's nest on the 24th, just a couple of days after the Olympics. There's some kind of children's kung fu performance that I've been invited to. No gold medals, but I'm looking forward to it.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated
Well, it's been a week short of a year since I last updated this thing. I know, I suck. As I mentioned a long long time ago, I began to worry about the increasing proportion of rants I found myself posting on the site. The blog was becoming something different than what I had originally intended. As a result, I became less and less enthusiastic about updating. Ergo, here we are a year later.
I've finally realized, though, that there's nothing wrong with the occasional rant. People gotta vent. So, I'm picking up again and I'm not gonna feel guilty anymore.
I actually became determined several weeks ago to renew my efforts, but once I did I had a hell of a time deciding where to begin. It wasn't writer's block; it was the opposite of that, whatever that is. So much has happened in these 51 weeks, so many huge and/or permanent changes, that I was at a loss to figure out what news deserved priority.
Frankly, I still can't decide. But rather than let my one year anniversary of non-posting come and go, I'm just going to dive in. And if I begin to flag again, call me on it.
I've finally realized, though, that there's nothing wrong with the occasional rant. People gotta vent. So, I'm picking up again and I'm not gonna feel guilty anymore.
I actually became determined several weeks ago to renew my efforts, but once I did I had a hell of a time deciding where to begin. It wasn't writer's block; it was the opposite of that, whatever that is. So much has happened in these 51 weeks, so many huge and/or permanent changes, that I was at a loss to figure out what news deserved priority.
Frankly, I still can't decide. But rather than let my one year anniversary of non-posting come and go, I'm just going to dive in. And if I begin to flag again, call me on it.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Capitalism by any other name...
A friend of mine told me that he wished I'd write more about what it's like to live and work in a Communist country. He figures I don’t because of the restrictions I face here. Well, that’s not really it. The fact is, while life here is probably about as different from America as anywhere else on earth, I can’t say that those differences are necessarily due to old-fashioned Communism.
That’s not to say that the political leaders and the government of China have seen the light—they’re still just awful. But that’s due to incompetence and corruption on a massive scale, not to a communist hard line. In fact, if you want to get technical, I’m not sure China can still be called a communist country, at least not according to the three basic tenets to communism:
· Collective ownership of property
· Organization of labor
· Rejection of religion
The Chinese government continues to pay lip service to these things, but their policies no longer reflect them. Take collective ownership of property--it's gone. There is frenzied buying and selling of real estate in China today--I'm looking at investment properties myself. Okay, technically one doesn't really "own" the property": instead of receiving a title, one receives an extremely long-term lease. But the distinction is really insignificant. There's always the possibility the government could seize it back, but that's sure not stopping anyone, Chinese or foreign, from buying real estate in today’s China.
On to organization and protection of labor. Well, it's true that over a third of all trade union members live in China. But, they no longer have protection, and if there's organization, it's hard to see how it benefits the members. Good old Cold War communism gave jobs to everyone--Mao's so-called "iron rice bowl"--sure, they might be shitty jobs for shitty pay, but a lifelong source of income was guaranteed. Not anymore. One reason that huge cities like Beijing are still growing so fast is because of the flood of immigrants from rural areas who have been fired from their government jobs. And this is in spite of laws that restrict citizens from moving to urban areas without approval. (By the way, the more I learn about Mao, the more of an asshole I think he was. But, I digress.)
Rejection of religion? I think this one expired a long time ago. Almost everyone I know here practices Indian or Tibetan Buddhism. I haven’t met many Taoists, but supposedly there are even more of them than Buddhists here. There aren't too many Christians, but those that are can practice their faith without fear of reprisal. Churches are all over Beijing, and there's even an impressive cathedral that's become something of a tourism draw. The government doesn't support religions, but it no longer interferes with them either. Except, of course, Falun Gong, but that's a whole other story.
But what really makes the argument that communism has disappeared in China is the fact that communism and other forms of socialism are fundamentally at odds with the capitalism and market economy that’s been allowed to flourish here over the last two decades. Man, this country has embraced capitalism like you can't believe. Of course that’s one of the reasons foreigners are drawn here too. It was the leadership's decision to convert from a planned economy to a market economy, although I don't think they particularly encouraged it. But if they had hoped for a slow, gentle conversion, they didn't get it--the passion for capitalism by the masses has been the driving force behind China's unprecedented growth as an economic power. If the leaders didn't want it at first, they sure as hell do now. They might still claim to be communists, and have managed to keep plenty of the bad policies they've had for decades, but at the same time at least they're smart enough now to know that we capitalists might not have such a bad idea. They can call it something else, but China is as much a capitalist country as it is anything else in 2007.
Like I said, though, the Chinese government still sucks. It still breeds massive corruption, induces class stratification, creates ever-widening income discrepancies, and uses terror and censorship to enforce these policies. Looking at the political definitions again, it really seems more like fascism than communism to me. Certainly a much kindler, gentler form of fascism than Hitler's, but it does seem to fit the definition rather well.
So--back to my friend’s comment. While I don't have many anecdotes about "communism" in China, I can describe some of the policies that the goverment here--whatever structure it really is--does impose. Here's just a few:
· All foreigners must register at the local police station within 30 days of arriving in China. (I haven't yet.)
· Foreigners can live only in certain residential buildings approved by the government. If they are caught living elsewhere, they face immediate eviction. (Strike two for me.)
· All websites must be registered with the government (oops)
· Many foreign websites are banned and blocked by the government, without any explanation or warning. These blocks will often be lifted, only to be imposed again later. (Sorry, Premier, we all know ways around it.)
· Chinese residents are forbidden to utilize satellite TV service. Violators can receive fines and jail time. Foreigners and businesses must apply and receive a license authorizing them to have satellite TV service before installation. (Okay, the two big satellite dishes on the school roof could get me in a little trouble.)
· Any manifested opposition to the Chinese government is swiftly and harshly dealt with. Three men who defaced Mao's picture at Tiananmen Square, for example, received seven years in prison. A man who did the same just this year has not been heard from since. Since Tiananmen is a common location for anti-government displays, the area is now crawling with undercover police 24/7, especially on anniversaries of important occasions, when these protests most often take place. If someone unfurls a banner, for instance, they will be lucky to have thirty seconds to display it before an unmarked van pulls up, a half dozen men jump out and force the protester inside, and speeds off. (I'm innocent on this one.)
So, it still can be a tad dangerous here. At least in Beijing, though, the government is on its best behavior as the city prepares for the Olympics and the world stage. In the meantime, Beijing is quickly becoming the most capitalistic city on the globe. I don't know if the Beijing authorities hope to return to form once the Olympics are over and the spotlight is off them, but if they do, they’ll see that that ship has sailed. I don't see how there could be any turning back.
Keep in mind that I am still relatively new here, and that these opinions of mine might be total bullshit. I also have a bad habit of trying to see what I can get away with, and the fact that I've already violated five of the six policies described above kind of bears that out. With that tendency, I've got a pretty good chance of collecting some tales of confrontation with the authorities once my luck starts to run out.
That’s not to say that the political leaders and the government of China have seen the light—they’re still just awful. But that’s due to incompetence and corruption on a massive scale, not to a communist hard line. In fact, if you want to get technical, I’m not sure China can still be called a communist country, at least not according to the three basic tenets to communism:
· Collective ownership of property
· Organization of labor
· Rejection of religion
The Chinese government continues to pay lip service to these things, but their policies no longer reflect them. Take collective ownership of property--it's gone. There is frenzied buying and selling of real estate in China today--I'm looking at investment properties myself. Okay, technically one doesn't really "own" the property": instead of receiving a title, one receives an extremely long-term lease. But the distinction is really insignificant. There's always the possibility the government could seize it back, but that's sure not stopping anyone, Chinese or foreign, from buying real estate in today’s China.
On to organization and protection of labor. Well, it's true that over a third of all trade union members live in China. But, they no longer have protection, and if there's organization, it's hard to see how it benefits the members. Good old Cold War communism gave jobs to everyone--Mao's so-called "iron rice bowl"--sure, they might be shitty jobs for shitty pay, but a lifelong source of income was guaranteed. Not anymore. One reason that huge cities like Beijing are still growing so fast is because of the flood of immigrants from rural areas who have been fired from their government jobs. And this is in spite of laws that restrict citizens from moving to urban areas without approval. (By the way, the more I learn about Mao, the more of an asshole I think he was. But, I digress.)
Rejection of religion? I think this one expired a long time ago. Almost everyone I know here practices Indian or Tibetan Buddhism. I haven’t met many Taoists, but supposedly there are even more of them than Buddhists here. There aren't too many Christians, but those that are can practice their faith without fear of reprisal. Churches are all over Beijing, and there's even an impressive cathedral that's become something of a tourism draw. The government doesn't support religions, but it no longer interferes with them either. Except, of course, Falun Gong, but that's a whole other story.
But what really makes the argument that communism has disappeared in China is the fact that communism and other forms of socialism are fundamentally at odds with the capitalism and market economy that’s been allowed to flourish here over the last two decades. Man, this country has embraced capitalism like you can't believe. Of course that’s one of the reasons foreigners are drawn here too. It was the leadership's decision to convert from a planned economy to a market economy, although I don't think they particularly encouraged it. But if they had hoped for a slow, gentle conversion, they didn't get it--the passion for capitalism by the masses has been the driving force behind China's unprecedented growth as an economic power. If the leaders didn't want it at first, they sure as hell do now. They might still claim to be communists, and have managed to keep plenty of the bad policies they've had for decades, but at the same time at least they're smart enough now to know that we capitalists might not have such a bad idea. They can call it something else, but China is as much a capitalist country as it is anything else in 2007.
Like I said, though, the Chinese government still sucks. It still breeds massive corruption, induces class stratification, creates ever-widening income discrepancies, and uses terror and censorship to enforce these policies. Looking at the political definitions again, it really seems more like fascism than communism to me. Certainly a much kindler, gentler form of fascism than Hitler's, but it does seem to fit the definition rather well.
So--back to my friend’s comment. While I don't have many anecdotes about "communism" in China, I can describe some of the policies that the goverment here--whatever structure it really is--does impose. Here's just a few:
· All foreigners must register at the local police station within 30 days of arriving in China. (I haven't yet.)
· Foreigners can live only in certain residential buildings approved by the government. If they are caught living elsewhere, they face immediate eviction. (Strike two for me.)
· All websites must be registered with the government (oops)
· Many foreign websites are banned and blocked by the government, without any explanation or warning. These blocks will often be lifted, only to be imposed again later. (Sorry, Premier, we all know ways around it.)
· Chinese residents are forbidden to utilize satellite TV service. Violators can receive fines and jail time. Foreigners and businesses must apply and receive a license authorizing them to have satellite TV service before installation. (Okay, the two big satellite dishes on the school roof could get me in a little trouble.)
· Any manifested opposition to the Chinese government is swiftly and harshly dealt with. Three men who defaced Mao's picture at Tiananmen Square, for example, received seven years in prison. A man who did the same just this year has not been heard from since. Since Tiananmen is a common location for anti-government displays, the area is now crawling with undercover police 24/7, especially on anniversaries of important occasions, when these protests most often take place. If someone unfurls a banner, for instance, they will be lucky to have thirty seconds to display it before an unmarked van pulls up, a half dozen men jump out and force the protester inside, and speeds off. (I'm innocent on this one.)
So, it still can be a tad dangerous here. At least in Beijing, though, the government is on its best behavior as the city prepares for the Olympics and the world stage. In the meantime, Beijing is quickly becoming the most capitalistic city on the globe. I don't know if the Beijing authorities hope to return to form once the Olympics are over and the spotlight is off them, but if they do, they’ll see that that ship has sailed. I don't see how there could be any turning back.
Keep in mind that I am still relatively new here, and that these opinions of mine might be total bullshit. I also have a bad habit of trying to see what I can get away with, and the fact that I've already violated five of the six policies described above kind of bears that out. With that tendency, I've got a pretty good chance of collecting some tales of confrontation with the authorities once my luck starts to run out.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Many New Photos
Click the link above to see many, many new photos I've just uploaded. They include Jiuzhaigou (or, the rich man's Rockies, as I call them), Xi'an (home of the famous clay warriors), and some school scenes. There's also quite a few of Jade, for those of you who keep asking.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
That's What She Said!
We've hired a couple of native English-speaking teachers here at the school recently. Avnish is British (by way of India and Kenya) and Steve is an Aussie. They both live here at the school, so I've gotten to know them quite a bit.
They're both interesting guys. Avnish graduated from law school last year. He's got what sounds like a nice job lined up at a top London firm, but he's taken a year off to study Mandarin here in Beijing. He spends about 25 hours a week in language classes. The Aussie came to China to study martial arts and Chinese therapeutic massage techniques. He spent five weeks in Wudan, of kung fu fame, living with the monks, before coming to Beijing.
They've both proven to be capable kindergarten teachers, despite any previous experience. I've explained to them both that the key to teaching young kids is to focus on entertaining as much as educating. Otherwise, they can get distracted and lose interest FAST. I'm no teaching expert; far from it; but that's something I learned immediately from teaching myself. "Make an ass out of yourself" is the best advice I can give them.
I just can't quite get the Brit to take this advice to heart. He can't shake that British stiffness. Don't get me wrong; he definitely gets his lessons across--it's just that I don't think he needs to be so serious about it. He's great at one-on-one teaching, but the problem is the rest of the class quickly finds something better to do while he's focused on one student. And for a three year old, "something better to do" means picking your nose, peeing your pants, breaking the toys, drawing on the walls, etc.
On the other hand, the kids as well as the parents love Steve. I guess it's no surprise that the Aussie has an easier time having fun with the kids. In fact, I'm a little concerned, because I think they might be starting to prefer his monkey impression over mine, and I certainly don't want my title taken away.
I've opened quite a few bottles of beer with these guys over the last couple of weeks, and it's been refreshing to be able to speak in English about "guy things". (90% of our employees are Chinese females.) I've caught myself engaging in conversations with these guys I shouldn't be engaged in with employees, like discussing the physical assets of the female teachers. There've been a couple of conversations which I enthusiastically took part in, that I think even Michael Scott would have been smart enough to avoid.
They're both great additions to the school, though. I'm glad we have them, and they should help us maintain the growth we've been having lately. And, since I expect to do lots and lots of traveling for the next few years, it's always nice to add to my list of friends I can call on in other countries. Now, if I can just keep them from knocking up any of the female teachers.
They're both interesting guys. Avnish graduated from law school last year. He's got what sounds like a nice job lined up at a top London firm, but he's taken a year off to study Mandarin here in Beijing. He spends about 25 hours a week in language classes. The Aussie came to China to study martial arts and Chinese therapeutic massage techniques. He spent five weeks in Wudan, of kung fu fame, living with the monks, before coming to Beijing.
They've both proven to be capable kindergarten teachers, despite any previous experience. I've explained to them both that the key to teaching young kids is to focus on entertaining as much as educating. Otherwise, they can get distracted and lose interest FAST. I'm no teaching expert; far from it; but that's something I learned immediately from teaching myself. "Make an ass out of yourself" is the best advice I can give them.
I just can't quite get the Brit to take this advice to heart. He can't shake that British stiffness. Don't get me wrong; he definitely gets his lessons across--it's just that I don't think he needs to be so serious about it. He's great at one-on-one teaching, but the problem is the rest of the class quickly finds something better to do while he's focused on one student. And for a three year old, "something better to do" means picking your nose, peeing your pants, breaking the toys, drawing on the walls, etc.
On the other hand, the kids as well as the parents love Steve. I guess it's no surprise that the Aussie has an easier time having fun with the kids. In fact, I'm a little concerned, because I think they might be starting to prefer his monkey impression over mine, and I certainly don't want my title taken away.
I've opened quite a few bottles of beer with these guys over the last couple of weeks, and it's been refreshing to be able to speak in English about "guy things". (90% of our employees are Chinese females.) I've caught myself engaging in conversations with these guys I shouldn't be engaged in with employees, like discussing the physical assets of the female teachers. There've been a couple of conversations which I enthusiastically took part in, that I think even Michael Scott would have been smart enough to avoid.
They're both great additions to the school, though. I'm glad we have them, and they should help us maintain the growth we've been having lately. And, since I expect to do lots and lots of traveling for the next few years, it's always nice to add to my list of friends I can call on in other countries. Now, if I can just keep them from knocking up any of the female teachers.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Lots of New Pics
I've just switched from the sucky Kodak site to Picasa, and have started to upload lots and lots of pics that I should have shared long ago. Check it out via the link above. For the moment most happen to be from my Auntie Amy's time in Europe before she visited me here, but I'll be posting more every day. Highlights include the Great Wall, the Beijing Botanical Garden, a recent school performance, and some miscellaneous pics from around the school. Oh, and a snake charmer.
If you're interested in seeing them as they're uploaded, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed. Of course, it's possible that many of my family members' heads will explode when they read "RSS feed". To prevent that, here's the Idiot's Guide. Just follow the simple instructions.
I may try to write more captions for some of these when I have time, but most pretty much speak for themselves. If you want to know anything specific about any of them, though, just ask. I hope you enjoy 'em!
If you're interested in seeing them as they're uploaded, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed. Of course, it's possible that many of my family members' heads will explode when they read "RSS feed". To prevent that, here's the Idiot's Guide. Just follow the simple instructions.
I may try to write more captions for some of these when I have time, but most pretty much speak for themselves. If you want to know anything specific about any of them, though, just ask. I hope you enjoy 'em!
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