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Feng Tai District Travel Blogs

Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

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By photobug
November 2nd 2006

New Haircut

Asia » China » Beijing » Feng Tai District

before

Ohhh you will never guess what I ordered and ate!! Pizza!! I had pizza delivered in Beijing! You can order really wierd toppings like corn and fish but also ham and mushroom mmmm. Most people know I have always battled days when I hate everything about myself. I mean really just don't want to look in the mirror hard to make myself get out of the bed kind of days. I have learned for the most part how to manage these episodes. However, China has a major lack of chocolate chip ice cream and doughnuts. So yesterday, I dealt with it [View Full Entry]

By photobug
October 29th 2006

God bless blogs

Asia » China » Beijing » Feng Tai District

Bao and Randy Restaurant
I am the baby among the teachers here. There are only two other guys and Bao. We make a funny crew. Randy is the most experienced of all of us. He has been teaching ESl for years. He actually teache... [more]

Okay so if you have a blog that I don't know about will you please email of post on here where it is. What I once really could not get into in the states has now become a very interesting source of entertainment and inspiration for me. I laughed today when i read about our camel clyde at the fair. Ah i miss fairs. It also means the beginning of football season and a very busy new room ahh i miss that. Wait no I don't. I hate football and hate deadlines and late nights pulling photos out of nothing. Its [View Full Entry]

By photobug
October 26th 2006

attempting to be creative

Asia » China » Beijing » Feng Tai District

Okay, so I am not really a spontaneous writer , but I have been reading everyone’s xangas and realized that maybe I should try writing about small weird things that are a part of my day. If I can get great joy from Brittany Jo's coffee and cold lima beans, Tara’s definition of procrastination and Allie's tales of laundry and dirty dishes to be done I should at least attempt to write something creative. This funny thing language I smiled and parked my bike inside the lobby where I always do before going upstairs to teach. This very young guard comes [View Full Entry]

By photobug
October 11th 2006

My Students

Asia » China » Beijing » Feng Tai District

New Bridge
These are my middle schoolers are pretty well behaved and I show an interest in learning to sing american songs and dances. We learned sound of music doe a deer and the Macarana.

I brought my camera with me to work and took pictures of all my different students. I did not have my first graders this week because they went on a field trip so except for them this is basically all of my students. Each class has a different temperment. you can kind of see it in the pictures. Some classes are out of control while others are more subdued. You Can tell which students know enough English to back away from the camera you are too close and those who don't. I am still trying to learn all there names but [View Full Entry]

By photobug
September 22nd 2006

Another week another lesson learned

Asia » China » Beijing » Feng Tai District

The daily commute
Today I took a taxi to the doctors to find insulin. I took pictures from the car window. As we sat wedged between a bus and a bike and a horse drawn cart the driver commented " In China everyone fits... [more]

I succesfully completed another week of classes. I think I am getting better. Although I got a call last night at 9pm telling me my 10am and 2 pm class was canceled. No explanation just canceled. Determined not to let the very rowdy middle schoolers control my classroom today I laid it out for them that if they did not listen and speak up in class i was going to bring in the chinese teacher. That shaped them up real fast. They are very good for their Chinese teachers. One student told me that when he was bad he had to [View Full Entry]

By photobug
September 9th 2006

The Market

Asia » China » Beijing » Feng Tai District

Selling Chicken
Only in China. I am slowly overcoming my fear of taking peoples pictures afraid they might object and i really won't be able to say I am sorry or explain myself. This man was very nice and kept sayin... [more]

I wrote this story about the bird a while ago but kept looking for the perfect picture to publish it. My food reportiore has grown considerably since i wrote this. I have decided that because it takes me so long to go grocery shopping I am going to stick to one store and learn it really well so I will know where the milk, bread, and diet pepsie are. Then as I learn the store I will slowly add to my food collection like today I found sweet n low okay not really it says no sugar sugar but the ingredients [View Full Entry]

By photobug
September 2nd 2006

When things go wrong

Asia » China » Beijing » Feng Tai District

Pagoda

I don't know how to express what Boss does but sometimes it takes the kitchen sink breaking to break you. I am still doing well but decided to take today and just walk around where I am living to make sure I know where I am before school starts that I won't be getting lost on the way to class that sort of thing. I now have a pretty good idea of how to get where I need to be and how to get back home. I did get lost but now I enough major streets to find to get back [View Full Entry]

By photobug
August 31st 2006

peace

Asia » China » Beijing » Feng Tai District

my place of solitude

I take great joy in the simple things. Every morning I take my camera, journal, and very preciouse book and head to the park. watching the people do Tai Chi I pour out my soul and hear a great many things. [View Full Entry]

By photobug
August 30th 2006

My apartment

Asia » China » Beijing » Feng Tai District

bathroom
I am learning to appreciate the western style of keeping water in an enclosed area.

I have made it safely! I am glad not to have to make the trip again for ten months. I knew I would not have to reset my watch because Beijing is exactly twelve hours ahead so the whole trip I could look at my watch and say hey its 10 o’clock at home and in China. I decided to just eat when my body was hungry which ended up being midnight sc time and 8 LA time. Once on the plane I was so tired I promptly feel into a deep deep sleep. Only to be woken up by the [View Full Entry]

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