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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 Tiffany Journeys East
September 25th 2008

Quick Note

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen

Corn yoghurt, while a strange combination of vanilla yoghurt and sweet corn kernels, was pleasant in a 'I'll eat it this time but I'll never buy it again' sort of way. Cherry Tomato yoghurt: too nasty for words. Corn yoghurt won. [View Full Entry]

By Csmith
September 25th 2008

"Maybe it will rain a lot" and "I want to bird home," the typhoon and round two with my worst class.

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen

Classes were cancelled yesterday due to the typhoon...of course no one told me this, but when I woke up and looked outside the school was dark and there were no children to be found. Instead of just assuming there weren't any classes I called my contact teacher to make sure. "Oh yes, no school today because of the storm," she told me, adding. "You can relax." thank you, I think I will. So the day was spent doing not much of anything. The worst of the storm hit to the West of us, so they probably didn't really need to cancell [View Full Entry]

By soonkatin
September 25th 2008

An earned unproductive afternoon...

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen

Me to Hong Kong
I'm the yellow dot. Hong Kong is the mass in the lower right. So close, yet so far away!

See the picture? Need I say more? Oh. Okay. Just for you. So now I have my new visa. Usually as a tourist you get a single entry visa. You can enter the country only once. If you live here and work here, you may want to leave to go on vacation or something. So in order to get back on the mainland, you need a visa. Even to go to Hong Kong and return I need one. Hence the multiple entries. Today at lunch I was informed that I dont' have class in the afternoon. They're testing. And same goes [View Full Entry]

By soonkatin
September 24th 2008

Hagupit was not the pits

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen

Hello! I am dry and safe. The storm was windy, kind of rainy, and loud. I slept horribly. But they did cancel classes today! The hallways (all outside, if you will recall) and stairs were all covered in water and flowers/leaves. It was like a cross between a waterfall and a wedding hit our school. I got paid, too. First paycheck in almost 2 months. I've now paid up for my trip next week. Less than 1000 Yuan ($140) will get you round-trip transportation and lodging for all nights! Nice! I'd like to see you try that in the US. And [View Full Entry]

By gavininchina
September 23rd 2008

Dear Steelers Nation

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen

OK, kids, it’s time to make a new class rule. Please wait at least two days after a Steelers game to e-mail me and rehash what happened. I have NFL Game Pass and have watched every game this season. However, sometimes it is not reasonable to watch a game live at 4 a.m. If the game starts at 1 p.m. Pittsburgh standard time, then I may catch it live. If not, I might be watching it Monday night, for I can watch games up to 48 hours after they are played. With that said, I must say some of you exagerated [View Full Entry]

By gavininchina
September 23rd 2008

Only in China

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen

Chinese kids adopt English names when they begin learning the language in primary school. Some kids choose normal names, like David, Bob and Jim. Others choose the names of famous basketball players, like Kobe, LeBron and KG (Kevin Garnett). There are a few who like to be called Spiderman or Superman. And then there’s the small fraction of kids who choose names like Lion, Tiger and Bear. Oh my. I’m so sorry, but aren’t you required to do that? Goddman you Wizard of Oz. Goddamn you to hell. Anyway, I met Rex and his buddy Tiger for lunch this afternoon. I [View Full Entry]

By mvaahh
September 23rd 2008

Donkey Friends

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen

Shenzhen Animation Center!

It's been awhile There's a typhoon coming! A typhoon! Doesn't that sound much more exciting than big rain storm with wind? I was looking for hostels for a potential trip to Hunan (type in Zhangjiajie or Wulingyuan into google images to look at where I'm going - hopefully, if we get our passports back - for National Day break. We have a week off but because of the holiday we have to work Saturday and Sunday! It feels like so much less of a break when they take away your weekend! Check out the description for one of the hostels under [View Full Entry]

By Csmith
September 23rd 2008

one quarter century down...

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen

Hmm, I wonder if I can take some of this pizza home...
Kim pondering the more important things in life

This past Friday was my 25th birthday, and my second birthday to be celebrated outside of the US (the first being my 21st in Scotland). It was fairly low key, as most of my birthdays tend to be. It started out with some phone calls from mom, grandma and grandpa, and Erin. It was good to hear from everyone. I only had to teach one class that morning and then had Chinese class after lunch. Class started well enough, their English seemed to be pretty good and they weren't being too noisy, but then some little punk in the back threw [View Full Entry]

By Csmith
September 23rd 2008

Tuesdays on an even numbered week means six classes in a row

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen

Some were more excited to have their picture taken than others
Half of a Junior 2 class

Today was my least favorite day, Tuesday on an even week; which means six classes in a row. Thankfully all six classes are relatively good, both in behavior and in their ability to speak English. I started a new lesson plan today, Travel and Transportation. I am going to do the same topic for all three grades but adjust it to fit their skill level. I showed some video clips, "Where the hell is Matt," which is a short video of this guy who tapes himself dancing all around the world. It says the name of each place below the video [View Full Entry]

Some people thought I was kidding about the peace sign thing

By soonkatin
September 23rd 2008

Short, Sweet, and Wet

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen

Perhaps you've heard, but if not, it's raining over here. Finally. That's right: Typhoon!! As in, classes might be cancelled. (But I have as much hope for this as a Minnesotan kid does of a a snow day.) I had to walk in the prelim rains tonight back from dinner across the street with Roy. Even after buying an umbrella we still got soaked. I nearly lost the umbrella in the winds. My new one matches my new clothes. It's green. Roy says he has 6. I'm up to 3 now. One striped one that I bought in AZ, one that [View Full Entry]

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