American Complacency Hon,
I think that your experience in China and its resulting questions about what it means to be an American is an opportunity that all Americans need. It is so easy to become complacent and never really understand the ideals of our country while living here. Of course, recent economic events have produced some unhappy situations for many Americans, but, overall, we are blessed people. It takes the experience of time in another situation to truly see what we have.
Love,
Mom
Rethink? Profoundly thoughtful. Also an example of your excellent writing skills.
Not so much a rethink as an opening of thought or a reflection of your inner thoughts. Your sojourn in Bejing has given you a unique opportunity to do this. Would that more people could have such an opportunity.
evettedsouza@yahoo.com Hello Merritt,
I just stumbled on your blog. I'm interested in teaching in Beijing and in the mist of signing a contract. I'm very excited and a bit nervous all at the same time. I'm only on your Dec 31st entry. Thank you for writing you are doing a great job with keeping everyone informed. I really enjoy reading your blog.
Evette
shock and awe! It is very shock that a chinese lost his own one eye by a firework accident and It is very awesome that “during the first 32 hours of the holiday, Chinese officials tallied nearly 6,000 fires " and “during the first 32 hours of the holiday, Chinese officials tallied nearly 6,000 fires.”
As there are many pepole in Beijing, as there are many eyes in Beijing. so don't they(Chinese people) care that "Just one eyeball" is removed from many eyeballs in Beijing? Good , shock and awesome information about spring festival in Beijing. :) your reader in SoKo.
Is Mr.Wang Smoker? I can guess 王丹, Wang-Dan(man) may be a smoker. because 李漢, Li-han(woman)'s ballon is bigger than Wang's. I don't know whether I can hear your speaking voices of Chinese friend's names exactly or not. In the video clip, I can know that your speaking Chinese is as well as native Chinese. I just can hear "Ceci Ceci(謝謝)". It is very interesting of your effort-tour- to look for your good apartment and sounds of fireworks make me surprise suddenly.
Your Chinese name, 林(Lin, forest)雅(ya, graceful)慧(Hui, clever) is very beautiful.
you are graceful and clever woman as your Chinese name. when your name is written in Korean as follows, Merritt Amelia Wilson is “메리트 아멜리아 윌슨” and 林雅慧 is "림아혜". My name is "이대형" in Korean, "李岱衡 "in Chinese. Can you guess what does my name means? "李" is my family name, "衡" is given by my ancestors and "岱" is my own name. from your reader in Dae-gu city, SoKo.
Great Blog I'm off to Vietnam in a months time and really enjoyed reading your blog. The comments about McCain made me laugh, even if its a serious matter! I've just come from China and loved it there, so hope you enjoy your time there.
共和! Your life! I can imagine a heavy traffic in your city, Beijing. you struggle with "crazy buses" :):):):) your last sentence of this article is very touching to me.
"As long as you stay connected to the people who are important to you and you have a support system where you live, anywhere can be home."
共和! Your life in 北京.
Great Job! Hi Hon,
All of your work has paid off--the new office area looks beautiful! I love the orange accent walls along with the blue touches because there is enough white in between to make the whole area feel bright. Now if you can just get your commute shortened a bit--although there are advantages to being inside a vehicle where you will have some steel in between you and any future bus "nudges" instead of riding your bike open to the world of Beijing traffic!
Ode to America Its funny that travel makes one so awear of the freedoms we take for granted in our own country.
Love reading your posts.
Have a safe and happy 4th...Jim in Washington State.
The Revival of your first open letter to Grandma Ruth on April 26th 2008 Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I amd the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I amd the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush.
I am the swift uplifting rush.
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at niht.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.
Mary E. Frye.
Certainly, Your grandma, Ruth is still your guiding star in Your Graceful Life Journey and in your heart.
Your this article touched me again. You shall overcome!!!!!!!!
Lee Dae Hyung in Dae-gu city, South Korea,
Black sesame paste and oatmeal.... You really are eating the breakfast we introduced you to during our visit last month!! I have an even better one now, multi rice/grain/black bean combo, but need a rice or slow cooker! The new breakfast of champions! Boy that bike ride sounds familiar! Had Ya-Li filming our e-bike ride to her piano lesson today. Would I be nuts to share this with our family????
Found your blog looking for a bike shop in Beijing. I haven't decided whether to buy one or not, the pollution (to me) is more horrifying then the traffic. Good luck!
What? No Bike Pics? Hi Hon,
Loved your play-by-play--or is it pedal-by-pedal--description of your bike trip to work! The only thing I missed was a pic or two of you and/or your new bike. Actually, why not include a few pics of the hordes of other bikers on their merry way to wherever it is they are going. I do remember the huge bike lane when Dad and I visited you in Beijing. As an ongoing biker, it would be fun to see your newest mode of travel as well as a few closeups of the other million or so bikers as they ride and text and ride and talk and ride and take a child or other passenger on their way!
Love,
Mom
BLCU & Living in China Dear Merritt,
It was fascinating to read about your Beijing experience, albeit a couple of years ago. I am interested in studying at BLCU this December in conjunction with Lotus Education, who provides various services including home-stay and domestic vacations.
How did you find BLCU, Beijing and the opportunity to learn Mandarin within China?
Looking forward to your reply.
Kind Regards,
Bennett
the year of the tiger! To gain one year. my families had worshiped my ancestors, had big bows to my live parents and had eaten korean rice soup all together in My father's house.
Your aunt , Kathryn and your chinese cousin, Ya-Li shotted in Photos make me smile. they are funny. :) especially, Ya-Li wearing Qipao(Chinese traditional clothes?) looks pretty and completley cute and your video clip of the Spring Festival firework in Beijing is very impressive. Thank you. :)
Roar! Thanks, Merritt, for that wonderful sharing, and for all your blogs. I love sitting in my warm living room and vicariously venturing out on Houhai lake, eating (or drinking) in the teahouse from Hell, hearing the fireworks and seeing their glow, being at the Temple Fair. I love the pictures as well as your descriptive writing.
Aww I miss the fireworks all around the neighborhood, and the shredded red papers from firecrackers...I'm actually feeling kinda homesick or nostalgic just looking at your pictures and videos :( Well anyway, Happy Chinese New Year and gong xi fa cai! (Hehe in Sydney they say it the Cantonese way: Gong heik fa choy)
Your apartment pictures look so cute, ignoring the "minor' bathroom problem you had. I'm so proud of you for dealing with all the hilariously ridiculous situations that have occurred in your short months of stay in Beijing! I don't know if I could have visited KFC that many times, lol. Good luck and keep posting :)
welcome back 欢迎回到北京来. 美女!
你这次可以多到亚洲的那些和中国发展水平相似的国家看看. 比如 印度, 菲律宾, 印尼. 看看各国普通百姓生活的样子. 比较一下各国的优缺点. Can send me a private message if you want to share more thought with me.
Your another life journey! Your another life jounrney is launched in Beijing. Beijing was also attacked by heavy snow fallings. we, Korean got heavy snow fallings on last Jan. 4th like Beijing's. on that day, the road for my school was too icy and snowy to go to school by my cars rapidly. although I am on winter vaction, I usually go to my school to process my official papers and school works. :(
the sentece in this your story, "LIFE IN CHINA IS NOTHING BUT UNPREDICTABLE" make me feeling your wit and humor about your China. :) Anyway, I hope you will have antoher Goooooood life journey in Beijing and be careful not to catch a cold in winter time.
Merritt you're one tough lady...hunting for an apartment all over Beijing. The description about that old lady and the barely standing apartment was hilarious...only in China would you imagine someone actually thinking it's OK to show a place like that haha. I hope now that the apartment hunt is over, you could relax a bit and get into the job thing. I'm excited to learn what you'll be up to next :)
I enjoy reading about what a long road it is to get an apartment that you can be happy with in Beijing, very detail and engaging read, I enjoy reading it a lot! :)
I hope that this blog of my experiences living and traveling abroad is able to facilitate multicultural understanding for those who don't have the time or opportunity to travel. If I may make one small difference in the world, I hope it can be one that helps us to understand that the multitude of small things we have in common bind the world so much more tightly than the seemingly bigger things that currently divide us. Our individual cultures and history should be celebrated--yes--but difference of opinion should never be the source of conflict. Rather, it's an opportunity to learn and grow. ... full info
Mom
non-member comment
American Complacency
Hon, I think that your experience in China and its resulting questions about what it means to be an American is an opportunity that all Americans need. It is so easy to become complacent and never really understand the ideals of our country while living here. Of course, recent economic events have produced some unhappy situations for many Americans, but, overall, we are blessed people. It takes the experience of time in another situation to truly see what we have. Love, Mom