View from my desk

The first day

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May 23rd 2009
Got through today with minimal trauma. I had to give a teaching demonstration to the director but they didn't tell me what to talk about. So I talked about American culture. Apparently, I speak very quickly when I am nervous, a habit I thought I had gotten rid of, so I had to redo my presentation again so that the English teachers could translate for the directors. When I was done, Carolin ... read more

Asia » China » Inner Mongolia » Hohhot

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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. A... ... read more