I have been having a good week.
Last week, out of nowhere, my professor sent out an email to the whole class asking us what we thought about the class and for advice on how to impvove things. Of course I eagerly took this chance to tell her that reciting propaganda doesn't make us learn. I said that we need more class participation and better teaching materials. The next day, I could already see the changes. Even though in subsequent days she did revert to using the reading aloud as a class method, there were new parts added to the lesson plan including role playing, paraphrasing, and asking questions to the class. That said, the class still leaves much to be desired.
The second, and probably the most important, factor relating to my increased happiness resulted from a conversation I had with Rae. I said that I would be unable to go back to Canada in December and that I would stay here until the end of the school term. She, of course, was quite upset. However, after thinking about it for a while, she decided that she would come here and visit me in December. This conversation also crystalized my plans to leave Beijing and return to Vancouver when the semester is over. Suddenly, I was not deprived for not seeing my girlfriend. Also, and perhaps just as important, all of the annoyances of China were now just temporary. As much as I hate the spitting, the air, the way the people think, the propagandistic media, the uglyness, the government in general, the toilets, the rudeness of the people, the horrible state of the roads and sidewalks, etc... they all just became temporary and thus much more tolerable. With a firmish deadline set for my time here, I might even begin to cherish some of the more agreable aspects of this place like being rich.
The final reason is that I have started working again, although only as a substitute so far. This has renewed my sense of purpose, even if it is a non-core activity. It has also gotten me out of the house, and given me the prospect of not being so fucking broke anymore (being poor, or even just not rich, in China is not fun at all). Working also gives me a context in which to meet interesting and engaged Chinese people, who are a hell of a lot better than the ones at my university. Hopefully I will be able to pick up some more classes in the near furture so that I can save money for when Rae comes here.
Of course, my decision now leaves me with even more uncertainties. For instance, I do not know what I will do or where I will live in Vancouver. Although I have some ideas, it will be hard to find a decent job in that city. Also, apartments are expensive relative to the wage I am likely to earn so I will almost certainly be unable to live downtown or in other desireable neighbourhoods. But, I will cross that bridge when I get there.
In other news, today the propaganda rad declared that there is demorcacy in China (no, they are not talking about Taiwan), just not the same democracy that they have in any other country. That is that there is a democratic dictatorship of the people - a doublethink title if I have ever heard one. It went on to explain how instead of having multi party competition like in other countries, they have multi party cooperation. They failed to mention that all of the parties are simply there to toe the line of the Party and to deflect the criticism that China is a dictatorship. I really can't get over this government. The worst thing is that most of the Chinese people who read it will either accept it or not care enough to doubt it.
Anyone reading this, please read some of the shit that comes out of the mouthpieces of the party. As an example, try a google news search on "China". First all of the different news sources such as the People's Daily, China Daily, Xinhua, CPI and the different regional sites will all have similar headlines. They will also have the same editorial perspective and in any remotely contriversial cases, they will all blatantly ignore the same relevant details that might be unflattering to the government or against the official party line. The sad thing is that most Chinese people don't really know that the governemnt is controling the internet and the media in general. The result is a whole massive population who believe this militant nationalistic propaganda that is fed to them their entire lives. I know I have said it before, but it makes this country a much worse place to live both because it is impossible to watch or read the news, but also because the people are so horribly insular, myopic and naitonalistic.
Marc
Last week, out of nowhere, my professor sent out an email to the whole class asking us what we thought about the class and for advice on how to impvove things. Of course I eagerly took this chance to tell her that reciting propaganda doesn't make us learn. I said that we need more class participation and better teaching materials. The next day, I could already see the changes. Even though in subsequent days she did revert to using the reading aloud as a class method, there were new parts added to the lesson plan including role playing, paraphrasing, and asking questions to the class. That said, the class still leaves much to be desired.
The second, and probably the most important, factor relating to my increased happiness resulted from a conversation I had with Rae. I said that I would be unable to go back to Canada in December and that I would stay here until the end of the school term. She, of course, was quite upset. However, after thinking about it for a while, she decided that she would come here and visit me in December. This conversation also crystalized my plans to leave Beijing and return to Vancouver when the semester is over. Suddenly, I was not deprived for not seeing my girlfriend. Also, and perhaps just as important, all of the annoyances of China were now just temporary. As much as I hate the spitting, the air, the way the people think, the propagandistic media, the uglyness, the government in general, the toilets, the rudeness of the people, the horrible state of the roads and sidewalks, etc... they all just became temporary and thus much more tolerable. With a firmish deadline set for my time here, I might even begin to cherish some of the more agreable aspects of this place like being rich.
The final reason is that I have started working again, although only as a substitute so far. This has renewed my sense of purpose, even if it is a non-core activity. It has also gotten me out of the house, and given me the prospect of not being so fucking broke anymore (being poor, or even just not rich, in China is not fun at all). Working also gives me a context in which to meet interesting and engaged Chinese people, who are a hell of a lot better than the ones at my university. Hopefully I will be able to pick up some more classes in the near furture so that I can save money for when Rae comes here.
Of course, my decision now leaves me with even more uncertainties. For instance, I do not know what I will do or where I will live in Vancouver. Although I have some ideas, it will be hard to find a decent job in that city. Also, apartments are expensive relative to the wage I am likely to earn so I will almost certainly be unable to live downtown or in other desireable neighbourhoods. But, I will cross that bridge when I get there.
In other news, today the propaganda rad declared that there is demorcacy in China (no, they are not talking about Taiwan), just not the same democracy that they have in any other country. That is that there is a democratic dictatorship of the people - a doublethink title if I have ever heard one. It went on to explain how instead of having multi party competition like in other countries, they have multi party cooperation. They failed to mention that all of the parties are simply there to toe the line of the Party and to deflect the criticism that China is a dictatorship. I really can't get over this government. The worst thing is that most of the Chinese people who read it will either accept it or not care enough to doubt it.
Anyone reading this, please read some of the shit that comes out of the mouthpieces of the party. As an example, try a google news search on "China". First all of the different news sources such as the People's Daily, China Daily, Xinhua, CPI and the different regional sites will all have similar headlines. They will also have the same editorial perspective and in any remotely contriversial cases, they will all blatantly ignore the same relevant details that might be unflattering to the government or against the official party line. The sad thing is that most Chinese people don't really know that the governemnt is controling the internet and the media in general. The result is a whole massive population who believe this militant nationalistic propaganda that is fed to them their entire lives. I know I have said it before, but it makes this country a much worse place to live both because it is impossible to watch or read the news, but also because the people are so horribly insular, myopic and naitonalistic.
Marc
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