Weeks three and four

It's been too long since I last updated the blog.

 

I've had a lot with classes the past few weeks.  My fellow instructor and I had the class see an American film and we reviewed some of the idioms and things that are portrayed in the movie that are not normal in American life.

 

It's interesting that the Eastern perspective of the West does not consist of a differentiation between America and Europe.  It does make sense, but coming from the West, we have always separated the two into a "similar, yet different" category.  Our histories are intertwined, yet there is so much dissent between the two.  And I am sure that some of our populations consider either side alien to each other... two different worlds.

 

This past week, we had a Eastern-coined "English Corner," which consists of discussion of any topic of conversation using the English language as a medium.  The students chose their own apolitical topics and conversed in small groups.  The other professor and I went around and saw how the discussion was going and answered numerous questions from the groups about their relative topic and what the Western/American view might be.  The students love hearing about America and how things are done in the West.  Every-day events are addressed ever-so slightly and largely different, in some cases, in the two cultures.  Topics included:  blood donation, tourism in China, travel, young-professionals and the dating scene, and the country's one-child policy and possibility of a change to two-children.

 

I have been getting out more and engaging the local ex-pat community; spending time with French, Canadian, British, Australian, Brazilian, German, and other Americans, as well as, many Chinese who like to attend the events and practice their English.  We have had some lively discussion of current events (I am sure that you can think of many of them).  More often than not, it has been an examination of world history and how we have arrived at where we are today.  I am surprised to hear a new French friend recently express that she had never really studied American history pre-WWII and now has a better educated perspective of her western neighbor.  (As a part of her comments, she said that the Louisiana Purchase has never really been openly discussed in her country.) 

 

Throughout all of the conversations, it has been pleasant to have an "agree to disagree" understanding amongst everyone.

 

I begin lecturing on stem cell, cloning, and bioethical issues come a week from now and the series will last for a month.  Surely more to come...