I am reading a memoir by Isabel Allende, "Paula" about the prolonged coma and then death of her daughter Paula. Woven into the narrative is her own life story, her memories as a child, of her marriage and her children when they were young, and more importantly about the blood bath that went on in Chile in the 1970s that came with political change and upheaval. Chile went from being under Communist rule by Isabel's uncle, Salvador Allende, to being taken over by Capitalism. Chile became unrecognizable to its people and was sledgehammered apart at the foundation.
When I walk around Tongliao, I think of China as being a new Nation. China too, has undergone political change from Communist power to Capitalism, although they still have a Socialized work system. China has grown considerably in the past 20 years, and my city Tongliao is a product of all that growth. Everything in Tongliao seems like it has just been build. People we meet were not born here, or they were born there, but their parents weren't. This place is somewhat like the opposite of Delhi or Varanasi, India that I recently visited. Tongliao is too recent for ghosts to hover here, and the blood of suffering and wars has not stained the souls of the people here.
The Chinese maintain a facial espression that is calm and settled. They are not loud and boisterious like Indians or New Yorkers. They ride bicycles and look curiously at me, but they do not say anything, nor do they yell for my attention to hawk goods and services like the Indians do. They seem the most collected and complacent of people from the countries I've traveled and the people I've met.
I am aware that I am a part of China's growth and development by being here and giving the university a native, English speaker. I will better learn about the Chinese people soon when I get to know my students and co-workers.
Shrimp Juice
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Today I woke and felt pretty good.
Christian knows that getting me out of the house makes me really good.
So often, he stops what he is doing and takes...
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