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[dandelionkiln]

Naturally, America has felt pretty peculiar since I returned. Especially having eaten at PF Chang's last night (which, while delicious, was nothing like what I ate abroad. Big surprise!) I have really appreciated having the past week to turn over my thoughts from when I was in Asia. The insightful conversations that I had with many students at

Comments

[nightingalesing]

Gosh, that's terrible! Well I'm sorry you and the women in your program went through an experience like that. It is my staunch belief that no one should be told what qualifies as an uncomfortable experience or not, so I hope you didn't take that as my intention. What I was reacting to was not the content of that critique, but the flippant and casual way in which it was addressed that, at least to my ears, made it seem that such an experience was the assumed norm.

It is almost certainly my over-sensitive emotions that come from being the resident "China expert" at every cocktail party that made me pipe up. China bashing has a long, distinguished history in the US and of course I too cannot help but to participate in it from time to time. I would distinguish bashing from the genuine critiques of the government that sincerely need to be heard and could actually make a difference (like your excellent description of the China Daily). Unfortunately when travellers come back from China they are often encouraged to share the broad and sensationalized stories because those are the most interesting to the uninitiated. In my opinion those casual and expected small comments actually allow the PRC to distance themselves from their problems by saying that the US simply doesn't understand them. They shouldn't be allowed to engage in such an escape act, but sadly the bevy of uninformed jibes from excited travelers allows them to do just that.

Forgive me if it seemed like I was saying that I didn't believe you! Not in the slightest. Looking forward to your photos.

P.S If you think I stick out any less in China because I'm a brunette I would have to disagree. Hahahaha! I have plenty of stories to affirm that my 9 total years of living in East Asian have failed to make me any less alien. Ah well. It's an aspect of my life and career that I've decided to take as a positive. I enjoying defying people's expectations!

[dandelionkiln]

If you still want to see the photos, I put them on Facebook awhile back--check my albums.

[dandelionkiln]

a while*!

But yeah, there are a whole bunch of them. You'll probably enjoy looking through them, since I try to make my photos less postcard-y than some. Got a couple of good portraits.