Paris, the city just like me-by Golf

For background information on Chinese college students and their English writing, click here.

Topic: the city you’d like to visit most

Paris, the City Just Like Me

By Golf

Which is my favorite city? It is a good question and I have never thought of my favorite city outside China. Every person’s favorite thing is different from others. Everyone has its own favoite thing. In my opinion, the city I liked can reflect much information about the person himself.

After thinking about the question, I believe Paris is my most favorite city.

Next is the reason.

First, let me have an introduction. I am a quiet man and I am not outgoing. I like an environment where it is always silent and where there are not many people coming and going. I have not gone to Paris before. The only imagination about the city is from TV. In the TV I have known that there are not so many tall buildings in Paris, unlike the city New York. The tallest building in Paris is the great tower. No tall buildings means not many people there. The citizens don’t need to share buildings with others. They can possess their own house. The building isn’t tall, so the building is strong; even if there is an earthquake, people can escape from it as soon as possible. So there will not be many people die from earthquake.

Second, I like it because it has an excellent character. In history, during World War II, it had been occupied by the German Nazis. However, the people of France didn’t give up. They fought against German Nazis, eventually, they drived away the Nazis and gained their motherland later. It is the spirit of a great race. It is somewhat like China. During World War II, we also had been invaded by Japanese, but at last we defeated the Japanese and win our independence again. A people who have experienced a great disaster must have a better future, which is also suited to a country or race.

Third, I have heard many times that Paris is a romantic country. Love is an important part in life. A romantic environment must create many great love stories. If I have such a romantic story, maybe I am the happiest person in the world.

When I was a little guy, I have seen a movie about France. It described a fairy tale. A children’s heart is pure like the water. If I have the chance in the future to travel in Paris, I want to see the children in Paris to see their characters and their innocence.

Compared a city to a man, Paris is such a man who is gentle, silent, full of knowledge, merciful, quiet, courageous. I like such a man and I am such a man, so I like the city Paris. We have common language, common character, common aim of life and common pursuit of the world.

The man is Paris and the man is me.

Beautiful land, Tibet-by Max

For more information on my Chinese college students, click here.

Topic: where in the world would you like to travel most

Beautiful land, Tibet

The place that I would like to travel most is Tibet. We can get a lot of information in all kinds of media. It was introduced as a fabulous mysterious and beautiful land. These things directly promote me to visit that place. And recently a well-known accident broke out at there, a rebellion happened. I want to see the truth. This is the other reason I really want to be there. These reasons form Tibet to be my favorite place.

There are several scenes that attract me a lot, like the Potala Palace. The Potala Palace rises a further 170 meters and is the greatest monumental structure in all of Tibet. This is the most famous scene there, and that  is one of my favorite places. Early legends concerning the rocky hill tell of a sacred cave, considered to be the dwelling place of the Bohisattva Chenresi (Avilokiteshvara), that was used as a meditation retreat by Emperor Songtsen Gampo in the seventh century AD.

Just like the Potala Palace, Mt. Everest is so famous to the global world. It is the highest mountain in the world. Of course I will not climb the mountain, but around Mt. Everest is a natural protection zone. It has lots of interesting and beautiful things. And as we all know Beijing Olympic flame has touched the top of the mountain. So that is the other reason I want to be that place, to feel the atmosphere of miracle.

Samye Monastary is famous for all of us, too. It was the first Buddhist monastary built in Tibet, constructed in approsimately 775 AD under the patronage of King Trisong Detsen of Tibet who sought to revitalize Buddhism, which had declined since its introduction by King Songsten Gamp in the 7th century. The monastary is located in Dranang, Shannan Prefecture.

There are so many places I can go. Those are just three of them. Besides scenes, the truth of the accident also promotes me there.

Many western medias attack Chinese government that we don’t give enough human authority to Tibetans. These media described that Tibetans are living in a hard condition. And Chinese people are kept in the dark. Chinese media give me the impression that Chinese government has do their bestto make Tibet peaceful. When I saw these kind of report, I felt confused. I even cannot recognize who tells us the truth.

Going to Tibet is a good way for me to know about the truth, to feel the real condition directly. And so many attractive scenes will also let my travel more fantastic. How can I not go there?

It has been a long time since I’ve written. I know. But here are some of my student’s essays. Finally

I’m now back in the US of A and back in Chicago. The basic sequence of my life since China is this: I returned in July 2008; spent the summer mostly jobless in Michigan whilst living in my parents’ basement; got hitched in Zihuatanejo, Mexico; spent two weeks living in my husband’s boyhood room at my in laws’ house looking for a place to live; got married for real in a courthouse; got an apartment in Chicago; got a job at Trader Joe’s grocery store; got fired from Trader Joe’s; spent two unemployed weeks white knuckled, though wrote product descriptions of manufacturing goods for friend of friend; fantasized about getting a Link card; got hired at a university by some miracle; husband a substitute teacher, which is code for still unemployed. But looking. And trying hard. The economy has hit us both in the face with a Made in China baseball bat!

The essays I will post below were written by my students in China. I loved my students in China. I miss my students in China.

You might recall from here ,here here here and here that I was fighting with a Yahoo.com sports writer, jerk-o superem-o Dan Wetzel. He lambasted, with ignorant panache, even by American, loud mouthed sports media standards, the decision to hold the Olympics there. I had my class respond to his column, and I sent him ALL of their letters.  Why is this still relevant? Well, I’m still bitter that he PROMISED to write my class back, and didn’t! They’re crushed!

Also, I’m curious to contact my class again and see how life has changed since the Olympics. Do they still agree with what they wrote? Were the Olympics good for China? Or was it an economic vaccuum, like one student ominously warned. To me, it’s relevant because my city want s the Olympics. Or more accurately, our corrupt, often grumpy and pompous lifelong politico svengali, Mayor Richard M. Daley, a man obsessed with his legacy, wants the 2016 Olympics in Chicago. On one hand it’s exciting. On the other hand, I’m sure the usual schemers are licking their chops at rife opportunities for kickbacks, pay-to-play, and various other back door dealings that are this city’s MO. That rant is done. For now!

On to the essays!

Dear Mr. Wetzel,

My name is Yummy, and I am a Chinese citizen and student in Qinhuangdao, where Olympic soccer will be held. I recently read your column from Yahoo sports, “Fanning the Flame of Controversy.” I would like to respond to some of your points.

You said that “In less draconian concerns, pollution is said to be horrific, the food untrustworthy, and just recently, the Chinese began installing that cutting-edge technology known as the “sit toilet” at some venues after discovering that the rest of the world isn’t too keen on squatting over a hole in the ground to do their business.”

I am afraid you have some facts wrong; what you see is only on the surface. You know little about China and give those arguments. In my opinion, you are a little bit picky about China.

I can’t deny that there is pollution or other shortcomings in China. But can you proise in other countries, including your country, there is no pollution at all? Obviously you can’t, because pollution exists everywhere. In this situation, how can you judge China like that? Furthermore, have you ever paid attention on why China is so polluted?

If you have cared about it, you would have found that your country is one of the polluters. In order to get more profit from business, reduce the pollution in your country, you invest to build lots of industries in China. That is the truth; you buy products made here, and you, therefore, are an indirrect polluter. Don’t try to escape the responsibility.

I really can’t receive the way you made fun of China for installing the “sit toilet.” The way Chinese “do their business” is a habit, and you are not entitled to complain or criticize it. Because you use a knife and a fork for dinner, but we Chinese use chopsticks, you can’t say that is wrong and all Chinese should use knife and fork. That’s unimaginable. Anyhow, you should recognize that the main purpose we installed the “sit toilet” is because China is a hospitable nation, one that can’t bear our visitors to suffer any discomfort. Considering the visitors’ habits is the main reason why we installed the “sit toilet.” Otherwise we should not pay so many in this project; especially since our country is not a developed country.

So when you give some argument about China, please stand in Chinese shoes and think more about it. You will find that China is not as bad as you think. Even if China is still a developing country now, and there are still a lot of shortcomings, you can also see that we are trying our best to improve the situation, especially for the Olympic Games. It will prove the great powerful Chinese to the whole world,

Yours,

Yummy