One final post

Its now the beginning of September 2009, and we've been home in Brisbane for about 5 or 6 weeks. We spent 3 years in China and the experience changed me in a way that you'd imagine a 3 year period spent in a foreign culture would.

I left for China not having heard of Suzhou, recently married and having no special interest in China and only a very basic knowledge of its Communist history. I returned with my wife and our boy, born in Shanghai, a pretty decent Chinese language ability, many amazing and crazy memories and a fascination with China and East Asia. In that time I learnt how to teach adults and children, sort of learnt how to discipline kids, worked in a business consultancy, studied Chinese fulltime for a semester, learnt to live without a car, struggled and struggled with the restrictive and, to me, bizarre practices that are part of the world's biggest country, and eventually got myself to a point where I started to see things a little... differently.

I wish I took more photos because I know that those that I did take (and the short movies) will in time become my memories of that experience. But so much of the everyday, mundane occurrences don't get photo'd.... so its for that reason that I hope that this blog can capture some of these memories.

I have fond memories of riding my bike to and from Lynch Language School. The first 3 or 4 months when I really didn't know what I was doing and would take ages to prepare lessons. The nervousness of some of those early lessons - trying to be a comedian to a room full of 30 or 40 people at times... And the thrill of riding home late at night, often in the cold with my beanie, scarf, thick gloves and heavy jacket, pleased in my mind with the real sense of achievement - being able to teach English and being able to speak Chinese and survive in many situations.

The time it snowed, which we loved, and escaping to the Philippines... The food and items of a Chinese food shop... The staring... The amazing performances by the Koreans, and Japanese students at SSIS... Archie being born at United Family Hospital in Shangers (and that hospital's food - fantastic).... The Korean dramas on Chinese TV.... The Govt blackouts on TV, internet censorship.... The Olympics, The Sichuan Earthquake, unrest in Tibet... A few too many nights out with expats in dodgy Chinese bars... Shopping at H&M, eating at Element Fresh in Shanghai.... The bitter cold and endless winters... Walking with Archie around HuPan HuaYuan... This is random, but all of these things are my memories of that time.

The last year and a half is dominated by Archie. Our photos reflect that, which is to be expected, but it leaves gaps in the rest of our Chinese experience. That time was a wonderful time for Tracey, Archie and I - seeing each of us develop into our roles as father, mother and watching Arch grow from baby to little toddler. It was also a great time seeing Xiao Rao - Archie's "Ayi" (babysitter) interact with Arch, and learning more about her and her life. I miss her and that life of then so much. Archie still thinks about Ayi and Dylan - his neighbour friend who he'd play with every week in Suzhou. Lately he's been saying "More Ayi", "More Dylan". I feel sad that this part of his, and our life had to end, and its also hard saying goodbye to someone who you know you'll probably never see again.

The last 8 months or so, I had a great routine of working from home from 9am to 1pm for Emerging Asia and a bit of English teaching (often kids) one afternoon a week, and 1 or 2 Chinese lessons with Sherry, plus lots of time with Archie. One or two days a week I would catch the fast train from Suzhou to Shanghai (about 35 mins + taxis) to work at Emerging Asia's Shanghai offices in the Hong Kong Tower at Huaihai Zhonglu. I enjoyed spending more time in Shanghai and the benefits - H&M just down the road, Xintiandi right next door. Merry's smile when I arrived at work each day. I miss all of this.

Likewise with the friends that made up our life in Suzhou. Many expat friends from Tracey's school - so many people, but Felicity and Gerard, the Dutch girls!, Tash, Melody, Byron and Lina (our great trip to the DMZ in Korea!), Richard and Libby to mention a few. Troy from Lynch, the girls from Lynch (Fiona, Nina, Alice), the lovely Jessica - our real estate agent, but also a Chinese teacher to me and guide to Chinese music, my Chinese teachers - those from Suzhou DaXue, and Terri and especially Sherry who taught me for the last 8 months or so. Then there's my colleagues from Emerging Asia - Adil, Martin, Jessica, Merry... I really miss these people. Since returning I've had some email/skype contact with Jessica, Martin, Merry and Nina and hope that I can continue to stay in touch, but I know it will be difficult.

I've learnt to appreciate the Chinese people's attitude to work and the way that they welcome and include you once they become friends with you. Once you're in - you're in, but outside of that.... its a competitive world of push and shove, literally...

I'm surprised at how little I've been asked about China, my experience or anything. For such a hugely topical country, its strange. I remember reading a few years back how the US was the only country that you 'had to have a relationship with' - doesn't matter where you were born or live. China is now a country that the whole world 'has a relationship with'.

If I do get asked about it, it nearly always comes from a stranger - I remember that in the first 2/3 weeks after we returned not a single friend or family member asked me about it. I guess they just assumed it was such a big thing that it didn't need a specific question? Everyone had heard bits (and some visited us) while we were there. Still, I wasn't prepared for this. If I was to talk about the experience it is of course impossible to do so in some compact short way. What I can say, is that It now feels like the most amazing experience, so many good times, so much travel, so much that I've learnt, but I know that memories always do this over time - the mind disguises the difficult, the frustrating, the confused situations where you felt that you never truly understood what was going on...

I hope my love for the Chinese people and my wishes for greater improvements in aspects of their lives will come true. I feel a deep, sad longing to be with those people, to have that life back, to be together. All over the world there are thousands, millions of people that we can connect with, some we have, but most we will never. This realisation, combined with the sad feeling of distance from loved ones is one of the truly human experiences, I hope you get that like I get that.

再见，安吉。

John Howard's legacy

The Australian election last night finally brought an end to the conservative Howard Government. While going on record about one’s political beliefs is not always a wise move, I feel it is important to remember what Howard has done to this country.

The only positives I can think of are the Government’s role in reigning in gun control laws in the mid 90s, and the introduction of a GST which I believe did play an important part in simplifying tax laws. The Government’s role in the economy is not that relevant and its successful image is largely a result of its propaganda more than anything. Maybe their input or influence in a fairly successful economy is around 20-30%. Other key factors of course, would be the role of the central bank, international economies, other State governments, and the business confidence and spending and saving by Australian themselves. In any case, there is no evidence that an ALP Government would have been unable to handle the economy as successfully, if not better during this period.

But on the negative side of the Howard Government, the list is damning:

- deteriorated relations with Asian countries in the key Asia Pacific region
- deteriorated relations with muslim people, muslim nations and other minority groups
- deteriotated relations with Indigenous people and a refusal to publicly say sorry for previous Government’s harmful policies
- a more dangerous Australia, and a creation of Australia as a target of terrorism
- a culture of lies, deceitfulness and ignorance in not dealing with so many critical issues – a complete lack of integrity
- lies and total disregard for integrity with key issues in election campaigns such as the Children’s Overboard scandal, our entry into the Iraq war for WMD, keeping interest rates to a 30 year low
- a lack of vision for Australia and a refusal to move to becoming a Republic in our own right
- complete ignorance with key policy issues – the environment and climate change, education funding, social services funding and a reduction in funding for these areas
- erosion of rights for workers (removal of unfair dismissal laws) and changes to contract negotiations as always favouring the employer
- a ridiculously high personal debt level that has not been managed during the so called housing boom, that is leading to an increasing number of households unable to meet debt repayments, and a generation of Australians unable to afford housing

In total, a black spot in Australia’s progress. Our International image has deteriorated significantly from our backing of the US in Iraq, our repressive immigration laws, and the culture of division that the Howard Government has engendered. Our country has not been able to keep up with changing technology demands with one of the poorest broadband speeds in the world (let alone the Western world). When one thinks carefully, about progress over an 11 and a half year period – a long time, the positives are very small indeed.

It’s 11.5 years of missed opportunity. We can only imagine the shape and status that Australia might have developed over this period under different circumstances.

Howard’s leadership during this period embarrasses me as an Australian. I’m now looking forward to the future with hope with his departure.

A funny teaching moment

The other day while teaching one of my adult groups, two of the more unusually named students were sitting next to each other. One guy's name is 'Water' - yeah... and sitting to Water's right was 'Polo'.... so right there we had a bit of water polo... and the good thing was that even the students found it funny.

photos and videos

With the demise of flickr here in China, and my recent discovery of facebook, I've been uploading pictures (both old and new) and some recent videos - just a few small ones about China to my facebook page.

I think anyone who is reading this is probably already a Facebook member, but if your not and want to see some of this stuff, go to:

http://www.facebook.com/video/?id=598971482

In the meantime, here's a treat that I'm sure most of you have already seen. Even so, you need to watch it again...

Chinese translations

Here's the English translation on my swimming membership card.

Operation instructions:
(1) Holder's name must be with nipping and recording the name conforms. If find the persons do not accord with, this club forbids to use and regain the card.
(2) Membership and membership card can't be transfered, receive the restraint of member's rule clause.
(3) The member should show a card before entering all department departments, for checking.
(4) Persons who please reissue the membership card of the member for some reason, should pay 20 yuan.

Ok, so if you have any valid interpretations of these instructions, please advise.

b l o c k i n g

OK... very quiet around these parts lately, and this post is hardly going to change this. All my blogging is now going on only in my head, and not making it to here!

Anyway, on one of my constant fascinations - the Great FireWall of C H I N A... would someone open these sites and email me with the contents (neither works here - they are blocked of course):

www.greatfirewallofchina.org/test/ (if this doesn't work - maybe take off the /test/ etc)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_notable_ websites_blocked_in_the_People's_Republic_of_China
http://my.opera.com/aloha_found/blog/2007/05/17/my-opera-community-is-blocked-in-china-due-to-gfw

Just interested ;)

Oh, and for some reason, one of my "friendly" sites allows me to read this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Shield_Project - This is very, very scary. Please read this to create awareness! This may explain why a lot of my emails have not been working lately.

:(

Watch out!

I'm back...