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China is not all bad!

Reading the messages on this posting can give a person heartburn, or worse. I guess I am a little old fashioned. At least old, according to my wife. I am presently teaching in Hong Kong, but did a little stint in China last year. It was a very good experience. The school delivered on all they promised. The students were great, and wanted to learn English and about America. I met some very nice students over the duration of my teaching in Zhuhai. I enjoyed living in China, even if it was different from the USA. But never once was I worried about my safety. I was reluctant to leave China and return to the USA in March 2003. In the USA, I found a rotten economy, fewer jobs, and an environment based on a future war. The only jobs available at the time were in sales. Try living on commission only when you can't even make a sale! After six months, my wife who is from Hong Kong, suggested we go back to Hong Kong. At least she wanted to return home because the American way was not the way she thought it was going to be. So back to Hong Kong; and now we both have good jobs. I am teaching Business English at a large American owned school, and my wife is working for the Hong Kong government.  My experience in China was very good. It was cultural shock to some extent, but I was patient and let things flow without getting upset. I can't say the same for my stint in the USA. It caused health problems, and made me think about what it means to be an American. It aint all that great. Hong Kong has been very good to us, and the future for teaching looks bright. But there is some cultural differences to overcome, like crowded streets and people who always seem to be in too much of a hurry. But at least it is safe, and I have a good job. Keep your chin up, and do not let little things bother you. Teaching English isn't easy, and teaching foreign students is even harder. But the reward is having a student thank you after a class for helping them master a difficult subject. Walter Hoar February 1, 2004 wsh_hongkong@yahoo.com Hong Kong