www射-国产免费一级-欧美福利-亚洲成人福利-成人一区在线观看-亚州成人

LIFE> Photo Gallery
Christmas wraps up another year of surprises
By Patrick Whiteley (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-12-15 16:46

Christmas wraps up another year of surprises

Can you believe how fast this year has flown? I know there are a few weeks before we all tear into another year, but when I start buying Christmas presents, and posting them back home (as we all must do now), I'm not only wrapping gifts for my loved ones, I'm also wrapping up another year.

The words of John Lennon come to mind: "So this is Christmas, and what have you done?"

I have done a lot and what a year it has been for an expat living in China.

We started 2008 with one of the worst snowstorms in history, followed by the tragedy of the Sichuan earthquake. The image of a crouching father holding the hand of his dead son still trapped in the rubble will haunt me forever.

Then we let the Games begin.

Fireworks, 5,000 years of history, and giant whales swimming around the stadium all set the tone before the Olympians dazzled us with world records and feats of the fantastic.

The world watched China host the biggest banquet in its history and we expats were lucky to be here to enjoy the experience.

The Beijing Games helped change a lot of stereotypes about China thanks to the reports of more than 30,000 members of the foreign media.

These short-stay visitors were important people because their television reports, feature articles, radio interviews and blogs reached the biggest worldwide audience in Olympic history.

Christmas wraps up another year of surprises

The world's view of China is already changing, according to a survey organized by the Communication University of China (CUC) in Beijing. The survey revealed that foreigners liked China better than before, because they knew more.

In the lead-up to the 2008 Olympics, the world had been becoming more aware of China, but the average person just didn't have time to delve deeply into Sinology. The world watched, feasted on all things Chinese, and now better understands.

But despite my third year in the Middle Kingdom, I realize I still know only a little and more keeps being revealed.

I was recently asked why most Chinese people are indirect and tend to beat around the bush.

I was about to say it had to do with their desire to be polite and their aversion of conflict. I was also about to rattle off the other textbook reasons: "Saving face, harmonious society, Confucius teachings" and the rest.

But if the Chinese are not so direct, why is it OK for complete strangers to ask me: "How much money do you make, are you married and why not?

I really don't know.

When I first arrived in mid 2006, I was like a sponge and after six months thought I had quickly grabbed a handle on this mysterious land.

I even successfully pitched a China book idea to a major publisher. My book was later knocked back because of the overload of China-themed books in the pipeline.

Today, my original book outline, drafted two years ago, makes me feel a little embarrassed. It was so superficial and just skimmed the surface. It was just like all the other books out there, repeating the same China clichs.

And how the hell could I write a China book when I couldn't even speak the language?

I know this hasn't stopped other authors penning their views, but how can anybody write about a nation when he or she cannot talk to the majority of people who live there?

They say a visitor to a new country can write a good feature article after a week, and bash out a book after six months but after a couple of years, things become fuzzier.

But maybe this is not such a bad thing.

Slowly understanding China's mysteries is just like opening a Christmas present.

It's often full of nice surprises.

 

 

主站蜘蛛池模板: 欧美成人手机视频免费播放 | 精品国产欧美一区二区五十路 | 成人久久久| 国产成人麻豆精品 | 精品国产网站 | 精品成人毛片一区二区视 | 欧美成人网7777视频 | 亚洲第一中文 | 日本69xxxxxxxxx69| 亚洲第十色 | av中文字幕网免费观看 | 欧美一区二区三区四区在线观看 | 欧美精品亚洲精品日韩专区 | 99爱视频免费高清在线观看 | 亚洲欧美成人影院 | 日韩欧美在线视频一区二区 | 亚洲乱码一区二区三区国产精品 | 久久高清免费视频 | 欧美大片欧美毛片大片 | 草久久免费视频 | 鸥美性生交xxxxx久久久 | 国产亚洲一区二区三区在线 | 夜夜春夜夜夜夜猛噜噜噜噜噜 | 中文字幕一区二区三区 精品 | 国产精品极品 | 欧美freesex10一13黑人 | 日本一区二区三区四区五区 | 亚洲国产欧美日韩第一香蕉 | 99视频在线免费看 | 久久欧美精品 | 亚洲韩国日本欧美一区二区三区 | 欧美老熟妇bbbb毛片 | 亚洲精品成人7777在线观看 | 免费国产99久久久香蕉 | 国产高清一 | 久色一区 | 全部毛片 | 日韩亚洲欧美一区噜噜噜 | 成人爽a毛片在线视频网站 成人爽爽大片在线观看 | 久草在线在线 | 国产一区二区三区免费观看 |