contact me at:
justin (@) deepdrift dot com
GyozaQuest is a non profitable site,
Adventures in Beijing.
So we made it back to Beijing, and as expected we have been meeting a host of interesting people. Although we are very reserved in our speech about saying what we are doing, and why we are out here and even if we are Christian. Most of the people we have met are less reserved, if not simply able to speak freely. Again, the idea is that as long as you're honest about your intentions, and not trying to subvert the government, then you'll do fine out here.
The expatriate community here runs the gamut of wealth, privilege and status. Since I grew up in the west coast, where everyone seems to be the children of immigrants, the legacy of privilege is a new concept. We met some very opposite people, the first was a man who came out here on an expatriate package with his wife (his wife actually has the high powered job) He himself works for of all people Pat Robertson.
Pat Roberston is a conservative Christian who runs a media company in the US. However, due to a meeting with Pat Robertson, and Zhu Rongi, they are allowed to have an office out here dedicated to doing relief and charity work. It's hard for organizations, with any sort of purely religious are not registered in China.
I'm not too big a fan of Pat Robertson or his views. However for
others in my team who look highly upon Pat Robertson, it must have
been reassuring and inspiring to see his work there. For me however,
the issue is not how they will change China, but to see how China
will change them. What will come of this venture, because they're
not a charity, they're a media company, the charity work only
provides
content for their broadcasting. But their registration and charter,
in China has said that they are a charity, the will provide relief
work. First and foremost, they cannot be a front for anything
in China, if they said that they will not do things, they shouldn't.
First they must do what they say, and that is a relief organization.
The second person I met was a student who moved out here initially on a summer program, then on a two year teaching program. She then chose to return to China to do a few years of language study, plus she has a Chinese boyfriend out here. While the first people I met were extremely wealthy by Beijing standards, and even by American standards, thos woman was simply a poor student, coming to China simply because she is called to be here.
Lastly we met a schoolteacher from Boston who is teaching
at a preparatory pre-school. It was cute, to see all her kids, however
after seeing the teaching conditions in Western China and
talking with the teachers out there, who had never seen "The
cat and the hat". Then seeing this school for high powered 3,
4 and 5 year olds, who's parents are wealthy enough to send them
to weekly
boarding school, that teaches them English from native speakers,
piano and violin lessons, even rollerblading. One couldn't help but
shutter at the disparity and divide.
Saturday, October 11, 2003