We started our language class on Thursday. Each class session is entirely in Chinese which, let me tell you, is pretty damn intense. But I feel like I'm not totally lost so I suppose thats a good thing. The last couple of days were filled with work. I realize that that's why we are here but it was still kind of a shock to start working in terms of academics again.
One aspect of this culture that I completely can not relate to is the innate reverance towards authority and age. I suppose as an American I'm taught from an early age that I'm independant and unique and while we were also taught that one should respect authority we also learn to question it. I A good example of this is what my one friend said her teacher said in her class. Her teacher mentioned that chicken skin was good for your skin but could not give any evidence to the fact other than princess in ancient china used to eat it. Personally authority means nothing to me except that they happen to be holding the biggest stick. For all the talk about the utilitarianism of China they are astonishingly withdrawn from logic. They are an anarchornistic people. Trapped somewhere between their western future and eastern heritage.
Anyway I'm getting ready to go to an acrobatic show so I'll have some sweet pictures next time I post.
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