Beginning

Beginnings have always been tough for me. Every paper I have ever written starts off with me staring blankly at my computer screen, willing words to appear and silently cursing my perceived ineptitude. Unsurprisingly, this blog has been no different. Until this point, I have been largely ambivalent about blogs. Not that I should judge from the sidelines, but I feel that many blogs are not much more than idle chatter adding to the dull roar that fills certain corners of the Internet. I had a Tumblr for like, two seconds, but it was short-lived because I got really sick of feeling pressured to photograph every single thing I cooked (it was a food blog). I want this attempt to be different, not just from my perspective as a hopeful non-cretin of the blogosphere, but because this blog will be my main line of communication with the people I care about who I would love nothing more than to grab a coffee with and tell you all about all the cool things I'll be doing in China. Think of this blog as our virtual coffee date. 

Oh yeah, for the odd reader I don't actually know personally (welcome by the way!), I am leaving in a few short weeks to go live and teach English conversation in Shenzhen, China for a year. After a brief orientation in Shanghai, I will be teaching at the Shenzhen Yaohua Experimental School with the help of the Ameson Foundation's "Ameson Year in China" program. If you read about my experiences and can't wait to try it for yourself, here's the website.

As far as I can tell, the Yaohua Experimental School is an elite institution dedicated to preparing Shenzhen's brightest for a college education. 

This is what the campus looks like. Pretty cool, huh? It's about the size of a small American university, but it's an elite high school. I think the fact that Yaohua is a college prep school actually makes me feel more confident about this whole teaching gig. High schoolers are older, therefore I can relate to them better, at least in theory. I also attended a college prep school. It kicked my butt like no other, but I was ready for the work load of college in a way most people I met during freshman orientation were not. This is to say that I understand the academic hell these kids are going through, and I am living proof that it can be survived and put to good use. I have to modify my expectations, of course. Most likely, I will not be the next Stand and Deliver guy, nor will I be as inspiring as Robin Williams in the Dead Poets Society, but I understand what it takes to thrive in a college environment and I can help teach them the tools I have learned. Maybe.

Where is Shenzhen, you ask? Well.



It is in the south, right across from Hong Kong. Strategically placed, I might add, to rival the capitalist success of the former British holding. 

After Mao's death and the downfall of the Gang of Four, Deng Xiaopeng, newly back in power, began the delicate task of steering the Chinese Communist Party away from the destructive excesses of Maoism to a more market-friendly version of socialism. Deng famously announced that "poverty is not socialism" and "to get rich is glorious," effectively sending China on its new long march towards great power status. Shenzhen was established as a Special Economic Zone in 1980. Its place was that of a capitalistic haven for business, strategically placed next to one of the biggest financial centers in the region. Until it became a Special Economic Zone, Shenzhen was a sleepy fishing village. Now, it looks like this:

Not bad for thirty years.

Shenzhen's history as an SEZ is the reason why schools like Yaohua exist. As far as I can tell, it is a rare phenomenon in China. I'll report more on the intellectual culture once I get settled in, but the website features photos of students in an art class alongside photos of the science facilities. Art seems to get short shrift in China because it is not part of the exit examinations every high school student must take, and it's impossible to standardize and test artistic ability. Even though Shenzhen is new and it does not have the same roots as say, Beijing, I am really excited to see what the impact the SEZ has on the city's willingness to support private education and free thought. 


I am also beyond ecstatic about the state of the food! I am a complete and total foodie, and one of my favorite things is Chinese dim sum. So where better to be than the region where dim sum has its roots? I cannot wait for my first order of har gao on Chinese soil.

Har gao: shrimp dumplings

Har gao are shrimp dumplings, technically named for the translucent wrapping of these exquisite creations. They are usually tinged the loveliest shade of pink because the wrappings are so thin that the shrimp filling shines through. 

Maybe this is just because it's late, but it seems to me that har gao are a perfect metaphor for what I know of China at this moment. It's a delectable and exciting prospect, with lovely presentation, but hidden delights are shining through, just waiting to be discovered. Or something. I probably just need to get to sleep so I can be properly embarrassed by that line in the morning. More to come, my friends. 14 days exactly until I fly to Shanghai for orientation. Love to you all.