Blog for wangd2tag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//8442007-08-03T21:16:11ZMovable Type 3.34when you are oldtag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.73862007-08-03T20:40:04Z2007-08-03T21:16:11Z When you are old William Butler Yeats When you are old and gray and full of sleep, And nodding by the fire,take down this book, And slowly read,and dream of the soft look Your eyes had once,and of their...
When you are old
William Butler Yeats
When you are old and gray and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire,take down this book,
And slowly read,and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once,and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true;
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face.
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur,a little sadly,how love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead,
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
The day i went to Monticello, i met an old couple. The tour bus drove us up the hill. When they were about to get off the bus, the man who was behind his wife in the line, stepped forward and got off first.Then, he turned around, offered his hand out towards his wife and nodded. She smiled and held his hand. The silence scene was more powerful than any word. It is the most beautiful smile i've ever seen.
Living in the modern society, people seem to forget what really matters in our life. I was staggered by the high divorce rate worldwide. Once i talked with an American professor and asked him about this. "Aren't the American serious about love and family? Why can't relationship last long?" He said that the Americans cared too much about love and family and once they found it was not their true love they would leave each other without hesitation. It is too important? Is it a reason or an excuse? I don't know.Back in China, I see sweet couples on campus, hanging out happily or breaking up and get more and more confused about what love is. Maybe we all don't know what love is and only don't want to be alone. But does being alone equal lonely? I don't know.
I wanted to talk with the old couple but decided not to.I watched them strolling the path of Monticello hand in hand. Once pick up one's hand, never let it go easily.Maybe,maybe.
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Introduce China to the worldtag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.73832007-08-03T20:22:27Z2007-08-03T22:23:27Z If we do not know the culture differences,misunderstanding is bound to occur. we do not do enough on our part,Lin Yutang and Gu Hongming are still the ones who introduced China to the world.They lived in the early 20th...
If we do not know the culture differences,misunderstanding is bound to occur. we do not do enough on our part,Lin Yutang and Gu Hongming are still the ones who introduced China to the world.They lived in the early 20th century and Lin was an anarchist and Gu support the empire of the Qing Dynasty,though they are famous in culture studies. Some of their analysis about the Chinese character are impressive but only one aspect i must confess.
Nowadays, Chinese government invest a lot in building Confucious College around the world, which intend to introduce China to the world. It is a good start. But we find that we can not get enough teacher for the Confucious College. For us ,the challenge is not only whether we can understand the essence of Chinese culture but also whether we can express it in English.It is a long way to go.
starry nighttag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.73402007-08-03T02:35:58Z2007-08-03T22:30:11ZIt is a pity that i have not got a chance to see the midnight sky in America.We will leave for NY the day after tomorrow and definitely there will be no clear scene of the sky there because it's...
It is a pity that i have not got a chance to see the midnight sky in America.We will leave for NY the day after tomorrow and definitely there will be no clear scene of the sky there because it's too bright. I love the starry night. It gives me lots of memories.
I spent a whole week with some friends in the countryside when i was in junior high. It was the first time that I saw the Milky Way so clearly. I lay on the grass, hoping the sun would never rise which would scare the galaxy away. R sang for us and his voice was so beautiful, beyond imagination. In the dark, the thatched cottage that we rent and i stood in silence,looking at each other. It lies there and gave me a sense of safety.People come and go. Of course, I was the guest.
I am a guest here in America. I am lazy and like spending a whole afternoon chatting on the balcony at my house. But the faraway land is forever an attraction to me. To meet different people and to walk on the exotic land is of great fun.Starry starry night, no matter where i go, my beloved sky remains the same.
Midnight talktag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.72632007-08-02T00:43:15Z2007-08-03T21:42:40ZI spent the whole weekend at Erik's parents' house. The house is not very big but it is a fairly sweet home. It was an awesome weekend. I could still recall the last night we spent in the house. We...
I spent the whole weekend at Erik's parents' house. The house is not very big but it is a fairly sweet home. It was an awesome weekend.
I could still recall the last night we spent in the house. We three girls had showers and went to bed early. (Erik always let us use the bathroom first) Laying in the bed, we talked about the weekend experience. Everything was planned so well and Erik was like our elder brother, always considerate and tolerant to us. He got up early and cooked us breakfast. Different breakfasts for each day. He took us to his friends' pool and had BBQ there. He guided us to UVA despite of the summer sunshine. Every time we got home, he cooked us dinner while we were watching the cartoons. We wanted to help, but found all we could do was to stand in the kitchen and gave him verbally "support"..."We have 'tortured' Erik for the whole weekend" one of us said. "Why has he never been angry with us?"the other said. Our dialogue went on like this and finally we decided to have a talk with Erik.It was over 11 o'clock at night and we four were all tired but we just wanted to talk with Erik.
I asked him why he was never annoyed by our various request,"what if we want to go somewhere and you are hungry and want to have lunch?" "Oh, it doesn't matter,we can eat tomorrow." His answer impressed me a lot. He was so considerate and always thinks for others.I began to think whether i was too self-centered in the past 20 years! It was over 1 o'clock at night when we let poor Erik go to bed.I definitely learned a lot from Erik.
On globalization 2tag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.72462007-08-01T21:14:33Z2007-08-03T21:14:15ZAre what we've discussed the whole picture of the world at the present? Are everyone satisfied with the impact brought by the globalization? In fact, globalization is rather a controversial topic. As I've mentioned above, it is a double-edged sword....
Are what we've discussed the whole picture of the world at the present? Are everyone satisfied with the impact brought by the globalization? In fact, globalization is rather a controversial topic. As I've mentioned above, it is a double-edged sword. The critics of globalization target at the damage it has done to the natural environment and the increasingly large gap between rich and poor which involves the inequality of human beings.
In terms of the environmental crisis, we can, first of all, challenge the way of measuring economic achievement that most of organizations are using now,such as GDP used by the authoritative World Bank. The critics have other measurement such as the Green GDP,Happy Planet Index, etc. In this perspective, globalization does an awful job.some argue that by accelerating the process of the capitalist exploitation of nature,globalization spins the globe faster and faster and will certainly lead to an ecological collapse.It helps spread an unhealthy of way of development. Secondly, the last few decades of the past centuries witnessed a great increase in population.The population bomb,explosed from less than 300 million people at the time of Christ to over 6 billion today. Critics contend that it is compounding the ecological impact of the 260,000 people added to the planet every day.
----to be continued
On globalizationtag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.72372007-08-01T19:54:09Z2007-08-03T21:13:45ZAt the beginning of the 21st century, globalization is an inevitable trend and is bound to develop as time goes by. Globalization is a double edged sword. On the one hand, it improves the communication and interaction between countries through...
At the beginning of the 21st century, globalization is an inevitable trend and is bound to develop as time goes by. Globalization is a double edged sword. On the one hand, it improves the communication and interaction between countries through technology, economic and politics. On the other, it assaults national sovereignty and diminishes local tradition. The daunting question is whether we can make the best out of it or it will come to control us.
People often regard the latest 100 years as the globalization era which witnesses a great expansion in population and economic growth. In fact, globalization is a trendy word for an old process. Different cultures met dating from the Greece time and during the Mongol time, there was greater integration along the silk road… However, it is in the past 100 years that the process accelerated.
Supporters of globalization claim that the economic prosperity benefits the rich and the poor alike and leads to a more efficient allocating of resource. Jeffery D. Sachs, the current professor and director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, pointed out in his book The End of Poverty, “One of the ironies of the recent success of India and China is the fear that... success in these two countries comes at the expense of the United States. These fears are fundamentally wrong and, even worse, dangerous. They are wrong because the world is not a zero-sum struggle... but rather is a positive-sum opportunity in which improving technologies and skills can raise living standards around the world.” In this perspective, the world market is a cake and globalization not only make the everyone has a piece, but also makes the cake bigger and bigger. Therefore, it is a bless to all of the world. According to World Bank figures, the percentage of people living on less than $2 a day has decreased greatly in areas effected by globalization, while poverty rates in other areas have remained largely stagnant. For example, in East-Asia, the percentage decreased was 50.1% compared to a 2.2% increase in Africa. Countries who are involved in globalization do benefit from the reduction or elimination of the tariffs and capital controls.
Accept from the economic benefit, globalization has made communication and everyday life easier and more exiting with the development of technology. Information flows smoothly between geographically remote areas. Satellite, submarine cable, internet and wireless cell phone, all these make an important part of our life. In the process, people from different areas get to understand each other better. The world-wide sport event such as the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games removes the language barrie between nations.People get plenty of opportunities to experience the exotic culture, which makes life more colorful. According to a 2003 survey of teenagers from New York, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, and the Philippines, teenagers both in the United States and elsewhere are largely in favor of globalization. The concrete statistic give us the hint that globalization is popular because of the convenience and wild choice that it offers.
----to be continued
paintingtag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.72042007-08-01T13:55:29Z2007-08-03T21:27:25ZThe artist finished a profile in only two hours. He was quite relaxed when painting.The process of painting, in my view, is also an art. I love painting and have always admired those who can paint very well. Unfortunately, i...
The artist finished a profile in only two hours. He was quite relaxed when painting.The process of painting, in my view, is also an art.
I love painting and have always admired those who can paint very well. Unfortunately, i have little gift for it. When i was in primary school, drawing is a compulsive lesson Through I seldom got A in this course, I was looking forward to the drawing class every Thursday.i love to see the white-haired teacher drawing. Sometimes i was frustrated that i could not draw well. I began to give up drawing myself,but still went to museum and read books on painting. I get to know little by little that i can pursue this hobby by others ways rather than picking up the pencil myself.
Painting is the gymnastics of thought.(and architectures are the music of a city) It not only can provide me joy with its colors, lines and structure, but also serves as a door for me to enter into the painter's heart. I am looking forward to the two and a half day in NY. I hope i can understand the Met instead of just walking through.
...tag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.70092007-07-29T13:05:16Z2007-08-03T20:30:00ZI met some of Erik's friends yesterday and found more differences and similarities between Chinese young people and the American ones. They really speak up. A boy asked us things about China.Obviously, what he knew about China was not up-dated....
I met some of Erik's friends yesterday and found more differences and similarities between Chinese young people and the American ones.
They really speak up. A boy asked us things about China.Obviously, what he knew about China was not up-dated. At the beginning of our conversations, he asked about the Tian'an men square issue and whether the Chinese were allowed to keep large amount of private properties. I was not affended at all. On the contrary, i'd like to communcate with foreigners on subjects like that, learn from the past and tell them that China is making progress politically. The boy's cousin asked us whether we were only allowed to have one baby each family and thought it was crazy.Instead of answering her, i asked her what if there were1.3 billion people in America. We all laughed and she said it made sense.
In the party, they drunk and danced.Typical American! Work hard,play harder.It seemed that they were busy enjoying themselves and didn't bother to care others. In fact, they stood in our shoes all the time. V told us helped ourselves and didn't have to eat up things in the plate in case we were not used to the American food. The Americans are not the kind of people who own considerable wealth and care nothing about others. They just refuse to lose themselves.They always know who they are and what they want. In this respect, they win my respect.
I've talked with many American students and it changed my view on them. They read a lot and are never afraid of speaking up.Back in China, I didn't get the chance to know what an American student's daily life was like, except from the movies which was not reliable resources at all.
On mediatag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.69502007-07-27T20:31:06Z2007-07-27T21:12:50ZToday, we have the anchor from NBC Channel 12, Aaron Gilcrest with us. I like the dialog-like style of his speech. It is really a great pleasure talking with him.Our topic is media. Both what he said and what the...
Today, we have the anchor from NBC Channel 12, Aaron Gilcrest with us. I like the dialog-like style of his speech. It is really a great pleasure talking with him.Our topic is media. Both what he said and what the Chinese students and teachers said are thought-provoking.
The American are proud of the freedom that the news agency has here. But although they don't have a written document that restrict the media, they are, to some extent, not that free. Most of the broadcast agencies are owned by big cooperations. How can you publish something that is against the one who support you financially without a second thought? We all don't want our boss to be unhappy,right? I've read a book call The Shadow of the Eagle. The author goes to extremes in some of his opinions.But one of his conclusion is impressive,"if Bush wants the public to believe or know something, all he needs to do is to make a call and the reporters will immediately stand in line in front of him."And also, i believe the American does have restriction on media. Look at the difference of reporting in the Iraq war and the Gulf war.
China is making progress. Reporters all around the world can interview anybody they like when they come to China in 2008 when Beijing is going to hold the Olympic Games. I am glad that all the Americans in class want to know more about what has changed in China. But the image that they have on China is still how people would have 10 years ago. Is it because that the American media has too little international news? It makes sense to say that the audience are unaware of the outside world , so the media only focuses on the domestic issue. Yet should the media have a social responsibility or should it be just a business organization that does things which can bring in more money. I am confused.The media, in my opinion should be a reflection of the whole society and the fourth power outside the government instead of a baby-sitter, trying to satisfy every need from the public.
The American media is notorious in having too little international news. After 9.11, according to Aaron, it changed a lot. We make changes only after something happens. All around the world, the mass media serves as a tool of the powerful instead of the window for the public to reach the all-around outside world. Do we need another "9.11" to make more changes ?
I do not know whether all these above make sense . Just write down what in my mind right now:) I have been interested in media since in junior high. My dad does not support me , unfortunately because I used to talk with him about the problems i found in the media system. He said these questions made me too serious and a little cynical. Anyway, it is a great pleasure to talk about these in America with people from different background.
Humortag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.67732007-07-25T17:27:56Z2007-07-26T01:14:25ZI've heard of the American humor since long ago. It is only when I interact with the Americans everyday that i experience the American humor .So far, i don't know why there is a difference between American and Chinese humor,...
I've heard of the American humor since long ago. It is only when I interact with the Americans everyday that i experience the American humor .So far, i don't know why there is a difference between American and Chinese humor, but i am sure to find out more as time goes by.
When i write down the phrase Chinese humor, i can't help but remember the question that have been long asked,"do the Chinese have a sense of humor?" Of course we do. To ask this is like to ask an Egyptian," are there sands in Sahara?" Humor is a way of looking at life.It requires tolerance and is a result of contentment and leisure.The Chinese people are tolerant and are fond of easy life.So humor is inevitable in China. What makes the foreigners think we are lack of humor maybe is the way that we express it. My memory fails me now so i've no concrete example to offer. But we all can feel it in everyday life.
The interns that i often talk with are humorous by no means, My intern Erik seemed serious the first day i met him.But the more you talk to him, the more you feel that he is such a nice guy and the joke he had on American politics was impressive.The sense of humor is also the shining point of Matt, one of the most popular interns. The other day, we went to a Vietnam restaurant which is a little bit far away. In the car,Matt joked," is the restaurant in Vietnam?" which sent all laugh and forget our empty stomach. My roommates often talked about their interns' humor. Say, it seems that sense of humor is born into every American.Generally, i feel that American humor is casual, which makes life easy and delightful.
It will take a longer time for me to discovery the essence of American humor and i would like to see more differences between the two cultures.
Meteor in the skytag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.67222007-07-25T00:30:17Z2007-07-25T01:39:59Z I've always been interested in the space. When i was a little girl, my dream was to become an astronaut.The other day, we visited the observatory. The white-hair gentleman only gave us a speech for about 40 minutes. Then...
I've always been interested in the space. When i was a little girl, my dream was to become an astronaut.The other day, we visited the observatory. The white-hair gentleman only gave us a speech for about 40 minutes. Then we had to leave because there was a movie on later. I hope i could have stayed there in the dark looking up at all the stars that i loved so much. The interns asked if anybody would like to wait till dark so they could use the telescope to observe the real star. Unfortunately, few people shared the same interest with me. I went back with all the others unwillingly. But it's OK:) I will have chance to observe the "north America sky" in my life.
I used to observe every astronomy phenomenon that i knew back in China such as the meteoric shower,solar eclipse, etc. They never fail to offer me great fun. I've always been fond of the brilliant sunshine, forever energetic and be there for me. I like swimming esp. on the beach. Swimming itself provides great fun, yet it was the bright sun and clear water that really touch me in the heart. At the same time, I don't like meteor that much for it only exists for an instant moment. However,the moment i sat there in the observatory, it occurred to me that meteor could be beautiful.Its beauty lies in the few seconds that it devotes to the sky. As Tagore says,
"there is no trace in the sky,but the bird has flied through."Why can't one-second brightness be beautiful and leave an everlasting memory in one's heart?
We have both fix stars and meteors in our life. Dad, mom,our intimate friends and our lover accompany us for most of the lifetime sharing the happiness and bitterness.No doubt they are treasures to us. Yet, most of the people are only meteors to us. We meet each other, walk together for a while, say goodbye and go on with our own life. People come and go but they do play an important role and make life colorful.How happy we are when we remember the past holding an old photo! Here in America, I meet so many great guys. Some humor, some warm-hearted, some knowledgeable...I've learned a lot from them. It even does not matter whether they are suns or meteors to me. Just enjoy every minute and cherish every friend. Both suns and meteors have their own beauty.
escort servicetag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.64872007-07-20T02:31:34Z2007-07-20T13:49:48ZI was sitting in a police car , rather frustrated, with two of my friends. I asked the policeman with care,"can we get off the car now?" He said with a "cold" smile,"yea". We left the car as quickly as...
I was sitting in a police car , rather frustrated, with two of my friends. I asked the policeman with care,"can we get off the car now?" He said with a "cold" smile,"yea". We left the car as quickly as possible and I began to recall what had happened in the past several hours.
After class this afternoon, my friends and I went swimming.The bus system in VCU is convenient. However, unfamiliar with the city, we got off at the wrong stops for three times.When we finally got there, we only had 1 hour left for we had to catch the the last bus back.We hurried off the swimming pool and got on the bus that pulled in the bus station first. As the bus moved on, it seemed that we'd got on the wrong bus. When it arrived at its final stop, we found we were in the middle of nowhere. Erik was the first person that came into my mind.Unfortunately, I hadn't saved his number in my cell phone. My! What should we do? At that moment, we saw a police car went by. We remembered the escort service the policewoman told us the other day...you know what happened next.
I am experiencing everything that is possible in VCU.To tell the truth, it is fun if I am not making too much trouble to the VCUers.
from pizza to architecture and the citytag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.63152007-07-18T13:41:12Z2007-07-19T14:00:17ZThe different characters of the Chinese and the American can be reflected in our daily life in some way. Take the food for example. We make different food with the same materials. In China,we put all the ingredient inside like...
The different characters of the Chinese and the American can be reflected in our daily life in some way.
Take the food for example. We make different food with the same materials. In China,we put all the ingredient inside like dumplings and baozi while in America they put those stuffs on the surface.
http://image.baidu.com/i?ct=503316480&z=0&tn=baiduimagedetail&word=%B0%FC%D7%D3&in=15&cl=2&cm=1&sc=0&lm=-1&pn=14&rn=1
The similar phenonenon happens to the architecures,too. The other day, we had a bus tour around Richmond.There are statues at the crossroads. From the crossroads, one can go to everywhere.And one can see the statue from far away. The Americans inherit the way of city plan from Europe. The westerners let people see clearly from the outside what the achitectures are like.It reminds me of the Virginia city hall and the White house.In China,however, the famous places of interest all have high walls around. When the western missionary came to Beijing centuries ago, he was invited to the forbidden city. When he was in front of it, all he could see is the high red wall which is very stately and represents the superior status of the emperor and the political power. The inside was mysterious to the outsiders.Also,Chang'an, which is the capital city of the Tang Dynasty, was divided into several parts. Each part was surrounded by high walls.
http://baike.baidu.com/pic/5/11735997099760691.jpg
Are these related to the character difference between easterners and westerners ? The easterner are more veilded while the westerner are more direct? I don't know for sure. People are always saying people from different areas behave differently. For example, do not take the nodding as a yes in Japan. They are just being polite...It is interesting and I'd like to explore more during this trip.
pizzatag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.62112007-07-16T15:52:29Z2007-07-17T21:46:32ZErik took us to pizza last night. it was good. It was interesting that all six Chinese students had pizza with fork and knife while the two American interns with hand. Yea, we were just hanging out with friends. Why...
Erik took us to pizza last night. it was good. It was interesting that all six Chinese students had pizza with fork and knife while the two American interns with hand. Yea, we were just hanging out with friends. Why not use hands which is more convenient.
Our dorm is fine. but the moment I stood on the balcony and looked downstairs, i felt the design of the building was like the prison in Prison Break:) some of my schoolmates had the same feeling and we decided to call it "cell" instead of dorm:) There is a minority group in China called Tujia. Their architecture is also of this type.Hopefully, i will find some pictures on line and put it on later.
Yesterday, we visited the Catholic Church and I saw one of my favorite instruments, organ and it remind me of the church music and Bach. I used to like Chopin most of all the musicians and felt that I could never understand Bach,which is boring and never fails to make me sleep. But once l learned from an uncle from Central Music University that the beauty of Bach's music lies in its regular form. Bach actually uses his music to spread religion. Then i listened to Bach again and got to understand his music a little bit. Last Christmas, I went to the largest and oldest Catholic Church in Beijing. I am not a Catholic and I just went there to experience. At the door, I heard the Church music. It sounded really good under that circumstance. It occurred to me that it is not that Bach's music is boring but I didn't know how to read his heart.However,as a 21 year old ,the romantic Chopin is still my favorite.
The first daytag:blog.vcu.edu,2007:/wangd2//844.61912007-07-15T21:31:50Z2007-07-15T21:42:35Z The long flight is not a hard problem for me , because I've got something harder: i got fever the day before departure. Bad luck! My task on the plane is one cup of hot water after another. Air-conditioner...
The long flight is not a hard problem for me , because I've got something harder: i got fever the day before departure. Bad luck! My task on the plane is one cup of hot water after another.
Air-conditioner everywhere, it is the coldest summer I've ever experience:)
I was very happy to see the interns from VCU at the airport. It was late in the evening ,about 23:30. The boys were all handsome and the girls pretty;). I fell asleep immediately my head felt the pillow. The dorm is fine but too cold, esp. for me.
The intern appointed to my group is Erik. He took us around VCU campus this noon. The campus is big compared to mine. I feel like the it is a town in the university instead of a university in the town.
Time is up, I have to leave the teaching room. I'll share some of the pictures I took today tomorrow.