TEN

Considering the fact that only ten days remain in my semester abroad, I figured I would spare you all of my typical babbling and give you a list of the top ten things I regret about my stay in Jiamusi, along with the top ten things that have surpassed my expectations here in one of China’s northernmost cities.  

Regrets, I’ve had a few…

I always ask to hear bad news before good news, so why stop now? 

Here are my top ten regrets:

10. Not bringing a winter coat and NEW running shoes

I was limited in the luggage I could bring, so I figured I would buy a winter coat here.  Easy, right?  Wrong.  It is not only that Jiamusi is not exactly a shopping mecca, but it is also that the sizing stops at about two sizes smaller than I am.  Every coat I tried on was short in the sleeves and tight in the shoulders.  I ended up buying the largest I could find for about fifteen dollars.  Let’s just say, it’s not coming back with me.

I did bring my running shoes, but they were already pretty worn-in.  When I went shopping to replace them and was asked my size they looked at me in horror!  Like I was Sasquatch.  Store after store they couldn’t believe it! I was afraid they might ask me to join the circus. OK, I do have an unusually wide foot, but the length is just an 11 – pretty average in the US, but unheard of here.

 

9. Not Obtaining Fluency

Wasn’t going to happen.  Nobody learns a language in five months -especially not Chinese.  Still, I had to put it in here.  It’s not what I would call a painful regret, but more of a nagging aggravation.  Part of me always thought I’d head back to Goshen ready to make a speech in perfect Chinese, at which point everybody would clap as I flew away like superman. 

8.  Not getting back at the taxi drivers

This sucks.  I really wanted revenge.  They try to hit me on roads, they pretend they don’t understand me, they never miss an opportunity to rip me off and they honk their horns constantly.  Then again, I do still have ten days…

7. No Kung Fu

I really wanted to learn some Kung Fu.  Alas, I could find none.  Do I Kung Fu?  Of course, I taught it to myself.  Can I show you?  Uhh, No.

6. Developing a Thick Northern Accent

I realized in Shanghai, that although they speak Mandarin, the same dialect I’ve learned, their accents are completely different and they use certain idioms I don’t understand.  If I don’t understand them, how do you think they felt about the kid with the American accent speaking Mandarin with a really weird Northern accent?

5. Not Working Harder to Find a Gym

I found one, eventually, so it doesn’t impact me quite as much now.  However, it would have been nice to have been able to go work out in my first days in Jiamusi.  It helps get rid of the stress and gives me a chance to get away from everything for a while.

4. Not Showering With My Host Bro

Just kidding.  I wanted to see if you were still awake.  A more appropriate location for this would probably be the Thank You section of my nightly prayers.

3. Limited Exploration of China

Jiamusi, Beijing, Shanghai, from North to South.  Include an afternoon in Hangzhou and an afternoon in Suzhou, and that rounds off the list.  It’s a good thing I’m not leaving China for good (I hope).

2. Speaking Too Much English

I feel my Chinese could have been better had I limited my use of English.  It was tough, though, considering the fact that anybody who could speak any English pretended they didn’t understand my Chinese so that they could practice their English. Most of them had never met someone who had English as their first language.

1. Not studying my Chinese Characters enough

My Chinese Characters are pretty awful.  I think I focused too much on the spoken part of Chinese and not enough on the characters.  I can still pick up different characters, enough to know what I’m eating or what kind of store I’m heading into, but other than that, it’s pretty limited.  Fortunately, the US is just as good a place as China to learn characters.  It’s all memorization, so I don’t plan to stop here!

Good Things:

Ok, now for the things I feel pretty good about…

10. Having a Genuinely Kind Host Family

They were really nice people, and they really did care about me.  We had some interesting difficulties, you could say, but that’s expected when you live with somebody from a completely different culture for half a year.  They’ve been a huge help to me since I’ve arrived, and I don’t think I would have profited from the experience nearly as much had I been assigned a different family.

9. Having a Great Group of Exchange Students

The four of us were quite different, but I am happy to say that the Europeans treated the ridiculous English Colonist as one of their own.  Having a group of westerners was key on this trip, and now, with the other three off in different parts of China, I really see how important it was to have them here.  I’ve had absolutely nothing to do for days.

8. Trying Different Foods

The only thing left is a living animal.  Or a really, really big bug.  Or a snake for that matter.  

7.  Keeping an open mind  

“It is not right, it is not wrong, it’s just different.”  This is the AFS slogan that was first introduced to me when I attended an orientation in Hartford.  While I found this is a lot easier to embrace when sitting in Hartford, I still feel I did a pretty good job of living it here.   Let's just say this is a very different world.

6. Not Gaining Eight Hundred and Twenty Pounds

That’s always a big plus.  Sure, I’m not coming back in Bruce Lee shape, but at least I don’t need to nervously look over my shoulder every few seconds, wary of Captain Ahab and his harpoon.

5. Getting to Understand Chinese Culture

This is, of course, a biggie.  Jiamusi has let me experience pure Chinese culture – whereas Shanghai and Beijing are more of a fusion of Western ideas.

4. Having the Opportunity to Visit Shanghai

Another biggie.  I don’t know if I would’ve made it without this.  Shanghai was indescribably enjoyable.

3.   Reading

Who would have expected this would find its way onto the list?  Not being capable of participating in classroom exercises, I obtained a kindle, and had the opportunity to read numerous fiction and nonfiction books that I would not have had the chance to read otherwise (at this point in my life, at least).

2.   Improving my Chinese

What did I come here to do?  Apart from the disappointment with characters, I would say I’m very happy with the progress I’ve made with the Chinese language.  Being in Jiamusi has given me the opportunity to be in an almost completely Chinese environment, enabling me to learn the language a lot faster than I could in any school.

1.  “Doing China Hard Core” and showing everyone “I wasn’t kidding (I really did go to China)

No explanation necessary, except that I would like to thank my Uncle for the first quote.

Overall, I’m very satisfied with my trip here.  I feel that looking back on it, twenty years from now, or maybe even five, I’ll be able to name all of the good things and very few regrets.  

Well this ends the Chinese portion of my Blog.  Thanks for reading.  I am not sure yet if I will be able to continue it in DC.  If so, you will be hearing from me....signing off until stateside,  PK

Another Saturday...

At this point in my stay, it can be tough to maintain a positive attitude.  Frequent stomach sicknesses, the lack of English speakers, the multitude of people who think they’re English speakers but aren’t, the cold weather, the slight but noticeable pollution in the air and the overall bleak attitude can start to feel not only depressing, but monotonous. 

The weekends, although they may lack a lot here in Jiamusi, are definitely something to look forward to.  This weekend started, as most do, on Saturday morning, when I was awakened by my host parents who wanted to go out to lunch (okay, I slept a little late).  I took a shower (with the usual crowd watching from neighboring apartment buildings, something I’ve grown accustomed to) and then got dressed.  We went to a typical Chinese restaurant, notable in my mind because it was the first place I was given the opportunity to indulge in cow eyes.  This time I didn’t have anything looking up at me, but I did eat a cow nose in a nice beef sauce (a first for me).  Following my encounter with the snouts, I decided it was time to check out the University, and my host father dropped me off at bai huo da lou, a supermarket of sorts, where I could find the other exchange students and then depart for our adventure. 

We hailed the nearest cab.  For some reason, I was expecting that upon my arrival, swarms of extremely attractive Chinese and Russian college students would rush the taxi.  Makes sense, right?  But nooo, all we found were a couple of dreary buildings, freezing cold streets and an occasional pedestrian.  The German exchange student and I then headed for a café, where I had some coffee (not the best I’ve ever had) and a peach pastry.  Just as we were finishing up, my cell phone rang.  My host brother wanted to go play pool with me.

I walked the two kilometers between the café and the pool hall in the cold air, with people occasionally stopping in their tracks upon seeing a foreigner in summer clothes treading through the snow.  I won every single game.  That is, until I played my host father.  He beat me four times in a row, until finally, in the last game when I was able to put a “W” down in the “PK” column.  Unfortunately, this being Jiamusi, that rounded out the night, at about nine o’clock, at which point I returned to the apartment, studied some Chinese, read some Clausewitz, and chatted with a few friends. 

If it weren’t for my interest in China, the amiability of my host family, the knowledge that I’m learning about China’s language and culture in the best way possible, and all of the things I have to look forward to, I feel that this trip would be near impossible.  I have a surprisingly little amount of time left in Jiamusi, and I plan to make the most of it.  In just over one week, I go to Shanghai for Christmastime, and then I only have two weeks in Jiamusi following my holiday travels.  After that, my adventure in Northeast China will come to a close, and I’ll be off to Washington DC, for a whole new adventure.  To have these two opportunities in a single year is an amazing stroke of luck.  There can be nothing more different between the two programs, yet in certain ways they complement each other so well. 

Although on some days here I look out my window and long for home as I feel dragged down by the monotony of an average Jiamusi day, I know that this will be an unforgettable year, and one that I will never regret.

Wednesday

Why would I write a blog entry titled Wednesday on a Sunday?  I always thought about Wednesday as marking the half way point in the week.  If it were Wednesday night, I could rest assured that I was “over the hump”, and that I was more than half way through the week.  This Sunday, November 21, 2010, marks three months in Jiamusi.  I am now “over the hump”.  The past three months have been a life changing experience, and I can only look forward to the next two.

I also write about Wednesday because this past Wednesday brought very exciting news!   I learned that I have officially been nominated to be a Congressional Page in Washington, DC – something that has been a long time dream.  As the exchange program ends on January 21, and the Page program begins on January 23, I will go directly to Washington! Well, not quite direct.  I will travel from Jiamusi to Beijing - a 24 hour train ride- from Beijing to San Francisco, and from San Francisco to DC! I am incredibly excited!

During AFS orientations, they talked about culture shock ; going from one place to a completely different place and being forced to adjust.  Going from Jiamusi to DC., from Exchange Student to House Page, from the Eastern Hemisphere to the Western Hemisphere, from North to South, from a place of obscurity to a place of distinction will bring a whole new meaning to “culture shock”. 

As I look forward to this incredible opportunity, I am committed to continue to make the most of the time I have left here is Jiamusi.  I will make progress with the language, learn about the culture, read as much as possible and have a good time. 

I have two months left here, followed by five months in DC.  At this point, I can only wonder what these seven months will bring.  One thing I know for sure is that I am really excited and grateful to have both of these great opportunities in one year!

My Little Red Book

I cannot, unfortunately, supply a long list of sayings to go into a little red book as Mao did. Even if I could, it would be unlikely that I could convince 1.3 billion Chinese people to carry it around with them as they do Mao's. Okay, so in that respect Mao has me beat. I can, however, provide a short list of odd facts about China, ranging from the strange foods I have eaten to some helpful tips should you ever decide to visit Jiamusi.

Ni Ming Bai Le Ma?
Do you understand? The following is a list of some of the most difficult people in Jiamusi to understand.

People from other Provinces
People from other provinces can be very difficult to understand. They may speak the same dialect, Mandarin, but they speak it considerably differently. Imagine a six year old from Alabama trying to understand a fifty seven year old Englishman with a thick cockney accent.

Other Host Fathers-
I have no idea why. For some reason, none of the exchange students can understand another exchange student’s Host Father. Part of it must be caused by the different words we are taught by our host families; for instance one host family might say “The weather’s wonderful, isn’t it?”, while another may say “Nice weather we’re having, wouldn’t you agree?”. Oddly enough, however, we can understand each other’s host mothers. Go figure.

Those Who Have Over-Indulged in Drink-
This one is fairly obvious. It can be tough in the US as well. But quickly spoken Chinese words with slurred tones, phrases from other dialects and a lack of good judgment make it all the more difficult.

Taxi Drivers-
Taxi drivers are as close to another language as you get. I’ve gotten into a taxi many times and heard something along the lines of “Nie hu nie yo chuo zu nay” (instead of “Ni hao, ni yao qu zai nar”), or “Nuh shu gong qu la gao” instead of “Ni shi na guo de”.

People Trying to Speak English
By far the most difficult. A kid in school can speak fairly passable English, but if an adult ever tries to speak, it’s a complete disaster. I am obviously referring to the majority of Jiamusi, not the whole of China nor the entire city of Jiamusi. I pride myself on being patient when someone tries; I do my best to listen and to understand. But even I am frequently perplexed at the random and incoherent noises that Chinese adults often make when they try. However, I have to give them credit for trying!

Hao Chi Ma?
I’m frequently asked about the food in China. I’ve come up with a list of a few foods I’ve eaten since I’ve arrived, that may not be the most appealing to westerners.

Dog Meat
Many people have a problem with eating dog. I have to say, I felt a hint of remorse the first time I tried it. It is more common in Korean cuisine, which includes multiple dog dishes, but in China there is only really one main dish (at least in Jiamusi). It is meat from the dog’s leg, boiled and then cooled down, typically eaten as an appetizer. It is served with a number of sauces. It’s actually pretty good!

Stinky Tofu
The absolute worst thing I’ve had in China. I had it at, what many call, the best Shanghainese restaurant in Shanghai, so I know that it wasn’t a lack of quality. The word “stinky” precedes the word “tofu” for a reason. Whenever I discuss this “delicacy” I refer to a story my uncle told me about one of my father’s first trips to Taiwan. They were out at dinner, and my uncle noticed my father seemed both perplexed and disgusted. My father asked him if somebody at the next table had accidentally gone to the bathroom. After my uncle finished laughing, he told my father that someone two tables down had ordered the stinky tofu. Two tables down! And I tasted it! It was better than it smelled, but not much…

Fish Eye
This is the classic delicacy that my father used to scare me with. He would tell me that in Taiwan, the guest of honor was given the eye of the fish. When I was offered one in Shanghai, I remembered one of the key rules in Chinese cuisine- forget about which part of which animal it is- just remember it’s all about the taste, all about the taste, all about the taste. It was actually fantastic. Be careful to spit out the tiny bone, though!

Intestines
What kind of intestines? All kinds! Intestines are fairly popular in China. I’ve had them in both Jiamusi and Shanghai, served in different ways. Once again, one of the keys to eating in China is not to think about the what, but the how, as in how good it tastes.

Cow Eyes
And you thought fish eye was weird. Ha! This is a Jiamusi classic. I was at a restaurant with my host family one night, and we were served a plate of about 40 little, flat, round circles piled on top of each other with onions and a sauce. I commenced eating, and really enjoyed the taste. Having no idea what it might be, I asked my host brother, who responded “Nu Rou De Yan Jing” (Beef eyes). I laughed, and asked, “Nu Rou De Yan Jing Shi Shenme?” (What are beef eyes?- I had thought that it might be a nickname for something else). He said in an almost frustrated way “Nu Rou, Ta De Yan Jing” (Beef, their eyes) while pointing at his eye. I was shocked, and blurted out “Bu Shi, bu ke neng! Zhen Da!?” (No, impossible! Really?). I realized he was telling the truth, and got back to eating. They were already in my system, what more harm could they do?
Ru Guo Ni Lai Jiamusi, Ni Hai Shi…

Here are my tips should you decide to visit Jiamusi Some day…

Bargain
Bargaining is key in Jiamusi. In most of China, bargaining is expected, particularly at street vendors. Many Chinese people have become expert bargainers, and find it commonplace in everyday life. The numbers on the items are nothing but starting prices from which to work down. Additionally, as a “Wai Guo Ren”, or foreigner, you are for more likely to get ripped off. Rich westerners don’t need the money anyway, do they? Taxi drivers will also rip you off. Pretty much anybody will. The German exchange student went out to buy a leather bag early in to the stay, and the man asked for 800 RMB (about 115 dollars or so). Ready to bargain, he asked for 200. The man said "done" and gave it to him. Bad mistake- it was probably worth 50!

Find a Gym, Quick!
I lost about 20 pounds in my first two months here. I may not be the most athletic person, but not lifting weights for two months still had a huge effect on me. I would suggest finding a gym ASAP. This is not an easy feat in many parts of China, particularly in Jiamusi. Chinese people just don’t work out as much. You’ll find your kung fu guy, who’s well built, or occasionally a runner or lifter, but other than that, all you’ll find are some elderly Chinese people with unbelievable flexibility.

Mark Bathrooms
I’m not talking about graffiti. It is important in Jiamusi to find nice bathrooms (possibly even western ones!) throughout the city, and to remember where they are. Your typical Chinese bathroom consists of a dreadfully repugnant and malodorous squat toilet with a sink that spumes out nothing but brown water. Yes- it’s that bad. However, the KFC, for instance, has a nice clean squat toilet. Another restaurant, (that pretends to be Western, but only has Chinese food and Western Liquor), has a western toilet (probably to aid in the façade). If you play your cards right and “mark bathrooms” you can avoid squat toilets all together - I haven’t had to squat yet…

Either Learn How to Say You’re Not Russian, or Get Used to People Thinking Otherwise

Absolutely everybody will think you are a Russian. Everybody. It can get annoying. They also will assume that you do not speak Chinese. I would definitely memorize the words “Wo bu shi il eu si ren”. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been thrown insults assuming that I am Russian and cannot understand them. I must say, I enjoy proving them wrong!

Do Not Plan on Staying Too Long!
Don’t get me wrong. Jiamusi is a great place to learn Chinese, and my host family is great. However, if you’re not here to study Chinese, I would make your trip short. The lack of things to do has resulted in the delays between my last entry and this one, and for that I am very sorry. I spend most of my days now going to school, reading, then working out, then returning home and reading and thinking about what I can write a blog about. Occasionally I’ll go out and have some fun, but that is not usually an option here. The city closes down at about 6 o’clock. At least my Chinese is coming along nicely!

My Classroom

My Fellow Exchange Students - Eric - Germany & Onni - Finland

My class at Assembly

The Hallway

This is the nicest part of the bathroom!

Outside School

Classes leaving school

Shanghai!

Tourist Area in Shanghai

Shanghai

Old Architecture

Shopping mall in tourist area

Eating "smelly bean curd" with my Host Father 

More Shanghai

You get used to the crowds!

Starbucks!!!

Beautiful Building

Man feeding Koi

Koi

Bought a t-shirt!

Another beautiful building

In Suthou

In Suthou - China's Leaning Tower of Pisa

I think My Compass is Broken...

When I was first on my way to China, I was told that the plane would fly over the North Pole, as that was the fastest route to the Far East.  We would go north by northeast, up over the pole, and then south by southeast, coming down to Beijing.  I was also told that the quickest way back to the West would be back over the pole.  The latter statement is untrue.  The quickest way to Western civilization, I have come to realize, is a three hour flight south to Shanghai. 

Had I made the journey five hundred years ago, I would have come across a little known fishing village, with the simple name “on the sea”.    A small and modest population would have greeted me, saying “Neng Huo”, the typical greeting of their southern dialect.  It would have resembled countless other fishing villages, and the chances are I wouldn’t have taken much notice. 

Now, in 2010, Shanghai is not an easy place to miss.  It is a metropolis that can only be compared to New York, Hong Kong, Paris, London, Tokyo and the like.  Beijing is similar in size, as I wrote in my second blog entry, but is somewhat spaced out, and lacks the kind of international feeling that Shanghai excels at conveying to anyone who comes across it.  Home to 20 million or so residents from nearly every country around the world, it has more than twice as many people as New York.  It seems to me that Shanghai is half Chinese, a quarter American and a quarter European.  

In the past thirty years, Shanghai has been at the forefront of China’s economic boom.   It, along with Hong Kong (in a different capacity, as Hong Kong left the UK only 12 years ago), has become the gateway to the rest of the world. 

I arrived late last Thursday, headed straight for the hotel, and fell asleep almost immediately.  The next morning, I woke up at 11 am, and headed to meet my Uncle and his girlfriend, Kat, at a pizza place (to the envy of the other exchange students).  I had a great lunch, talking to my Uncle about China and catching up with Kat (who I hadn’t seen in 12 years!).  I, of course, took the utmost pleasure in indulging in a mushroom and truffle soup, some bread, some salad, and some pizza.  Then we headed to Starbucks (which I had been waiting for since I last had Starbucks at LAX).  Not only did I have the good fortune to have the opportunity to drink coffee, but it was complimented by a delicious piece of Chocolate Cake (note the Capital Letters, for emphasis). 

That night, we had an even better meal at one of the best restaurants in Shanghai, but I will leave that, along with the rest of my Shanghai meals, to your imagination or your personal inquiries.  I sometimes forget that not everybody enjoys food as much as I. 

The next day, unfortunately, I headed to the EXPO.  If anyone is wondering why I use the word “unfortunately”, imagine standing in line all day just to see something that’s not even that special.  I am glad I went, however, because it is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and twenty years from now I will still remember the experience (and hopefully it will be completely romanticized by then, and I’ll tell of how the lines were only a few minutes, the pavilions were fascinating and how I used perfect Chinese to talk with the locals about politics and the like.  Or, maybe, I’ll remember it for the long lines, the bland pavilions and my terrible attempts to use broken Chinese for small talk).  The rest of the trip was great, however, and I had the opportunity to check out sites all around Shanghai and enjoy the famed international cuisine.

My Shanghai Observations:

1)     Foreigners are very common, and even many residents don’t speak Chinese.

2)     They don’t speak Chinese because it isn’t completely necessary- most everybody speaks English.

3)     Chinese people in Shanghai will assume that a foreigner does not speak Chinese.

4)     All things considered, Shanghai is a somewhat casual place in comparison to New York; you can get away with a collared shirt just about anywhere.

5)     Almost any western food is accessible in Shanghai- you name it, they have it.

6)     Although it is far more expensive than Jiamusi, it is far cheaper than European and Western cities.

It is an awesome place to go, and I highly recommend it!

How Cool is School?

Americans are beginning to fear the Chinese work ethic more and more every day, as their economy and their SAT scores increase at amazingly rapid rates.  They put many more hours into school than the average American, some staying at school until nine, beginning their homework at ten, and starting it all over again the next morning at seven.  The average student in China is required to go through at least eleven hours of school, which is four hours longer than the average American.  Their vacations are short, and they compensate for missing school during the year by attending weekend classes.  Their summer vacation is only a month long and most of that time, they study.  Their work ethic is truly unquestionable, and always has been. 

So, I can’t help but ask: Why don’t they have a stronger economy?  Why does the average American make $46,400 dollars compared to the $6,600 dollars that the average Chinese makes?  To look at China comparatively, that $6,600 dollars puts them right behind Turkmenistan and right in front of Namibia.  How can such immense efforts yield such meager results? 

Clearly, China’s political history has a role.  Mao started the revolution only 61 years ago, (in fact I am writing this on the anniversary).   It is amazing to think as I see buildings shooting up all over that only about thirty years ago China was a completely communist country in rags.  

In addition to their recent communist roots, I can’t help but think that their approach to education is at least partly responsible for their weak economy as well, and I wonder if their education approach will long-term hinder their ability to compete fully with America. 

Burn-out

You know that feeling you get after you finish a triathlon?  Well, I don’t.  But I’ve heard, that you feel like you never want to ride a bike, run, or swim, ever again.  A great many Chinese people seem to feel the same way after they’ve finally finished toiling through school.  Unlike most tri-athletes, however, they never recover.  As a result, the work ethic that is so apparent in school seems to vanish.  You can frequently spot men and women in offices engaged in online poker instead of work.  Rather than staying after work in an effort to get ahead, they head out to drink and play cards, this time with some pool or television thrown in to the mix.  While this doesn’t hold true for all Chinese people, it appears to me to be a somewhat common practice.

Memorization instead of Critical Thinking

I also think that the fact that they learn a different way impacts their potential. Although they put in far more hours than we do, our education system yields better results.  Because of their population size, the class size is huge.  There are about 70 students in each class, instead of the 10-20 students in a typical American class.  This seems to drive a focus on memorization instead of true learning. 

I was surprised to find that I was further along in math than my new classmates.  I believe that this is because, as they move on to the more complex math, their teacher is unable to help each student understand each problem.  Memorization no longer compensates for lack of understanding.

 

The same holds true for the social sciences.  They focus on memorizing different passages, never writing works of their own, or examining the text like an American English class examines Shakespeare. 

And while their English language class focuses on expanding their vocabulary, it seems to fail to teach them proper English. Instead, they learn some version of English that is required to pass the national exams.

 

Their approach to History, in my opinion, is the worst.  Probably, this is due to the fact that history is my favorite subject.  The focus is only on memorizing the facts - not on forming an opinion.  This would drive me crazy!  If, for example at Salisbury, I express an opinion in Mr. Mokriski’s class, he may disagree with me, but I have the opportunity to explain my position.  I am in fact, encouraged to share my opinions - they can’t be flat out wrong!  In China, however, if I was to state an opinion (a very unlikely occurrence in a Chinese classroom), my teacher would immediately state that I was incorrect – no further discussion. 

The use of the Socratic Method in the West, in my opinion, is crucial to our continued strength as a Nation both in terms of intellect and economics.  The Chinese system (which many Chinese teachers, by the way disagree with) doesn’t allow students to be creative, doesn’t allow an individual student to excel, and doesn’t teach students how to build an argument.  The US System by comparison encourages us to be creative, to excel on an individual level, and teaches us to build arguments.  These skills are all crucial aspects of successful business and a successful economy. 

I can’t help but think with half of the effort producing twice the results- maybe (US) school is cool…

- or maybe the pollution is just getting to me!