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Sir, in just short three sentences, you gave me two first time surprises. Your exaggeration is pretty much comparable to that of the communist "official truths".
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Maybe you're right zeng, but my students told me this is what is taught in Chinese schools.
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You want America to support Taiwan's independence. You are entitled for it. But please don't try to convince your Chinese students to agree with you. They wouldn't.
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I don't talk about Taiwan to them. It's none of my business. Anyway, it would get me fired.
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But if an American tells them in their faces that America is the best country and China has lot of problems, then in most cases, they will not agree with you and tell you some American problems, like Abu Ghraib.
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Once again, I don't. But if they ever mentioned Abu Gharib, I'd tell them about the crimes that carry the death penalty in China: namely tax evasion. I'd also tell them about the women who was put under house arrest for trying to go to get a
traveler’s visa to the United States.
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America has so many great things to teach. You really don’t need to argue with your Chinese students to convince them how great America is and how bad China is. Showing some great pictures and telling some great stories about America, you will become the favorite teacher on the campus
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I don't argue. I tell them about America, and say it's a nice, and beautiful place. But I tell them there are good things about China, and I tell them to love, and support their country no matter what. My students seem to like me well enough, but I'm not running a popularity contest: I'm running a classroom.
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But if I say this face to face to an American, I am sure that the response will be “it is not the damn business of you foreigners” even if that American doesn’t like Bush too.
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Chinese have a bad habit of not being direct. I heard that it is customary to lie rather than be honest for the sake of politeness.
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I feel almost impossible to believe that Chinese kids wouldn’t respect a normal teacher no matter he/she is a Chinese or American. From your comments, I can see that you have short temper. I have short temper too.
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With my students I'm very calm, and I retain my composure-it happens after nearly 2 decades in the navy-but with politics, the gloves come off. I've started to reform this attitude now that I've taking part in a forum.
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After you finished the teaching in China and go back to USA or other country, please be a little bit more moderate on your exaggeration.
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What I said isn't exaggeration: it's what is taught in Chinese public school system.
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Every country has some nationalism and problem. Every person including you and me has some pride and shortcoming. Try to ignore the childish arguments of Chinese kids, try to be equal and try to respect them especially when you meet them face by face. Then, you will get respect back.
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In the statement you're referring to, I had started a new class, and I have already got them respecting me. I'm neither nice, nor mean: I play tit for tat; reward when it's deserved, and punish according to the crime. They respect me now. Anyway, we don't discuss politics: I don't allow it.
Anyway, the point of the matter is that your "official" truths don't hold much stock because China's biggest enemy is facts.