Continuing to prepare for China... I'm trying to make my blog more attractive, but finding little more than superficial ways of doing so, like adding photos regardless of their relevance:


Its very difficult to consistently please my millions of daily unique readers. I hope none of them ever feel the tireless anguish each day which I endure; my suffering would thereafter be only in vain.

Earlier today, I boarded the shuttle after my swim to return to Emory. At the last moment, a very nice lady from Nanjing who now studies accounting at Georgia State jumped on. It was the first time I'd seen her since before the new year, and it was never a better time to see her. She remembered that I've been planning a trip to China, and before even saying hello! asked me how it went.

"I leave Tuesday. This Tuesday, I'm so excited."

I listed some of the places I planned to visit. She replied with histories and descriptions. I hadn't realized in our discussions last semester how well traveled she is, but she knew of the German architecture still extant in Qingdao from colonial days, the millenia old public gardens of Suzhou, and other places outside my itinerary like X'ian, her native Nanjing, Wuhan, and Wuxi. It was pleasing to see her impressed with me for knowing where most of those places are.

"I suppose I could go to Hangzhou on the way back from Suzhou... oh, but Hangzhou is south of Hangzhou, so its probably a different train."
Wide-eyed in the retiring sunlight, "Oh! You really do know where they are."
And with a smile, "Yes, I have a map of China on my wall at home that I like to study."

Last night at Dale Carnegie, I learned that trust has two components: credibility and empathy. At this point I'd established credibility pretty well. Without even realizing it, I proceeded in a way that allowed me to show the natural empathy I have for friends.

"How do you feel about all the protests, and the Olympic and Tibet stuff?"
"Oh, I was going to go to the protest at CNN, but [my daughter] was sick. What about you? Did you go?"
"No, I'm not really a protest kind of guy." I thought even when I was a kid that protests and picketing are very childish and pointless, but I understand how people can get wrapped up in them.
"What do you think about Tibet? What do you know about it?"
"Well, I don't know that much about it, but based on what I know, and what I've always known about China since I was a kid, is that Tibet is part of China."
"Oh, I like you very much."
"Yes, well, also, I think the Chinese government is full of liars, and I don't believe what the Tibetans are saying either. I'm not sure China has behaved all that irrationally, though." I didn't mention that I believe Taiwan is and should be a sovereign nation.

She went on to say that China has invested itself in Tibet in unique ways. Many college graduates go to live in Tibet with the intention of staying there for many years in what is geographically and culturally very disparate from the rest of China. They work there in various industries to build the Tibetan economy, making significant sacrifices when they could otherwise be sharing in the indefatigable flow of wealth and prosperity of the east. Now, obviously, the Chinese government isn't pushing college graduates out there because they have such warm, fuzzy feelings about Tibetans. They are intentionally developing economic ties that will make Tibet entirely dependent on them. I have some problems when these kinds of tactics are used in domestic policy, but it is, regardless, the best argument I've heard for Tibet belonging to China. And in the end, I think I effectually garnered her trust through the combination of credibility and empathy.

I spoke with other Chinese friends throughout the afternoon who are equally enthusiastic about my foray into un-Sean-tered territory. Its interesting because throughout the world, while America has been the place to go for so long, there are new amazing places to explore and natives of those places with a newfound pride.  ¶ 7:30 PM