Hot Mess Minimalist

Nature is rather controlled in China. I can somewhat understand why. It seems that people are rather afraid of anything they don't know much about. They may allow the stray dogs to exist, but most people are afraid to touch a pet dog. I have been told not to go onto the small hill next to my school because there are snakes (never seen a snake, only a few run over, but I have heard plenty of birds in there.) Parks seem to be very strategic and planned down to the last shrub. Sure they get a little overgrown sometimes, but really, that's a rarity here. Hiking in the woods doesn't happen. A hike is always on a paved road or stairs. I may have mentioned to some people how it is that this city has changed so much in the past 10 years. How mountains were bigger, there were more woods, and their was more natural environment and areas for people to plant crops. Here are some photos, showing what I mean. The first is my students in front of the school, maybe a month and a...

The class that I teach here in China is a speaking English class. I often have my students interact to practice dialogues with each other, or come up with role plays. I think in large part for cultural reasons quite a few of my students will sit and read out loud to themselves. In one of my first classes where I did this type of exercise there were only a few students who were reading to themselves. I can recall thinking that I should tell them that they are not an island, and needed to interact with other students. Then I though... I should give myself this same advice. I think being brought up in America makes a person very independent. I think that in part the fact that we as a culture also value self reliance makes many people unlikely to ask for help. By this I don't mean asking questions or for directions. What I mean really is, when you can do something yourself as an American usually you will do it, you don't want someone else to help you, and take it on as bein...