Comments on: How I Got Here…The Long Short Version

By: matt_schiavenza

matt_schiavenza — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:53:17 +0000

Pete,
The drunk French chemical workers are still there? I probably still know some of them. As I recall they embodied the tired maxim “what happens in China stays in China” better than anyone else I’ve met.

Julien,
Glad to hear you made some great friends in Lianyungang. Sometimes being in a dull place helps people bond faster.

Cyan,
Nope, don’t speak Kunminghua. But I understand a fair amount of it as it isn’t too distant from proper Mandarin.

By: Cyan

Cyan — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:19:23 +0000

very interesting story indeed!
just wondering… do you speak Kunming dialect now?

By: Julien

Julien — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:30:32 +0000

Amazing story. I ended up in Lianyungang too, a mere 4 years ago. One guy told me, “It’s halfway between Shanghai and Beijing, on the coast.” Wow, I had to take a map. I only stayed 6 months there, not because of the place itself, but for other personal and professional reasons. There, in the heart of Lianyungang, I met the ones who would become my best Chinese friends ever. I’ll never forget those six months. And I’m still in China today.

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 06 May 2008 08:40:06 +0000

matt,

I also ended up teaching in LYG (though only for 4 months) via a very similar route to yourself. Interesting experience, the main things that will stick in my mind are;

1. drunk french chemical plant workers
2. biting cold wind
3. rock strewn football pitches
4. bloody knees (see ‘4′)

LYG really is ‘middle China’ certainly not the most exciting place in the world but I imagine pretty representatiive of small town life in China.

By: Pffefer

Pffefer — Mon, 05 May 2008 20:32:16 +0000

What a story. Keep writing, Matt!