Qing Wendy

              Do you remember the first time you fell in love?   Did you ever stop to analyze what happened?   Was it the way she tied a red ribbon in her hair or maybe his deep, soulful eyes that grabbed you?   Maybe there was something about the state of your mind at that moment that predisposed your brain to the chemical reaction that made you say, “I’m so happy!   I’m in love!”.   I have been analyzing my love for Chinese culture and can trace its development from my childhood through today.   Like most kinds of love, it has evolved.   As a boy, it began with my stomach; moved to my heart as a young man, and now, in late middle age has spread to my brain and soul.                 I grew up in rural, upstate New York in the 1970s.   For my birthday, my parents often took me to what was probably the on...

When you teach in China, inevitably a discussion of the national examination system – the gaokao -- will emerge. The gaokao is a three day examination that determines an 18 year-old’s future – where she’ll study, what she’ll study and what her chances are for a good job, after she finishes her studies.   G aokao means ‘high exam.”     While most countries use a range of metrics to determine college admissions – SAT, high school grades, out-of-class experiences, in China, the gaokao is a three day marathon on which everything rests. When asked if it is a good system, most students claim that it is.   They see it as the great equalizer.   They argue that students who live in the country compete against students who live in the city on equal ground.   ( Of course, the truth is, it is not.   Students who have the means are sent away to private schools to be trained in how to take the exam.   Students who don’t have the means are thus disadva...

              I completed grading the final assignment and logging all the grades for my course “Writing for Academic and Professional Purposes”.    My class was only one half of the term, but it met 3.5 hours on Saturdays.  I am really going to miss those morning marathon teaching sessions.   I have decided to share with you the report I submitted to the English department.   Included are two terrific essays by two of my students.   Enjoy.     It  was fun seeing how my students’ writing improved.               Report on Teaching “Writing for Academic and Professional Purposes” (ENGL440312)” David Bittleman, MD April 23, 2020 During the spring semester of 2020, I taught 37 English minors “Writing for Academic and Professional Purposes” (ENGL440312).   The course met 8 Saturday mornings for 3...

This month is a celebration of family for many:  Easter, Passover – and, in China, Qingming festival, also known as Tomb-sweeping day.  There are a number of cultures that recognize the role death plays in the cycle of life – East er , Día de Muertos , Obo n Festival, and Qingming festival.   Many are formal celebrations of ancestors.    The remains of the fires Images of the tombs, drawn on city streets Usually, in China, during the Qingming festival, relatives travel to family burial sites, bring offerings, burn incense and fake money, and then go on a family outing that might involve a picnic, kite-flying, or a family walk in the country.   It was formally recognized as a public holiday in 2008.      However, this year, the traditional activities have been curtailed due to the virus. Cemeteries have offered to perform the rites for families, in lieu of being able to travel.   V ideo conferencing has repla...