FROM KEVIN

I admire the Chinese entrepreneurial spirit:

THE SEQUENCE:

1. Near the college's back gate a village rents space to small businesses.
2. College later improves street in front of shops; village then demands higher rent from shops.
3. Shops say "No" and continue operating.
5. Village builds a wall between shops and street; shops lose access and must close.
7. One renter -- a bar owner -- knocks wall down in front his business and continues operating.
7. Next day village rebuilds wall in front of bar.
8. Next morning bar owner again knocks wall down; bar is open for business.
9. Over the months, the wall wall comes down and the wall goes up...

CURRENT STATUS:

1. The wall has a hole in it.
2. The bar remains open for business.
3. We frequent this bar.
4. NINE 20 ounce beers recently cost a group of us 30 RMB, about $4.10.
5. We admire this guy...

Opening in wallBar open for businessBar closed

<<<<<<<>>>>>>>

I recently traveled to Guangzhou (Canton) to attend both a wedding and the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra.

http://www.gso.org.cn/


Ruth posing with some ancient Chinese scholars

Jamie, Ruth and me

Jamie is a Welsh pianist, an Oxford graduate who obtained a masters degree in Russian romantic piano music in Moscow. He taught piano in bptj Russia and the Ukraine before moving to Zhanjiang to avoid "those bitter winters." Jamie's apartment is across the hall from mine -- that is we share the 5th floor landing.

3)Venice and Kevin (Venice with her first cup of coffee at a local Haagen-Daaz)

Venice attends Panyu Polytechnic University near Guangzhou:

http://www.pyp.edu.cn/english/XYJJ/index.htm

I'm paying for Venice to attend Panyu. Venice attended No. 15; her parents are farmers and she is the oldest of five. As a freshman -- and a non-English major -- she speaks better English than nearly all of the English Major seniors here at Zhanjiang Normal College. The day before the wedding I introduced Venice to the Chinese bride, Snow White, and out-of-the-blue Venice asked Snow White if she could attend her wedding. Snow White stepped back and said, "Well, if you really want to attend my wedding, I guess you can." Venice was promptly added to the guest list.

Snow White married an American friend of mine, Kevin Clancy.


Sunny Yu from English Education #2


Merry Christmas!

Kevin