Eric's Beijing Diary

Two young ladies at the English corner tonight wanted their picture taken with Santa Claus. It's that time of the year again. There is nothing in America that really correlates to an "English Corner." This is perhaps because Americans tend to be monolingual. But in fact, the English corner is about more than just language. It is also about cultural interaction, and "seeing the world through another person's eyes." People who come to the English Corner are not just interested in language. They are interested in culture, philosophy, politics, and a whole host of other issues. The media is controlled in China, so opinions are certainly affected by the fact that access to certain kinds of information is restricted. For example, when talking about the Japanese, and their apparent military buildup, most people in China are not aware that China sent a nuclear attack submarine into Japanese waters. Their argument changes hue pretty quickly when I tell them that. Generally, though, conversations at the English corner are quite amiable. Perhaps this is true for me in part because although I am an American citizen, I did not grow up in the United States, and don't seem to feel the same knee-jerk reaction I sometimes see exhibited by Americans who are super-sensitive to any criticism of their country.