ebooksclub.org__Days_Like_Floating_Water__A_Story_of_Modern_China

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1、Days_int.051408.qxd:Layout15/14/085:25PMPageiiiWhenRitzcrackersareconsideredaluxury,youknowyou’renotinKansasanymore.maginebeinginanagriculturalvillagenearacityofwelloveramillionpeopleandyou’reoneofmaybesixAmericansIyouinteractwith.Youdon’tspeakthelocallanguageandyou’r

2、etheretoteachEnglishtosomecollegestudentswhoseentirelifewillbeirrevocablyinfluencedbyhowwelltheydoontheirtests.Eithertheywilldowellandgoontosomeformofhighereducationortheywilldopoorlyandendupinsomedarkfactoryroomcountingballbearingsdayafterendlessday.Yourtinyon-campus

3、apartmenthasachairthatfallsoverunlessyousitinitjustso.YoudohaveacomputerthatcanevengetontheInternet.Sometimes.Washingclothesinthe“washingmachine”isaman-vs-machinecontestanddryingtakestwotothreedays,evenforthelightestgarments.Formuchoftheyearyouweartwosetsofthermalunde

4、rwearunderyourclothesplusanovercoatifyouwanttostaywarm.Andthat’sinside.Mostofyourclassroomsdohavefunctioningelectricity,andthecollegelibrarydoeshavesomebooks,butfewthatanyonewouldwanttoread.Thereareafewtallbuildingsinthevillagebutnotoneofthem,savethefancyhotel,hasanel

5、evator.Supermarkets?Forgetit.Theskyismostlygray,televisionisgovernmentcontrolledandpredominantlyinChinese,andyou’rethereforayearandahalf.Howdoyouhandleallofthis?Ifyou’reSusanandRobertMcKee,youhandleitverywell,thankyou.DaysLikeFloatingWaterprovidesafull-immersionplunge

6、intotwentyfirstcenturyChina.Youseereallife,nottouristlife.YouDays_int.051408.qxd:Layout15/14/085:25PMPageivdonotmeettheChinesepeople,youmeetactualChinesepeopledealingwithhumanchallengesthatsoundachinglyfamiliarinthemidstofanincrediblyalienculture.There’sKingLake(youju

7、sthavetoloveaboywithanamelikethat)whowantstomarryBarbarabutisconcernedthatherfamilyhasmoremoneythanhissotheywillnotfindhimsuitable.Besides,thecoupleareintheirearly20’sandromanceisusuallyreservedforthosecloserto30orso.Chrisisayounggirlwhoissostressedoutbyherupcomingtes

8、tsthatshecan’teatorsleepforweeksandhastogotothehospitalforherendlessstomachaches.Lucyisborntomusic,thoughshehasaccesstonomus