Kid goes to China ALONE!!!!

[isela]

You weren't there for the little thing like when someone fell over a chair and everyone had a good laugh. Both sides are unaware of the little tidbits and all that's left are the big events; and how often does something big happen?

I would agree. But the sad part is that sometimes the small things can accumulate into big ones, and when one realizes, it's too late to provide an update. My dad now would still ask me once in several months if I really can speak, and write all my assignments in English. This is after 9 years since I was immersed in English-speaking environments. But since he wasn't here to see, and my life is so different from his surroundings, he just wouldn't get the idea no matter how hard I try to tell.

especially when my mom tries to make small talk and talk about things that I don't even care about while I lived at home

Believe me, I've been working hard on trying to have fun with my mom's small talks. The reason is simply that my big talks wouldn't work, and yet we still need to talk.

And at the end, I LOVE my parents! I'm sounding sour but it's really not so bad!!!

[BrandeX]

Someone in this relationship needs to grow up - and I don't think it's "the kid".

I tend to agree with this statement, but as many people have no doubt realized about us Americans (maybe a result of our upbringing culturally), we know very little about - and are generally afraid of other countries. I don't buy the "Americans don't go to other countries or need passports because the USA is so large." reasoning. We are one of the most capable countries for travelling internationally, regardless of distance. I think Joe Schmo is just plain uninterested or scared of other countries. Especially towards the "REDS" (like China) for those of us that grew up with textbooks and news stories from the Cold War era.

30 years from now, I could imagine a conversation about a child wanting to visit one of the arab countries being met with similar horror from parents, as the youth today in the USA are brought up to fear and distrust this part of the world now instead of East Asia (incl USSR), as it was the generation previous.

Anyways to mom if she returns to this forum to follow up on this thread:

IMO China is safer than the USA. No car jackings, liquor store shootings, getting stabbed for 10 bucks so a crackhead can get his next fix, etc. At worst you might come by a pickpocket.

[taylor04]

30 years from now, I could imagine a conversation about a child wanting to visit one of the arab countries being met with similar horror from parents, as the youth today in the USA are brought up to fear and distrust this part of the world now instead of East Asia (incl USSR), as it was the generation previous.

I would actually love to go to an Arab country even considering the risks, or it's funny to get the weird looks when I tell someone I would like to go see North Korea (I can't since I'm American)

[chrix]

Sometimes they do allow Americans in. So just be patient

BrandeX, I actually do think that one of the reasons many Americans don't travel internationally (by which I exclude Canada or Mexico) is precisely because the country is so large and so diverse (also in terms of vacation spots etc.). Also, since it is the only remaining superpower, awareness of other countries is lower. In any other country, people would have in mind that the US exists...

[Worriedmom]

May be you guys should grow up yourselves and stop acting like jerks. Why don't you have your own kids first and raise them and then send them to communist country that eats DOGS .

[xiaocai]

Well I consider myself quite harmless even though I was raised by some communist who ate dogs...

[animal world]

When i stand on the toilet seat and crane my neck i can see China through my bathroom window. Does that make me a dirty commie or just well-prepared to run for VP of the US?

[adrianlondon]

So why did you send him to a communist country that eats DOGS? Or did he choose to go to a communist country that eats DOGS to get away from something?

[renzhe]

Is your kid a dog?

[taylor04]

May be you guys should grow up yourselves and stop acting like jerks.

I'll be honest, people started making fun of this situation. You know the reason why? We all have that living in China experience, while most Americans are very ignorant about it and just think it's a third world country. Going to China was the best thing I've done in my life, and even if the risk of being kidnapped and working in a Chinese sweatshop 22 hours a day making socks is higher than the USA, I'd still go.

Why don't you have your own kids first and raise them and then send them to communist country that eats DOGS .

You're right, I don't have kids, I'm still quite young. BUT I sent myself to China. You need to do your research and stop being so ignorant

[xianhua]

country that eats DOGS

Whilst this may be true, it won't affect your son. Millions of Hindu's manage to live in societies where beef is widely eaten. These people have more reason to be offended since cows, unlike dogs, are considered a sacred creature (in their culture).

The Korean government forbid resturants to sell dog meat during the Seoul Olympics so as not to offend Western visitors - as did Beijing in 2008. I don't expect McDonald's will be withdrawing hamburgers from their menus for the duration of London 2012.

[chrix]

I think the second posting of the OP confirms my initial suspicion that this entire post was a troll post... (Don't tell me this was all serious...)

[imron]

and then send them to communist country that eats DOGS

Yes, they eat dogs, but communist? Not for a long time except in name.

[taylor04]

I would define China as a communist government with a capitalist economy. The key part is the communist part, because being in China you have zero freedom. They can just make any law they want, take your house away, close your business down, all without an explanation. While it may not happen often, its within their power. China is actually a relatively free country if you exclude the fact those freedoms can be gone in an instant.

The American government can do the same thing, but in America you can fight back. They can't just randomly make a new law, etc.

[chrix]

but why is this a communist trait, isn't that just authoritarian? Communism isn't about taking all your freedoms away...

[taylor04]

I haven't studied this government stuff in a long time....

The dictionary presents us with the #1 definition of each being

Authoritarian

1. favoring complete obedience or subjection to authority as opposed to individual freedom: authoritarian principles; authoritarian attitudes.

Communism

1. a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.

I can see it being defined as either. The problem with governments is there are very very few governments that are on an extreme to be easily defined, North Korea being one of the few.

My example would be the USA, it would be mostly capitalist with a little bit of socialism, ie regulated monopolies, price bottoms, etc.

[chrix]

Yes, and as you can see from your dictionary definition, communism isn't about taking liberties away, but about common, collective ownership. Of course for the expropriated business, these look similar, but whenever this kind of thing happens in China, do you think it's really happening in the name of communism, or rather because someone wants to gain personal profit from this?

[renzhe]

One should point out that in Marxist thought, communism can only be achieved once the government and state disappear. Marx saw an intermediate stage, called socialism, in which the communist party rules a country in the best interest of the people and prepares the situation.

Pretty much all the Marxist-Leninist states called themselves socialist (see USSR for an example). Unfortunately, none of them got past this stage. Which is the reason for socialism with Chinese characteristics, perestroika, and all the other hybrid models in the 80s.

[imron]

I would define China as a communist government with a capitalist economy.

I would define China as an authoritarian government with a capitalist economy. Communism has typically been associated with authoritarian governments, but single-party, authoritarian rule doesn't necessarily equate to communism. China and the Chinese government are so far from communism that it's joke. It's like North Korea, which officially calls itself the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Calling an apple an orange doesn't make it an orange, no matter how loudly and how often you say it.

[abcdefg]

I think the second posting of the OP confirms my initial suspicion that this entire post was a troll post...

I'll bet you're right. At least I hope so for the kid's sake.

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)

In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.