Those of us who have been in China for any length of time now, be it as ex-pats, teachers or businessmen, have come to recognize this country as one of the most beautiful on Earth. Learn to take the good with the bad is an oft heard mantra amongst us. And it is as common to hear that there is no true paradise on Earth. If its too difficult for you to adjust, it may be better for you go back home, we might add. Interestingly though, along with the development of cultural sensitivity and adaptability that Ive seen in foreigners who have weathered the storms in China, Ive also seen the development of a kind of consciousness. Not to say that such a consciousness would not have evolved in ones home country, but I have a feeling that there is a transparency here that allows for us to view our surroundings with eyes wide open; perhaps in a way that is not possible at home. Or perhaps our view at home is veiled by the thick gauze of our apathy. Either way though, we seem to see and feel things here differently or more deeply than we do in the comfort of familiar surroundings, and those feelings seem to lead to a kind of wakefulness that in turn leads to a kind of scrutiny.

Ive discussed this with many other foreigners. Unfortunately, we cant really put our finger on it. And the diversity of China seems to create a diversity of awareness. Certainly, the ex-pat who has not strayed far from Shanghai will see things differently than the EFL teacher who has bounced all over China in search of the perfect job or in many cases the honest employer. And the businessman who has been wined and dined by Chinas elite will not have the same perspective as others who have not enjoyed such privileged treatment. However, if there is a commonality in our perspective, it is that China is both fascinating and a work in progress.

As to that progress, several years ago, while in a nave daze I suggested in an essay of sorts that China would ultimately replace the US as a model for the world to follow. These days I marvel at my absence of perspicacity when I wrote those words; furthermore, I bemoan the fact that those words could not have been at least slightly prophetic.

The same foreigners I mentioned above, those willing to engage themselves in this kind of discourse that really leads nowhere, and I, often end our diatribes with the seemingly necessary admittance that, I love China. And really, thats the gist of it. This incredible passion that we have for this incredible country is only tempered by the unequivocal reality of its glaring problems. We all know what they are. And we all have our pet grievances: If one is possessed of a humanitarian nature, then certainly that nature will not be suppressed in China. If one is an environmentalist at heart, then its definite that he will lie awake some nights unable to shake the concerns of industrialism run amok in China. And of course, if one is acutely aware of the needs to view health concerns as a worldwide issue, they will without doubt question the hygienic practices or absence thereof in China. Perhaps though, what irks us the most is that we cant seem to do anything about it.

Or is that true? Our hands are they literally tied? Sometimes I think I can make a difference if, as an environmentalist at heart, I sort of surreptitiously bring ecology into my university classroom. Recently I read an article in a magazine called "Beijing Review" written by the chief editor. The article, Temptations of a Simple and Leisurely Lifestyle, addresses such issues as rampant development at the cost of the environment, and it clearly suggests that perhaps Chinas rush to growth is misdirected. I re-wrote the article for one of my classes so that the vocabulary would be more easily understood. I then asked my students to write for homework a one page response to the article stating whether they agreed or disagreed. Not surprisingly they all agreed. But equally unsurprisingly, they see it as more of a personal issue versus a public issue.

It is this lack of public awareness that will be the demise of Chinas potential as a world player. During three years of teaching in China, mostly in a university or college environment, Ive yet to meet a student who was aware there is such a thing as an EPA in China. Yes, it exists; The CEPA.

One last interesting bit of information: I have a Communications class of first year students. I asked them all, twenty five students, what their major is. Yep you guess it; Business, International Trade and etc.

Did you see the front page article on Yahoo yesterday? Shocking that it was there, but even more shocking was what it revealed: Seventy per-cent of the underground water (the drinking supply) in China is now contaminated. Three hundred million citizens of China are facing severe drinking water shortages. Thirty thousand tons of industrial waste is being dumped into the Yellow River annually yes thats 30,000 tons!

Okay, I've rambled enough. What do you think?