The Children of the One Child Policy
At the age of 13 do not know how to wash clothes, send a parcel or even make their beds. What is going to happen to the country in 10 years time when these adults are totally dependent on their parents because they cannot find a job because they have no practical skills.
Spoilt. And it doesn't help my job as a teacher I tell you.
For example, I asked them which prizes would they want to win and why: a new computer, a new bike for every kid in the school and some other stuff. One kid said that he didn't want to win anything cos his dad buys him everything he wants.
Grrr...
A little taster...
Just thought I would give you a little something to keep you going before I get my photo blog up and running..... a little slice of heaven.
I'm back
Well, I got back late on Saturday night to Beijing. The weather is just ok, and I can feel the smog entering my lungs with every breath, but to my surprise coming back (especially to work) has not been that traumatic.
Maybe its the thought that I only have 7 weeks left, maybe its the fact that I have so much planned for my life this term, or maybe its due to the lovely walk around my neighbourhood I had this afternoon tasting street food as I went....
More on the trip and photos somewhere on the blog soon.
Out of the Office
Thanks for you interest. I will be out of the office until Sat 8th May. I am sunning myself in Hainan.
See you all soon,
Emma.
What have I created?
Sorry, no monsters. Just my first website. Other than this one.
The new one is for my friend Charlie. She's an ace musician she is.
Check it out here: Charlie Savigar
It maybe small at the mo and not tooo technical but with time I reckon it might be alright.
Enjoy. I'm off to bed....
Leave your mark
You may write general comments, advice, suggestions and insults here... if you wish.
The story of how a 26 year old lab worker ruined my friends holiday...
Once upon a time two friends decided they were going to go to the beautiful island of Hainan, off the south coast of China, during the national holiday in May. They were both very excited and were looking forward to the sea, sand and surf. A few weeks before they were due to go, one of them, let's call her S, started to feel ill. Nothing serious, just a nasty cough that was persisting. Only a few days before they were due to leave, S decided that there was no way she could go to Hainan. 'Why? Was she feeling worse?' No, in fact she was feeling much better with just a niggly cough that would sometimes creep up on her at night. 'So why did she cancel?'
Ah hah! This bring me to the 26 year old lab worker, from Anhui province. During two weeks in March, this laboratory worker got what she probably thought was excellent experience, working at the Chinese National Institute of Virology in Beijing. This institute is known to be engaged in research involving the SARS coronavirus. On March 25th she became ill. 'Oh my god, did they isolate her, what with the chance of SARS?' No. They sent her to a normal hospital. She was attended by nurses and her mother.
Her mother then returned to Anhui province. 'What? They allowed her mother to travel to another province at the risk of infecting other people?' Yes. She later died. Then, surprise surprise, a nurse who was attending the lab worker became ill. The WHO have classified the nurse and the researcher as probable cases of SARS.
Another lab worker, a 31 year old, was hospitalised in isolation last week as a suspected case of SARS. Not before however, 300 people who have possibly come into contact with the disease, have been identified and put under medical observation. Which brings me to my friend...
She is worried that when she goes to the airport she will be put under medical observation for 2 weeks without being able to see her family and friends... because she has a cough. 'Thats a bit crazy isn't it? Just because of a cough?' You might say that, especially because she has been checked out by a doctor who has confirmed that she does not have SARS. Her reasoning? The same thing happened to her mother during the last outbreak of SARS.
Actually, it's not right to blame the lab worker. Did the doctors and health authorities not consider that a lab worker with similar symptoms to SARS, who is working in an environment where it is possible that she could be exposed to it, should be placed in isolation just in case? Perhaps if they had, they could have saved the life of an innocent woman and the possible life of a young nurse in intensive care.
And my friends' holiday.