So Long, and Thanks for all the Dumplings

As you read this, I'll be headed back to the U.S.A. after a wonderful month here in Beijing. China has changed a great deal since I was last here five years ago. Aside from the billions spent on improvements in infrastructure, transportation, and Olympic projects, there is a noticeable sense of confidence in the Chinese people I met that I had not seen before.

A man practices his Chinese calligraphy in a Beijing park.

Many have argued that this heightened sense of nationalism is something to be feared, as it only reinforces governmental policies that may not benefit the Chinese people. But then, one can argue that for any country, including my own, which will soon elect a new president.

Despite my departure, this blog and page will continue to be updated, so check back often for more information on Chinese culture and affairs.

While many of the streets that I once knew so well here, now seem unrecognizable, there were thankfully, so much that was unchanged.

Couples, young and old, still ballroom dance late at night in any city square, park, subway stop, or smooth piece of ground, to the tunes from a boombox. People are wonderfully blunt, which can frustrate on a good day, but can also be refreshingly nice. Not once, did I feel in danger, even walking home after a late night of blogging.

No matter which modern subway you board, or which world-class venue you attend, images like the one to the right are still everywhere. The man I met was practicing his Chinese calligraphy using a sponge brush and a pail of water. The words are gone in moments, as though it were an exercise in the impermanence of things. Come to think of it, it's a lot like being a blogger.

Farewell China, it was so nice to be back.