Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Book Review: River Town

This is a book Bill lent us, a book about a Peace Corp Volunteer spending his two years service in China. He worked in a small town on the Yangtze river teaching English and Literature in a teacher training college.

Many of his stories I can relate too from our time here. Being treated differently because you are white, never quite being able to fit it no matter how hard you try. Although I think he had it much worse than we do, there are a few whites in Buea, Hessler and his fellow volunteer were the only waiguoren (as they were called) in Fuling and the first Americans to visit in 50 years.

There was a lot to learn about living in China, he would often say something in class that would cause all the students to go silent and bow their heads. Everything was very political, there was no escaping it.

It is a fascinating book about China, a country I would love to visit but maybe not live in.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

So are we going to read a book on your experiences in Cameroon anytime soon?:-)

The World Tour 2007 said...

I'm off to China in 5 months or so and I'm going to cruise down the Yangtze river. I'm very excited!

Glad to hear everything is still going well.Are you counting down til you go home yet?

Keep in touch x

Hev said...

Hmmmm, write a book on our time in Cameroon, I do not think so, I cannot write and who would read it other than my Mum!

Anonymous said...

Ha Heather, you may have got it right there but I am sure Dad would read it too!!