The Road to China
Adventures of a Photographer Turned English Teacher
In August,
2003 I made arrangements to teach English in China for several
months, but when I got there, there was no job. So begins a
very interesting six-month stay in Beijing, and I have been keeping
a weblog ('blog' for short) of my adventures
here.
As one might expect I have been taking a gazillion pictures, many of which have been interspersed within the text of my weblog, and I hope they will add to the flavor of my experiences here. (If you just want to see the pictures, click here for the photo gallery. But as some have attested to below, the 'blog (below) is an informative and entertaining read!)
Here's what others have been saying about The Road to China weblog:
"Wow! I really love the way you write. A real page-scroller. Your story is remarkable and memorable. It will have a place of its own in the hearts and minds of those it touches."
- DR Rawson
"You're truly one of the the most amazing people I know; I'm not sure I would have gotten on the plane after the e-mails you received. I look forward to more, more, more!"
- Dr. Brian Grossman
"Well Gary, compared to your adventures my life is pretty boring."
- Nancy Gross Dispenza
"The thing that strikes me is that you are an American in China, and seem to be having the time of your life. How you can appreciate your apartment that much is amazing. But I guess that's Gary Friedman. Always able to see the value where others cannot. I think 99 percent of Americans would feel absolutely displaced, and panicked to be in your position right now. You intentionally dove head first into the situation and it is a complete success. This is stuff books are often made of. This is an American/Chinese version of 'Dances with Wolves'."
- Mike Cole
"The last photo is a scream. AHHHHHHHH!"
- Sheila Clapkin
"Your photos are so nice, so poetic, so real. I just live and dream a moment on each picture. A Chinese friend who lives in Changsa told me that you catch the real aspect of China. Thank you for the deep quality of your pics, like an essential painting, it is just beautiful and makes us dream."
- Hugues Hennia
The table of contents appears below. Enjoy!
Chapter 2 - 1,001 Uses for a Hat
Chapter 5 - Too Many Opportunities
Chapter 8 - Stand and Deliver by Me
Chapter 9 - Stairway to Heaven
Chapter 10 - A Rolex for Christmas
Chapter 11 - Photo Album #1 (Lots of pictures here)
Chapter 12 - Just One Problem...
Chapter 13 - Business in China
Chapter 13.5 - The Al Capone of Jiangxi
Chapter 15 - Photo Album #2 (Lots of pictures here also)
Chapter 16 - Christmas in Beijing
Chapter 17 - The Ugly Dumpling
Chapter 18 - The Edge of the Sky
Chapter 19 - Photo Album #3 (Hainan)
Chapter 20.5 - Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...
"Yours Truly, Gary Friedman"
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