Comments on: China, Day Six: Wild about Harry

By: Russ Wellen

Russ Wellen — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:07:43 +0000

I’ve learned more about China in these posts than I ever knew before.

That is the nuclear family in China: four grandparents, two parents, one child.

As it should be.

I didn’t know China still had the one-child per family law. I wondered why the population is so large. But you pointed out the law isn’t stringently enforced in the countryside.

Lex, those soul, funk and jazz names you assigned were too funny.

By: Darrell

Darrell — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:00:30 +0000

Harry is great. He really enjoys life, I can imagine his job is pretty fun. He has lots of great stories. I remember watching him in action with the baggage check people. We were way over weight with luggage. A little grease of the palms and some of his charm and we were on our way.

By: Lex

Lex — Fri, 29 May 2009 02:04:51 +0000

Good stuff. I’ve never quite understood the tradition of giving English learners English names, and aside from the reason that Harry gave, i’ve heard that it’s part of the “immersion” experience.

I never managed to learn the real names of all of my students (but at any given time that would have been well over a hundred names) and i wasn’t supposed to use their Korean names anyhow. There were a few classes that i knew all the Korean names; it was nice…and far more effective for getting attention.

But i won’t lie, it was a lot of fun to give kids names that they might well use throughout their lives. I once had the opportunity to name a whole class. Ike, Tina, Ella, Maceo, Miles, Aretha, George, etc. (i didn’t have the heart to lay Bootsy on any of them) Good times, and a fun class that was. Tina could roll her neck with the best of them, and if i asked “What are you?” they’d all say, “Da Bomb!”

Bringing back memories, Chris, thanks.