Photo Beijing, 2002

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Letter from Beijing

by Toby BenDor

Son of CousinsPlus co-founder and CEO, Michael-David BenDor, and
Jan Franklin BenDor
Beijing, China, March 15, 1999 --   I'm writing from an internet cafe here in Beijing.  School is going well.

Four hours a day, five days a week I study intensive Chinese.  We read, write, speak and listen. Rounding out my course load are Chinese calligraphy, Chinese history and culture, and tai chi.
I'm also teaching English in a Chinese school.  I have a 3-hour  class on Saturday mornings with 20 students, all between 12 and 14 years old.   They are at the second level in their English proficiency.  However, it is a struggle to get through an entire chapter in one class. 

During my free time, I go on adventures, such as eating at the super cheap Chinese restaurants, and visiting tourist spots like the Forbidden City. 

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The Forbidden City, Beijing

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Sometimes I manage to get away to an interesting place outside Beijing, as I did last Sunday.  I took a day trip to Tianjin, which is the third-largest city in China.   It's about 90 minutes southeast of Beijing.  Chinese names can be weird.   Translated literally, "Tianjin"  means "heavenly spit."   Can you believe that?

[Bridge is 2.7 miles long. -- Ed.]

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Tianjin: 5.5 million pop.


Beijing is fun to explore, which I do mostly with friends I've made here at school, such as my Korean roommate, and some students from Leeds University in England.  I venture out alone occasionally, too, and sometimes I manage to go with an actual [gasp!] Chinese.  

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Beijing was named by a Ming dynasty emperor in the year 1421, but it has been China's capital since 1057 BC.  The city is divided into 18 counties, which cover an area of about 6,500 square miles, and a population of 12 million call it home.

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Summer Palace, 6 miles NW of Beijing, is the
largest and best-preserved imperial garden.

My trip to Tianjin turned into a wonderful sight-seeing expedition, partially because I had a personal destination.  I was also going there to visit my language partner, a Chinese graduate student who comes from Tianjin.  He gave me the grand tour of his home town.

Later -- good bye in Chinese is 'Zai jian,'
Toby

Tobybendor@aol.com

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