Hefei (and Beijing)

After Qatar, my sister Nancy visited for Labor Day (the real one on May 1), up from work in Shenzhen/Hong Kong and we had a wonderful time, visiting 798 Art District in northeast Beijing, much trendier than in the past, and a stunted boat ride on the canal from Zhanlanguan past the Zoo to the Summer Palace, which was a tad bit crowded for the holiday. Afterwards, two lecturing circuit trips to Shanghai (really moving forward culturally, but too much to write now) and to Hefei, where the government has decided to push investment, particularly related to science and technology continue to keep me busy. Former dissident and physic professor (and vice-president of the university at which I lectured), Fang Lizhi is a famous alumni who fled after 1989 and died this year. He seemed to be still respected in these parts, among people privately, and the occasional graffiti with his name.

And somehow I have still found time to make another half dozen or so public appearances on radio or tv to usually discuss something related to Syria, North Korea, or the South China Sea, which is fast moving forward as the most pressing issue of the day (on China-Turkey relations: http://english.cntv.cn/program/dialogue/20120410/103487.shtml; on US-Philippines War Games: http://english.cntv.cn/program/dialogue/20120417/104860.shtml; on Sudan-South Sudan conflict: http://english.cntv.cn/program/dialogue/20120428/116629.shtml; on US-China military ties: http://english.cntv.cn/program/dialogue/20120510/102973.shtml; on South China Sea dispute: http://english.cntv.cn/program/dialogue/20120515/102617.shtml and http://english.cntv.cn/program/dialogue/20120530/103022.shtml; on the G8 Summit: http://english.cri.cn/8706/2012/05/21/2861s701013.htm; on Afghanistan: http://english.cri.cn/8706/more/8908/more8908s2012-04-26.htm; and on North Korea: http://english.cri.cn/8706/more/8908/more8908s2012-04-17.htm). I asked in the studio if we would discuss the blind lawyer Chen Guangcheng, and was laughed at, but told by the host that he was sympathetic to his efforts regarding forced abortion in Shandong. So much to do, so much to say. But at best I can find this little time to barely even recall what I’ve done, but I’m too busy and tired to analyze or interpret much of it. Just trying to survive another month, then prepare for my trip to East Timor (And hopefully tack on an excursion to Bali), and then visit my family from Phoenix to Dallas to Arkansas to Iowa (and back to Dallas) from late July to late August. Unfortunately, cannot swing back to my own residence in Sacramento, but will see all three sisters, my mom, and visit my father’s grave in northwest Iowa, so that covers everyone.

Summer heat is approaching, my shoulder injury prevents me from working out now for two months, aside from yoga when I can fit it in (if it doesn’t aggravate the injury), and continue to operate at about 20 pounds below my normal weight, which causes some concerns, when people see me, but I think I intake enough calories to have the energy for all of this. Once I return in the fall, the Fulbright will be over, and things should be much slower (presumably) and I can begin to write a lot again (and maybe even read, I am reading Jose Saramago’s Blindness, which is quite captivating about politics, identity, social psychology, ideology, and power). Ok, another hour before off to the airport, having finished a lunch with a university director that has invited CSUS to partner with China University of Science and Technology, I will have to pass along to Sacramento. Exhale….