Overcoming Culture Shock: 1st Essay two draft & Book club

Yesterday,I finally finished the draft of Essay #2.It is about different attitudes on independence and ideas of family between Americans and Chinese, written in a conversation style. I really appreciate openness and thoughtfulness of my friends from both China and Bridgewater. At the dinner table on last Friday, they allow me to introduce the topic concerning culture differences into our chatting and continually came up with thoughtful ideas to contribute for the formation of this essay. Standing on the ground of two distinguished culture, we shared our happiness and struggles in our own life. Sometimes those sharing can get really embarrassing because the words of one side are antonyms for the other side, which means Chinese happiness could be sorrowfulness in the eyes of American eyes and vice verse.
But after each short period quietness, we always tried to help each other to move to another topic. The difficulty of understanding is apparently hard.But our trying touched me so much.

Thanks my friends.


Our trying also reminds me of the book the Forever War.The writing and publish of the book itself shows Dexter Filkin's sincerity of bridging multi-culture believed by Afghanistanis and people outside. It might be astonishing for us that some of Afghanistani applause for Taliban government, which is extremely conservative in economy, politics, and entertainment. However, when we see the complex and broken social system, it becomes more understandable that in this situation, the country needs immediately the emergence of one super power which is able to control and balance interest of various powers and tribes. However, Taliban has its fatal flaw which could even be fatal for the peace of the whole world. That's the struggle of the country and people there. Culture conflicts are hard to overcome, however, trying to understand is also a kind of big efforts.

Book club-Hope for Hope

      I have read the first three chapters of the Forever War. The language is easy but every detail of the story is shocking. "This is the life in despair." is the voice coming from my mind and heart. I've never felt the mood before with the faith that there is always a solution for problems and time will help us solve each of them.I became grateful for the reality that I at least have hope and I have reasons for having hope. I live in a country where the governments are valuing human rights, democracy, social equality, freedom,etc.Though sometimes they make mistakes, as I said above, they just need more time to grow up, learn lessons, and find better solutions.And the Central government is strong enough to unite different communities within together, and to maximize the interest of each community and the whole at the same time. Politically, the trust on the government and leaders must be an origin of my hope.
  
     Hope! I wanna find a reason to have a hope for Afghanistan.There are only many local military groups and religious tribes but no powerful,independent and responsible central government. Politics are the foundation of economy and culture. As a result, the economy has broke down since the beginning of wars in 1960s.And the only entertainment is watching together violent execution for crimes in the playground.The dullness or indifference to the value of life and the pain of extreme cruelty comes from these scenes. The worst but sympathetic reality is that children grow seeds of violence at such a young age that they almost have cruelty as a born nature and lose the chance of loving and feeling love.However, this is also the most horrible vision for the whole world. Dullness, hatred, and cruelty can destroy anything.


      Find a chance of have hope for them. Taliban and religious extremism don't help.
Think about the appropriate political system for them and hope for the birth of a figure like Mao Zedong.

Book club--The Forever War

I choose The Forever War by Dexter Filkins for our book club. At the first glance of the three names in the list, my eyes were attracted to the title of this book, which reminds me the book, Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortonsen. The later  is  about the terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which is closely related with the terrorism in Iraq.That might be the first reason for the closeness I've built up with the book.

Considering I was working with students believing Muslim last year, I'm naturally allergic to any words explicitly or implicitly reflecting conflicts of religion. One of the most important aspects of the war between America and Iraq terrorism is concerning religion misunderstanding and misleading. I'm curious about whether the author includes this point in the book and how the author interprets it. 

Furthermore, according to my researching on this book, the reviews from medias and public are generally very positive. With the evidence of high reputation, I decide to follow my heart to read this book and be prepared to fall in love with it.