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such as myself are usually placed. We were told not to expect
to be sent to Beijing or Shanghai, as everyone selects one of
those cities. I was very interested in learning Mandarin, so I
welcomed the idea of being in a city where fewer people spoke
English. I requested, “anywhere except Beijing or Shanghai.”
Apparently that is Fulbright code for “send me to Beijing.”
Originally a bit disappointed, I soon realized that I would be
far happier in Beijing than I would likely have been in many
other cities in China. I wanted what I thought would be a more
“authentic Chinese experience” by being in a smaller city, but
soon realized that like the United States, China is an enormous
country with diverse geography, peoples and cultures. I
arrived in Beijing for yet another training with just the other
lecturers, and soon we scattered across China, although I
merely ventured across town.
I was assigned to the Beijing University of Chemical
Technology, a seemingly odd choice for a law professor who is
also interested in public health. Although BUCT was originally
formed with a specialized chemical technology focus, it is now
a full-range university with a small legal department and a
smaller master’s program in the law. Unlike the United States,
where law school is a graduate school, in China, students may
earn their bachelor’s degree in law. For my first semester, I
taught only the graduate students; in the second semester I
taught undergraduates as well.
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My students were involved in helping me settle into my new
life immediately upon my arrival. In most Chinese universities,
professors are provided apartments on campus. When I
arrived, BUCT did not have an available apartment on campus,
so they leased an apartment for me in a neighborhood adjacent
to the campus. The students were tireless in making certain I
understood the controls on the appliances, in helping me set
up phone service, and any other task that would be difficult
without speaking Mandarin. The students helping me had the
best English skills of those in the Master of Laws program at
BUCT. As my first class had barely a dozen students, it was
easy and affordable to take them all to lunch at one of the
many local restaurants. Even with the Chinese habit of ordering
an excess of food selections, I could treat the entire crowd for
less than $20 U.S. dollars.
I have always been gastronomically adventurous, and love
trying almost any new food, so Beijing was paradise. Most
styles of Chinese cooking were available somewhere in the
city. I especially like the “snacks” cooked, sold and eaten
on the street that were ubiquitous around the country. Many
westerners avoid such offerings, so often the sellers were
afraid to sell to me. Although I studied very hard, my Mandarin
skills never really developed beyond a very rudimentary
level, but I learned enough to navigate the city via public
transportation and taxi, and to gain a lot of weight trying all
McGrath lectured at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. Following his presentation, he was joined by
Jin Yamin, director of the International Exchange Office, and Dr. Hon Gengming, deputy dean of the law school.