The Exchange - National Committee on United States-China Relations

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To <strong>The</strong> Moon Brad Badgley In the British newspaper <strong>The</strong> Guardian an article appeared on May 20 th reporting that the Chinese have plans to put a man into earth’s orbit by 2005, and land one on the moon by 2010. After that, they have plans to set up a permanent lunar base. L E A R N I N G I asked my students if they knew of this plan. <strong>The</strong>y said that they did. I then wondered aloud why China wanted to go to the moon <strong>The</strong> students said that it would show that China was part of the modern world and would gain respect from other countries. Several said simply, “because America did it so we must also.” <strong>The</strong>n, I boldy wondered if it wouldn’t be better for them to help the poor. This received muted mumbles of approval. <strong>The</strong>n one student rose and said. “Well, why doesn’t America stop spending money on missile defense and help the poor in Africa” I must have really hit a nerve. He stood there and watched for my reaction. <strong>The</strong> room was thick with nervous anticipation. I grinned at the kid. “Good point! Actually, forget about Africa! Africa <strong>The</strong>re are poor and struggling people in America. And their numbers are growing!” <strong>The</strong> students laughed. <strong>The</strong>y were trying to decide whether to believe me. <strong>The</strong>y were starting to think. I began again. “So, China wants to go to the moon so that they can gain respect and national pride. Well, people have already been to the moon. It has been done. Why not do something humans have not done before” <strong>The</strong>re weren’t any comments but their eyes were lit up with the challenge. <strong>The</strong>n a student rose and said, “If we can go to the moon there are minerals there that we can use to build houses for the poor people.” This presented an interesting conundrum: is it better to spend billions because we think we will find a solution to earth’s problems out there Or, should we use our vast financial resources to fix the problems here first One student said, “We must go out there first. We can use what we learn to help the poor people here.” Another student rose and said, “What about the poor people now Which poor are we helping Those 100 years from now or the ones who are in trouble now” A third student rose and said “<strong>The</strong> solution isn’t to give money. <strong>The</strong> poor have to be able to help themselves.” A girl rose, and with great trepidation said, “We must go to the moon because America must not be allowed to steal it from the people of the world.” <strong>The</strong>n nobody spoke. <strong>The</strong>y gazed at their hands, and their desks, at the floor, at their shoes. That was it. That was the answer. <strong>The</strong>re was nothing else to say. <strong>The</strong>y had been floating without the answer net and had had a spell of vertigo. This girl brought their feet and minds firmly back to the ground and to the task at hand. I knew they wouldn’t go any further so we played hangman. After class, one of the boys who sits in the back caught up to me as I was leaving. “Badgley, here is what I think.” He handed me a piece of paper on which he had written while we played hangman. It said, “China must do both. If we only use our economy, technology, and resources to help the poor then we will always be poor. If we can work on both then we can benefit from our discoveries and help the poor even more.” Sharp kid. I returned to my office and spoke with one of the Chinese teachers about what I had discussed in class. Together we started to look for information on the moon on the Internet. We learned that water has been discovered under the southern pole of the moon. Lots of water. Scientists believe that this water can be used to supply a lunar rocket base. Secondly, there is Helium 3 on the moon. This, scientists say, is fuel for nuclear fusion. <strong>The</strong>re is also an entire ocean of iron ore and titanium. Furthermore, a lunar day lasts 14 earth days. That is a lot of sunshine! Enough, scientists think, to power lunar mining operations and have a surplus to beam back to earth. Officially, the moon belongs to all. China and the U.S. are two of many nations which have ratified the1967 outer space treaty, which declares that exploration and use of the moon shall be carried out “for the benefit and in the interests of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development, and shall be the province of all.” In Article IV, the treaty states that the moon is to be used “exclusively for peaceful purposes.” <strong>The</strong>n in 1979 the United Nations drafted a decree saying that the moon and its resources belong to all nations and humans and should be apportioned as such. Russia, Japan, China, and the United States have not signed it. <strong>The</strong> race is on! 16
since July 1. I am now teaching Senior 3 (Grade 12). Because the national entrance exam next year will be held in June, which is a month before the usual time, almost all the Senior 3 students in Nanjing have to continue their studying at school in July. Teaching Basic English David Krueger “When I was in America I missed my family and friends in China. But now I often think of you [Margot], our group of 24 teachers, and my host family. <strong>The</strong>se day I am always thinking of doing something good for my family, my school, and my students. Is this because I was a year in the U.S.A.” Gong Yan Snowden International School, Boston, MA. shuangzi@hotmail.com “Almost more than 30 hours no sleep [on the way back to Nanjing], so don’t have to adjust to the time difference. Feel so good at home. Started immediately I got home, dirty, a mess. I’m home for several days already, safe trip, back safe and sound but tired. “Had a wonderful year in Boston, almost moved to tears when finding Snowden faculty doing a special farewell occasion for me on my last few minutes there, speech, roses, cake, and a card. “Ten months of fine, beautiful, sweet memories, well covering homesickness, well balancing me from falling on the side of homesickness. And a lot more.” Wang Qianrong Brookline High School, MA. qianrong_wang@hotmail.com “Last weekend our host family took us to New York for a family get-together and [we] saw a musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie” in Marquis <strong>The</strong>atre, which was fabulous. <strong>The</strong> music was good and the singing was fantastic. I enjoyed the lines so much I could even remember some.” Yang Haiyan Belmont Public Schools, MA. yyn518@hotmail.com David Krueger teaching local police officers in Changzhou I was asked to teach a class at the local police substation. <strong>The</strong>y wanted to learn 50 phrases and sentences in English. <strong>The</strong>re were about 25 police officers in the class. Afterwards they asked questions about police work in Milwaukee, salaries and hours. Police in Changzhou work about 14 hour shifts every day. “I think the most wonderful part of our exchange program is people build their friendship and a mature understanding on different cultures and begin to appreciate some of the differences. I do hope the exchange program will last forever and more and more teachers will be able to have this great opportunity to explore new culture, new world and . . . friendship.” Yu Xiaoyun Lincoln School, Brookline, MA. yuxiaoy5899@yahoo.com “Last Saturday night, I was alone at home and I managed to write the following poem to express my love for Brookline. I have no idea about poetry at all, I just hope to express myself.” How do you like Brookline, Up in the air so blue I do like it so much, For I think it a place of Shangri-la. Above the houses and the trees, I can see so wide, Birds and clouds and sky, And even all over Brookline. I look down into the rivers, Down in the rivers so clear, Stone and sand and fish, And even all in the water. To my left and to my right, I can see so many, Lilacs and peaches and maples, And even all the plants in the world. Changzhou David Krueger Changzhou No. 3 Middle School, Jiangsu Province. dgkrueg@yahoo.com “It’s sweltering hot. Tomorrow we play baseball at my primary school. It may be the last time I see my students.” 3
Page 1 and 2: American Council of Learned Socieit
Page 3 and 4: since July 1. I am now teaching Sen
Page 5 and 6: Milwaukee Xiong Zimin Academy of Ac
Page 7 and 8: I’m also busy this week taking th
Page 9 and 10: Jing Ye Si Chen Jinfeng During the
Page 11 and 12: The Road Not Taken
Page 13 and 14: again, which I taught them a week b
Page 15: New York City Teachers’ Strike Ye
Page 19 and 20: Milwaukee Xiong Zimin Academy of Ac
Page 21 and 22: I’m also busy this week taking th
Page 23 and 24: My First Baseball Game Zhang Ling W
Page 25 and 26: Proms Yang Haiyan Last Friday, I we
Page 27 and 28: Thoughts on Suzhou Joanne Parkhouse
Page 29 and 30: Getting Married in China Joanne Par
Page 31 and 32: TRAVELING Trips to Remember Zhang L
Page 33 and 34: People say that no visit to New Orl
Page 35 and 36: The Caves of Sanme
Page 37 and 38: Final Travels Joanne Parkhouse I ca
Page 39 and 40: Deng Xiaojin Suzhou Middle School x
Page 41 and 42: Yang Lixia Dalian No. 23 Middle Sch
Page 43 and 44: Zhao Qi Changzhou No. 1 Middle Scho

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