When I left the United States in 2008 to settle in Shanghai, China still admired America. From its decisions to its way of perceiving itself, through its aspirations and its place in the world, almost everything was measured against Meiguo, the “beautiful country” as America is called in Chinese.
Freshly graduated, I had no professional experience. But I was American, and that was more than enough. I landed positions in prestigious high schools and universities where I taught Western culture. There wasn’t really a program. All the schools and students wanted was to be around someone from a country that shone with its wealth, cultural strength, and confidence in the future. At one of the high schools where I worked, there was an end-of-year show. I sang “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly, and a friend demonstrated skateboarding, all clumsy attempts to show them how to embrace the codes of a certain American lifestyle, casual and informal, which represented the future for the students.
Things have changed a lot.
Problematic issue to manage
When President Trump travels to China in mid-May to meet President Xi Jinping
Source: The New York Times
Context:
- The article talks about the author’s experience in China as an American teacher, highlighting the changing perceptions of America in the country.
Fact Check:
- The New York Times is a well-known American newspaper with a long history and a reputation for quality journalism, as described in the content.
