By Admin1 (admin) on Saturday, July 07, 2001 - 2:30 pm: Edit Post |
6. U.S. Peace Corps Arrives in China
6. U.S. Peace Corps Arrives in China
6. U.S. Peace Corps Arrives in China By MATT FORNEY
CHENGDU, July 16, UPI -- Three decades after its founding and four years after the killings at Tiananmen Square washed out a scheduled program, the U.S. Peace Corps finally has come to China.
The first 18 U.S. volunteers are training outside Chengdu, capital of southwestern Sichuan Province, anxious to overcome suspicions about being spies and to demonstrate their young American morals will not corrupt Chinese youth. Most of the group preparing to spend two years teaching English to high school instructors at small rural colleges are college graduates in their 20s. But it also includes Lalla Overby, 68, a librarian from Gainesville, Ga.
Chinese authorities are suspicious of the Peace Corp's role as an independent U.S. government agency reporting to the White House.
"China had difficulties quelling fears of connections with the intelligence community," said a source familiar with the program. "In such a remote area, it could look like a set-up."
The Peace Corps has a long-standing policy that anyone connected with the intelligence community is not allowed to be a volunteer.
In a compromise, the Peace Corps has played down its status as a government agency. The Chinese side of bilingual business card of Peace Corps China Director Bill Speidel labels the program the U.S.-China Friendship Association. The flip side, in English, retains the name Peace Corps.
The Peace Corps also overcame the doubts of local college administrators about the wisdom of releasing young Americans, and young American morals, on small town Chinese campuses and students never before in contact with American teachers.
The volunteers do not expect to corrupt the population.
"We've been told we'll be a novelty and will stand out, so I'm prepared," said Melody Farrin, 23, of Wyckoff, N.J. "Chinese people I've been in contact with so far have been curious and open, not in a negative way."
Speidel said said he did not see so-called corruption of Chinese morals as a major problem.
Volunteers, he said, are encouraged to try and see cultural and moral questions from the point of view of the Chinese hosts and "not to use exclusively American eyes and instincts" in such situations.
"We've got a higher than average amount of common sense in this group," he said.
By petercramb69 (proxy12.tpgi.com.au - 203.26.24.222) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 1:12 am: Edit Post |
My name is Peter Cramb and I represent a Chinese company that is currently trying to recruit young Americans to teach conversational English in North China.No previous experience is needed and any degree graduate would be most welcome as the schools are in great need of American English speakers.This is a great opportunity for those who have been studying Mandarin to hone their own second language skills while being paid for it.If anyone is interested please contact me at petercramb69@hotmail.com