I have learned a lot by visiting other countries:
Mexico -- I drove through Mexico to Reynosa, on the way I saw homes in the desert that appeared to being built a few cinder blocks at a time. Some you could start to see where the windows would be. It seemed every paycheck they would go and buy another dozen cinder blocks. The floor was dirt. But then we got to the city and there was this big house surrounded by walls with barbed wire and guards. One guy with us pointed it out and told us it had an indoor tennis court, and swimming pool. We were all "wow, who lives there?" It was the police chief.
Taiwan -- You know their schools outperform ours and yet they have 50 kids in classrooms with chalkboards. How do they do it? Well there is a Junior HS entrance exam, if you fail that test boys become factory workers and do construction and girls become prostitutes (the brothels are state run). Then there is a HS entrance exam. Same kind of pressure. If the parents are rich and the kids fail this exam they can go to the American HS that is in Taipei for embassy and military personnel. If they can't get into that school they can come to America and stay with a relative. While there I worked for a school teaching English and each month the police would show up for the bribe. In Taiwan they call this the "hidden tax". By having a hidden tax they keep their official tax rate low and that encourages investment. The national holiday is Chinese new year, everyone gets a red envelope with money in it and then they spend the night gambling. Prior to getting to Taiwan I confused them with Japan and mentioned to my dad how I was looking forward to a place that is so clean. He laughed and told me I was confusing Taiwan with Japan, he was right.
Italy -- I broke my leg skiing in the Italian alps. I went to the hospital there. When I returned to NY they x-rayed my leg, saw that it had been set wrong, broke it again and reset it.
UK -- I went to boarding school there. Every single student had to go to the chapel on Sunday and yet to my knowledge I was the only Christian on campus (I could be wrong, didn't know everyone, but certainly wasn't any evidence of Christians on campus). I remember when I was going there why everyone talked about "big American Cars". When I got to the UK I understood.
Hong Kong -- Never seen anyplace so crowded and I lived in the suburbs of NYC growing up.
South Korea -- similar to Taiwan
Mexico -- I drove through Mexico to Reynosa, on the way I saw homes in the desert that appeared to being built a few cinder blocks at a time. Some you could start to see where the windows would be. It seemed every paycheck they would go and buy another dozen cinder blocks. The floor was dirt. But then we got to the city and there was this big house surrounded by walls with barbed wire and guards. One guy with us pointed it out and told us it had an indoor tennis court, and swimming pool. We were all "wow, who lives there?" It was the police chief.
Taiwan -- You know their schools outperform ours and yet they have 50 kids in classrooms with chalkboards. How do they do it? Well there is a Junior HS entrance exam, if you fail that test boys become factory workers and do construction and girls become prostitutes (the brothels are state run). Then there is a HS entrance exam. Same kind of pressure. If the parents are rich and the kids fail this exam they can go to the American HS that is in Taipei for embassy and military personnel. If they can't get into that school they can come to America and stay with a relative. While there I worked for a school teaching English and each month the police would show up for the bribe. In Taiwan they call this the "hidden tax". By having a hidden tax they keep their official tax rate low and that encourages investment. The national holiday is Chinese new year, everyone gets a red envelope with money in it and then they spend the night gambling. Prior to getting to Taiwan I confused them with Japan and mentioned to my dad how I was looking forward to a place that is so clean. He laughed and told me I was confusing Taiwan with Japan, he was right.
Italy -- I broke my leg skiing in the Italian alps. I went to the hospital there. When I returned to NY they x-rayed my leg, saw that it had been set wrong, broke it again and reset it.
UK -- I went to boarding school there. Every single student had to go to the chapel on Sunday and yet to my knowledge I was the only Christian on campus (I could be wrong, didn't know everyone, but certainly wasn't any evidence of Christians on campus). I remember when I was going there why everyone talked about "big American Cars". When I got to the UK I understood.
Hong Kong -- Never seen anyplace so crowded and I lived in the suburbs of NYC growing up.
South Korea -- similar to Taiwan
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