They have actually blocked hotmail, along with flickr and twitter. Because heaven forbid that Chinese people share their holiday snaps or chat with their friends! (And yes, I know it's all to do with the Tiananmen hysteria, but let's be realistic about what the majority of people use these now banned services for.) Really, I am just so cross right now that, instead of writing about how delightful Qingdao was or about the interesting conversation I had with my students about Elizabeth I, all I can think about is how much this patronising, controlling attitude pisses me off. Although sometimes living here has had it's incredibly frustrating points, I've actually been thinking, depending on what happens when I go home, about coming back and teaching in another city. But I think this is the whole camel-straw incident. I am never going to live in this country again.
Well done net nanny, because that's such a fantabulous thought for me to share with the world.
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Chemtrails!
1 day ago
hmmmm for all of the Olympic rah rah last year about a changed and open country, it's not so much is it. Opression still rages on. I'm sorry that what could have been a wonderful exchange for both sides had been ruined.
ReplyDeletebtw..I had trouble signing into to comment through Google so lgt58 is leendaluu
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame that China has succeeded in turning you off from teaching there again, and I'm sure this heavy-handed oppression will have the same effect on other potential non-Chinese visitors.
ReplyDeleteThis is the direction in which Obama want us to go--more and more government control over our lives.
ReplyDeleteWhen will you get to go ;;back home to the UK?
ReplyDeleteThat is crazy, you wonder how they can justify it.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine is also teaching English in Guangzhou and whenever we've tried to send parcels over with news stories or CDs in, they invariably disappear too. It'd be fair enough if they were governmental reports or sensitive information, say, but usually it's just music compilations and Norwich City football reports...
Pat, shame on you for comparing the democratically elected and accountable Barack Obama with the repressive and utterly unaccountable Chinese government.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing you're not a fan of Obama, which is entirely up to you, but that comment was way out of line.
J, don't let these minor acts of suppression get you down. The world knows what happened 20 years ago in Beijing and one day that truth will be known throughout China too.
ReplyDeleteKeep on keepin on.