kyburg | What was it like -

People are asking me what Taiwan was like.

I think I've got a nearly complete metaphor to handle the load.

Take your favorite class from your school days - the one that challenged you, taught you more than any other class, tickled your knowledge bone in the BEST way, had your favorite teacher, a bunch of your friends...something you loved more than any other class you ever had.

But it was a tough class, and you had to keep up on the work or risk falling behind, and that wouldn't be good.

You didn't want that.

But you never worked so hard, for such rich rewards.

Rewards that stayed with you.

Then they asked you what you wanted to do for your teacher and your friends when the class was over. You said you wanted them to have wonderful, happy lives for the rest of their days, that you loved them and wanted the best for them.

They loaded them onto a bus and drove them away without warning you. And you never even got to say goodbye.

And then you were told you had to start teaching the class. To one person who doesn't understand a word you're saying, and just got taken away from his friends, his family and his teachers.

With no sleep.

It's been two weeks.

And this is a cakewalk in comparison to what we'll probably have in China.