“to reach your goal you must know not only the right direction, but also what swamps lie ahead.”

I don’t remember where I recently heard the above adage.  It seems appropriate as I begin to write about  a puzzle which may have no solution, a journey whose destination may be unreachable.  My goal is to come to an understanding of the differences between American and Chinese culture – thinking, writing, aesthetics, assumptions.  I have been studying for a decade – trying to learn the language, reading articles and books, practicing calligraphy, visiting China when I could.  The more I study, the more I find to explore.  In writing this blog I hope to reach out to other explorers who have studied different pieces of the puzzle – maybe you can shed more light, show new paths. And maybe there are some Chinese explorers who are perplexed at the odd twists and turns of American culture – Maybe they will contribute their own understanding.  Let’s see what happens!