Wow. After 9 months of hard work, the big day is almost here for us and we leave for China/India soon.

Over the past year you have heard me throw out a number of cliches like, “China has many faces,” or “China is constantly changing,” or “Be weary of anyone who holds themselves out as an expert on China, whether they are Chinese or otherwise” or “Don’t jump to conclusions about anything you see in China or India” or “Things in China/India are sometimes not what they seem” or “Because China is so complex and has so many faces and changes so fast, I am skeptical that becoming an expert on China is truly possible” …

I really believe each of these statements.

If there is any practical advice I can give you before we leave for China/India in a few weeks that will help you better soak in and understand what you will see, feel, hear, and taste in a country roughly the same size as the US with 1.3 to 1.4 BILLION people (in China), it would be the following two points …

Mark Twain once said:

We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it — and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again — and that is well; but she also will never sit down on a cold one anymore.

What do you think he meant by this, and how does this apply to China/India and our trip? Do you agree with his advice on how to approach life and what you experience during the ride and how interpret those experiences and the weight you give to them?

Second, be sure to see/re-read this post called “Quality of Life” I made some time ago. Some things I see and don’t understand in China often become a little more clear when I keep the main point of this post in mind, and how it helps explain the difference between a third world country view of life and what is important, versus a US-centric view.

Get ready for a great ride and adventure …