Message from

chapters 1-3
Meyer does a great description of the town. When I was reading I was out side. It's summer here, but I could imagine how cold it was there, even though I'm from So Cal, and have not experienced the day to day dealings with snow- I felt like I was walking in the winter time in Wasteland. A quaint little town, the typical how everybody know's everyone & their business. Meyer describes how you have to choose your words carefully in the countryside, other wise there can be "resentments steeped like tealeaves." As he said a famous Chinese sociologist wrote "People in rural society do not fear forgetfulness. People in cities need to keep address books and photo id's, but in the countryside all is known."
It seems like just with any small town- they are set in their ways & many don't want a big change. Especially with a big company coming in and trying to take over. "Locals wonder if it's their way of life that will be made obsolete. There's even talk of changing the village's name." I am sure this goes along with the feelings of how our traditions seem to be slipping away. Technology is taking over more and more & families need to bring back the quality time of eating, playing and talking together, with out cell phones! Everyone is in such a rush, and many don't simply take the time to look around and "see" their environment or the beauty in the land.
"China is a patchwork of places as diverse as America's, each with its own local language, cuisine, & character." Meyer describes the Northeast as sort of a melting pot, where there are many different cultures from people who have left their mark here.
Frances- the one who led Meyer to Manchuria, is quick, smart & funny. She wanted him to meet her parents, if she was going to go to America with him. Her Mother said to them: "You're happy together!" But I loved the game that they played with the fortune cookies- how Frances would translate what they really meant in Chinese. My favorite one was - English: "Everything will now come your way." Chinese: "The key to happiness is to expect little from life."