President Clinton Comes to Beijing

About a month back, I got an email forwarded to me by a friend announcing Bill Clinton would be coming to Beijing to speak at a conference!

1,000 RMB ($161) later, three colleagues and I were sitting in a ballroom in the Central Business District of Beijing waiting for Clinton to speak!

Obviously, I'm very EXCITED about getting my audience badge!

Clinton was the keynote speaker of the 2nd China Philanthropy Forum.

CLINTON

So, here's an outline of what he spoke about.  First off, he changed my understanding of philanthropy.  I used to think it simply was "giving money" and so I thought this conference about developing philanthropy in China was simply a talk about "how to get people to give money."  But he defined philanthropy as that area between what government can provide and what the private sector can produce. This usually comes in the form of non-governmental organizations (NGO's).  These NGO's can address issues faster and at lower costs than governments can.

Clinton talked about how politics/governments address and answer 1) what to do and 2) how much does it cost.  What NGO's have the luxury and ability to do is to address these issues with how to do it best.  That because there are no shareholders (as in a private sector) that NGO's have the ability to try methods and fail. This trial and fail allows for learning and establishment of best practices.  NGO's empower by answering the "how" question.

Standing Room Only

Clinton then went onto address the relationship between China and the USA and their ability to shape the future. He talked about the amazing generation we just had/are in in which 500 million Chinese have been brought out of poverty. However, Clinton talked about the problem on inequality.  There is too much concentration of wealth at the top.  Therefore, the issue for BOTH countries is how to have a vibrant growing economy that is shared amongst everyone. At this point, he made a jab at the American financial system which brought about the financial shock of 2008 and spelled out how the excessive instability of the modern world leads to people being risk averse. The lack of risk taking thereby slows down economic growth, which is what we need. 

Question and Answer.  I really like the way Clinton is sitting in this picture.

Clinton then went on to talk about climate change and the sharing of scarce resources.  He had a great quote and that is that we "must share in positive terms or suffer in negative ways." That the great problems of the world have to be solved by working together and that comes best, most often, with NGO's and therefore philanthropy must be encouraged and developed as a mean to solve the worlds great issues.

Disagreements are normal, Clinton stated, but we as humans have the capacity to resolve them without violence. People are best because unlike many animals, we have the ability to achieve consensus. We have heart, diversity of ideas and a sense of duty.  NGO's are groups committed to solving problems without the issue of politics or profits.

The conference was an all day affair. However, there was a VIP dinner and I happened to know the woman working at the PR firm organizing it and got put on the list.

My invitation!

For some reason, I thought Clinton would be at the dinner and I would get to shake his hand and get a picture.  Nope.  But the dinner was nice and in the craziness of life, I sat next to a professor from a college in Minnesota who works with the Clinton foundation.  She was great and I'll be in touch with her about her work in providing more access to education for disabled Chinese kids.

Overall, Clinton is a great speaker.  He looked tired, though.  He did mention that he had just come from Myanmar.  Although I learned a lot from his speech, I wish that at some point I will be able to hear him give a political speech.  The kind you see him give at conventions or when he was campaigning.  I want to feel that electricity he can bring.  And lastly, of course, the big question of the day.  Did he know if Hillary is planning on running for president in 2016.  His answer?  She is the most able politician and leader in their family! 

Memory of Rome

For those who never visited me when I lived in Rome and wondered where I lived?  Look at the bridge that parallels the bottom of the picture that leads to a big road.  As you cross the river from right to left, take the left to go along the Tiber.  There is a set of buildings that face the river.  I lived in third building in that set, with a view of the river.

The view from my bedroom window.  I never tired of it!

These Are The People In My Neighborhood

The guy in front cooks "chuar" in my alley.  He is 21 years old and recently married. He moved to Beijing from Hebei when he was 13 (and therefore not a high school graduate) and has been living here cooking "chuar" since that time.

That's this older brother.  It's fun to watch them work.....and get into fights just like brothers do!

This guy, from Hebei as well, opened up a stand that does a mean morning breakfast business.  When I miss the school breakfast, I go to him.  Soy milk, "zho" and the student favorite, the "taco", which really is just a flat pancake filled with whatever you want, half folded to look like....a "taco."

This guy fixes my bike.  He's from Jiangsu.

At my local barber shop, this is the guy who washes my hair.  His hair is ALWAYS amazing!

This is my barber.

This mother-daughter duo are the janitors of our school.  The mother is my "ayi" and cleans my apartment once a week.  We always joke about the few times when she actually has to clean my kitchen...because it means I used it.  The daughter just got married.

This guy is my gives me my weekly massage.

This guy is the attendant at my gym.  We always high-five.  Turns out he is from Jilin and lives here in Beijing with his son so he can help out and watch his grandson grow up.

What Happens When Your Boyfriend Knows Your iPhone Passcode

Introducing "Onions"

Last day of Guoming Jie and my friend Rob was in town for a couple days on his way to Indonesia.  He wanted to head out to the Great Wall, so it was back to Jinshanling.  We had a beautiful day.

So when you date somebody, it's not "official" until one of your friends meets the significant other.  The trip to the wall was Eric's coming out as the guy I am dating.  Here's Rob (left) and Lu Jiacong (which sounds like Lu "add onions" so I've nicknamed him "Onions".

Yeah, he's shorter than me.  But in many ways he's the more mature of the two of us.

Yes, my suggestion.

It started out as a joke but now is a daily work tradition.  But I send him a selfie and include a word or phrase that we've talked about or joked about.  Here's the first set.

"Colonoscopy"

"Hot Pot"

"Singapore"

"Fasting"

"Hungry"

"Logarithm"

"Sushi"

"Raisins were mailed"

Singapore Highlight - Meeting Vincent and his Friends

So, through the power of social media, I sign on and start chatting with a guy named Vincent.  We go out to dinner one night, and then the next day he texts me and invites me out to dinner with all of his friends.

All six are gay and are kind of like their own Singapore version of "Sex In the City".  The two of the left are twins.

We went to eat......Beijing style Chinese food.  That's Justin in the center and Joseph on the right.

The reason for the dinner was.......

To say good bye to their friend Joseph.  Joseph is the boyfriend, and soon to be husband of an American who had lived in Singapore for six years.  The American moved back to the States last year. But then because the US Supreme Court ruled that the US immigration laws had to recognize marriages from all states that allow gay marriage, Joseph is moving to the States to get married in Connecticut.  And thereby be able to apply for a visa, then a green card and eventually become a United States citizen.  It's amazing how the US Supreme Court affects lives all around the world.  The dinner was so great, as Joseph's friends were asking him about his new life and what he's excited about and scared about.  Friends taking care of a friend.  I was honored to be invited and it was such a great way to see real people's lives in Singapore.