In the latest issue of Sitytime, we have 5 articles on 4 cities, including Canton/Guangzhou, Atlanta, Paris and Boston.

In this issue, we are proud to announce that we have 3 new contributors; they are Louis Berney, 图拉 and Samuel Massie. When I first introduced Sitytime to Louie, he showed great interesting on it. I invited him to write for Sitytime, and he gave me Gradually…Guangzhou in 3 days. I didn’t know he already had various publications as a journalist,writer and editor when I asked him for articles. I joked that I couldn’t afford his articles and he sincerely said that he liked writing for good causes without worrying about money. 图拉 is an old friend and he gives me many helpful suggestions for Sitytime. He is very smart and supportive. When he knew I was preparing for the English issue for Sitytime, he offered me some articles he wrote during his exchange to Emory University. We have his Exploring the Transportation in Atlanta posted first. Sam is a very talented and thoughtful friend. His insight and passion on writing has inspired me a lot on starting up Sitytime. In this issue, we have his Smash the Old World, Build the New (1) (and we will have (2) and (3) soon), in which we will see how is the Chinese style urban development from an outsider’s perspectives.

This reminds me of my blog Faculty Professional Development: An Outsider’s Perspective I wrote for my internship site P.S.ARTS one year ago. Having been an intern as a “foreigner” there, I was always asked how did I like America. Once I answered that it was the first time that I worked with so many foreigners. Everyone couldn’t help but bursting to laugh. All of a sudden, I realized that it was I who was the only foreigner in the office.

To experience life as an insider and to observe life as an outsider, this is how writing connects both. This is the also reason I insist on building Sitytime as a writing community in both Chinese and English.

Again, warm welcome to Louie, 图拉 and Sam.

 

Here are the introductions of the articles in this issue:

Canton/Guangzhou

We have Gradually…Guangzhou and Smash The Old World, Build The New (1) in this issue; both are about Canton. In Louis Berney‘s piece, he compares Guangzhou with other cities, giving readers more senses to understand the city temperament of Guangzhou. He also describes Guangzhou as a book that “without your even noticing, lures you in, bit by bit, so that before you know it, you are enrapt”. Yet in Samuel Massie‘s article, he shows us the people and life in Xintang Village, a disappearing “village in city” (In Chinese we called it Chengzhongcun 城中村), giving the readers a vivid example of urbanization in the Chinese transformative society context.

Atlanta

The transportation in the States is very different from Hong Kong, as well as China mainland. In Exploring The Transportation In Atlanta, 图拉 shares his discoveries and opinions on it. It is interesting to compare the same thing in different places in order to understand different culture and system.

Paris

I think I have bias on Lynn‘s articles. Her perspective is very delicate and somehow easy to find resonance. In her Thanks To The Clamours, she got inspired by the kids and realized she was once saw the world like them.  I think this might be the same as many of us, who became narrower as we grew up.

Boston

In Bound For The East, Journey Begins, Silu shared her feeling and observation on the difference between the west coast and the east coast in the States. In her eyes, everything was unexpected. She didn’t expect the Boston Airport looked so simple and she also didn’t expect the city view in Boston, as she “didn’t have time to take any photos except sticking to the window”.

 

【Back Issues】

时光成分贰 Sitytime#2 Issue 2 (Chinese), we have 7 articles on 6 cities including Yibin, Portland, Prague, Paris, New York and Hong Kong.

时光成分壹 Sitytime#1 Issue 1 (Chinese), we have 9 articles on 6 cities including Canton, Los Angeles, Paris, Seattle, San Francisco, Yibin.