Today I feel like a soon to be famous author, who dispatches messages from exotic places. The three ICMA members who are serving as guest lecturers at the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) in Beijing were invited to attend the Opening Ceremony of 12th China International Chorus Festival at People's Congress Hall. This turned out to be an upscale cultural event for which I wore a tie and polished shoes for the first time since I arrived in China.

The person who extended the invitation was Luo Lijun (Lily), executive director of the ICMA China Center. Lily used to own company that sells medical devices and equipment--X-Rays, C-T scans, etc.  She says she volunteers her time at the China Center to “improve the ethics and competence of China local government managers.”

At yesterday’s class, I heard the last group presentation on a public policy topic. One of my student teaching assistants, Pang Qinya (Jane) a fourth year student, led the group. She did an exemplary job comparing roles of Nazi Adolph Eichmann, who was convicted of war crimes after the Holocaust, to Edward Snowden, the fellow who released secret NSA documents. Her conclusion: Eichmann blindly followed Hitler’s orders; Snowden followed his own ethical moral values. Jane intends to apply to prestigious graduate schools in the U.S. to pursue a degree in International Relations. Perhaps I’m playing a small role in grooming a representative of the China government in future negotiations with the U.S. State Department. Jane ranked 5th of 3,000 students in her high school graduating class. Her father is a local government official in a province north of Beijing.

Here is another photo that shows my two student teaching assistants. Pang Qinya (Jane) is on my left side; Zhao Min is on my right. They are standing in front a sculpture of a Water Buffalo, the CUPL mascot. Jane is a volunteer at the ICMA China Center.