Help: Study Abroaders

Have you studied abroad? If so, did the political/social controversies of the time affect your stay? Did you ever feel unsafe?

Your stories and experiences could help to calm or caution dozens of students bound for China this summer.

Recent events in China – Beijing in particular- make me concerned for those studying abroad in China this summer. Three things, in particular:

1 . Tibet and Taiwan

The Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, denounced the Dalai Lama and Tibet in wake of the recent riots for independence and warned Taiwan against a bid to the UN in a press conference held Monday. He held that China has never wavered from its stand that these two territories are inalienable from the mainland and asserted that China will remain steadfast in that opinion. With the Taiwanese election days away and the death toll rising in Tibet, tension can only increase in the days leading up to the Olympics.

2. The Olympics

US athletes bound for Beijing this summer have arranged bring their own food. It’s just that food in China may not be safe. For example: If eaten, half a chicken breast – measuring 14 inches! – sold in an average Beijing grocery store contains enough steroids to cause an athlete to fail a drug test. Should students be concerned as well?

3. Other Questions of Human Rights

Richard Gere’s boycott of the Olympics, depending on the handling of the Tibetan riots, drew great media attention last week. But human rights activists have been calling for a boycott for years, now. They’ve nicknamed these the “Genocide Olympics” for China’s support of Khartoum – in terms of arms and currency- in exchange for oil. Illustratively, human rights are scarce even in the heart of China (see the Olympic arena construction workers.)

So, let’s have a conversation; are you concerned too?