About the Author – Scott Thurman

Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by Asia in general, and China specifically.  I can still hear my Mother yelling at me as I choked down that last lump of Brussels sprouts, “There are starving children in China who would love that Brussels sprout”.  I couldn’t imagine anyone, let alone a child, liking Brussels sprouts, no matter how hungry they were.  I knew then that China must be a strange and unusual place.  My fascination grew as I got older and read about Mao Tse Tung, the Cultural Revolution, foot-binding, fireworks, Tibet, Kublai Khan, the communists, etc…. Then in 1985, I was sent to Hong Kong to be a missionary for the Mormon church.  I fell in love with Hong Kong, it’s people, and the Chinese culture.

Since then, I have travelled throughout Asia, but primarily China, and China (not including Hong Kong) clearly stands out as the most difficult place to travel.  Why? English.  Out of the 1.4 billion people that live in China, less than a 1/2 percent speak English.  That is changing rapidly. There is a feverish drive to learn English for those 30 years old and younger. However, I have yet to meet a Beijing or Shanghai taxi driver that speaks even intermediate level English.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that they should learn English to make it easier for me and my American friends to travel in China. There is an attitude among some Chinese that “THIS is China, and if you’re coming to my country, you should learn Chinese!” …and in one sense, I respect that kind of Nationalism.  However, more than 25 million non-Chinese speaking people will be visiting China in 2008, and the savvy and successful Chinese entrepreneur will be conversant in English. However, that ain’t gonna happen over night…and that’s were I’ve recognised a business opportunity.

If you don’t speak Chinese, and you’re travelling to China, you will need somebody to guide you around.  Unless you have a friend or colleague that doesn’t mind chaperoning you around all night, and all day, or you’re travelling with a big group, that has a guide, please consider hiring a Personal Business assistant from MyChinaCityGuide.com. These Business Assistants are mostly college students, or recent college graduates who speak English at an advanced level.  They share an interest in meeting people from abroad, learning about the world outside of China, and having foreign visitors gain a greater appreciation and knowledge of their home.

 This Blog will is about my passion and continued interest in China. You can visit our web site at www.mychinacityguide.com.