worker
photo/digital manipulation. mhobbs

student notice board - pasted with job wanted ads and the usual type of "student" notices
photo. mhobbs

watermelon boy
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watermelon boy - obviously contemplating his 'melons, this young man sits with several baskets of the produce from his families farm
photo. mhobbs

going home - late afternoon
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Hot tea and Chilli - perfect
photo. mhobbs

kfc - Huaihua - each night their are crowds - at this fast food restraunt - Ive never seen a KFC anywhere more crowded the obvious difference in China is ofcourse the expence - when the average wage is around 800 RMB per month - the cost is approximatly 6 or 7 times more than people would pay in a western country.
photo. mhobbs

kfc - huaihua - more popular than anywhere! I think its the chicken
photo. mhobbs

taking a rest after the midday rush - several small eating places near the front of the uni - stir-fry - steam - boil and otherwise cook noodle and rice dishes for many of the students
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eastern campus
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english major - student
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shoe man
photo. mhobbs

brick factory - woman
photo. mhobbs

brick factory - worker
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brick factory - inside the kiln
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brick factory - inside the kiln
photo. mhobbs

brick factory
photo. mhobbs

brick factory - Very close to the university is the site of a brick factory where at least six families 'survive" under the dust and heat - created by the enormous kiln
photo. mhobbs

centre of town - Huaihua - a booth - just like any other - gum - cigarettes - coke - and no service
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"visit me" - Huaihua - graffiti on a wall of Huaihua University
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chair
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rain
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China this week has been experiencing heavy rain - flooding in some southern provences with hundreds of thousands affected - Huaihua has ofcourse had its share - but usually it is just a "sun shower" - which lasts for only a few minutes - causing traffic chaos and people to drop whatever it is that they are doing and rush for the nearest cover.
photo. mhobbs

shop - as in most countries consumerism has spread to China - brand awarenss is just as acute as in any developed country - with an emphasis on ownership of "the latest" and "the best" - spending by college students has increased by 20% in 4 years. I asked several of my classes how many of them own mobile phones about 90% raised their hands
photo. mhobbs

students rushing to class from the fourth floor of the "science" building of the University of Huaihua - Each morning the stairs are swept and mopped by a group of women - making the process of going to class a dangerous occupation
photo. mhobbs

China's public education system, once hailed by the Beijing regime as among the greatest achievements of the 1949 Revolution, is in chaos and decay due to lack of funding. Not only is the education of millions of children being compromised, their health and even their lives are being placed at risk by crumbling infrastructure, overcrowding and inadequate staffing levels - with little regard for the actual welfare of the students education - more importance is placed on "the number of students" who pass as opposed to actual achievement and merit. Whilst teaching here in Huaihua - I have been acutely aware of the failure of the central governments policy toward education - emphasis is placed on subjects such as Marxist politics and dance and little is spent on the practical subjects such as English and mathematics. These students from the Education Department are "studying" for an Exam which they have been told the answers to in advance, this type situation is not unusual - In a system that is rife with corruption at all levals - it is little wonder that I as a teacher have been approached on more than one occasion by students with to allow them to "pass" the exams that i have set, even the teachers frowned at me when I have accuratly predicted that close to 40% will not pass the year.
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on the phone - watermelon woman.
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work hard - obey your teachers - remember your important end of year exams are coming soon!
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two buildings - Huaihua Uni - apartments - for the Chinese teachers - Concrete pre-fabricated - aged and lacking any distinctive architectural features, except for the ultra-functional minimal "box" design.
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hospital room circa 2005 - Huaihua - "# 535 Peoples Liberation Army Hospital"
photo/digital manipulation. mhobbs

art building - at night - late into the evening many of the "art" students practice their skills - during the day it is often far too hot for them to either paint or sketch
photo. mhobbs

wheels
photo/digital manipulation. mhobbs

rusting cart wheels - these carts are dragged - pushed and otherwise cajoled into moving thru the streets of Huaihua - they carry everything from sacks of rice to computer monitors
photo. mhobbs

this Huaihua gentlemans face - shows sixty years of Chinese history - proud - confused - questioning and - forward looking
photo/digital manipulation. mhobbs

shoe man - everyday rain or shine - this man brings his cart to the same location by the wall - near the "gate" of the uni - he fixes shoes and cuts keys
photo. mhobbs

playing cards - at the "gate" of the uni - the vendors often play cards to pass the time - "between sales" the game is based on the traditional Chinese game mah-jong.
photo. mhobbs

sweetcorn men - Huaihua central market "steaming freshs sweet corn
photo. mhobbs

garlic women - Huaihua central market
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Huaihua University street - running parallel on one side of the main entry street are some of the apartments specifically for the Chinese teachers - these appear to have been built in the early 1950's or early 1960's...Concrete - aged and lacking any distinctive architectural features, except for the ultra-functional "box" design.
photo. mhobbs

sleeping man - Huaihua - at the edge of the "walking street" or the "Huaihua Mall" is a street market which like every other market in China sells everything - beans to womens underwear. This man sleeps regardless of the constant noise around him - oblivious to all.
photo. mhobbs

bricks - it was 37 c today! the construction site within the campus
photo. mhobbs

view from the fourth floor - students from the "dance" department
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walking home from school. Huaihua
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walking home from school. Huaihua
photo. mhobbs

street market in Huaihua.
photo. mhobbs

street market in Huaihua - in the almost exact centre of the city every night of the week there is a street market - which sells everything from pocket knives thru to cheap jewelry.
photo. mhobbs

hospital room circa 2005 - Huaihua - "# 535 Peoples Liberation Army Hospital"
photo/digital manipulation. mhobbs

new building on the campus - the vertical "poles" in the image are made from bamboo, the are knotted together and can reach upto 22 stories.
photo. mhobbs

2 women painting - not far from the uni - i noticed these two women sitting at the edge of the "footpath' painting the road barrier...The barrier runs along the road for several kilometers - All that is needed is a stool, a brush and a lot of paint.
photo. mhobbs

hospital room circa 2005 - Huaihua - "# 535 Peoples Liberation Army Hospital"
photo/digital manipulation. mhobbs