Kids with a heavy load


On Saturday, since our office does not follow the Qing Ming Jie holiday schedule, I was enjoying a day off and popped into All Days (convenience store) to get some ice creams for the pancakes that I was planning to make later (yeah, really made the most of my Saturday as you can hear. FYI: now on a no-pancake diet for the next 2 months it went a bit overboard). As I was lining up to pay, I noticed the cute, Chinese kids that were milling about some with huge backpacks and some dragging around mini suitcases with Mickey Mouse prints. Were they going on some kind of school trip?

Oh no they were not, I realized, when I 5 minutes later stepped out of the store and saw one of them being picked up by his grandpa on a scooter. They were just heading home after a normal day at school. Carrying such a load of heavy books, that they drag them around in mini suitcases rather than carrying them in backpacks. Just like me when I was a kid. Not.

These kids sure are carrying a heavy load around, not only mentally, but also physically.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Xuelong completed study at South Pole

CHINESE scientists have completed a geographic survey on Dome A, the highest elevation in the South Pole, after China's only icebreaker returned to its Shanghai base today. officials from the Polar Research Institute of China said today Xuelong (Snow Dragon), China's only icebreaker, carried out a series of research on Antarctic marine system, the South Pole climate and astronomy. Choosing a location for the observatory was one of their crew's top tasks, the institute officials said. "Dome A is the best choice for an observatory concerning its location and environment," said Zeng Honghui from the institute. "Research found Dome A has the best sky view on earth. Good visibility is the deciding factor for setting up an astronomical telescope." He said the telescope installed in the Dome A observatory can function like a space telescope. Officials said the construction plan has been approved by the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research and has passed ...
Keep reading

Niubanlun pays New Balance for unfair competition

Image
A Chinese sportswear company was ordered to pay 480,000 yuan (US$76,200) in damages to the US-based footwear manufacturer New Balance for unfair competition. The Huangpu District People's Court also ordered Niubanlun Sportswear Company in Quanzhou, Fujian Province to stop producing sports shoes with a logo similar to New Balance's "N" design. New Balance filed the lawsuit last November against Niubanlun for using a logo similar to its unique "N" design and had a Chinese brand name that sounds similar to "New Balance." The US firm said it registered its trademark in China in 1983 and accused Niubanlun of making and selling counterfeit shoes since 2007. Niubanlun argued that this was not an infringement case because its "N" trademark was legally registered. But New Balance said Niubanlun's trademark should not be used on sports shoes. The court ruled the Chinese company to pay for unfair competition, saying New Balance is a famous ...
Keep reading

City to wage 10-day war on mosquitoes

MOSQUITOES may pose a big threat this summer if no immediate action is taken to control the pest that proliferates fast in standing water left by the rainy season, local health officials said. Abundant rainfall and a fast rising temperature after the plum rain season that ended on Monday is ideal for mosquito breeding. June, July and August are the peak breeding season for mosquitos in Shanghai. Mosquito density normally doubles in June, compared with May. "We haven't worked out the density this June but it definitely will be much higher than last month's," said Leng Peien, a department director with the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention. "If no effective measures are taken, mosquitoes will explode in number due to the hot and humid weather." A 10-day anti-mosquito campaign will be launched citywide by the Shanghai Patriotic Health Campaign Commission tomorrow, with a focus on construction sites, Metro stations, residential areas, undergroun...
Keep reading