There is something that I've observed as an attitude here in China that I suggest that people think about. Let me explain.

Often in the schools that I've taught in, they would have high tech multimedia equipment for teaching. And, more often than not, the equipment didn't work. Maintenance doesn't seem to be a priority. In America, each school and every public building not only has several full time cleaners (janitors or custodians), but also, they have full-time maintenance people. Our attitude is, if you're going to invest your money in things like buildings, technology and other resources, then you should maintain those things and keep them in perfect working order. When you do this, things last longer and cost you less money in the long term. 

Not only are things maintained well, but people are taught to take care of what they have. Even students in schools. They aren't allowed to behave in such a way that would harm the resources that they have there. There are rules in place that require everyone to help maintain such resources (such as buildings, equipment and facilities).

In the West, there is an attitude that is taught that shapes our thinking in such a way to take care of and maintain what we have. Keep it clean, keep it in good working order and do what you need to do to make sure that it will last a long time. It is part of what one Chinese professor called, 'our thinking ways' in the West.

What my students saw in America is people who take care of what they have. They are taught to keep their streets, sidewalks, schools and public buildings clean. They are taught to take care of the things that they have. Maintain things so that they can serve them for a long time. 

Can Chinese learn something from this? Of course they can. And there are many, many things that the West can learn from Chinese. My aim is to bring the best I know from the West and teach it to my students. There are many undesirable things from the West that don't need to taught or learned in the East. Cleanliness and maintaining what you have is a great lesson for all of us to learn.

The original blog is: http://blog.chinadaily.com.cn/blog-787069-22367.html