Days Like Floating Water: A Story of Modern China

by Susan Edwards McKee

Straying from the "travel magazine" China of the Great Wall or the Forbidden City, this engaging memoir immerses itself in the reality of a nation struggling to emerge into the 21st century. When Susan McKee and her husband Robert travel to China to teach English near a large but antiquated city, they learn to view China from the inside out, without guile or agenda. Challenges await them at every turn, from navigating the complicated communist bureaucracy to simply finding food they can recognize at the market. As they begin to earn the trust and friendship of their students, they gain a deeper understanding of human experience and how it translates across political and cultural boundaries.

415 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2008

Reviews

[Angelina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is a friend of my grandmother's and I even met her briefly this spring--before starting on this book. She is a good descriptive writer, though I believe this book was self-published and would have benefited from a closer editing--I found a few typos and some ideas/phrases repeated too often. As far as content, I enjoyed her point of view of China. It is a huge country and she cannot speak for all of it, but her own experience was quite eye opening. It made me grateful for freedoms I enjoy. She and her husband were serving a humanitarian mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaching English at a college. I admit that her book did not make me want to sign up for such a mission when I'm over 65! I think as an elderly lady, I should have a right to a warm shower! :-)

[Christine Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like to explore different cultures and you can only do that through the pages of books then Days Like Floating Water will appeal to you.

This intrepid couple, Sue and Robert McKee,in their sixties, volunteer to go to China to teach English. They end up in a village near Ningbo, a city of over 1,000,000. They spend eighteen months in a world that is light years away from their home in San Luis Bispo in California. Although they see a world of gray as they arrive their students change the atmosphere with their respect, caring and eagerness to learn.

Faced with a lack of supplies, unheated old classrooms and the constant fight of Chinese bureaucracy, verb getting into the audiovisual room requires only one person has the key and she must open it anytime they want to use it.

Still they find ways to teach their students how to speak English using inventive methods. The McKee’s realize that mastering how to communicate with Westerners will open doors for them to find jobs that will improve their lives without it they will return to their villages and lives of hardship and boredom.

For eighteen months the couple perseveres. They too must endure hardships.

[Irina Gavrish · Rating 2 out of 5]

I cannot say that I did not enjoy the book at all, but at the same time I am not sure I would recommend it. In my humble opinion, it is great when a book either evolves emotions or shares some interesting information. When you can find a lesson for yourself in it or be amazed by the plot it is nice as well. I understand that Days Like Floating Water in the first place is a documentary, so the main thing I've expected to get was: interesting facts about life in modern China. Unfortunately, I was not able to find any new information there what cannot be found in any guide about the country. Instead, I've got plenty of information about children of the author, about her fears, habits, ideas about teaching English, her relationships with her husband. Probably it is not completely wrong to be that subjective, but I am still dubious: what was the goal the author tried to achieve? To show China or her own story?

[Milli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think my best description of this book would be pleasant. It is the story of two 60+ year olds who go to teach English in rural China for a year. It is a simple story of what happens that year - the places they see, students they get to know and how life works there. It seems like it would be dull, but it is enjoyable reading. The writing is good and makes it easy to relate to the experience. The ending is a bit slow, but overall I enjoyed the book very much.

[Book Hub · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows an American couple as they volunteer to teach English to college students in a rural village in communist China. In the emerging, but still somewhat primitive city, readers are given an insider’s glimpse into the heart of modern China, traversing the culture and soul while embarking on a heartfelt journey.
I recommend to those interested in the history of China and Chinese culture, travel, memoirs, or a good read.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for Book Club but I was going to read it anyway. Having traveled to China last Fall I wanted to see how Ms. McKee related her experiences there. I found the book very interesting and could picture everything she was writing about. She had to endure some pretty primitive conditions but she made the best of everything and I envy the experience she had.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lindy heard this author at Institute's Friday Forum and recommended Brad give me the book for my birthday. It was excellent. It is about a couple from San Luis Obispo who serve a church mission to China to teach English. The cultural and political differences were fascinating.

[Yasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

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