fact checker
If you happened to catch the feature story about me in today’s Shanghai Daily, please take a moment to read this. While I was flattered to be the interviewee and not the interviewer for once, I think it’s necessary for me to set the record straight on several things. If I don’t, people might assume I’m wandering Shanghai like a stereotypical Southern redneck — with missing teeth, overalls and a fishing pole … wondering, “Why ain’t all these dadgum Chinese hollerin’ back when I say, ‘Hey y’all’?”
We’ll take this paragraph by paragraph:
One and Two: “Shanghai university (sic) English teacher Dan Washburn was born in Bloomsburg, Georgia, (population 1,500). He later moved to the ‘big city,’ Gainesville, where he wrote a sports and outdoor-life column for a daily newspaper.”
I am not a Southerner. Any true Southerner who knew me in Georgia will tell you that — they wouldn’t want to claim a Yankee like me. I grew up in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, which has a population of about 15,000, so “small town boy” is still very true. I lived in the South — Gainesville, Georgia … definitely not the “big city” — for four years, and I experienced almost as much culture shock moving there as I did when I landed in China. The rest of the story seems to try to play up my “Southern roots,” which wouldn’t be a bad idea … if I had any Southern roots.
Four: “So, without a word of Chinese in his vocabulary and only elementary chopstick skills, Washburn wrote his last ‘Sporting Life’ column, said ‘see ya’ll’ (sic) to kith and kin, and hopped a flight to Shanghai — population 16 million.”
I never say “see y’all.”
Kith and kin?
Seven: “According to Washburn, the site gets about 1,400 hit every week …”
At the time of the interview, the website was getting around 1,400 unique visitors a week, which is a bit different than hits, but an easy mistake to make. That number is usually more than 2,000 a week these days.
Eight: ” … says Washburn. ‘This strategy has worked well so far, and after three cuts, I reckon I could give old Hugh a run for the money.’”
I never ever say “reckon.” This quote is fabricated. I’m not even sure what it’s supposed to mean.
Nine: “He has 200 students in each of his six classes.”
I have a total of 200 students in six classes, not 200 students in each class.
Fourteen: “A newcomer to Shanghai, Washburn notes the preponderance of pajama-clad pedestrians, and one can only hope that he moves beyond this oft-cited idiosyncrasy.”
I think I’ve only mentioned “pajamas” once on this website … in my first diary entry.
Sixteen: “Asked how long he plans to stay in China, the Georgia native responds like a true Philadelphian.”
Maybe that’s because this “Georgia native” is really from Pennsylvania.
To read the story click here.
03.03.2003, 12:29 PM · About Dan
5 Comments
want to say, cool blog.
So, um, how exactly does a native Georgian respond like a Philadelphian?
the “native georgian” starts talking about cheesesteaks.
Actually when I read the Feature in Shanghai Daily today, I doubted the population of Bloomsburg. It couldn’t be just 1500. What a small figure? This is my first time to visit the website(actually I didn’t know it before). I am very glad to read Washburn’s comments here. It arouses my interest immediately as it tells me more accurately than the newspaper. What’s more, I can’t understand “I reckon I could give Old Hugh a run for the money” either. Anyway, one positive side for the feature is that it makes more people like me know this interesting website.
If you actually said “reckon” I may have been forced to come over there and smack you upside the head.
Damn! Dan!
You have the coolest gig around!
I love your Shanghai Diaries site, with all it’s links, offshoots and archives.
I have been to China twice. In 2003 Shanghai and Guangzhou. In 2004 Beijing. I want to go back many more times.
In fact, I want to be YOU! ha ha
Keep up the great work.
Steven Bolstad
Burlingame CA