Friday, June 27, 2008

End of class in Singapore


Week 2 of my 2-week Tax Policy stint in Singapore went pretty well. Though I was trying to explain fairly advanced ideas to people who had variable backgrounds in tax law and public economics, with time things kept getting better and it ended up being a good experience on both sides (I think).

Last night, after the last 3-1/4 hour session, I met most of the class for dinner at a hawker center in Chinatown. I almost always find I like students, these included, though, since I don't feel professors should initiate out-of-the-classroom contacts, there is admittedly pre-selection for people who are interested in talking to me.

This brings to mind my look-alike Ringo Starr's response, in an early publicity write-up, to the question, "What sort of people do you like?" He answered "Enyone [sic] who likes me." But I am mocking myself, not the students, when I mention that.

This time, like last year, I ended up teaching people from every continent except Antarctica and Australia. Really very interesting to talk to people from varied backgrounds and yet in many ways part of the same world culture. Those at the dinner were from (among other countries I'm sure), the US, Brazil, Belgium, China, India, Rwanda, and Uganda.

Anyway, here is a beautiful (??) though non-vegetative photo from the Singapore Botanical Gardens.

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