How lucky you are to be in Shanghai the Paris of the Orient.
Posted by: Maggie at January 10, 2006 3:53 PM

I am enjoying your relflections on my drive to school each morning. Thanks for your commentary and insightful reporting. It makes the world a little easier to undrstand. Keep up the great work!
Posted by: Bob Rouleau at January 11, 2006 9:07 AM

Kai, I really enjoy listening to your show every morning, especially this week in China, since I'm Chinese. Is your name, Kai, Chinese? Thanks,
Carolyn

Posted by: Carolyn Qiu at January 11, 2006 11:12 AM

Excellent show and I'm very impressed with your language skills! Any advice for a newbie anxious to learn Mandarin? I'm leaving for Shanghai in three weeks, its my third visit and I love the energy and elegance it offers.
Posted by: Katey Johansen at January 11, 2006 4:57 PM

Thank you for your focus on China. I had the wonderful opportunity to visit China in July and August of 2005. I was so impressed by the vitality of China and its people that I have begun weekly Chinese lessons so that I can be prepared when China is the dominant economic force it was destined to be!
Posted by: Diana Gumas at January 11, 2006 5:02 PM

I listen to NPR everyday and by far my favorite show is Marketplace. It is encouraging to know that people with a dedication to informing the public about the markets are also providing them with better music than you would normally hear on music-oriented stations. The current focus on China is another sign of your consistent focus on future changes and trends. Hopefully this will help pull in more young listeners like myself who need to be aware of changing political and financial trends.
Posted by: Suzie Lemieux at January 12, 2006 6:48 AM

Kai, Where in Sanlitun did you live? I lived there for the first half of my life. I recognized every street in your pictures. Were you a diplotmat then?
Posted by: san at January 12, 2006 10:59 AM

Mr Kai, I enjoyed listenning your marketing report alive from Shanghai.By the way,your Chinese is very impressive. Every morning when I listen your alive report about the Gao's, it makes me feel so close to home. I am very proud of the economic progress in China, and I am so happy that Chinese are having a better life now even though sometimes it's stressful as well.Keep up the good work! Thank you!
Posted by: Dana at January 12, 2006 11:04 AM

Thanks for your comments, everyone. It really makes doing all the blogging worthwhile.
To answer a couple of the questions:
1. Nope, my name's not Chinese. It's Norwegian, actually. My dad was born in Bergen.
2. Katey, you really just need to study and study and study...it took me six months of eight hour class days to get even partly proficient, then years of living here to feel comfortable.
3. San, we were in Capital Mansions -- Jingcheng Da Sha. The big tower next to the Kunlun hotel.
Thanks again for all your comments...
-- Kai

Posted by: Kai at January 12, 2006 8:30 PM

Kai, my wife and I were listening to your show in archive last night. In the clip, you were asking somebody in Chinese, apparently, something like "I'm so 'COLD'". But you said it in the 4th tone instead of the 3rd tone. So, what you said turned out to be "I'm so 'STUPIC'" :)) My wife and I laughed so hard and I almost fell of my chair! Just joking. We love your show!! And thank you very much for this work!!
Posted by: Leo at January 13, 2006 2:41 PM

As someone who travels all over the planet in my job, I must say I am absolutely in admiration of your wonderful reports from China. The mixture of topics and view points has enlightened me significantly and will greatly impact my future travels. Plus, I am very impressed with the entire team for having the tenancity to pull this all off. You are a wonderful news source. I hope this type of event is not the last of its kind. And congratulations to Kai for using Chinese. No more powerful way to understand a people, than by learning their language and reading their literature and history. I Love Marketplace! :)
Posted by: Karl Miller at January 18, 2006 6:24 PM

Dear Mr. Ryssdal, Ever since you are in China, you have been introducing yourself by saying "Wo Shi Li Kai Xian Sheng." "Xian Sheng" means Mister. I believe titles like this are used to address other people, not oneself. You introduce yourself in English by saying "I'm Kai Ryssdal", not "I'm Mr. Kai Ryssdal." Likewise, in Chinese, it should be "Wo Shi Li Kai." Best regards, Chou
Posted by: Chou at January 19, 2006 8:55 AM