The Economics...

Hope Staab created the China Trip with education being the primary focus. However, after discussing the consequences of our actions, we came to the conclusion that economics is extremely relevant.

Mrs. Staab made it clear that the people from the countryside are vital to the whole economy of China. It's a mistake to think that the entire economy is based on the people working in huge corporations in the cities because the people from the countryside form the foundation for these people. 10% of the floating population in major cities like Beijing are migrant workers from rural areas. These are the people who build the massive skyscrapers. However, these people are marginalized in that they are just workers. The workers build the buildings but don't work in them afterwards.
People leave their villages to work as laborers because of financial reasons. The economy in many parts of rural China is not a cash economy. Often times, people will trade goods with each other. Obviously, this won't produce cash for education. That's why the people leave in search of work.

The two weeks of teaching don't have an immediate economic effect. What does is how the student takes the knowledge and applies it. By building a solid foundation to build upon, the students can become contenders in an extremely competitive game. Getting into college is the only bridge to lucrative jobs and success. If the student is inspired to work hard and master English along with other subjects, then he/she has a chance of breaking the cycle of poverty. Hopefully, this person would remember to give back to where he/she came from. So hypothetically, not only can a student's life be changed, but also the economy of where they came from.

What we are essentially doing is counteracting the disadvantages these students face by donating scholarship money and giving them skills that are crucial their economic well being in the future.