Up to the mountains and down to the countryside

the long version

"Meet Thomas Guillard: teacher, deadbeat, 'laowai' (foreigner). After acquiring a job at a school in one of China's more impoverished towns, he encounters Daniel--a young idealistic graduate who has left America to escape what he considers a predictable life. As these two work to establish temselves within the local community, the clashing nature of their philosophies becomes clear: Daniel's desire to reach out and learn something from the world versus Guilard's belief that others ought to reach out and learn from him. And when Bella, an overeager and ingratiating student, gets caught up in the conflict, they come to realize that this country might not be big enough for both of them"--Back cover.