For a short time before the Beijing Olympics in 2008, I taught at a language center in Shenzhen. It wasn’t entirely legal as the company couldn’t get me a residence permit and had me apply for business visas for which I was labelled a consultant. Fortunately, while stories circulated about visa crackdowns across China, I […]
July 1 marks 15 years since Hong Kong was returned to mainland China. I wasn’t around long enough to notice the significant changes.
Listening to NPR’s This American Life featuring Americans in China reminded me that my China experience was different in some ways.
Americans in China Read More »
Some important notes and experiences on grocery shopping and going to supermarkets in China.
Chinese Supermarket Madness Read More »
After almost four years of living in China, I learned a lot about myself and life in general. Life in China was an important learning experience.
Lessons from Living in China Read More »
I spent almost four years as a expat in Shenzhen, China, which is not known for much other than its factories. It had some redeeming qualities, but lacked true character. However, it did have one advantage over any other Chinese city: it was right next to Hong Kong. It was six months before my first
Advantage Hong Kong Read More »
While in China I encountered many signs that didn’t make much sense. Most of these signs were written in Chinglish and poorly translated. Despite the numerous campaigns in major cities to proofread such signs (as well as menus), there were still plenty of errors. Sometimes it wasn’t what was lost in translation that caused the
A visit to Splendid China in Shenzhen — it’s a theme park full of miniature versions of China’s greatest cultural attractions.
Cheesy Theme Parks in China Read More »
We’ve had a few dreary days here. Fortunately, I started replanting my garden when we had those beautiful summer-like days. I still need to figure out what to plant in a few other pots, but I’m pretty well set so far. There’s not a lot of space here, but it’s enough for herbs and such
In an Octopus’ Garden Read More »
It’s spring break in New Jersey — for some reason, my college’s break begins on a Friday, so anyone who has class on Fridays will have to return next Friday, thus losing out on the extra weekend that usually accompanies spring break. Fortunately, my schedule is Monday through Thursday. Nonetheless, I have to work all
Spring Break Travel Read More »
Samantha Brown’s show, Passport to Europe, was used as censorship for the US evening news in China.
Passport to Censorship Read More »
Whether it’s about an official government sign or just a restaurant menu, everyone who has been to China has stories of Chinglish.
新年快乐！ Happy New Year to everyone celebrating the Year of the Dragon. I have a lot of fond memories of celebrating Spring Festival in China. The last I celebrated in Shenzhen involved a lot of food–fish, dumplings, and about twelve other dishes for four people. We were thoroughly stuffed as we ate for hours. There
