No Pets or Foreigners attempts to capture laowai experience in new sitcom

Possibly coming to a TV or Youku stream near you is a new sitcom called No Pets or Foreigners, which follows the misadventures of Melvin and Larry, two Westerners in Beijing, as well as their brusque Chinese landlord Mr. Li and his materialistic daughter Lingling.Read More

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Tom Carter on the making of a China anthology

The editor and author dishes on the behind-the-scenes decisions and drama that went into producing Unsavory Elements: Stories of foreigners on the loose in China.Read More

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“This is Sanlitun” needs your help, sorta

The Beijing-based indie comedy “This is Sanlitun” is heading to the Toronto International Film Festival, with or without members of the cash-strapped cast.Read More

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City of the North – a love song to Beijing

Described as “a love letter to Beijing – and all its struggles, challenges, and unexpected beauty,” the following song was written and performed by Jason Chu, an American hip-hop artist that has been living in Beijing for the last several years.

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Shangdown — Interview with Shanghai spaghetti western director Jakob Montrasio

When Shanghai-based expat Jakob Montrasio first told me he was directing a spaghetti western set in his adopted city, I’m sure I blinked uncomprehendingly. The movie, Shangdown: The Way of the Spur is an east-meets-west kung fu cowboy mashup. This Bruce with boots (or Clint with a kick) premise for a film seemed strange and …Read More

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The 7 Year Laowai: Part 7 – Safety

I had an English class once where this girl interrupted me to ask what I thought of Japan, and without waiting for an answer, proceeded to tell me that Japan had killed many Chinese people, that they hated China, they were jealous of China. Then she went into Korea. Korea “stole our culture”. You’d think imitation the sincerest form of flattery, but not this girl.

I didn’t know what to say. On one hand, listening to this recorded message, it dawned on me that I was 12,000 miles away from everyone and everything I had ever known…and that according to some people, this, this, blind allegiance, blatant censorship, and self-checking all in the name of “harmony”…this is the next superpower.

On the other hand, she was speaking. I take what I can get.Read More

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Laowai Answers to questions about China

For what feels like forever, I’ve been tinkering away at a new feature here at Lost Laowai, and I finally feel its at a stage where I can announce it. It’s called “Laowai Answers” and it operates pretty much on the same principle as any of the many of other “q & a” components out there — most notably Yahoo Answers and Answers.com — except ours is completely China-focused.

The concept is simple — have a question about China, post the question, get a answers from fellow China expats and travellers. Just a lil’ Laowai helping Laowai love. A two-way street where expats can gain and share knowledge about living, working and playing in this crazy country we call home (even if for some that’s only temporary).

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