Ryan McLaughlin

Ryan called China home for over a decade. A short time to some, a long time to others, for him it's just right. In addition to creating Lost Laowai, he also runs Hao Hao Report and China Blog Network. full profile »

Lost Laowai 2013 Update

– If you’ve happened by Lost Laowai recently, you’ll have noticed that the site was down. The reason should be pretty apparent why — she’s been redesigned!

For months I’ve been trying to find the time to sit down and give the site a bit of development love, and for months I failed to do so. The challenge was that I did not just want to slap together a cosmetic change, but rather I wanted to really look at what Lost Laowai was, what it’s become and where I’d like it to go in the future. Warning, there’s a bit of meandering ahead… tl;dr — site’s been updated, enjoy. Read More »

Warning to watch your carry-on luggage, thieves take to the air

– Philippines-based tour operator, A3 Tours & Travel, recently posted the following story on their Facebook page from a passenger on a Hong Kong flight. The tl;dr of it is that you should not naively believe your carry-on luggage is safe in the overhead bins — the contents might not just have shifted during flight, they … Read More »

China life hacks from Kaiser Kuo via Quora + a few of my own

– In response to “What tips and tricks have you learned that have made it easier to live in China?” recently asked on Quora, long-time China expat and Beijing resident Kaiser Kuo dished out some fantastic advice — his last one, quite possibly the toughest to follow, is my fav. Stay tuned after Kaiser’s advice for … Read More »

Shanghai air pollution gets cutesy AQI Girls, but missing one

– I’m sure we’ll all breath a deep sigh of relief that Shanghai’s Environmental Protection Bureau (EPB) is sparing no expense to improve communication with the city’s public on the quality of air in China’s largest city. According to blogger Angel Hsu, the EPB has recently updated their Web site to feature a more (user) friendly interface with … Read More »

A better “The Man with the Iron Fists” review

– It was my intention to sit down and write a review of “The Man with the Iron Fists” this week. I just watched it a couple nights ago, and had a lot to say about it. Well, enough to fill a few paragraphs here. I was going to cry foul my disappointment at what RZA … Read More »

A weekend of sun, sand and surf in China

– Growing up on the Great Lakes in Southern Ontario, surfing was always an abstract thing. It was something you did in video games, or watched in movies. It was exotic and a bit magical. This past weekend the family and I had an opportunity to attend China’s longest running surf competition, the 2012 Skullcandy Surfing … Read More »

Racist Chinglish?: ‘Your big John is not as long as you think’

– I thought I had seen all the wacky Chinglish translations there were, but this one grabbed my attention. From Weibo, the picture has quite different ways of telling its domestic and foreign patrons how to use the urinal. For the English, it makes a rather crude joke about the size of one’s member. For the … Read More »

2012 Surfing Hainan Open, celebrating 5th anniversary

– Surfing Hainan Open, China’s longest running surf competition, hits the shores of Hainan’s picturesque Riyue Bay this November 4-5. For the first time ever, competition organizers are expecting the lion’s share of the 40 competitors to be Chinese nationals; a big milestone for the sport, which is just starting to come into its adolescence in … Read More »

German tour bus catches fire in Beijing–6 dead, 14 injured

– Tragic news out of Beijing today. A bus carrying a German tour group was engulfed in flames after rear-ending a truck on a highway near Beijing. Current reports indicate that six people have died, and a further 14 are injured. While the identities of the victims have not yet been released, five of the dead … Read More »

US Embassy warns China expats to avoid anti-Japanese protests

– Things are certainly escalating in regards to anti-Japanese protests due to China’s ongoing dispute with Japan over the contested Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. I’ve heard mention from a few people that more protests are likely planned for this weekend, and no doubt continuing after that. The following is a warning from the US Embassy for its citizens to avoid such events, as they can quickly turn violent.

In light of news of ongoing and likely further protests in China related to a territorial dispute in the East China Sea between China and Japan, the United States Embassy and Consulates General in China remind U.S. citizens that even gatherings intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. U.S. citizens are therefore urged to avoid areas of demonstrations if possible, and to exercise caution when in the vicinity of any demonstrations. U.S. citizens should stay abreast of media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times.

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How to use Chinese online banking with a Mac or Linux computer

– Banking in China. Topped only by shopping the week before Spring Festival and pretty much any time spent at a post office; China’s convoluted and largely archaic banking system is, at best, a torturous experience. Long lines of clientele that seem downright surprised (and thus appropriately unprepared) to be banking at all; service with a … Read More »

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