On a recent Friday evening, at a promotional party organized by a foreign-managed bar, a very drunk foreign man accidentally dropped a very drunk Chinese woman whom had been sitting on his shoulders. She fell backwards, hit her head on the pavement, fell unconscious, and was ultimately hospitalized with a serious concussion. The event sparked …Read More
Still haven’t made up your mind for the October Holiday yet? Don’t want to bother leaving the country, but have already done Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, and the like? Well worry not, I’m here to help! I’ve come up with 10 of my favourite places to visit here in China that are off the usual laowai …Read More
Chinese is a really difficult and frustrating language to learn, but it always helps to laugh at yourself to get you through the process. My confessions 我的自白: Injuries I have, in frustration, banged my head against my Chinese textbooks. I’m pretty sure I’ve ruined my eyesight by staring at Chinese characters for too long. I …Read More
“Sober?†you say. “What in heaven’s name makes you think I want to stay sober in China?†I admit that the following advice doesn’t apply to a large portion of foreigners in China, but hear me out. Whether you’re someone who never drinks, who only drinks socially, or one whose blood-alcohol level should be renamed …Read More
We’ve all seen them, and chances are we’ve all been them at one point or another. A quick walk to the nearest Starbucks or Metro in China, and you will notice that expats come in all shapes, sizes, and dispositions. In general, most of the laowais living here in the Middle Kingdom are fantastic people …Read More
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Everywhere in China you can find Jade. They sell it in street corners, in subway stations, in supermarkets, and in jewelry stores. Some Jade costs as little as 1 yuan and some as much as 100k+ yuan. Whether it’s black, blue, green, yellow or white, Jade is very shiny and alluring, though it’s often a mystery to foreigners and Chinese people alike. So how do you buy Jade without being cheated? I know it can be confusing so here is a brief introduction to “the king of Jade†that is Fěicuì.Read More
The #1 reason I don’t ride the bus (actually #1 is over-crowding – but fuck). Warning: Probably not best to watch this if you are sensitive to rather terrifying images and people screaming. Update June 7, 2009 Here are a few links putting the video in context. What Lessons Can We Learn from the Chengdu …Read More
People always worry able how they’ll be able to survive in China without being able to speak the language. Simple tasks like ordering food can be a challenge, especially in areas with few foreigners. This shouldn’t be discouraging though. You may get a little hungry, you may order some unexpected things, but you will survive …Read More
I am one of those people who associate music with times and places in my life. As the academic year in China comes to a close, a few songs stick out to define the highs and lows of the rookie year of my China experience. If you are about to start your own trip to …Read More
Let’s face it, China can be a pretty tough place to live. When you combine language barriers, gloomy weather (at least in Central and Northern China), culture shock, homesickness, and always having to smile to get your picture taken, it can be downright depressing. Back in the winter, I had a rather difficult time finding …Read More
One of the many things that is a bit of a change of pace for people new to China is the concept of bargaining. In the West we are used to relatively simple and painless transactions, someone asks for a price, we pay, both parties leave satisfied. However, in much of the rest of the …Read More
In typical “me” fashion, I’m figuring out my Mother’s Day gifts at the very last minute. Being that I’m nearly 12,000km from my mom doesn’t make it any easier. My standard go-to is FTD.com where I can browse through a few dozen flower arrangements, settle on something I think is pretty and says “mom” and …Read More
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