Tag Archives: Chinese life

Extreme Shopping

Cooking Mama 3’s shopping game is uncannily like shopping in a Chinese supermarket. Mama sends you out to find 4 pieces of unwrapped, unrefridgerated meat, but as you search the store to fill your reusable carrier bag, you’ve got to avoid oddly familiar store characters — shouting shop assistants in pastel uniform aprons or a girl with a basket of squid, shellfish and other distinctly Yantai seafood — who’ll slow your shopping progress by trapping you into minigames. Higher levels add loose eggs, heads-on fish and mushrooms to your shopping list, and more people to the store. I keep trying for the elusive perfect score, since I imagine it’ll unlock a “Sunday In The Auchan” extreme challenge level. Continue reading

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Scenes From Imaginary China

I came across this book when I was home in New Jersey cleaning out my old room. (Yeah, my mom said something about how I haven’t lived there in ten years and she’d really like a guest room and that … Continue reading

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Vocabulary Building

“Look, Stick, I got spam in Chinese! It says:  I…. good…. mine…. you… not or no… please… compare or comparison… net… not have… you… Um, that’s all I can read.” “You clearly need to learn the Chinese for ‘Nigerian royalty’ … Continue reading

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Disconnect

We found mangosteens in the supermarket today! I recognized them from the Yihai market, but I really didn’t expect to find them in such close proximity to drive-thru hush puppies.

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Best China Blogs

PanAsianBiz has a new post on the top English blogs about China. They’ve listed the top ten blogs in six categories, based on the categories and votes received on Chinalyst’s best China blog contest. I didn’t win Chinalyst’s contest, but … Continue reading

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Hidden Beijing

Forgot to mention this earlier, but I have new article on Beijing’s cosmetic changes up at CNReviews!

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Perfect Tweet

The world’s unending criticism of China saddens me. The fact that much of the criticism is well deserved saddens me more. Elliot Ng Via Twitter This so accurately describes how I feel when I read the paper or look at … Continue reading

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A Guide To Visiting Journalists

Kaiser Kuo has written a brilliant Guide for Visiting Journalists, to avoid the awkward Bylines-At-Customs type of writing so scathingly described by Huo Lei Feng, and to avoid the shallow cliches that make us cringe. Here’s an excerpt: Topping the … Continue reading

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USA Today On Pre-Olympics Security, Regulations, Visas

I’m quoted in USA Today, in an article about the pre-Olympic security measures and visa restrictions. The article talks to disappointed Beijingers — Chinese residents, long-term ex-pats and tourists — about their pre-Olympic experiences. It’s worth reading, although it’s a … Continue reading

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Ten Years Off

I went with my mom today to get our nails done, and the manicurist asked me if I was starting 11th grade or 12th grade.

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