I planned to write a post about starting a job today, teaching SAT prep. Towards the end of the job interview, when we were talking about where to park and what time to arrive, the main teacher (I’m the assistant) happened to mention that it’s a Chinese Saturday school, hosted in the Sunday school rooms […]

Last night, Stick predicted that I wouldn’t get paid on time, because the new shift in the state holiday calendar has led to an increase in mei you frustration. The holidays were rearranged to break up the long Golden Week holiday and give out more 3-day weekends throughout the year, which is actually a nice […]

My specs had a tragic accident today. After Sven helped me out at school with a superglue temporary fix, I went to the specs store to get new ones. We get Stick’s contact lens solution at a little glasses shop by our apartment, so I knew where to go, but I hadn’t really looked at […]

All copies of the Beijing Times are sold out — the greatest mei you ever.
So the Sunning Electrical Appliance Store bought a huge color ad in the Beijing Times, just in time for the National Day shopping extravaganza. But a competitor launched a freakishly well-organized campaign to send minions out to every Beijing Times-selling kiosk […]

Although I’ve recently written a lot about it, I don’t want you to think that Chinese businesses have a monopoly on consumer exasperation.

This is the locked pharmacy counter at a nearby supermarket… because no one would want to buy condoms at night.
(Fortunately I was just picking up Gatorade, bagels and other much-missed Western food.)

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Back in Massachusetts, I’m delighted by a paper cup of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, by having friends in the same time zone and by the stunning realization that in an entire day of repatriation errands and then a dinner with friends, I didn’t hear a single mei you.
I’m so happy to be back in an English-speaking […]

I love Yantai with the part of my heart that’s not full of the love-hate expats have for China. It’s hard to fully love a places in which all travel involves dealing with an Mandarin-speaking Whitmore. Here, I’m a G-rated Paris Hilton. Why Paris? Because I don’t do anything fame-worthy, most people think I dress […]

Grocery shopping in February: AM I REALLY SUPPOSED TO EAT THIS?
Grocery shopping in May: Niu nai ma? Milk, yeah?
Grocery shopping in August: Cao mei suan nai zai nali? Where’s the strawberry yogurt?
Grocery shopping in October: Wo kan bu dong, qing wen, bo lou pian you mei you bai tang? I’m illiterate, could […]

Zorro and I go to New Hut Place pretty often, at least once a week. Their menu lists a sugar-fried banana dish that we always try to order. At least once a week, we are told that they have no bananas. China residents, insert the embarassed giggle as you see fit, and after a few […]

Wal-Mart is launching a new credit card in China. This is especially interesting because China seems to really be a cash economy. According to the Wall Street Journal’s article, less than 5% of Chinese consumers have credit cards. Most people I know here are paid with envelopes of cash.
The Wall Street Journal says that Wal-mart’s […]