Author Archives: Meg
Maybe Kafka Visited Yantai
Just this morning I was saying to my mom that my blog is less about my struggles in China and more about my student adventures. But don’t worry! China doesn’t want me to have writers’ block! The secretaries at my … Continue reading
UnFriendly Olympics
In China, you really can’t get away from the Friendlies. They’re on t-shirts, hats, sneakers, pins, backpacks, keychains, earrings and necklaces. They’ve been made into charms, toys and giant paper-mache effigies at the airport. Back when we had CCTV9 in … Continue reading
No Yes No
I played a cool game with my preteen kids yesterday. I don’t know if I’ve written about them before. Their office nickname is The Drips, and their hobbies are plagiarism, monosyllabic answers and blank stares. Last week, 7 out of … Continue reading
Yantai Moment
It’s always hard to explain living in China. The guys at Talk Talk China have started a quest for a perfect metaphor to describe ex-pat life. Last night, Zorro and I set out separately, cellphones in hand, on a scavenger … Continue reading
South Park WoW
If you haven’t already seen it, go watch the World Of WarCraft South Park episode. South Park usually walks the fine line between hilarious and mind-blowingly stupid, and this one is definitely on the right side.
Shopping Retrospective
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 … Continue reading
Secret Skills Of An RPG Nerd
As part of my quest to make my students more creative, my elementary-age kids played a little boardgame in class today. Basically, you race through the board, landing on squares and saying what time you do various activities, like going … Continue reading
….with Chinese characteristics.
When I took this photo, I was mentally composing a moving post about watching the change of seasons on the Yantai beach, and the weather returning to the winter weather that I saw when I arrived, and how I’ve had … Continue reading
Yantai Disneyland
Yesterday Zorro and I were walking by the beach, and we saw what the boardwalk area looks like in the off-season. Do you see Mickey and Minnie on the window? It’s Yantai Disneyland! Who needs seatbelts? I know a deserted … Continue reading
Teaching Magic
A few months ago, Jay sent me a huge box of Magic cards. I had a brief dream of setting up a Yantai Magic league, but that was quickly squashed by scheduling problems. My Chinese students were already overscheduled with … Continue reading
