Category Archives: China

Victory Milk

Coupons depress me. If you summed up everything I loved about our expat adventures, clipping supermarket coupons would be the opposite. It seems to sum up the repetitive mundane side of life in the US, which is of course made … Continue reading

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Everyday Expressions

When I first went to Yantai, I imagined I’d come home and slip effortlessly into fluent Mandarin to quote ancient Chinese wisdom. Fortunately for people who have to put up with me, that didn’t happen. A few characters have somehow … Continue reading

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A Different Lens

Last night Stick and I hung pictures in our new apartment, which really means that I framed some of our China photos and artwork, arranged them artistically on the floor and told him I wanted them like that, only on … Continue reading

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American Mei You

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) … Continue reading

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Sabado Gigante

I was on Sabado Gigante this weekend! Stick thinks I should probably say that “we” were on Sabado Gigante, but you can probably guess that the guy on his knee, in the Beijing duck restaurant, proposing to me is Stick. … Continue reading

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The 440 Is Not A Ring Road

I don’t really like to drive. I think it’s that tiny margin of error between commuting and death that really bothers me. I try to accept that while the rest of the world sees “run out to the store” as … 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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NY Renn Faire

On Saturday, Germaine invited me to go to the NY Renn Faire. Germaine is Bethie’s friend from high school, but being sisters means I get to steal her clothes and her friends. Score! I was really excited to go, since … 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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