Tag Archives: Eric
Cranberry Sauce
Some of my students asked me about Thanksgiving, and I tried to give them a good description of the holiday’s history and it’s current incarnation, while hoping they wouldn’t equate Thanksgiving with their foreign teachers singing bits of Livin’ On … Continue reading
Born In The USA
It was awesome having Pseudo-Thanksgiving with my Yantai friends. Ron and his wife brought their new baby so in some ways it really was like a family. A crazy dysfunctional family, with a lot of alcohol and trashtalk, but still. … Continue reading
As Seen In Yantai
Sometimes Chinese advertising leaves me confused. I can’t even tell a spa from an abortion clinic. Mostly it’s because I’m illiterate, though. These two are too good not to share. This is an aisle of Gatsby hair care products for … Continue reading
Yes, We Have No Bananas
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 … Continue reading
Persephone in Yantai
If I eat these pomegranate seeds, will I spend half my life in China and half in America?
Water Poets
I took my mom and dad to Beihai Park on their first real day. It’s always beautiful but it was decorated for National Day and looked ever better than last time. On the sidewalk by the south entrance, a man … Continue reading
Wai Guo Ren
So when Zorro and I went to Beijing, I was recognized by the girl checking us in at the airport! (Hi Echo!) In case you were wondering, getting spotted by a reader is the coolest thing that could happen to … Continue reading
Cheddar, edam, brie, gouda
When I’m traveling, I tend to blindly assume everything’s going to come out all right. There won’t be mice in this bathroom! Of course we’ll get off this island! Sure this is the right bus! But traveling with Zorro is … Continue reading
For Love Or Money
This story on Laowai!Laowai! talks about running a speaking exercise for high school age ESL students. This exercise asks each student to choose between Love or Money, and explain why. Without exception, the boys in his class chose Love while … Continue reading
Closer Than My Peeps
Barbara, one of our students, invited Dave, Zorro and me to come to KTV with some of her friends. Now, I am no stranger to getting mildly intoxicated and belting out a Human League duet, but a Chinese Kareoke bar … Continue reading
