Confused, we looked at each other and felt a sense of growing apprehension. Yet, it was only when the first of many children started filing in (and we were told to hand out the medals and certificates and pose for pictures) that it truly dawned on us: we weren’t invited here to be a part of the competition…We had been tricked into doing a White Monkey Job!
Category: China
Bayberries (杨梅): An Intriguing Sweet and Sour Fruit
Chinese bayberries are fascinating. Striking the perfect balance between sweet and tart, these berries have long been an inspiration for ancient Chinese poems and legends.
To commemorate bayberry season, I have taken a closer look at this refreshing summertime fruit, including its origins and fun facts, and the hysterical story of the Bayberry Swindler.
Cùn: The Chinese Inch (寸)
Units for measurements around the globe developed from what was easily available, namely body parts. For instance, hands were used to measure the height of horses, human feet for distance, and even the average length a physicist’s beard grows in a second was once used to measure extremely short distances (around 5 nanometers). An inch in the West, is generally based on the length of a thumb.
Yet, China’s inch historically used more than one digit or finger depending on who or what was being measured. Was this ever standardized? Do some people still use multiple fingers to measure things? These questions and more are answered in my newest blog post: Cùn: The Chinese Inch (寸)!
The Magic of Bad Chinese Taxidermy
No matter the size of a Chinese city, if it has a museum, chances are high that one is sure to find some funky-looking dead animals there!
Countdown to Beijing
In what feels like a lifetime and countless cups of late-night coffee later, I’m now set to return to China on the first of November barring I don’t test positive for Covid three days before my flight!
A Day Trip to Tianjin天津
A port city metropolis situated along the Bohai Sea in Northern China, Tianjin is China’s largest coastal city and currently ranks fourth largest in urban population following Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou. Meaning “heavenly ford” or “the place where the emperor crossed the river,” Tianjin has historically been the maritime gateway to the nation’s capital of Beijing. Because of its location, controlling Tianjin has been of crucial strategic importance in terms of the geopolitics of the area.
Forward and into the Fray
Still alive and taking it week by week, because what other choice is there?
Online Teaching: Big Drama on Day One
Here we are into the initial days of the 2020 spring semester during the Covid-19 virus outbreak. As my colleagues, students and I are stuck across the globe, we are diligently trying to follow the directives of our higher ups to comply with the government’s solution: e-classes over Wechat. Imagine trying to teach courses over…
Ikea in China: Where Locals Come for Selfies, Picnics, and Some Z’s
Ikea in China has become synonymous as a place for all-day family outings, to the frustration of its workers and the amusement of expats expecting a “normal” Ikea shopping experience.
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! 中秋节快乐！
I often liken the Mid-Autumn Festival to Thanksgiving in the USA, but Mid-Autumn festival has more similar counterparts in Korea and Japan (with the Chuseok and Tsukimi holidays). During this holiday in China, family members will cook and eat traditional foods, watch tv together, and enjoy the full moon.
Stephwaxpoetic 