Archives

Tianjin International Fellowship

I found where all the foreigners are! Well, at least half of them. They meet at the Tianjin International Fellowship here in town on Sunday mornings. I first read about this place in Jin Magazine when I first got here. But last week, I got personally invited by a new friend from Guyana. Since my […]

Fake Snow, With Traces of Fall

I woke up on Sunday morning, Nov. 1, to a light drizzle and decided to bundle up on my way to work. By the time the bus pulled up to the office, though, it was full-fledged snow! I was a little more than excited as I previously wasn’t sure if I’d be seeing much snow […]

The Foreigner’s Farce of a Physical Exam

One of the lesser-known complications of getting my Z Visa to work in China was that I needed to have a physical exam done. Without a doctor’s approval of my perfect health, they wouldn’t send my official Letter of Invitation that the Chinese Embassy in Chicago would accept to give out visas. They want to […]

Top Ten Random Treasures Left Behind In My New Apartment

I’m finally somewhat settled into my new apartment here in Tianjin. (Well, except that the washing machine was broken and the landlord refused to pay for it for the longest time because he thought I had broken it when I touched one of the buttons and he was going to charge 700 RMB to fix […]

Halloween In China

So, “Halloween” is pretty much nonexistent here in China. Or, as a friend quickly pointed out, most Halloween products/costumes are probably made in China – but rarely are they ever used here in China. The China Daily newspaper has a shout out to the infamous American holiday with some words to use about it in […]

Mailing Address in China

UPDATED: December 2012 Many people have expressed interest in sending me mail while I’m in China, and to say I’d be more than happy to oblige is an understatement. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a letter or care package from a loved-one is worth at least a million and one. BUT, sending […]

It’s Pronounced, “Tea and Gin”

I’ve been in China for two weeks now! I figure it’s as good a time as ever to start learning the language. In fact, learning Chinese is my number one priority for this year and it’s already been going swell! My little city is a perfect place to hear the common dialect spoken through most […]

Chinese Caption Contest #431

I recognize a couple of the characters, but I have absolutely no idea what the crap this is trying to say… maybe, “Don’t try and drink your car – it might break your glass.” What do YOU think it means?