A few days back we returned from a trip to Taidong and environs. It was a nice 3 day "holiday" - well, it was a holiday for Wanlin, but just a little icing on the cake for the perpetual vacationer I.

We took the train from Gaoxiong to Zhiben and rented a scooter to buzz around.  After extensive negotiations we settled on a hotel room and headed ( Read more... )

I was just talking with my reporter friend from Chengdu and we started talking about the Olympics, specifically the huge PR campaign.  I didn't know these little "jing-jings" were officially dedicated to each character or that they were called the "5 Friendlies."  The cutesiness of these mascots actually feeds my constant conviction that most ( Read more... )

Although true at face value I'd like to think this has many and varied deeper meanings.

Today I was told it was hotter than when I arrived and all I could do was scratch my head - there was no way this tepid weather was anywhere near the scorcher of my arrival.  Checking a few papers (since we have nothing better to do than argue about things like ( Read more... )

You'll never guess where I am writing from!

Well, you probably can, but it is exciting nonetheless.  I am in Sunny Gaoxiong!  I have packed and left the ole' US of A and am now in the RO of C!  I am sitting in the balmy 86 degree weather of 8:30am on a friends computer drinking green tea from one of those hundreds of tea stands that dot the island ( ( Read more... )

One thing that most Chinese people with foreign friends find is that they love to complain about China.  Usually these are small things that everyone can agree on - the bus is always late, the weather is too hot, the lines are too long.  Occasionally, however, you’ll run into westerners who take issue with the government, the party, or Chinese ( Read more... )

My letters of invitation finally came in the mail today, which is a relief.  I can now get my visa.  Unfortunately, upon review of the standards for applying for said visa the Chinese government, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that it will not accept visa applications that are mailed directly to the embassy / consulate and will only take those ( Read more... )

Well, today I turned in my letter of resignation.

I had it sitting on my computer for several weeks now, with me making cosmetic changes about once every other day, but today it was sent in.

I foresaw one of three reactions.  The first was just a "Ok, whatever. Good luck."  Which would be wonderful.  The second was a more enthusiastic farewell ( Read more... )

I received this email from a friend of mine the other day.  He is an ex-marine, Harvard grad who is currently teaching in China.  Met him my first year over - intelligent, acute, loves China and a great person - what I picture P.J. Ivanhoe to be like.  He wanted to talk about Confucianism:

His letter (used with permission):

Glad you got a Chinese ( Read more... )

Glad they have that little counter there on my Chinese blog.  Not bad turn out for a random introduction of myself.  Then again, in a country with more internet users than the entire population of the US, percentage wise 32 ain't that high, but then again I always was terrible at math.  It almost feels like I have a little following - and we're ( Read more... )

Well, I've started a real Chinese blog (the one I'm always referring to is actually just a language learning site).  You can go see it here!  Actually, I'm going to have bar
( Read more... )