A couple weeks ago we went out to dinner with our good Chinese friend Marshall. Marshall lives here in Shenzhen and knows some really cool places. Some of these places require a hefty taxi fare or multiple transfers on the metro. They are definitely worth the effort, don’t get me wrong. But then there are Read More
Category: China
We’re burning money today
It’s a hazy Friday and Kim and I have the day off from school. Today starts Qingming Festival, where Chinese families celebrate and honor loved ones who have died. Family is very important here year-round and this festival gives everyone a chance to physically honor the dead through a few rituals: families sweep tombs and Read More
We’ve gone dental in China!
Part of the attraction of coming to China – or leaving the US, depending on how you look at it – is more affordable health care. With the unknown costs of health insurance premiums, copays and prescriptions that change often, it’s nice to be someplace with more standardized pricing. You can learn the cost of Read More
What size are these pants?
I’m not sure. Let me look at the “but chart.” I know it’s the wrong type of but BUT it’s still funny. You could also read the tag as “butch art,” a booth I checked out once at a gay pride event. These pants are on sale at the Walmart down the street from us. Read More
Halftime entertainment
I like to provide entertainment for people. Making people laugh is my absolute favorite thing to do. I also like to smacktalk. I have no filter normally and when it comes to trash talking, my mouth just has a mind of its own. There’s an English teacher here, Annie, who mentioned something about a race. Read More
We’re having a sports meeting!
When I’m in the classroom, trying to command the attention of fifty second or third graders, I often wish I had more space. It’s hard to keep them in their chairs and sometimes I just want to open the doors and let them run a little of their energy off. I want to set them Read More
Who wants to go to Guangzhou?!
(The title rhymes and makes more sense if you know that. “Guangzhou” is pronounced kind of like “gwan joe.”) Minzhi (pronounced kind of like “Min ja”) Primary School, where I work, is always busy. If there’s not a festival or an event for the children, the teachers have a training or guest speaker or something. Read More
Delivery birthday buffet
(I will readily admit I am behind in my blogs. The following event happened in September and it’s early January.) We celebrated Aubrie’s birthday – and our newfound luxury of quick home delivery of food – with a delivery dinner feast. The birthday girl herself orchestrated it, placing orders at a few restaurants. I was Read More
Line up for the sushi parade!
When we first moved here, the city’s bustling activity could get a little overwhelming. There was so much movement, so many lights and sounds… it was hard to take everything in at once. Everywhere we looked, we saw flashing lights, zooming bicycles and hustling feet. It seemed like everything and everyone was on a path Read More
A different kind of Sea World
Sea World is not what you’d think About a month ago (and again last night) we went to Sea World! We did not see Shamu and we did not get splashed in the front row by diving sea creatures. In fact, there were no sea creatures to observe. In Shenzhen, Sea World is the Read More