Here is a hilarious new video about how to use a squat toilet. (VPN alert–Youtube video.) As you can imagine, using a squat toilet is a frequent topic of conversation with foreigners in China. You can occasionally find a western
The Anatomy of Singing a Chinese Song
For our yearly traditional Christmas party, I decided to give my students a big surprise. You see, I have been teaching 2 classes for the past 2 and a half years. Ever since they were freshman (they are now juniors)
Eating Sugar Right From the Cane
I’m a candy freak. Super crazy candy freak. Once in college my friend told me he would give me a thousand dollars if I gave up candy for one month. I didn’t even try. So yeah, candy freak. There is
'Romantic' Gift from my Chinese Boyfriend
After work last night, my boyfriend came over. He had something in his hands. “I got you a gift,” he said. “You did?” “Yeah. I have one too, it’s really comfortable,” he said handing me a bag. Umm, thanks? Having
Snow Day!
As I live in Southern China winter temps hover around freezing, but snow is rare. Our winters are more dreary, freezing cold, damp days then the clear, crisp days I’m accustomed to back in America. And right now my New
Making Noodles and Dumplings: A Photo Essay
One of my new classes invited me to their dumpling party to celebrate the New Years. Eating dumplings and noodles is tradition to bring luck to the new year. As students don’t have a kitchen at their disposal they rented
Best. Final Exam. Ever.
I think tests are meaningless. Students cram right before (or make a cheat sheet) and the minute the exam is over, the promptly forget just about everything they learned. But I’m a teacher and need to play in the system
Writer. Traveler. Tea Drinker. Year End Wrap Up and Most Popular Posts
Christmas is over, the semester is wrapping up, time for a year-end wrap up! Chris Guillebeau, over at the Art of Non-Confomrity advocates doing a yearly review to keep track of all the things you have accomplished in the past, and
My Delicious Racist Dinner
Last year, on Christmas Eve, the foreign teachers were invited to a special Christmas buffet held at a nearby 5-star hotel. The meal is normally 600 rmb, a kings ransom (to put it in perspective, 600 rmb covers 6-months of
Looking for that Old Christmas Feeling in China
When I lived in America to say I was burned out of the holiday season would be an understatement. I was tired of the consumerism, tired of the holiday pressure and tired of feeling like a total glutton eating all