Apr 11, 2024
Foreigners have a reputation for clumsiness in China. The litany of knocks, breaks and injuries accumulated by my expat friends is truly alarming. Excluding digestive disagreements, simply for brevity’s sake, here are some of the most common expat injuries in China. Read more>>
Jun 17, 2013 Comments(2)
China is a goldmine of contradictions and double standards. In a previous article, I discussed how China’s censors decide which foreign musicians are allowed to play in the Mainland. This time around, we look at the double standards with sex and violence ...... Read More>>
Feb 29, 2016 Comments(58)
Many foreigners come to China and fall in love – not just with the culture, the history, the scenery, but with local Chinese people who become their boyfriends, girlfriends, or, eventually, husbands and wives. However, jumping into a relationship with ...... Read More>>
Nov 08, 2014 Comments(15)
For most expats, the greatest cultural test we’ll ever face in China occurs when meeting our partner’s parents for the first time. This article looks at some of the extra things you can do to help convince those hard-to-please parents that you’re good ...... Read More>>
Jun 28, 2011 Comments(15)
Photo: ernop While foreigners are often a misunderstood bunch in China, we’re not immune to making assumptions and having prejudices of our own. Many foreigners harbour a lot of misconceptions about China and its people, from their lifestyle, to ...... Read More>>
Aug 28, 2013 Comments(11)
If you haven’t been informed yet the sale and consumption of fake alcohol in China is rampant. This article gives you a run down on how fake alcohol is made, some recent busts, how to identify fake booze and what to do when you encounter it. ... Read More>>
Aug 13, 2014 Comments(18)
Chinese culture – or rather, Chinese culture seen through a Western veneer, or Orientalism – has long been a source of fascination, comedy and fear in Western cinema. We look back on how some of these portrayals have evolved over the past half century – ...... Read More>>
May 17, 2013 Comments(13)
A credit card is an important thing to have when globetrotting, not least because many forms of online reservation require credit rather than debit payment. For those anticipating a long stay in China, a credit card may seem like a good idea. In general, ...... Read More>>
Oct 13, 2009 Comments(6)
Special Topic: Finding and Keeping Jobs in China In my article on jobs that go "beyond the blackboard", I began to broach the subject of westerners finding jobs outside the realm of English teaching. This time, I dig a little deeper into the options out ...... Read More>>
Jun 04, 2014 Comments(5)
When choosing between China’s two mobile service providers there is a lot to take into consideration. Here we lay it all out for you so that you can make the right, educated decision. ... Read More>>
Apr 20, 2015 Comments(17)
Joe Wong is a Chinese national who moved to the US—following a brief stint as a chemical engineer in Texas—to become a stand-up comedian. Honing his craft since the early aughts, Wong achieved the funnyman equivalent of the American Dream nearly a decade ...... Read More>>
Nov 10, 2015 Comments(20)
The flow of noise from any English language classroom is a bit like the flow of ketchup from a ketchup bottle. There is either too little or too much. But China's unique cultural fabric makes finding the right level of student engagement particularly ...... Read More>>
Jun 14, 2017 Comments(9)
With so many taboos and traditions, social interactions can be a minefield in China. Although many are disappearing with time, there are still some things you just shouldn’t say in this country. Here are just a few: ... Read More>>
Mar 18, 2015 Comments(7)
It used to be that you had to buy a physical top-up card from a street vendor or store to recharge your phone. Now you can do it on WeChat once you’ve setup online payments! ... Read More>>
May 15, 2017 Comments(19)
So, you’re new to China; new language, new air, new food and especially, new people. On your first day here you might well feel like you’ve landed on a completely different planet. But don’t worry, ...... Read More>>
Sep 22, 2016 Comments(20)
So, you're in trouble with your girlfriend again. Odds are, if you've been in a relationship with a Chinese girl, you've said or done something at least once that had you suddenly apologizing profusely, with your best Chinese, to a locked door, a stone ...... Read More>>
Apr 19, 2017 Comments(19)
Since the opening and reforms of the late 1970s, China’s economy has boomed, leading to a rise in wealth and a burgeoning middle class. With new money comes status symbols, and modern China has plenty. Here are 10 of the most ostentatious and intriguing. ... Read More>>
Dec 08, 2012 Comments(3)
It’s estimated that 10 million Chinese had some type of a sexually transmitted disease in 1949. But after the communists took power and initiated mandatory screening, free treatment and a draconian crackdown on prostitution, STD’s were all but eradicated ...... Read More>>
Sep 07, 2012 Comments(5)
Mothers-in-law have been a source of humor for us in the West for years now. We make fun of the stereotypical mother-in-law, who is usually portrayed as a human pit-bull -- vicious, aggressive and controlling. However, for whatever reason a lot of this view ...... Read More>>
Oct 31, 2016 Comments(8)
Chinese bosses have been alternately characterized as authoritarians and as consensus people. Heavy-handed and soft. That is in part because there are different kinds of bosses, and in part because Chinese culture can throw off our sense of what kind of a ...... Read More>>
Aug 05, 2017 Comments(9)
The right education matters more than ever in twenty-first century China. A first-rate education is seen not only as a gateway to personal and professional success, but as a status symbol among the country’s new rich. This article looks at the real – and ...... Read More>>
Aug 31, 2016 Comments(2)
Whether you've just arrived in China or are considered an old timer, chances are you still run into certain foods that make you do a double take. Here are some delicacies that will most likely give you pause and a few tips on how to approach them – if ...... Read More>>
Aug 13, 2015 Comments(11)
Alibaba might be the undisputed king of online shopping in China with its Taobao and Tmall marketplaces, but it’s far from the only contender. JD, also called Jingdong in China and formerly known as 360 Buy, is the country’s second-largest ecommerce portal. ...... Read More>>
Sep 15, 2015 Comments(32)
Finding a job is one thing, but securing a good one that will legally provide you with a work visa is another. This article outlines some of the ‘red flags’ to look out for when browsing through job adverts and negotiating with your future employer. ... Read More>>
Dec 07, 2012 Comments(4)
So, you want to mail a package abroad? China can be rather hit or miss when it comes to their postal service. But having a parcel sent can actually be a fairly easy process – provided you follow the basic rules about what can, and can't, be mailed. ... Read More>>
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