Author Archives: scottatirrell

I had many beautiful experiences in China. My time there was just a smorgasbord of life lessons, wonderful memories, and exciting adventures. However, there were a few events that I would have to chalk up on the “cons” side of the board. One incident in particular comes to mind often while writing these posts. MyContinue reading “My life in China, Part 14- Taxi to hell”

I was now married and living in China. The ensuing months had been a whirlwind and we lived in a newlywed dreamworld for a time. To celebrate, we took a wonderful trip to Tianjin, the port city that feeds Beijing. We joined a local tour group that was comprised mostly of workers from a BaodingContinue reading “My life in China, Part 13- Making ends meet”

Picture this. My new wife and I are happily walking down the street in Baoding, holding hands as lovers do (especially newlyweds). Maybe we will go to the underground market to do some grocery shopping, buy some DVDs, or perhaps have a nice bite to eat. It’s getting crisp as winter approaches, so some steamyContinue reading “My life in China, Part 12- Walking hand in hand”

I was in China again after being away for two months, and it was fantastic to be back. No more getting up early for the hourly job and no more living with my parents. I was on my own again, and better yet, I was now a “living in China” veteran (sort of). I hadContinue reading “My life in China, Part 11- Best dollar I’ve ever spent”

*Originally posted 11/1/2020 How many times in life do we kick ourselves? The first few days I was in China, I kept a journal. I even brought several blank notepads realizing there would be value in documenting my experiences. But then, the wonders of the country pulled me away, and I stopped after perhaps halfContinue reading “My life in China, Part 10- Six months to life”

*Please note, this is a repost from October 2020. My wife’s aunt and grandmother are both healing and doing well. How to even approach the topic of Healthcare in China? It’s a pretty broad issue and one that the US hasn’t gotten right either, which is important to note right at the beginning of thisContinue reading “My life in China, Part 9- Healthcare in China”

During my time in China, people took me out to eat a lot, especially in the first few months. As I sat facing the door as the guest of honor in banquet after banquet of Lazy Susan parades, I was overwhelmed by the abundance and variety of Chinese cuisine. It was a bit of aContinue reading “My life in China, Part 8- Fish eyeballs and baijiu”

So, there I am in the classroom waiting for my test subjects in my first teaching experiment. They slowly filter in, all very intrigued by this young foreigner at the podium nervously slurping tea like some sort of connoisseur. God, I must have looked a fool. I didn’t even know what kind of tea IContinue reading “My life in China, Part 7- Teaching and Tea”

*Picture above is Dàbáilóu after it got its new red facade. When I was there, the building was white. Well, for the most part, the worst is over. After the first few days of torture, the world that I hoped and dreamed about for the last few months comes to fruition. I can move fromContinue reading “My life in China, Part 6- Path to teaching”