Looking back at these camping trips, they weren’t just fun and adventure. They marked significant moments in my development from a boy to a man. But not all those moments were joyful, and two in particular, I will discuss below. I don’t know why I felt compelled to write about these experiences now, but I’mContinue reading “Camping trip #5- Snow, heartache, and an ode to friendship”
Category Archives: My Life in China Series
My life in China, Part 33- My in-laws’ US adventure 2
When we last left off (read part 1 here), my wife and I were in the international arrival area of JFK airport, eagerly awaiting the arrival of my in-laws on their first trip outside of China. At this point, it was an hour after their plane arrived, and still no parents. As I mentioned, theyContinue reading “My life in China, Part 33- My in-laws’ US adventure 2”
My life in China, Part 32- My In-laws’ US adventure
As promised, it is time for the telling of my in-laws’ first great adventure to the United States! It’s a long tale played out over months, so I’ve decided to break it up into a mini-series. My in-laws have now been to the US three times and were supposed to come last summer, but COVIDContinue reading “My life in China, Part 32- My In-laws’ US adventure”
My life in China, Part 31- Weddings
My wife and I never had a wedding ceremony. Do we regret it? We’ve had this discussion from time to time over the years, and the answer is no, not really. Whether in China or (especially) in the US, they are massive money sinks. I think most people have fond memories of their wedding, butContinue reading “My life in China, Part 31- Weddings”
My life in China, Part 30- Shock of re-entry
Coming back to the US after two years abroad wasn’t easy for a variety of reasons. Actually, who am I kidding? It was quite the storm, with major life decisions made on a forced and short timeline- the kind of experience you could only have when you’re young. Everything ultimately worked out in the end,Continue reading “My life in China, Part 30- Shock of re-entry”
My life in China, Part 29- The concept of Guanxi
As promised in my last post, I wanted to discuss a bit about the concept of Guanxi or the Chinese notion of relationships as capital. All cultures have something similar to Guanxi, but being a collectivist society, I can’t stress enough the importance of building and maintaining relationships in Chinese culture. It is so criticalContinue reading “My life in China, Part 29- The concept of Guanxi”
My life in China, Part 28- Imitating the master
Some foreign teachers had a challenging time teaching in China, especially those that were former or trained teachers in the US. They got frustrated with many aspects of the Chinese education system without fully considering the cultural differences. What the western world calls cheating was rampant and academic honesty virtually non-existent. I had friends receiveContinue reading “My life in China, Part 28- Imitating the master”
My life in China, Part 27- Drumming
I’m a drummer. I started taking lessons when I was seven years old more than 30 years ago. When I was around thirteen, I bought my first and only drum set, a 1968 Rogers in white marine pearl, which is in my basement shamefully gathering dust as we speak. I started studying under a professionalContinue reading “My life in China, Part 27- Drumming”
My life in China, Part 26- Pumping iron
When you start living in a new country, it takes some time for your body to adapt. The changes in the food, water, and environment all take their toll, plus there can be a bit of stress involved. For all of us foreigners living in China, it took several months to a year to fullyContinue reading “My life in China, Part 26- Pumping iron”
My life in China, Part 25- Learning Chinese
Do I speak Chinese? Well, yes, some, but it’s complicated. I’ve been an attentive student for fifteen years, but I am not fluent (as hard as I’ve tried). Well, that is not exactly true. When it comes to cursing, I am as eloquent as a Chinese sailor. But in any real use, I suffer. IContinue reading “My life in China, Part 25- Learning Chinese”
