March 31, 2017
Food Diplomacy
I have always prided myself on being diplomatic, willing to talk things out and find…
June 25, 2013
Endings Are Always Bittersweet
Last week was my final week of teaching here in Suzhou. It marked the end…
June 6, 2013
A Year Out, A Year Wiser
It’s the time of year when newspapers are starting to fill up with commencement addresses,…
May 30, 2013
The Four Tones of Chinese Car Horns
A cacophony of car horns greets me as I walk outside my apartment building. After…
May 17, 2013
At the Propaganda Museum: A Window into History
Art is a window into history. It is a reflection of historical movements, emotions, and…
May 9, 2013
Staying Sane through Insanity
One of the best pieces of advice I was given when I first moved to…
April 29, 2013
My 15 Minutes of Fame
It’s Monday morning and as I’m walking down my school’s open-aired hallways, shouts of greeting…
April 27, 2013
A Day at the Suzhou Silk Factory
When I first moved to Suzhou, the school where I teach English presented me with…
April 26, 2013
Rediscovering Shanghai in the French Concession
It’s remarkably quiet for an early Sunday afternoon in one of China’s biggest cities. In…
April 3, 2013
[On Cross Cultural Relationships] – Is China the least friendliest towards foreigners?
The World Economic Forum releases a global tourism report every year which includes a survey…
March 23, 2013
The Chaos of the Weekend Train Rides
Anticipation, restlessness, and chatter fills the air. I stand in line, bouncing on the tips…
March 16, 2013
What ‘Made in China’ Looks Like in Rural China
While living in Shantou, Guangdong during the fall, I had the opportunity to visit a…