Photo Essay: Chinese New Year 2017 in Rural Hangzhou, China
It’s the year of the golden rooster. Happy Chinese New Year! While I’m taking a little time off to recharge a little during the holidays, I thought I’d share some photos from our Chinese New Year celebration in rural Hangzhou, China. The biggest dinner of the year — Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner! As always, […]
To the Girl Whose Boyfriend’s ￥8,000/Mo Salary “Wasn’t Enough”
You told your friend about how dissatisfied you were with your boyfriend. You said his salary of “only” 8,000 RMB a month wasn’t good enough.
6 Surprising Experiences My Husband and I Had in a Chinese Hospital
“It’s appendicitis. You need surgery.” The words echoed through my mind like a bad nightmare. But the bigger shock was that I’d need surgery in China.
4 Things I’m Embarrassed to Share About Living with My Chinese In-Laws
It’s embarrassing to admit that I’m in my thirties and still enjoy a lot of support from my in-laws that I probably shouldn’t.
Photo Essay: Enjoying the Golden Spring in Rural Hangzhou, China
While I’m still on break this week, I thought I’d share some recent photos from the gorgeous “golden” spring blooming all around us here in the Hangzhou countryside. I call it “golden” because of the golden yellow rapeseed flowers that dominate the fields at this time of year. There’s nothing quite like standing among these fields […]
Photo Essay: 2016 Chinese New Year’s Eve at the Family Home
We’re busy celebrating Chinese New Year, the biggest holiday of the year here in China, at John’s family home in rural Hangzhou. I thought I’d share a few photos from Chinese New Year’s Eve. It was a lovely day to celebrate Chinese New Year’s Eve, with some of the most gorgeous blue skies of the winter. […]
Father-In-Law on the Roof? Strange Scenes During Extreme Cold in Southern China
There are things you never expect to see in a lifetime. Like watching a grown man whack snow off the roof with a bamboo pole.
Surviving Winter in a South China Family Used to Living Without Heating
Leave it to me — a cold-averse American woman — to marry into a family in Southern China, where people are used to winters without heating in their homes.
Interview with Jo Gan: Fashion Entrepreneur, App Creator and Bar Owner in China
Want proof of how far you can take your business dreams in China? Meet Jo Gan. She has started an online business, launched an app and become a bar owner.
Photo Essay: Celebrating My Birthday Beside Hangzhou’s West Lake
Last Monday, I wrote about how wedding anniversaries aren’t a big deal to my Chinese husband. But not birthdays — especially my birthday. We just celebrated and, once again, he approached as if it were a national holiday. John still loves coming up with what he calls “birthday programs” for my special day and this year […]
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