It’s March (the month we celebrate International Women’s Day), and time to update to my list of blogs by Western women who love Chinese men! I know, I know, I’m a little late to the game this year. All I can say is, my March has been insanely busy (including preparing for my upcoming appearance in Beijing on March 29 as part of the Bookworm Lit Fest – come if you can!).
This year, my list includes nearly 60 different blogs. I’ve still grouped the blogs loosely according to their focus, and tagged first timers on this list with *NEW* for your convenience.
Like last year, the same housekeeping rule applies — blogs must have been updated within the past year to make this list.
So, without further ado…(insert drumroll of choice)…here are the blogs!
Authors/Books
Family and Kids
Food
Language
Personal Stories
Authors/Books
Behind the Story. American writer Nicki Chen married her late Chinese husband in 1967, the same year that the US Supreme Court finally made interracial marriages legal in the US. She’s led a fascinating life indeed, so it’s no wonder that her blog has become a repository for many of the real-life stories that inspire her novels, including this quirky post about how her husband might have been a real-life ghost whisperer. Her debut novel Tiger Tail Soup just hit the shelves last year and it’s perfect for anyone who loves Pearl Buck’s wartime China stories. Check out my interview with Nicki from September 2014 to learn more about Tiger Tail Soup.
My Half of the Sky. Jana McBurney-Lin, who has a Chinese husband and children, penned the novel My Half of the Sky, which also is the namesake of her writing- and family-focused blog. But as a Tai Chi enthusiast, I loved this older post about trying out this venerable martial art.
Kylie Chan. This Australian author who married a Hong Kong national channeled her passion for Chinese mythology, culture and martial arts into writing novels, which you can learn more about at her site. She also blogs on her site, including about her appearances for 2015.
Michelle Maisto. Pretty much anyone in a Chinese-Western cross-cultural relationship will invariably find themselves having an occasional disagreement about a simple question: “What should we eat for dinner?” That’s the subject of Michelle’s memoir titled The Gastronomy of Marriage, which explores how she and her Chinese-American husband managed to make room at the table for all of their different eating preferences. Her blog is loaded with lots of Chinese food porn (naturally!) but also stories about being a mom to their little girl (who she’s teaching Mandarin — yes!).
Rhiannon Jenkins Tsang. A British woman truly ahead of her time, Rhiannon made her first sojourn to China in 1986 — what I wouldn’t give to experience that China through her eyes. She later met her husband, who is from Hong Kong, at Oxford; the two of them live with their family in the UK. Her first novel, The Woman Who Lost China, just came out in 2013 and will surely appeal to anyone fascinated with the country and its tumultuous past.
Susan Blumberg-Kason. Once upon a time, Susan was a yangxifu, spending time in Wuhan with her Chinese husband and first child. She’s since moved back to her Chicago roots, remarried and added two more children to her family, but is forever connected to China. She offers tidbits of everything from Jewish Asia to raising multicultural kids, as well as regular reviews on Hong Kong/Shanghai/China-related books. If you’re living in or near Chicago, or passing through, check out her book, All the Tea in Chicago. Last year she released her long-awaited memoir Good Chinese Wife – if you’re new to the book, check out my interview with her.
Sveta’s Book Review Blog. Sveta still searches for her true Asian love, but currently pours her passion into reading and sharing her latest reads on this blog. She reviews a variety of books, including AMWF reads that might interest followers of this blog, and now posts readings of selected books on Youtube.
Family and Kids
A Broad Abroad. JQ, an American woman who lives in Qingdao with her Chinese husband, toddler and new baby girl, isn’t afraid to say what’s on her mind about living in China, her family there and more — such as the follies of family visits during the new year.
*NEW*AMBW Families and Relationships. This is one of the best sites spotlighting AMBW (Asian men, Black women) couples and their families, filled with beautiful photos and stories of real families out there. It’s run by a black woman married to a Chinese guy (they met and married each other in just three weeks, wow!) who have two kids. Definitely worth bookmarking!
Chinese Potpourri. This blog offers a mish-mash of postings from Charlotte an American woman with a Chinese husband and two small children, living in a small town in Hebei, China – including a recent one about some unusual compliments regarding a very special pair of socks. Check out her cute family photos! She’s In my Double Happiness Archives, you’ll also find her love story — which has one of the most surprising titles: “I Want To Be Your Slave For The Rest of My Life”.
Corazón Asiático (en español). This Spanish woman named Selenia married her sweetheart from Shandong Province (their photo on this About page is one of the most romantic I’ve ever seen). Today she’s a mom and writes about life, love and studying Japanese en español.
*NEW*Diaries of a Yangxifu. UK native Sarah met her husband during a marathon in Birmingham (a how-we-met story she generously shared with us all in her guest post on my site). She’s been pregnant and living in China for most of the past year, writing about everything from her pregnancy experience to surviving the in-laws. And did I mention she’s also a vegan, just like me? Wishing Sarah a smooth delivery in the UK!
The Downtown Diner. American Melanie Gao has no pretensions about herself. Her blog is a homey, welcoming little slice of the yangxifu blogosphere, self-described as “Made famous in Beijing, now operating out of Nashville, Tennessee.” She has spoken out about her divorce from her Chinese ex-husband and will always remain my unofficial twin (we really do look alike). She often writes about her two lovely biracial and bicultural children (who recently went to Beijing to spend time with their dad). Thanks for keeping it real, Melanie.
Ember Swift. This Canadian woman is a singer-songwriter, musician, writer and blogger who writes some of the most fascinating and powerful posts on this list about her life (from her marriage to a Chinese guy to raising their kids). Don’t miss the interviews (one and two) with her that I posted up in 2013 just before Chinese New Year. Her blog has become required reading for pregnancy in China as well as navigating the visa issues of having kids with a Chinese national.
Mighty Maggie. American Maggie lives with her husband Phillip, the Devastatingly Handsome Chinese Man, in Seattle with three kids. She’s a stay-at-home mom who blogs about everything from religious issues to parenting. This is an older post, but she brings up an interesting dilemma when she writes about the problem of sending a child to Chinese language school, when she and her husband don’t speak the language well.
*NEW*Monkeys and Mooncakes. American Steph (who has a husband from Anhui, China) is a thirty-something mom to three lovely kids and she devotes her blog to helping children love Chinese language and culture at home. Parents will love her posts such as craft fun with the year of the goat and this Chinese character review game.
*NEW*Nama Mama. This was one of the most exciting blogs I discovered in 2014 – it’s not often you come across an American woman married to a Tibetan guy living in Xining, Qinghai (with their baby daughter). Kimberly has since moved the family to Jiangsu Province, where she’s now teaching English, and also moved her blog over to WordPress (update those links, folks!). Be sure to read her guest post here about how she met her husband (who seems like a super-sweet and extra-special guy).
*NEW*Rosie in Beijing. American Rosalie Zhao’s how-we-met story, which she shared in 2013 year on my blog, challenged stereotypes by introducing her future husband as “China’s answer to Arnold Schwarzenegger”! It still remains one of the most memorable posts I’ve run. She’s a stepmom to her husband’s daughter from another marriage and just had a baby last year; trying to bring her son over to the US on a Chinese passport led to a really interesting post for anyone considering having kids in China.
Wo Ai Ni. Rhiannon, an American woman who met and married her Chinese husband in the US, creates a whimsical collage of an intercultural family on her site. It’s a snapshot of daily family life — including two blonde-haired children from a previous marriage, and four young half-Chinese kids.
Food
Madame Huang’s Kitchen (Formerly Out to Lunch). Carolyn J. Phillips doesn’t just have a Chinese husband. She loves to eat too, and shares her passion with the world through some of the most authentic and mouth-watering recipes for Chinese food on the web. Don’t read on an empty stomach, and be on the lookout for her upcoming illustrated book on all of China’s great cuisines. Called All Under Heaven, it will be published by McSweeney’s in September 2015. She just came out with a fantastic downloadable Dim Sum Guide. To learn more about Carolyn and her work, check out my 2012 interview with her.
Taiwan Xifu. The Taiwan Xifu dishes out delicious recipes with a dash of Chinese culture thrown in for good measure (including her posts about foods for zuo yuezi). She has since moved back to Australia – here’s wishing her family a smooth transition into their new life over there!
Language
Living A Dream in China. Finnish woman Sara Jaaksola writes with a lot of heart and soul as she works on her Mandarin Chinese. But what I really love about Sara is her support to the community — she started the Foreign Women in China discussion forum (any woman anywhere is welcome to join). Sara had an exciting time last year with her marriage to Alan (including a huge Chinese wedding ceremony in Guangzhou), and also stopped by Hangzhou (where she and I shared a lovely day together).
Menglelan. American Menglelan (not her real name) is a teacher and, in my mind, a pioneer — the first blogger on this list who maintained a blog in traditional Chinese! She writes about eclectic topics (including the occasional post on guys!), but the Chinese-language nature of her blog makes it worthwhile reading for anyone studying the language.
Personal Stories
AMWF Couple. She’s white and British, he’s from Hong Kong, and they’re happily dating in the UK. You’ll enjoy her posts on how they met and how they started dating (his story versus her story), as well as this recent and thoughtful post asking why so many AMWF couples end up living in Asia?
Becky Ances. She teaches English in the outskirts of Hangzhou lovely Xiamen and writes frequently about traveling, her students, and expat life. But many of you will appreciate her take on dating Chinese men, as well as more recent posts on creepy white guys in Asia and this story from an Asian man dating a white woman.
Celestereille. This blog is another proud example of beautiful Blasian love in China, right down to this gorgeous photo of the author kissing her Chinese beau, and this lovely Valentine to him. She welcomed her lovely baby Connor into the world in 2013 and in the past year (tired of things such as her “walk of shame” in China) she moved the whole family back with her to the US. Wishing her the best as she settles into life in America!
China Doll. She’s a Norwegian woman who went to China when she was 13 and later met her Chinese beau CC (with whom she had an LDR for some time). In this past year, they got engaged (hooray!) and they’ve since moved together to Beijing, where she now teaches English.
*NEW*My Chinese Boyfriend. Mexican American Yocelyn is making a splash on the web with her funky and colorful comics that cover (surprise, surprise!) her unique relationship. Some of my favorites include her recent post on racial identity in America and weird things Mexicans do.
Chocolate Chick in China. This African-American blogger is an English teacher based in Nanchang Hangzhou, and you’ve got to love a woman who writes this in her About page: “I have always been fascinated by the 5000 year old culture and also all the handsome single Chinese men that may never find love due to the fact that they overpopulate the women. so off I go to China to find a different way of life and maybe a husband too.” While she’s still looking for love, she’s definitely stumbled into a wonderful circle of expat friends!
*NEW*Dreaming of Taipei. This Italian girl has dreams of Taiwan’s great metropolis because that’s where her sweetheart lives (they’re in a long-distance relationship). I especially love her four posts – see part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4 – about how China changed her (from her self-esteem to how she views her hometown of Verona, Italy).
Foreign Sanctuary. Constance is a Canadian married to a Taiwanese man who currently calls Taiwan home — and shares gorgeous photos as well as stories from her life (such as how her husband once sang a Taiwanese love song at her cousin’s wedding). She’s now working on a book! Enjoy her guest post on my site about how she believes everything happens for a reason (even how she ended up finding love and a new life in Taiwan).
*NEW*Greece Meets Taiwan. This is the love story of a Greek girl and a Taiwanese guy living in South Africa. You’ll love her recent post about Chinese New Year in South Africa and this one on the advantages of being in an interracial/intercultural relationship.
Hello China! elo China! (in French) Elodie is married to a man from Nanjing, and has the only blog on this list written in French. She covers everything from student life at Nanjing University (where she reached HSK level 7) to travels around China. Love her header photo on top, where she is wrapped in China’s national flag.
My Hong Kong Husband. Lina, who hails from Poland, lives in Northern California Ireland with the eponymous husband that inspired her blog — one that has fast become a popular read in the AMWF community. And it’s no wonder, with her funny posts about everything from men you wouldn’t want to date to cool Asian life hacks. Wishing her and Sing the best as they start their new life in Ireland!
*NEW*Hong Kong Kisses. This blog is written Canadian woman with a Hong Kong fiancée (they’re preparing to move to Hong Kong!). Now that she’s pregnant on top of it all, I’m expecting lots of exciting updates in 2015. Wishing this couple the best!
*NEW*I Married an Asian, Now What? An American woman who calls herself Hazel offers us a peek into her interracial marriage to a Chinese man through a mélange of journal-like posts (including their China trip during the summer of 2014). She offers a nice and short take on the problem with Chinese stereotypes.
The Inner Mongolian/内蒙古人. Susanna, who is from Scotland, discovered her husband and a new life in Inner Mongolia — but I’m certain she’s always had a flair for telling funny stories (especially her post on how to take a taxi in Inner Mongolia). This interview with her husband is just precious. Check out their cute wedding photos!
Judith in China (in Dutch). This Dutch woman used to live in Beijing with her local boyfriend but has since moved with him to Wuhan. She blogs about life in China, including the special things she encounters every day in the country, such as striking things in China. Her guest post titled “He Feels Horrible About Me Being The Breadwinner” got a lot of you talking.
Jules in 中国. American Jules met her beau in China, married him there in 2013 (with all of the pomp and circumstance you’d expect), became pregnant, moved to the US, and is now a mom to a cute little baby boy. Congrats to her!
*NEW*Karma’s World Tour. Written by AMWF couple Kara and Mark, this blog chronicles their travels around the world (in gorgeous photos that will have you wishing they had taken you along for the ride).
Linda Living in China. Originally from Germany, Linda followed her heart and passion all the way to China, never expecting that along the way she would end up falling in love with a man from Korea (they’re now engaged and figuring out how to get married in Korea). She blogs about travel, Asian beauty products, teaching and also Western women and Chinese men in love. Don’t miss her guest post here on my blog titled “Am I in the ‘Wrong’ AMWF Relationship?” How a Woman Who Loved China Fell for a Korean man.
Life Behind the Wall. The first blog on this list by an African-American woman with a Chinese husband (they’ve recently divorced). Jo Gan isn’t your usual expat teaching English in China. In the past year, she has become a partner in a bar, started her own band, dated some fascinating fellows (before meeting her sweetheart Jet Liu), and has decided to start her own fashion company. Impressive! All I have to say is, I can’t wait to see what Jo is up to in 2015!
*NEW*Lost Panda. Anna was born in Russia and raised in Germany, but she ultimately discovered her love and future in China. Last year she dazzled us with her personal stories at The Mandarin Duck, and now she’s doing it again with the Lost Panda, a blog especially dedicated to living in rural China. Some of her cool recent posts include discussing language barriers in international relationships, Chinese drinking etiquette, and five disappearing Chinese New Year’s traditions that are still alive and well in her husband’s hometown, Niuji Village.
*NEW*The Love Blender. Italian Marghini, who is dating Mr. B (she describes him as a “a Hong Kong-New Zealand-British boy with funny hair and kind eyes”), writes about one of my favorite subjects: cross-cultural dating (or, as she calls it in her tagline, “dating out of the box”). Readers will love her posts on intercultural relationships, including a recent one about 10 reasons why Asian men are sexy. By the way, she also shared her love story here for Double Happiness — check it out here!
*NEW*Malatang. American Amanda loves China and she loves to eat (including the tantalizingly spicy dish that is the namesake of her blog, subtitled “A Vermonter’s Adventure in China.” She’s blogged about her life (and delectable meals) in some of the most beautiful corners of China, including Lijiang and the wilderness of Sichuan. She has also loved a Lijiang local along the way (which she blogged about in this insightful post titled Dating in China: Cultural Differences).
Mandarin Reflections. Nathalie describes herself as deeply “in love with the most wonderful Chinese man” – and last year the two of them made it official by getting married! You’ll enjoy her classic posts on signs that you’re dating a Chinese man and On Dating Chinese Men: All Men Are Different. Wishing Nathalie and her hubby the happiest marriage!
Mandarin Stories. Orange rain’s blog originally had a dramatic backstory — even though she was already married to a Chinese man, her family didn’t know about it. Turns out, when she finally revealed her secret marriage to the family, there wasn’t any drama over it at all (nor much reaction, according to her). She does a lot of posts w/ photos from their trips – such as Scandinavia — so this is a great blog for all you armchair travelers! Last year she and the hubby had their official wedding ceremony in Shanghai (which her two brothers and Aunt even attended, their first-ever trip to China) and she posted her gorgeous pre-wedding photos (including pics in a stunning red dress). Congrats to them!
Marta lives in China. She’s a Spaniard who met her Chinese boyfriend in Suzhou, where she used to work for a manufacturer in the city. She’s since headed to Shanghai for better work (which means she and her boyfriend now see each other on the weekends, a “short-distance relationship”!). You’ll love her post on how she met her sweetheart C as well as the humorous “don’t leave your boyfriend home alone.” You can also follow her en espaňol on her Spanish-language blog Infinity Plus One.
Michelle Guo. Michelle Chu got married in 2012 to her Chinese beau from Henan and became Michelle Guo. While her blog topics remain eclectic, she has shared much about her marriage (such as being helpless in love with her Chinese husband) and the experience of staying in her husband’s hometown. Last year she and her husband moved back to America. Wishing them the best in the US!
Mingbai. A Dutch woman with a Chinese husband runs a China consulting and travel business, and maintains a blog written in Dutch mainly about travel destinations in this great country.
Olivia’s Choice. If the community had a magazine, chances are Olivia Lau could easily be the covergirl. This beautiful and stylish woman from Spain was living in Hong Kong, where she met and married a local man and also ran her own online fashion store. After their epic proposal, pre-wedding photos, and the big event itself, they’ve moved back to Barcelona to work in Olivia’s family store. In 2014, they welcomed baby Liam into their lives. Congrats to this lovely couple!
People Mountain, People Sea. Ashley is not your average American teaching English in Taiwan, thanks to her marriage to a Taiwanese guy (which included a period of time when she lived in the family home). You’ll find her posts on relationships and dating interesting, including this post on what it takes to make a cross-cultural relationship work. Recently, she’s posted about how she and her husband complement each other in different and beautiful ways.
*NEW*The Ruby Ronin. American Mary (who has a white dad and an Asian mom) has long had a love affair with Asia, spending two years in Japan (and learning Japanese), and then four years in China. She’s now living in Los Angeles with her Chinese boyfriend, but her recent posts – from how to get an Asian boyfriend in China or Japan to how she could save $10,000 a year by living in Tokyo – have me thinking it won’t be long before she returns to Asia again!
*NEW*PINK✿PEACH✿BLOSSOMS. This twenty-something woman in Germany (who has a Chinese husband) is crazy about Korean beauty products, K-Pop, manga and more, and is currently studying Mandarin Chinese. Check out her reviews of Korean beauty products and other posts about what’s going on in her life (including her bunny).
Selly’s Little World. Sarah Heintze is a German gal residing in Wuhan, China and last year was a tough one on her (including recovering a severe burn on her leg and breaking up with her Chinese fiancée). But with her recent fitness fun in Wuhan, it’s clear she’s doing pretty great these days. Wishing her a better 2015!
Shandongxifu. Ericka, who used to live in Qingdao with her Shandong husband, was known by many of us through her posts at the Lost Laowai blog — where she confidently reminded us that Laowai Girls Love Asian Boys. I share her passion for Jay Chou and, yes, Meteor Garden (quiet sigh). She rocked the blogosphere last year by bravely coming forward with her chilling story of sexual assault in Shenzhen.
Sincerely, Shalom (Formerly Jew Knew). Eileen’s blog is so lovely and touching, like her pictures of smiling, long-haired women in dazzling rainbow colors. She is married to a man from Taiwan and now writes about her life with him in Asia, even opening up to write about dealing with anxiety abroad and the perks of an intercultural marriage. Eileen shared her story with me for Double Happiness.
*NEW*When West Dates East. Autumn — who lives in LA with her Chinese American boyfriend – writes: “Some swear it’s a myth: ‘You’ll find a unicorn before you find a white chick who dates Asian dudes.’ Welcome to my blog on unicorns.” She offers a funny and self-deprecating look into her relationship with posts about how she stumbled with chopsticks the first time she met his parents and how impossible it was to find just the right gift for his mom.
Wrapped in a Chinese Leaf. Sarah is an Irish woman studying for her master’s in international business, but she also knows a thing or two about international relations, thanks to her Chinese boyfriend (who was caught last year trying out some of her beauty products!). She loves telling stories through words, and you’ve got to love this post about a Chinese feast, including her confession that she was clumsy with the chopsticks (been there!).
Xi’ananigans. Marissa, an American woman from New Jersey, met her hubby ZJ while teaching English in Xi’an (she married him in China in the most brilliant red gown I’ve ever seen) and in the past year moved with him back to the States. They’re both now navigating the challenges of building a new life for themselves in the US (which has its pluses too) and I wish them the best! Don’t miss her guest post on my site all about how she met and fell in love with ZJ, or the Q&A I did for her blog.
What do you think? What blogs did I miss?
It’s March 8 — International Women’s Day — and time for an update to my list of blogs by Western women who love Chinese men!
