Posted in Culture, Food, Health and Fitness, Home Life, Music&Movies on Jun 21st, 2009
I love Sundays. Especially after a long week. One day out of the week where I don’t have to think about studying Chinese character flashcards, or rush off to an appointment. Just me and Jay and the whole day. I think there may be a game of Scrabble in the future for today…
It’s warming up [...]
Posted in Culture, Food, Home Life, Music&Movies on Jun 13th, 2009
For our first couple of years here, the only type of bread you could find in the grocery stores and bakeries (Chinese-style bakeries) was white, enriched flour bread. We were whole grain-ers in the states and we really missed the taste and all the health benefits that came with it. I asked a few friends [...]
Mmmm…almost every city we’ve visited in China has their own special version of food on a stick. In Beijing it was silk worms, centipedes and scorpions…on a stick. In Xian it was deep fried bean pastes and mashed up vegetables…on a stick. Here in our hometown the specialty is lamb…on a stick. Kabobs to be [...]
Posted in Holidays, Home Life, Mandarin, Music&Movies on May 24th, 2009
Living in a concrete jungle where it snows 9 months out of the year leaves little room or time for trees, bushes, flowers, grass…ya know, that nature stuff…to grow. But, Spring is here and our tiny rectangle of a courtyard has that green stuff growing in it along with a little pink and purple that [...]
We went to our neighborhood Carrefour (sort of like Walmart) yesterday - a Saturday - which was just asking for trouble. It was insane! Packed full of people, the only time I’d seen anything like it was probably last minute Christmas shopping at the mall. Picture that minus the idea of personal space. So, lots [...]
Posted in Culture, Home Life, Music&Movies on Jan 4th, 2009
One of my goals (resolutions, whatever) for the year is to have fun studying Chinese. I really, really didn’t think it could be possible, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. We’ve been watching movies in Chinese (I’ve learned how to say “I’m the king of the world!” from Titanic and “don’t suck my blood” after watching [...]
Oh. My. Ga. It’s been FOREVER since I posted anything. I think I kinda forgot about this poor little blog. Well, I actually shouldn’t be writing anything now, either. I should be at a wedding. I’ve never been to a Chinese wedding. But, alas, my tummy is under attack [...]
Chinese beds are not like American ones. Our first year and a half out here, we were sleeping on a Chinese bed, well, really not sleeping at all. They’re hard, very, very hard. Being sleep deprived really helps heighten the whole culture stress experience.
Just before Christmas we bought a new bed, a [...]