I had the great fortune of visiting a public Chinese hospital yesterday — Beijing Tongren Hospital (北京同仁医院). Bright and early on a Monday morning, around 7, I asked the taxi driver to take me to the hospital. He drops me off on the opposite corner of a busy intersection, with the hospital rising high above […]
A friend of mine recently noted that I’ve been in a much happier mood lately. This is true. Here are possible reasons why: The weather. It’s warm and (at times) sunny again! Things to look forward to: Family visit. I started getting excited around the one-month mark. Upcoming trips. Bye-bye China, hello summer vacation. PMS. […]
Why can’t the Chinese invest in some air-freshening products? I know air fresheners aren’t necessities, so they’re reluctant to waste precious monetary resources on such frivolities. But my nose and sense of smell really wish they would indulge for once every time I go to the bathroom. Am I ever again going to be able […]
Spring Festival in China is a must-do on anyone’s list. I was a little miffed before about not having any real plans (a week off from work is an excellent time to go somewhere!), but now I’m really glad I stayed put in China. This has been one of my favorite weeks in China so […]
The Chinese are so different so often that sometimes it’s easy to forget they still are fundamentally like the rest of us.* Enter the Lunar New Year. The atmosphere leading up to the big day is something akin to the end of the year for us Christians/Westerners. The warm holiday spirit infuses everybody and everything. […]
It’s not snowing! It’s supposed to be. Weather.com says it’s snowing. And the Central Meteorological Station says we’re supposed to see heavy snow or a whole blizzard. It is NOT white outside my window AT ALL. But it snowed while I was out last night =D Less than a millimeter, but it was enough to […]
This year, I get to celebrate Christmas a whole 13 hours earlier! But all that excitement was negated by the perils of the Beijing work commute. 1) It’s 12 degrees outside, with a very brutal wind blowing, which makes it feel like -7 degrees. 2) I ended up having to wait in this -7-degree wind […]
A Christmas Eve conversation over instant messaging: Daddy (9:44:51 PM) god idea Daddy (9:44:56 PM) good Daddy (9:45:24 PM) god is good also Me (9:45:38 PM) it’s his son’s birthday tomorrow Daddy (9:45:38 PM) either one good Daddy (9:45:55 PM no Daddy (9:46:52 PM) I don’t know when, but sure not is tomorrow Daddy (9:47:06 PM) 12-25 is man made Daddy (9:48:08 PM) Jew […]
Finally found a decent apartment for a decent price with decent roommates in a decent location. My bedroom is pretty small, my mattress a bit firm (but not plywood), and my window nook/balcony nonexistent, but I am satisfied. And moved in! It feels good to be organized again and not living out of three suitcases. […]
OK, well, against my advice and wishes, work decided to put up my remaining hamburger stories without Chris’s video accompaniments. Chris and I were not able to visit as many burger joints as we had hoped (trouble setting up interviews, etc.), but in the end, it may have been for the better. I mean, how […]