[NEW] Kidnappings in Fuzhou?

Yep, seriously! There's been a spate of reports of kidnappings in Fuzhou recently, targetting kids or young adults - begs the question, what is going on?

China Candid and the 'official' version

A while back I read a fantastic book called China Candid, telling portraits of life in China. What I didn't realise was that there's an 'official' version which is subtly different.

Nasty rhetoric from Hu Jin Tao makes me scared.

Hu Jin Tao's speech late last year about protection of Chinese culture has nasty undertones for Westerners living here in China.

Language learning by doing - the Mao school

Chairman Mao once said you should learn by doing - but do you think it's possible to learn a language by actively translating the web?

Celebrity endorsements in China - Xiao S and Jolie

It's a sad day - two of my favourite female stars in China (Xiao S and Jolie) have both sold out to 'the man' in frankly horrific commericals...

Noise in China - a lesson in patience

Noise in China is one thing most foreigners struggle with, myself included. Perhaps its part of the fabric of life here in a way we're not used to.

Why you should make more friends from Chang Le

Chang Le is a small town near Fuzhou, slowly being absorbed by Fuzhou's expansion. And you should try make more friends there for one big reason...

Online shopping in China - missing facts

The Economist reports about online shopping in China, but underestimates the importance of Taobao

How much do black English teachers get paid in China?

The English training industry in China is messed up. It's hugely competitive and often based on lies and marketing. So recently somebody told me about the 4 grades of pay in English schools.

Chop the chicken, not the chopping board!

As I get older, I tend to understand more and more what my kung fu teacher told me once - "chop the chicken, not the chopping board!"
See older blog entries...