westiseast.co.uk - photography, the web and life in China

My name is Chris West. Not to be confused with the religious marriage priest Chris West, nor with crime writer Chris West, and definitely not with pro-wrestler Chris West.

I'm the Chris West that lives in China, sells tea, builds websites and takes photos.

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[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? 19 Jan 2012

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. 18 Jan 2012

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. 12 Jan 2012

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? 22 Dec 2011

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... 12 Dec 2011

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. 11 Dec 2011

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... 08 Dec 2011

Online shopping in China - missing facts

The Economist reports about online shopping in China, but underestimates the importance of Taobao 02 Dec 2011

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. 01 Dec 2011

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!" 28 Nov 2011

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