Last week we had some friends visit from Thailand. They wanted to buy some tea, so I took them to a shop where one of our Chinese friends works. As many of you may know, one of the things China is famous for is it's tea. Traditionally, tea is not just consumed, it is experienced. There is an entire ceremony involved in serving it. Today, it is still one of the fluids that lubricates society. It is used at business, political, and social functions as a way for the host to show respect for the guest, and for the guest... Continue reading

I know that it may seem that I am stating the obvious, but I think the time has come to clear things up just a little bit. Why? Well, when many of our American friends hear that we are living in China, they often ask us how learning Japanese is going. Recently we have been asked how we are doing since the earthquake. You know, we really appreciate everyone's concern with our well being and our studies, but I just want to let everyone know that China and Japan are not the same. Nor, as I have been asked by... Continue reading

Today, I was teaching my students how to make a PowerPoint presentation. In order to demonstrate that there is more to it than just putting pictures on the slides, I made a short presentation about China. As I was arranging my thoughts, scene after scene of the times we have had here in China were replayed in my mind. As I looked over some of the pictures that I have taken over the past two and a half years, I realized that despite some of the hardships and inconveniences that we have experienced, the good times have definitely out numbered... Continue reading

Have you ever heard that saying? I am sure you have. It definitely applies to the plans of an Expat in China. I am nearing the end of my work contract and with it my work visa will expire. Well as you may know, visa issuing governments usually put the actual date that your visa expires on your visa. Brilliant, I know. That way you will know in advance when to begin working on your plans, whatever they may be. Well, back in November, I thought I would use this facts to start making my plans. So, I reminded my... Continue reading

A friend and I were walking around and came accross a Buddhist temple. It was very interesting. As we were there I was struck by the similarity between this religion and some of the teachings in some Western religions. Is it just me or have we seen this some place before? - Frank Continue reading

Sometimes, you encounter moments that remind you of an event in the past. That happened to me today. As I was teaching class, I remembered Mrs. Richardson, my fourth grade English teacher. Little did I know then, as I struggled with the fundamentals of reading and writing, that some twenty years later I would be living in China and teaching reading and writing myself and all that that entails. I have found myself explaining things such as subject/verb agreement, countable and uncountable nouns, and how to diagram sentences. Wow! I am an American. Who knew that I would acutually use... Continue reading

You know the saying that necessity is the mother of invention? Well, I saw a nice example of that the other day. What was the problem that needed solving? It is necessary to have cold beer, especially for foreigners. Why is that a problem? Don't they have refrigerators here? Of course they have refrigerators, but that does not mean they they are plugged in. Nor does it mean that they are working. Why use a refrigeration when nature provides an answer for free. Solution? Please see the picture below. Cold beer and environmentally friendly? Brilliant! - Frank "Beer is proof... Continue reading

This is one of comedian Jeff Foxworthy’s famous saying. He would say it in response to people who as... Continue reading

A couple months ago we went to visit a friend of our in another part of China. We decided to fly the... Continue reading

This is from the list of things you can't get away with in America. Can you imagine: Boss: Hey George, the windows are dirty. George: Ok Boss, what do you want me to do? Boss: I want you to get a couple ropes, a squeegee, and a bucket. Next, I want you to hang over the side of the building to clean them. George: Ah, ok Boss. Boss: Oh, and George? George: Yeah, Boss? Boss: Don't forget your hardhat! Where is OSHA when you need them? Frank Continue reading

You know how when we were growing up, we were always told to look both ways before crossing the stre... Continue reading

Recently, we found out that there is a really nice zoo right out side of our city. Several of our friends recommended it, and since we have been so busy lately, we decided to take a day to visit. We were really glad we did. There is something special about being able to observe the wonders of nature. Whether it is the barely contained power and grace of lions, tigers, and panthers, the dazzling beauty of peacocks, parrots, and horn-bills, or if it is the comedic antic of the chimps, baboons, and orangutans, I always enjoy watching, and I often... Continue reading

Download 100_7268Ah yeah. Chinese New Year has begun. We have two weeks of bombs bursting in air to look forward too. This video will give you an idea of what it is like. This was taken on the balcony of one of our friends, but it is the same at our place. Just click on the link to see what we have to look forward to... Frank Continue reading

I have often heard, from various people, that they don't think they could live abroad. Of course I hear this most often from fellow Americans. It seems that because of the "conveniences" and lifestyle that we get accustomed to, it is often hard for Americans to imagine living elsewhere. It is actually easy for me to understand this thinking, but having been in China for over a year, I also appreciate life in another country. For those of you who are contemplating making a move to China or another country, here are a few things that might make your move... Continue reading

Our time in Hong Kong was too brief. We went to get our new visa, and didn't have much time to do anything else. We did, however see some great signs as we were wandering about. I posted some of them at my main blog site, but I took this pic right before leaving and could not post it to Blogger. It really speaks for itself, doesn't it. Aren't we all better off thanks to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. - Frank Continue reading

Our time in Hong Kong was too brief. We went to get our new visa, and didn't have much time to do anything else. We did, however see some great signs as we were wandering about. I posted some of them at my main blog site, but I took this pic right before leaving and could not post it to Blogger. It really speaks for itself, doesn't it. Aren't we all better off thanks to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. - Frank Continue reading

Because we have not been able to post or view ourblogs on Blogger from China, I am going to try to start posting on TypePad. We will see how it goes. Continue reading

Because we have not been able to post or view ourblogs on Blogger from China, I am going to try to start posting on TypePad. We will see how it goes. Continue reading