Monthly Archives: June 2008

My Family’s Chinese Immigrant, Old Bean

Posted on June 17, 2008 by

  My parents have been hosting a Chinese immigrant that was sent from China 15 years ago by a good friend of mine.             Lao Dou (Old Bean) came to my American family as an unexpected guest.              I was leaving … Continue reading →

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Our Quaint Little Red Light District

Posted on June 16, 2008 by

              The quiet, narrow side street that hugs my apartment complex is like many hundreds in the city.  Despite its semi-secluded location, it touts three roadside medical and physical therapy (massage) clinics, an Internet bar, a vegetable market,  flower … Continue reading →

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Opening Day in the Neighborhood

Posted on June 13, 2008 by

              Chinese love openings of anything.  Crowds will gather  to await the grand opening of any department store, grocery, restaurant or even small snack shop along the street.  Everyone is afraid of missing out on the excitement of the … Continue reading →

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News From Jason

Posted on June 12, 2008 by

               “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / gang aft a-gley /               An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, / For promis’d joy!”                                                                                                   Robert Burns (from To a Mouse)                          The telephone … Continue reading →

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Chinese: A Kind Language, or “Man Zou, Everyone!”

Posted on June 11, 2008 by

              Despite what people think, Chinese is a kind language.  English is cluttered with articles, verb tenses, word derivations, idioms and a slew of  grammatical rules and regulations.  But Chinese has the ability to express one’s thoughts and feelings … Continue reading →

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An Introduction to Luzhou Vocational and Technical College

Posted on June 10, 2008 by

             This evening, Catherine (Yin Ying) will be arriving here from southern  Luzhou city (loo-joe), my former teaching placement with the Amity Foundation.  I taught at Luzhou Vocational and Technical College for 5 years and will be returning there … Continue reading →

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A Good Day For Getting Vaccinations

Posted on June 9, 2008 by

              I love holidays in China.             Not only is everything still open, even post offices and banks, but the traffic is light.  Getting across town in a taxi or bus is quick and easy.  This is why today … Continue reading →

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An Introduction to Today’s Dragon Boat Festival Holiday

Posted on June 8, 2008 by

                  With the year 2008 came some interesting changes concerning holidays in China.                         There used to be only 3 holidays in this country:  Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), which was during the school’s 5-week winter break but … Continue reading →

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The Three Muskateers To The Rescue

Posted on June 7, 2008 by

              My Chinese is O.K. but I wouldn’t stake my life on it, or anyone elses’, for that matter.             This is why, when it came to transferring  funds into Jason’s (Ji Ke’s) banking account, I asked for assistance.   … Continue reading →

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A Lesson Well Learned: Bringing Out The Best In Someone

Posted on June 6, 2008 by

                In my small U.S. town, a visit to the bank is a quick affair.             There are no lines to wait in and no numbers to take.  It’s a breezy in-and-out, just under 5 or 10 minutes. … Continue reading →

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