After 3 days of intense stomach churning, I must’ve visited well over 20 public bowls around Shenzhen. Surviving the gauntlet, yet still new to China, one skill I have already mastered is the ability to use a squat toilet. Train stations, Mom and pop restaurants, KFC’s you name it, I’ve…...
Shenzhen Hot Spot: Window of the World by Ashley Dubois
Upon walking into Window of the World (WoW) in Shenzhen, I was worried I’d been ripped off to the tune of 180RMB and a very long subway ride. The entrances to different attractions aren’t well marked and when you first enter the Global Arena, all you can see is a…...
Weekend Day Tripping to Avatar Land in Hunan Province by Jessica Addington
A week before I came to China, my best friend gave me a Lonely Planet: Discover China book with handwritten tips about China. Stuck in the front of the book was a note that said “Unmentioned…Zhangjiajie- best place in China.” After I did more research, I found out it was…...
Weekend Wanderlust: Urban Footprints in the Rural Jungle of Lantau Island by Molly Oberstein-Allen
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go visit my friend on an eco-farm on Lantau Island, an outer island of Hong Kong. The trip to Lantau isn’t bad from Shenzhen – you can take Hong Kong’s metro, the MTR, to Mui Wo Port from Futian Checkpoint, and from…...
Get Your Culture on at Dafen Oil Painting Village by Leanne Overby
After realizing that my dreams of traveling around mainland China on weekends could not become a reality, I decided to switch gears and start searching for write-home worthy hidden gems in this crazy, massive city I call home. I live in the outer Longgang District of Shenzhen, and I’ll be…...
What’s Next? Stay or Go by Leanne Overby
The time has come for us expats to take pause from our blissful existence and face a reality that is coming at us faster than a speeding bullet: it’s time to decide our next move. It’s easier said than done, especially for us wanderlust folk who are constantly in conflict…...
Chinese Culture Shock in Three Easy Steps
I’m alert in the packed line four train. Immediate Culture Shock: A 4’11 woman stands with her forehead buried in my back, as a man’s elbow stabs me in my side. Then I hear the telltale signs of impending, unpaid sick leave in the air…cough, cough. At first, the gravelly…...
On the Outskirts of Shenzhen: Dapeng, a New District by Alistair Heald
Shenzhen is a major city in Guangdong Province, China. It is also one of the wealthiest cities in China. Shenzhen’s temperate climate, relatively low pollution levels, and close proximity to Hong Kong, Macau, and several other interesting destinations make Shenzhen one of the China’s most desirable cities to live…...
Branching Out For Better Stories: My B-List Celebrity Experience by Laura Grace Tarpley
When I opened the text message asking if I wanted to be in a video about Bao’an District in Shenzhen, I was hesitant. “The video is about a Western girl who rides her bike around Bao’an,” Jason, the SDE employee, explained in his message. I assumed the “Western girl” was…...
Teaching in Primary Schools Survival
Teaching in Primary Schools It was the middle of my fourth week teaching in primary schools in Shenzhen at 5:12pm in the convenience store at the bottom of my apartment building. This was not my first visit here, nor was it my first time stopping here immediately after work buying…...