ESL Teacher in China As an ESL Teacher in China - it has made me feel anything but “big.” It’s respectfully made me feel very small, which I’ve come to very much appreciate. China, a world leading power. It is progressing faster than ever in its education system. It’s taking…...
Chinese Healthcare System
Chinese Healthcare - My Experience A sharp pain struck my chest, just to the left of my heart. Concern flooded my face. The Chinese Healthcare system. What would I do? Shortly to be relieved by a sense of denial as my mind rushed to downplay the problem. “Sure, you’ve been…...
Pingshan District: Living Beyond the Shenzhen 'Burbs by Tomas Baer
On arriving in central Shenzhen, I noticed that the huge city was similar to most cities, with a plenty to see, eat and do, and while the people in it were not as heterogeneous as the cities I had known before, foreigners were not an uncommon sight day to day.…...
China Expectations vs Realities by Lindsay Daitch
Before coming to teach in China, I had a vague idea of what exactly I was getting myself into. My friends and family had asked me multiple questions about the job that I could not answer. Yet, I still thought that I had done a thorough amount of research…...
Phones in China: A Tale of Four Phones by Molly Oberstein-Allen
I came to China with a well-loved iPhone. It got me through an unexpected few days in Hong Kong with no money for a visa and a hostel reserved for the wrong week, and it helped me navigate the seemingly identical streets of Shenzhen during my first few weeks –…...
Leaving China: A Weekend at Uncle Li’s by Laura Grace Tarpley
My husband and I were nervous about this weekend. We work at a lovely Primary School together in Shenzhen. Our principal, Mr. Li, is friendly but doesn’t speak much English. One day at lunch he said, “Daniel! Lola!” (How he pronounces Laura.) “You. Me. Hometown. Saturday.” At first, I was…...
Overcoming Your Fears with Lucas: A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Eastern Style Toilet
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…...
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…...
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…...