As you may have noticed from my previous blog posting, we will be returning to the U.S. following our 2 year language and culture studies in China. In fact, our departure date is today! While it would be foolish to believe I can anticipate exactly how reverse culture-shock will impact me, there are several things I “think” will be true. Here’s my best estimate for a Top 10 List of…
Read MoreSan Yue Jie
Each year, our local town, Dali, hosts an event called 三月节 (or “San Yue Jie” which literally means “3rd full moon festival”). Because it is based on the lunar calendar, this festival is usually held in late April or early May. For over 1,000 years, people from across China and neighboring countries like Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam and Tibet* have made the trek to Dali for this annual event! Today,…
Read MoreWhat is it like living in China? – Part 2
Remember that line “Life is just a bowl of cherries”? Well, I beg to differ. Living in China has taught me that “Life is really a bowl of Noodles”! This is the second blog in what may become a mini-series that shares a few thoughts re: the question “What is it like living in China?” This time, I thought I’d share a few Things I Really Like and a few Things I Find Different.…
Read MoreWhat is it like living in China?
We get this question periodically and I thought it might be fun to share just a few (Top 10) items that have been on my mind the last few weeks. It’s been just over 6 months since my last blog posting, so it seems about time to post an entry. Language learning has been my primary focus for the past several months (in addition to soaking up culture) so things have…
Read MoreHand-Made Noodles!
Have you ever had fresh, hand-made noodles? Have you ever seen them being made?! Well, as much as I’d love to…I can’t offer you a bowl of noodles, but here’s a great video that shows how noodles are made-to-order, on-the-spot in a small street cafe in Dali Old Town. As you watch, I hope you’ll be patient and realize that this is the age-old process of turning a lump of…
Read MoreIt’s a Small World!
Trash Collection in Dali Ancient Town, China – In most civilized cultures, the issue of collecting and disposing of garbage is a challenge that community leaders must face. In our own personal experience, we’ve seen good policies (Fort Collins, CO has a great system) and bad policies (let’s just say “a typical Midwest town”). In our most recent neighborhood in Michigan, it was not uncommon to see as many as…
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