I went to the store to just pick up one thing and of course walked away with a bagful. On the walk back home I mentally berated myself for buying too much, and spending too much money. But, being as I live in China, what I like to do when
I Got the Chinese Vaccine
While the vaccine has been available to the public in Xiamen for months (including foreigners) and free, I have been putting off actually getting the shot. It’s not because of any dumb notion of anti-vaxxers, or not trusting the science. It’s more that I, along with the majority of people
What School is Like in China Right Now (Fall 2020)
We are a month into the fall 2020 semester, so I thought I’d give a little update on what the teaching situation is like. Masks? Alternate day in-class attendance? Social distancing on campus and a mix of classroom and online learning? Well….no. None of that. If you were beamed to
I Won “Favorite Teacher!”
College has started and students have come back to school after being gone for 6 months, so I wasn’t surprised when a few students contacted me to ask if I was still on campus. But I was surprised when they said they wanted to see me and give me flowers.
I Entered a Puzzle Competition! (You can make fun of me all you want.)
I still have a few weeks of summer holiday left, and since I’m stuck in Xiamen, I decided to try to make a staycation out of it. You know, basically trying to do as many new activities and eating at as many different restaurants as I can. So why not
What is the Situation in China Like Now?
I know the word “China” is still a trigger for many, but it’s been awhile since I’ve updated the situation on the ground here so I thought I would take a moment to do so. Just so you know, Xiamen (population 4 million, equal to the second largest city in
Painting a Chinese Dragon
So with no travel plans this summer I gotta find something to keep me busy, so I’m kinda having a “say yes to anything indoors and not too exhausting” summer. When my friend invited me to her Chinese calligraphy/painting (indoors with a/c) class I obviously jumped at the chance. The
Another Chinese Milestone
Despite having a very long summer holiday (about 12 weeks–Best. Job, Ever.) I can’t really go anywhere. International travel is basically impossible and domestic travel is going to be CRAZY crowded. Also my school asked us to not travel outside the province and even if we go somewhere close there
Online Teaching in China
Whether you are a parent with kids suddenly home all the time, or a teacher who suddenly had to go to the internet, I think we can agree on one thing: What a long, strange semester its been. But I mean “strange” in a non-judgmental way. Because I didn’t hate
The Dragon in the Solar Eclipse
I remember my first solar eclipse when I was quite young. I was in elementary school and it was a big deal. I remember our teachers talking about it for days ahead of time and we all made little DIY devices (like pinholes through cardboard) to look at it. It