The China Monologues: A shy expat finally speaks up
I looked over at Manfriend. There was no way he had understood all of that.
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The China Monologues: Leaving cities behind, country’s natural wonders inspire awe
As our speedboat rounded the final corner toward Bingling Temple outside Tianshui in east central China, great rocks appeared over us. Against the muddy-colored water, the formations looked haggard, almost...
The China Monologues: ‘Couch-to-1,000,000-stairs’ program on Mount Emei
“How far is it to Taizi Ping?” we asked. “Around 2.5 kilometers," the guard said. Manfriend looked at me. I could see it in his eyes — another 2.5 kilometers?...
The China Monologues: MC Sieh runs the show at friend’s wedding
“Here we go,” I thought. I could feel my legs shaking. “Focus.” Just as I’d practiced, the thank-you’s went smoothly. The pavilion was a great size — I was pretty...
The China Monologues: Go big when you go home
Seven seconds. It took at least seven seconds before I realized what I was standing on. It almost felt like a tree root. I was wobbling and trying to regain...
The China Monologues: Outstanding move
Covered in dust, dirt and little cuts and scrapes, I took a look around. In the matter of just 12 hours, we’d done it: We’d packed up damn near all...
The China Monologues: Sneak past the sleepers
“So, uh … how long will they stay asleep?” I whispered to my friend. “Oh, until sunset at least,” she replied far too loudly. I scurried on, too far along...
The China Monologues: Scammer gets the best of street-savvy expat
A crowd had formed. The monk had hold of my dear pal’s wrist. I use the term “monk” loosely, as proper monks don’t typically force donation via public humiliation and...
The China Monologues: Trouble with O’s and knowing where to go
It was a morning of little battles. My students were struggling to stay in their seats, and I was quickly losing my cool. As adorable as they were, there were...
The China Monologues: Keeping cool at Thailand’s Grand Palace and ruins
“Wow, would you look at this? That’s the library,” I said — I thought — to Manfriend. A confused Chinese tourist stared back at me. Sigh. I started scanning the...