China Expat Life

How us Suzhou Expats can help quake victims

My friend Rebecca just let me know that Suzhou Bookworm, which also has an affiliated location in Chengdu, is collecting donations to assist those affected by Monday’s horrible earthquake in Sichuan. If any fellow Suzhou expats have means to help, please read the following for details. The Bookworm’s sister branch in Chengdu has become a …

May 14, 2008
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Suzhou Bookworm’s East & West Music Fest

I swear, this town gets a little bit more livable every day. I mean, we’ve got an Irish Pub that serves Guinness on tap, we’ve got one, two, three places that I can get a taco, we’ve a cafe/bookshop/lending library loaded to the rafters with English-language books, we’ve got an English-language movie cinema playing Iron …

May 8, 2008
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Technologically Superior Inferior

You ever have days when technology treats you as the weak new fish in a bad prison movie? I bought a new computer last week from Dell, and am absolutely loving it. I’ve had the same computer, a Chinese-made Hasee laptop, since trading in my savings to move to Australia for it back in ’05. …

May 7, 2008
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Carrefour-3-2-1 – Protest!

So, the fateful day has arrived – the day when Carrefour unleashes its anti-China, pride-taking, I-fart-in-your-general-direction May Holiday sale on the masses of Chinese willing to sell out their nation in order to save a few jiao. The sale, of course, is backed by French members of the Eight-Nation Alliance, who were frozen more than …

May 1, 2008
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Humanaughtahaironmyhead

So, spring is in the air in lovely Suzhou. Yes – our two weeks of paradise have arrived, and just in time for the droves of tourists looking to capture a picture of the city’s tranquil gardens (which are overflowing with tourists looking to capture a picture of the city’s tranquil gardens). Spring always stirs …

April 30, 2008
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The subtle speed of change in China

There’s nothing new about saying “China’s changing”. What isn’t changing? Life changes. There’s nothing new about saying “China’s changing fast”. Every Sinophile for the last 25 years has been saying that, and they’re right. But what gets me is that I’ve got this front-row seat to it all. And frankly, it’s a bit exciting. Now, …

April 25, 2008
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Frozen Improv in Shanghai

Alright, this is way late, but was just too cool not to mention. About a month ago in Shanghai a group inspired by Improv Everywhere created a “scene” in front of the Sofitel on Shanghai’s Nanjing Rd. At a set time the group of random folks from a number of nationalities stopped and froze in …

April 3, 2008
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English movie cinema in Suzhou

There were a few major adjustments I had to undergo when I moved to Suzhou from Dalian back in August 2006, namely: a lack of abundant Korean food, no Walmart, no slick light-rail mass transit, and no English-language movie theatres. Well, it’s been a year and a half and I’m happy to report that this …

March 25, 2008
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What would you do if I sang out of tune?

A Canadian friend of mine here in Suzhou is getting married this weekend and he’s asked me to be the English-language emcee (it’s bilingual, as the bride is a Suzhou local – so maybe trilingual?) at his wedding. Fortunately for me, my job is mostly translational and I’ll not have to give any long and/or …

March 20, 2008
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The Geek Dinner – Network/Netplay

Hit “The City” last night for the inaugural Shanghai Geek Dinner, hosted by Christine of The China Business Network. It was the first “networking” event I’ve ever been to, and gave me a chance to whore myself a bit as well as finally put a dent in the massive pile of business cards I have. …

March 11, 2008
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Bookworm Lit Fest Hits Suzhou

Suzhou’s newest hot spot is undeniably The Bookworm. Part café, part library, part restaurant, part bar and part bookshop; it’s not hard to see why the place has quickly become a refuge for many a Suzhou expat. On top of its boatload of English-language books, the cozy two-storey canal-side venue now has the distinction of …

March 6, 2008
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