“I want to be a writer.”
The living room went silent. People squirmed in their sofa chairs. Elbows tucked close to their bodies, the women reached for their cups of tea and pretended like they didn’t hear that. Then men crossed their legs and looked up at the ceiling fan.
“Don’t do that,” said one of the [...]
This morning, I woke up in Beijing.
Light was streaming through the window, splashing down on the bed, the room, the walls. My face. Squinting at the window, the glowing white blob turned into a dozen puffy, tiny, white clouds floating on a royal blue backdrop. Toward the top of my field of vision, one [...]
Regarding the title: This post isn’t about politics, it’s merely a whimsical twist on the title of Neil Young’s classic song that was too irresistible to pass up.
Cultural exchange can only take place on common ground. What is needed is something shared. A universal language. Thankfully, for those of us who don’t play ping pong [...]
Are every city’s taxi drivers like Beijing’s—self-proclaimed gurus in philosophy and politics? Uber-cool pilots of public transportation who stay in touch on their CB radios? A gear-shifting, tea-drinking fraternity of the front seat who keep the windows down?
A few months ago, one made me a proposition: “If you’re ever in trouble, just get a hold [...]
Is this the skyline of the future?
A few days after returning to Beijing from Shanghai, a reporter for an English-language Chinese newspaper interviewed me about foreigners’ attitudes toward various Chinese cities.
“How do Beijing and Shanghai compare to Hong Kong?” I imagine her flipping the page of a narrow notepad in one hand and clicking open [...]
The four-day weekend in Shanghai continues!
“Hi,” I say cautiously to the stranger with the biggest camera. “Can you help us take a picture?” There is a high degree of correspondence between the size of someone’s camera and his or her photography skills.
Of course she agrees, and when the shot is over we switch places without [...]
Thus far, I have purported the purpose of my four-day weekend in Shanghai to be cultural exploration. Actually, that’s not entirely true. Shanghai is home to a hallmark of American culture, which was conveniently within walking distance of our hotel (destiny?). Of course, I’m referring to Dunkin’ Donuts.
The look on my face? Pure enjoyment.
Shanghai has always been different than other Chinese cities, starting with the foundations. Unlike former imperial capitals such as Beijing and Xian, Shanghai never had a city wall. Boundries are not part of the city’s character.
Prior to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, Shanghai was without a doubt the most internationalized city in [...]
In the years, months, days and minutes before the Olympics, it felt like Beijing was a city of scaffolding. At one point I thought we might need to trade our suitcases for hard hats.
Construction in the capital is (relatively) calm, now. But the train ride from Beijing to Shanghai taught me one thing: the [...]
