Do you dream about moving abroad? YEAH THAT'S ME
While visiting China’s most beautiful places you may wonder why it seems to be overrun with couples in wedding attire. Are they all getting married at this lake?! No, my friend; They are taking wedding photos. The culture and customs behind Chinese wedding photos are very different than that of America and most western countries. […]
After a few days in Hanoi, the group of us headed out to Saigon, otherwise known as Ho Chi Minh City. We got a pretty cheap flight, and arrived mid-afternoon. Once again I was in a different hostel, and unfortunately I didn’t get upgraded this time. My room was a huge dorm room of 10 […]
Curious about whether or not democracy would work in China? Why not test it out on Chinese children?! In the documentary “Please Vote for Me”, a real election in staged with third graders at a Chinese primary school. I originally watched “Please Vote for Me” in my undergraduate Chinese Culture through Film class. The whole […]
So you’re planning a trip to China, or you may already live here. We’ve all heard of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, but where else is there to go in China? China is much more than its biggest cities. China is s a huge country with different cultures, languages, foods and customs. From bustling cities to lush countrysides, I’ve […]
Cultural appropriation is a big word that’s been getting thrown around a lot lately, especially in regards to popular culture referencing Asia. Cultural appropriation: the adoption of some specific elements of one culture by a different cultural group. It describes acculturation or assimilation, but can imply a negative view towards acculturation from a minority culture by a dominant culture. […]
As many of you may know, earlier this year I borrowed an e-bike, or electric motorcycle, from one of the teachers at my school. I haven’t explored as much as I would like since it’s been so cold, but now that the weather is warming up I’ve been taking it all over my rural area. […]
A while back I posted my academic research Capstone Project called Bai Fu Mei: An In Depth Look at the Chinese Quest for Lighter, Brighter and Whiter Skin. In my paper I discussed the difference between skin whitening and skin bleaching creams, how they actually whiten skin, why many Chinese women feel the need to […]
Last Thursday I received a text from Lynn: “(101) 7:55-8:35, (109) 9:40-10:20, (103) 10:30-11:10. The time for class has been changed tomorrow because of the celebrating activity.” “Celebrating activity?” I replied. “Will you meet us at the front gate of the school after class about 11:15 so that we can go to the buffet together.” […]
AYC is having its first annual photo essay and video competitions. Naturally, I entered both, because let’s face it, what else am I going to do with my time? My last post, This is Home, was my photo essay contribution, and the video below is my submission for the video contest. The prizes are a trip […]
I thought I was immune to culture shock. I studied abroad in China for seven months and I speak Chinese almost fluently. I’ve been jostled in China’s largest cities, and stranded in some of China’s smallest towns. I’ve traveled to Tibet and Xinjiang and I’ve eaten fried scorpions in Beijing. One time I accidentally signed […]
Hi I'm Richelle! I'm the founder of the Freedom Life and I've been living abroad since 2013. For the last eight years, I've been helping hundreds of adventurous people just like you move abroad, and I can't wait to help you get started on this incredible adventure!
