Working in a Gaokao Factory

Working in a Gaokao Factory

Recently I came across an article, Chinese Cram School From Hell. This article does a great job describing the Chinese high school education system, and the immense pressure  of the gaokao test. Since I work in one of these so-called “gaokao factories”, I thought I’d shed some insight on the high school education system in China. […]

The Liebster Award and My Favorite Blogs

A few days ago, I was nominated for the Liebster Award by R., the writer of the blog China Elevator Stories. Basically, this award is a pay-it-forward blogger award, in which you answer 11 questions, post 11 facts about yourself, and then write 11 new questions for a few bloggers you have nominated. I’m extremely flattered […]

Trip to Tianjin

Trip to Tianjin

  My first full weekend in Beijing, Suzy invited Mark and I to stay with her and her family in Tianjin for the weekend. Tianjin is a very large city right near Beijing, and by train, you can get there in about a half an hour. Saturday morning, Mark and I woke up early and […]

Awkward China Moments

Awkward China Moments

A list of awkward moments I have only ever encountered in China: Your boss tells you to eat more, when you already have food in your mouth You walk down the street and everyone is staring at you, and your first thought is “Is my skirt tucked into my underwear or something??!”and then you realize […]

My First Real Apartment!

While my first night in China was a little less than welcoming, I woke up the next morning excited to finally get settled. The nice thing about jet lag is that it makes me a morning person! -Which I am most definitely not in real life. Mark works from 9:30-4:30 Monday through Friday, so I […]

“Welcome to Beijing…”

For those of you that haven’t heard, I’m officially in China! It’s my third full day in China and I’ve already moved into an apartment and found a job (I’ve been busy). But before I tell you all about what I’ve been up to the last few days, I thought I’d fill you all in […]

Every New Turn is a New Adventure

Every New Turn is a New Adventure

“I delight in the challenges that a country like China poses to westerners. Sure, I occasionally catch myself pounding the wall in frustration, but the thing about the PRC is that every turn is a new adventure. For me there’s nothing worse than being bored, and boredom is just not possible in China. See these […]