Google has announced that it might soon pull the plug on its operations in China, citing grave concerns over some recent, bizarre hack attacks, and lack of freedom of speech. The official notice on the main Google blog reveals that a concerted hacking attack, which originated in China, has been using phishing and malware to …Read More
I just finished reading Hong Huang’s opinion piece in the China Daily entitled, “Dear laowai, don’t mess with our Chinese-ness” and I can’t figure it out. What I’d like to think, based on Hong’s reputation, is that it is self-depreciating humour actually directed at Chinese about Chinese superiority and penchants for stereotypes. If this is …Read More
While it’s not new (but new to me), here is an interesting talk on C-SPAN by Peter Hessler, best known as the author of River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze and Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China. Hessler does a great job of reminding us (even several years since this talk) that …Read More
I don’t know what I was expecting when I first came to China. I knew that I wouldn’t be picking up the language or some Kung Fu or finding enlightenment in a Buddhist temple or becoming the first man to discover a shopper’s paradise. I knew I could expect Blade Runner cities and Dickensian conditions. …Read More
Happy New Year from everyone here at Lost Laowai. Another year over and a new one just begun. Here’s to hoping that 2010 reverses what has been a terrible year for Internet openness in China. My New Year’s Resolution is to spend eight minutes each day sending positive mental messages to the switch flickers in …Read More
There are a handful of movies that define the obsessions of my youth, but few moreso than The Karate Kid. Daniel San and Mr. Miyagi, wax on/wax off, Sweep the Leg — these things had me running around my neighbourhood pretending to be a ninja until I discovered girls (and their strange lack of admiration …Read More
For their Perspectives feature in the Expat Corner, eChinaCities asks laowai and native Chinese alike to comment on issues that affect all those who live in China. Â This week’s question was, “Would you rather raise your children in China or abroad?” Â I ended up writing a much longer response than is necessary for the Perspectives …Read More
As explained by the photographer, Dan Mueller: “After returning home after school, many children are expected to take care of themselves as their parents work in the fields. Older children in primary school will do house work and take care of the babies. It is a lot of responsibility at a young age.”Read More
I’ve been home in Canada for a little more than a week, and am already beginning to rub up against the things that run different from my laowai life in China. And while we’ve covered this topic a few times on the blog, I felt like using this post as an opportunity to reach out …Read More
Scarves are a big trend in fashion now, especially in China. I was assured of this by a woman who told me “all Chinese girls like to wear scarves!” when she sold me a pair of custom-painted knock-off Chuck Taylors for Y70. I’ve purchased a few scarves since arriving in China, and they’ve come in …Read More
Welcome one and all to the debut of a new (ir)regular feature here on Lost Laowai, entitled Fact or Fiction. The premise is very simple, each edition I will be joined by a Guest and we will briefly discuss some of the hottest topics in the laowai world. Myself and my guest will respond to each topic with either FACT or FICTION. This concept was borrowed by one of my favourite sites on the internets, 411mania.
Anyway, enough explanation let’s get down to business….
My first guest is someone that you all know very well. He is the creator of this very site which you are all visiting, as well as The Hao Hao Report, and his very popular blog The Humanaught — he is of course Mr. Ryan McLaughlin. Today he and I will be talking about the Great Firewall, Obama, alcohol and parades.Read More
A few weeks ago, I decided it was time for a change in my English as a Foreign Language classroom. Â The lessons I’d been teaching had been disjointed one-off topic lessons that piqued the interest of a very small portion of my 825 (give or take) middle-school students. Â The vocabulary used was scanty, I hardly …Read More
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