Archive for 'Culture'
Datong City Wall and Huayan Monastery Posted by sasha on Aug 16, 2013
In the final video for our mini-series on Datong in northern Shanxi province, we visit the recently restored City Wall and the recently renovated Huayan Monastery. With these historical structures being transformed and made into tourist attractions, Datong hopes to shed its image as the “Coal City” while bringing in more tourist RMB. 大同 –…
How to Buy Train Tickets in China Posted by sasha on Aug 12, 2013
Traveling around China by train (火车 – huǒ chē) is a great way to travel like a local and see the country. With a highly developed rail system that connects all points of this massive country, riding that train in China is much better and cheaper than flying. While taking the train sounds like a…
At the Market – Vegetables Posted by sasha on Aug 8, 2013
An important part of your daily life is going to the market (市场 – shì chǎng) to buy groceries. Of course, doing this in China can be difficult if you’re not a native speaker – you can’t understand the labels, you don’t know to ask for what you want, and you find things you’ve never…
20 Questions in Chinese Posted by sasha on Aug 6, 2013
Here are 20 very common questions that you may be asked while traveling or living in China. Practice your Chinese by answering them, and then ask a friend! 1. 你叫什么名字? (nǐ jiào shén me míng zì) – What’s your (first) name? 2. 你姓什么? (nǐ xìng shén me) – What’s your last name/surname? It should be…
Top 10 Places in Beijing – Gulou Posted by sasha on Aug 2, 2013
So far in our countdown of the Top 10 Places in Beijing, we’ve hit the student district of Wudaokou and the hip 798 art district. Speaking of hip, we’re going to the spot where hipsters love to gather in Beijing: #8 – Gulou (鼓楼 – gǔ lóu) This area of Beijing gets its name from…
Beijing Streets, Beats & Eats – SLT and LSD Posted by sasha on Jul 31, 2013
Explore one of Beijing’s coolest areas for shopping, eating, drinking, and partying with this short video tour of Sanlitun. Check out the huge markets, wander down the Chinese Shakedown Street, sample a few awesome Happy Hours, try a variety of delicious food, rage a few bars, and then top it all off with an awesome…
Culture Shock in China – Getting Around Posted by sasha on Jul 27, 2013
When traveling to or living in a country that’s very far away and very different from your own, some culture shock is inevitable. So far, we’ve discussed the culture shock in China related to eating and drinking. Today, we’re going to talk about another everyday topic – getting around. When I first arrived in Beijing…